I know it’s early but I live in North Dakota so it could start snowing in a month. One in my ponies, the one who gets consistently worked year-round will have a stall inside the heated barn this year that he will go in at night w/ turnout in his run (which has a shelter on one side) during the day. So since the barn is heated he will need a blanket for the first time. Does a neck cover really make that big of a difference in warmth? I found a blanket that is the right price/style/size/fill/denier but the company doesn’t make a neck cover to go w/ it. It does get pretty cold here. As low as -40° F. But the entire west side of his run is shelter, so most of the time he has a decent wind block. Idk, what’s your opinion. Neck covers yes or no?
A decade ago, I would have said No.
Now I think horses have more cervical (neck) arthritis than we realize. And really bad neck arthritis causes all kinds of problems. By the time it’s bad enough that most horse people think to look there/diagnose it, it’s pretty bad and hard to manage.
If it were going to be consistently cold, I’d add a neck cover. Again, I wouldn’t bother from a “conserving calories” point of view or even for a horse’s “comfort,” assuming is neck was in tip-top shape. But if you think that’s not true, then the neck cover becomes a legitimate luxury.
YMMV.
Well it stays very cold here from oct/Nov through Mar/apr. But he would be on about a 12hr split as far as time inside and time outside.
I would for sure - but I use them here and we barely get below freezing ;). (Though they do live out 24/7 and we get some cold wet weather sometimes). 300g fill.
The neck is a largesh muscular area so covering it does help them stay warmer. It also keeps the coat on the neck ‘matching’ the coat on the body, if that’s a consideration for you.
Neck covers are great. They keep rain from running down the shoulders. Plus they really keep the neck clean and the mane tamed. Worth the cost. Now a lot of rugs come with neck covers included.
Those high necked blankets slip down on my horses and get caught behind the withers. I gave the ones I had bought to my previous BO.
As for ND, well, I used to live with a guy who grew up in Balta on his parents’ dairy farm. He said it’s 100 degrees in the summer, and minus 40 in winter and that they took their batteries into the house at night and that their tyres would be flat from being frozen in the morning till they drove them awhile. (He also graduated undergrad from North Dakota State where it was as cold as in Balta.)
Based on what he said, I’d think a filled neck rug would be in order anywhere in North Dakota.
As an aside, I know one totally flawed owner (cough) who duck-taped a non-matching neck cover to her horse’s existing blanket. Just saying it can be done, unless barn policy prohibits such practices.
I have found that a neck cover allows the horse to stay warmer without having to increase the insulation in the blanket.
And I agree with SharonA, the neck cover doesn’t have to match the blanket. At one point my horse had a green blanket with a blue and beige tail flap (stolen from a defunct blanket) and a brown neck cover, the whole lot over a faded chestnut plaid underlayer. It was quite the ragamuffin picture, but he was warm! This year the ensemble includes a grey and wide red stripes blanket (to which I shall have to sew rings for) a dark navy neckcover, over a royal blue quilt. Warm and economical beats fashion when it comes to horse clothing. Especially with those critters who are hard on their clothing.
If you’re clipping, absolutely. If you’re not, consider the horse and how tolerant he is of cold. We have a mammoth I wouldn’t dream needs a neck cover (he’s happy munching hay naked in wet sleet :eek:) but then we have a hothouse flower who would just wither if he was caught outside in the snow…
However, the neck is a very large surface area, very close to the head and quite vascular. Lots of heat escapes along the neck. So, I think a neck cover is worth investigating.
It does not have to match. You can buy any old neck cover, and if it fits your horse, just buy some velcro and snaps at your local Michaels or Jo-Annes and sew the clips and velcro on and you’re all set.
[QUOTE=SharonA;8292235]
As an aside, I know one totally flawed owner (cough) who duck-taped a non-matching neck cover to her horse’s existing blanket. Just saying it can be done, unless barn policy prohibits such practices.[/QUOTE]
A friend of a friend, right? :lol:
I’m going to go the other way. I don’t think they are necessary.
And this is from someone who had never felt 25* (positive) until 2 years ago. Now we get down to -30, so about where you are.
Most of our horses don’t have neck covers. The ones who do are older or hard keeper types who need to conserve calories. If our horses were staying out at night, I would probably add them a lot more.
Also, if you (or your barn manager) are able to change blankets/neck covers often, then I would be more likely to have one. However, I like their necks being free, because it allows them to regulate their temperature easier. As much as I try to watch the weather and predict each horse’s comfort level, I think over-blanketing is just as dangerous, maybe more, as under-blanketing.
[QUOTE=Mosey_2003;8292401]
A friend of a friend, right? :lol:[/QUOTE]
Oooohh… no… I think I know EXACTLY who she’s talking about… was there a zebra pattern involved because I think I heard about that…
Hey Rusty15, I live in Manitoba, probably a few hours north of you. IME it depends. If you plan to trace clip your horse (which you will want to consider if he will be working at least moderately all winter in an arena) the neck cover will make a difference. At the very least, go with one that has extends part way up the neck. That keeps out a lot of cold. If you don’t plan to clip, I would say it is less important. However, you must be super vigilant that your horse is totally completely dry before you turn him out again. The last think you want to do is turn out a horse in -30 that is still slightly damp at the skin of his neck and not have it covered. Personally, I have come to prefer the part way up the neck version because I have found that they do not feel an electric fence when they are wearing a full neck cover…
I really like the high necked (wug-type) blankets as kind of a compromise. In my case, our coldest weather is freezing rain, and the high neck keeps the wet from going under the blanket. I also have had much better luck with those not rubbing the withers.
I agree that your neck cover does not have to match, and can even be highly fashionable not matching.
[QUOTE=beowulf;8292492]
Oooohh… no… I think I know EXACTLY who she’s talking about… was there a zebra pattern involved because I think I heard about that…[/QUOTE]
I figured she was talking about herself, ha!
[QUOTE=poltroon;8292549]
I really like the high necked (wug-type) blankets as kind of a compromise. In my case, our coldest weather is freezing rain, and the high neck keeps the wet from going under the blanket. I also have had much better luck with those not rubbing the withers.
I agree that your neck cover does not have to match, and can even be highly fashionable not matching.[/QUOTE]
Me too, the “turtlenecks” let you stick to one piece. Neck cover/hoods have their own little set of “side effects” including, getting caught on fences, twisting, flipping up over the head and getting a hoof caught-fortunately they usually rip apart before the horse injures itself, just like the misbehaving blankets.
If you go with a hood, which I would not question at -40f where I doubt over blanketing is an issue, be sure it fits and can be secured properly to the blanket. Or get him a turtleneck.
He’s been very responsible with his fly sheet that has a neck cover (aside from laying in poo and staining it). I don’t plan on any clipping since I’ve never clipped a horse, he’s never been clipped, and nobody at my barn does either. But if it becomes an issue we might give it a try. I always ride in the evenings so he’ll never be going outside after getting sweaty, just to his nice warm stall. Last year he lived out 24/7 and was nekkid and drying him out after a ride was hell. So much hand walking and cooler wearing. At my old barn, all the horses were trained to stand there while we blow dried them after rides.
NECESSARY, no. Do they provide nice additional warmth/rain protection-- absolutely. I love neck rugs and now only buy blankets with them. I do think it makes a marked difference in how the wind/rain blows into the blanket and how warm/dry the horse stays.
Knock on wood but I’ve never had one get caught on anything or had any unusual problems. I buy exclusively Horseware brand blankets but even the hoods on the less expensive Amigos hold up as well and consistently as the blankets they go with.
[QUOTE=Rusty15;8292721]
He’s been very responsible with his fly sheet that has a neck cover (aside from laying in poo and staining it). I don’t plan on any clipping since I’ve never clipped a horse, he’s never been clipped, and nobody at my barn does either. But if it becomes an issue we might give it a try. I always ride in the evenings so he’ll never be going outside after getting sweaty, just to his nice warm stall. Last year he lived out 24/7 and was nekkid and drying him out after a ride was hell. So much hand walking and cooler wearing. At my old barn, all the horses were trained to stand there while we blow dried them after rides.[/QUOTE] You should really think about a modified trace clip, I swear once you have trace clipped a northern dwelling horse (that is being ridden regularly) you will never go back. You don’t have to do a proper trace clip, you can just do a modified clip that takes off a swath of hair along the side and up around the flank. Only areas that are covered by a blanket. It does not have to look like it was done by a British groom with 20 years experience, it can look a bit funky. You will say good bye to the blow drying forever.
My horse seems to do better in a high necked blanket. Schneider’s has several types with the neck cover and blanket all in one. He is in MN.
