Best blanketing option for 30-60 degrees?

[sassy]

If you had to leave one blanket on for nights where it gets down in the 30s and up to 60 degrees during the day, what are you using? This is assuming normal/mild wind and no rain.

Horse is fully body clipped with about 2-3 weeks of hair growth

Unfortunately it’s not always possible for me to do multiple blanket changes a day. Horse is 22 and has cushings but otherwise in good health. He always has access to shelter (bedded stall and a large over hang outside the stall) to use as he pleases, as well as free choice hay. He gets grain twice a day. (While he gets grain twice a day I am not always the one feeding him and he is not always amenable to being captured and having his clothes changed, hence the issue of leaving one blanket on)

I have been keeping a 100 gram on him and he doesn’t seem to be overheating during the day or to be cold at night.

[Simkie]

I’d use a 100g.

[joiedevie99]

fully clipped a 100g, trace/partial/not clipped a sheet.

[Janet]

For that range I would not blanket at all (when no precipitation).

[Knubbsy]

I agree with the 100g folks. That’s what we tend to do at my barn. Maybe a light/no fill neck. (my 100g liner is getting a lot of use this year)
If it stayed at 50, maybe 200g

[lenapesadie]

50 grams to 100 grams.

[Texarkana]

@Janet

For that range I would not blanket at all (when no precipitation).

You wouldn’t blanket a fully body clipped horse at 30?

[emeraldcity]

100g if I have to pick one only, though I’d really prefer a medium for the 30deg nights. For my own horse at least.

[sophie]

Clipped horse when it’s in the 30ies or 40ies = 100g breathable turnout. 50ies and more and no wind / rain = no blanket.

[Pico_Banana]

100g unless you know he will sweat in in in the 60s. Then I’d do less. I’d rather have him be chilly at night than overheat during the day.

[LCDR]

My horses in a similar situation to yours (32 last night) wore their 50 gm blankets and both were sweating under them when it hit 50 degrees at 10 this morning, They are out 24-7 with plentiful grass to eat.

If I didn’t have them at home, I would not want them blanketed at all for a 32 degree low and 60 degree high period, as long as they have forage to eat and digest and heat their internal furnaces.

[JB]

@Pico_Banana

100g unless you know he will sweat in in in the 60s. Then I’d do less. I’d rather have him be chilly at night than overheat during the day.

This.

PPID horses don’t always regulate their temp well, and sometimes that means not being as warm as a 60* day would otherwise make them.

It sounds like your 100g is working on both ends. If he’s not losing weight, or seeming cranky/ier in the morning, then he’s likely not cold at night, and not using extra calories to stay warm. You’d find sweat patterns especially in the shoulder area if he’s getting too warm during the day.

If you ever find he changes, then yes, better a little too cool overnight than too warm all day OR, better a little too warm during the day than totally shivering all night.

[sassy]

Thanks for all the responses! I think 100g is the best option for this particular individual.

Yesterday we were 50 during the day and 25 at night and he had a medium plus hood on. He didn’t seem sweaty or uncomfortable when I switched him to the 100g (no neck) this morning. I have a neck I can add to my 100g if needed though.

I think with the cushings, being older and being a former show horse who used to live in a barn and be blanketed constantly, he prefers a little extra over being cold.

[CindyCRNA]

In the same boat and it’s tricky. If the 60 degrees is windy and cloudy, full neck sheet. If it’s a sunny calm 60, a regular sheet. My guy is fully clipped and has access to shelter at night.

[JB]

You must be in my general neck of the woods, we’ve had low 20s the last 3 mornings as well. It’s HARD this time of year, with coats starting to go. I kept a medium weight on my 33yo yesterday, mostly because he’s too thin coming out of Winter, even though it was in the 50s, because there was also a stiff wind. It’s only about 5* warmer today, but without the wind, so he’s naked for the day.

[Amy3996]

My fully clipped wimpy TB is in a 0g turnout and hood over his ceramic mesh sheet. It was pushing 50°F yesterday and he was comfortably warm turned out in the mesh sheet under a 220g mid and hood.

These in between temps are tough but the 100g or similar is super useful.

[sassy]

The joys of Maryland/Southern PA

[Janet]

@Texarkana

You wouldn’t blanket a fully body clipped horse at 30?

If it were going to be 30 all day, yes I would blanket.

But if the choices (as stated) were (no rain)
A) no blanket at 60 and no blanket at 30
B) blanket at 60 and blanket at 30
I would chose option A.

But I am known to be conservative about blanketing.

[JB]

I might not blanket a normal healthy clipped horse at a calm dry 30* night, depending on the time of year. But PPID brings in a different set of issues, and I would put a light blanket/heavy sheet on unless he proved something otherwise

[Montanas_Girl]

The Schneiders Tekno-Fleece fill option is great for situations like this. Much more breathable and “forgiving” than a traditional 100 g blanket.