When to put the winter blanket on?

[FehrGroundRanch]

My horses still have their fall sheets on, when do you guys recommend switching to the winter blankets?

[Gallamist]

I DON'T!.....LOL

I once read an article in Horse and Rider a few yrs ago that explained the difference between a horses natural coat and a horse blanket.

In order to keep your horse warm enough with a blanket it needs to be at least 2inches thick..that's a pretty thick blanket if you ask me....lol

The blanket makes all there hair lie flat on there skin which when the blanket is removed or comes off in the pasture the horse is more cold then it would be if it had no blanket on at all.

I NEVER blanket my horses in the winter unless it's absoutly necessary. He hairs up pretty good and has a nice healthy winter coat, shelter and free choice hay all winter long....

The natural winter coat IMO is far better and healthier then a blanket.

[mollyr]

I agree with Gallamist.
My horse is getting a really, thick soft winter coat which in my opinion will keep her warmer than a blanket would

[islander]

ditto here too--had blankets they hated them and would do anything to get them off so.... sold the blankets

[mandam]

I have never blanketed my horses in winter but this year I have a gelding that I am worried about.
He is 4yrs old and I got him really underweight. I am having a hard time getting weight on him quick enough and his winter coat isn't bulking up very fast. All my other horses are fluffy and he isn't yet and he is shivering all the time.
Any ideas on helping him gain weight? He is Florida bred and I don't know if he spent any winters in Canada yet....would it be wise to blanket him?

[In Alberta]

I have never blanketed a horse here until 7 years ago an under weight horse was bought in April and by winter she had put on lots of weight and was looking good, went and did my midnight checks and she was shivering, not prepared for this I called her previous owner up who still had a blanket that fit her, she brought it over and I put it on and she was left blanketed for the winter, then the following year she did well and has since.

[FehrGroundRanch]

Thanks for all the replies. We usually let them get their winter fuzzies first and then put a mid weight water proof blanket on. I don't blanket all of them, just the ones that seem to have issues with the cold. My reining filly will be blanketed because of all the indoor riding and showing she will be doing, my cutting filly already finds it too cold out and our Clydesdale/QH doesn't grow much of a coat.

I won't blanket the warmblood mare or my son's gelding (who looks more like a Llama than a horse in the winter...lol)

[JezzaBella]

I might get a blanket for one of mine this winter, just cause all she's got in her paddock is a few windbreaks. The others are happily fluffy and I don't need to ride the snot out of them indoors so they are good to go.

[KiddingAround]

My 22 year old mare has had one one for a couple of weeks now. The fall was hitting her hard, and she was having trouble keeping weight on. The blanket has made a world of a difference! The rest of the monsters are out on pasture still and are a fuzzy as mammoths so they can go without as long as that keeps up. I have one extra blanket in case of an emergency, but so far the old girl is the only one with her winter blankie on.

[FehrGroundRanch]

I do find a blanket does a world of wonders on horses that are having trouble keeping weight on in the winter.

[KiddingAround]

I know! I really was amazed at how much difference it makes. She's not as ribby, and all the stuff I'm feeding her is finally making a difference! I've always had super easy keepers, and she was too up until this fall. This whole uber supplementing, blanketing etc. is new to me!

[FehrGroundRanch]

Our good old seniors eh? Gotta love em! We had to blanket our old gelding (he was 26 when he died) for his last winter. He never had a blanket on before that, he was a great old guy.

I'm lucky now as all of my horses are young. My oldest horses are 4. My warmblood and my QH trail mare are both 4yrs old this year. Then I have the three 3yr olds, the reining horse (who isn't at home) my son's pony gelding and our QH/Clyde cross who is a hard keeper. I think she is a hard keeper as she is putting so much into growing UP and not alot into growing out(She was 15hh when we got her as a 18 month old, she is now just over 26 months old and stands over 16hh). We've managed to keep her at an ideal weight but she does't get no where near as chubby as the other horses do in the winter.

[KiddingAround]

Seniors for sure! I don't want this to be her last winter, as she has been such a great girl for so many years. Although....when she gives me the dirty look and stomps along beside me when I am not at home at THE time to feed her........lol!

We have 2 ponies, who are now all hair and I'm pretty sure wouldn't feel -50, my regular riding gelding turns into a giant yellow puffball, so no worries there. Our big StanderdbredX gelding also furs up something fierce. The two other mares, my 2 year old and our 9 year old seem so far so good. They all are still out on pasture and the don't come in for water unless it's dark, or they sense that I'm working so I can't catch them to work......monsters the lot of them.

Your draftX is gonna be a MONSTER! That's huge! My two year old is probably 15hh right now....so I'm scared at how tall she's gonna end up. Time to start yoga so my leg will get up there when she's trained!

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