To Blanket or Not to Blanket...

This is a question I get asked a lot this time of the year... I hope this helps!

How a horse stays warm:

Horses have developed very efficient means of staying warm, even in very cold temperatures. Your horse's coat is comprised of two types of hair: longer stiffer guard hairs; and a soft, fluffy undercoat. The guard hairs "guard" or protect the soft hairs from dirt and water, shed off rain, and collect moisture from sweat that might damage the undercoat. The softer, fluffier hairs of the undercoat trap warm air between and act like insulation around your horse. Natural oils are produced that coat the hair to make them water resistant. Each hair is connected to the piloerector muscle. This muscle allows the hairs to be stood up or laid flat. When they stand up, warm air trapped between them, just above the surface of the skin. When they lie down, warm air is released from between them, cooling the area above the surface of the skin.

When don't I need to blanket my horse?

• When he has a natural winter coat
• When he is healthy and in good body weight
• When it is not too windy or raining
• If the temperature stays above 5°F

When do I need to blanket my horse?

• When he has been clipped for winter
• When he is sick or injured
• When he is underweight (or any "hard keeper")
• When he is older, with weight issues, or difficulty moving around
• When he has been recently moved to a colder climate (Expect it to take 10-21 days for a horse to acclimate to a new climate)
• When it is Windy or Rainy or both
• When there is no available shelter

Important!

It is very important to keep in mind that there are times when blanketing is worse than not blanketing. A blanket will make your horse's hair coat lie flat, thus removing that insulating layer of warm air. If the amount of insulation in the blanket is less than what your horse's natural coat would provide, then he will be cold. Make sure that any blankets used for turnout are waterproof! A wet blanket will make your horse cold. Too many blankets, or too heavy a blanket will make your horse sweat, make the hairs lie down, and make your horse cold. Stick your hand under your horse's blankets to make sure he is not too hot. Additionally, you should not see sweat marks on your horse when you take the blanket off.