Blanket layering?

[lenapesadie]

It’s possible we’ll get some weather in which I’d prefer my horse have a heavy weight blanket. The problem is I don’t own a heavy weight blanket that fits this horse.

He has a medium wug (high neck), a 100 gram with hood, a 50 gram with no hood, and a no fill sheet with hood. The hoods are not interchangeable between the 100 and no fill, though they are both detachable.

Depending on conditions, the medium wug may be sufficient but if not I could layer one of his lighter blankets over the wug. Fit wise, the no fill sheet and hood set will probably be most comfortable / the best fit over the wug. I’ll note that this particular sheet seems to offer more warmth than other no fill sheets I own.

At any rate, the conditions we are expecting are cold and dry. The variable will be wind (and how cold). I have layered the 100 gram over the wug before (for colder conditions than we are currently expecting) but the fit is a bit tighter than ideal.

Thoughts?

[JB]

I layer all the time, with a medium weight as the first blanket. From there it might be a no-fill sheet, or an 80/100gm “sheet”. This has worked well for the few nights/days we get a year where it’s extra cold and windy, or extra rainy and windy on top of 30s/40s

Even a no-fill sheet adds a layer of air between it and the bottom blanket, which can make things surprisingly warmer.

I don’t know how to compare the insulation of that air layer, to the insulation of the 100gm, but I would probably choose the roomier fit over snug

[lenapesadie]

It’s hard to justify a whole heavyweight blanket for the handful of nights per year I might use one! Sounds like we have similar winters.

I’ll probably use the no fill sheet unless the forecast changes significantly.

[NaturallyHappy]

Could you purchase something like a Rambo liner? We use Rambo liners of varying weights, layer those for temperature, and a Rambo turnout sheet. It makes it easy to adjust weights depending on temperatures. I have some here who use liners with other brands of turnout sheets. Those work, too.

[lenapesadie]

I mean I could but unlikely it would be here in time for this cold snap.

Horse is due for a wardrobe update / change, but I haven’t ordered it yet. He’s probably going to get a new 50 gram with hood and medium with hood plus a 100 gram liner in a singular line. I do like the flexibility of liners! I have a 100 gram liner for my pony and one that fit my previous horse, but horse in question does not have one.

[JB]

@lenapesadie

It’s hard to justify a whole heavyweight blanket for the handful of nights per year I might use one! Sounds like we have similar winters.

I think we’re in the same state NC? Did I see that in another comment of yours? Regardless, no, heavyweight here isn’t useful for the few nights it would be needed, the layering works well enough, plus, since the biggest reason for the extra layer is wind, the horses know the far end of the field has a pretty good wind break so they hang out there.

[Texarkana]

I do the same thing @JB does when necessary- midweight with a 0g on top. If it’s roomy enough to fit over the wug, that’s what I’d try.

I didn’t even own any heavyweight blankets until fairly recently, and still only use them a handful of times a year max. And I’m in a colder climate.

[lenapesadie]

No I’m down by Pensacola FL so probably a bit milder even. Not as mild as south FL of course.

I get the most use out of my 100 and 50 gram things, but do appreciate having the mediums enough to be worthwhile.

Also get a lot of use out of this particular no fill sheet for this particular horse. It’s a very roomy cut (for drafty / big boned warmblood types). I guess it’s the air gap you mentioned that makes it “warm” compared to other no fill sheets. It stays perfectly in place even though it’s like a loose, boxy fit on the horse.

It’s the wind that makes me consider layering. If it’s still, calm cold the medium might be enough. But if it’s windy, I’ll want more protection for him. My place is very flat. The barn is basically a mare motel (excellent in our long summers) so no windbreak even if horses are stalled.

[lenapesadie]

Yes the sheet is plenty big enough to go over the medium!

Of course, lots of folks here put the same medium on if the low is 49 or 29. That’s how I got into 100 gram blankets. When I was boarding it was easier to just supply a lighter blanket than try and manage when or which blanket the barn would put on my horse. Or how long they left the blanket on! The lighter blankets are a lot more forgiving left on during the day!

[Weezer]

I also layer all the time. But when I worked at a tack shop I was told that coolers, fleece and wool blankets are not good layers because they push the hair down flat. This prevents the long hair coats from trapping in warm air. If your horse is clipped short, then that probably wouldn’t be a concern since the hair isn’t really trapping heat anyway.

[lenapesadie]

He’s not clipped short, but his natural coat is very short. He’s a touch plushier in winter than summer but he’d be laughed off the Yak Call thread. He grows an impressive goat beard and some extra leg hair but that’s about it. Works out as I’m not blanketing his chin or lower legs!

[cristalle]

I live in an area that can get cold in the winter, but I am not a fan of HW blankets, and much prefer to layer.
My go-to is a medium weight, with a rain sheet (0 fill) on top.
The horse stays dry if there is ugly freezing rain, but doesn’t over heat when the sun comes out and reflects off the snow.
The rain sheet is also easier to take on and off and to wash if necessary, and tends to protect the MW.

[Highflyer1]

I’m in MD and routinely layer sheets, 100g, and midweight blankets depending on the weather and the horse! Sometimes it is 25 at night and 45 during the day and they wear the sheets during the day and I throw a midweight on top, sometimes I throw a sheet or 100g on overva midweight for warmth, and sometimes throw a sheet over the midweight or 100g to keep things dry if it’s supposed to rain or snow. I like to have options and I like all the options to be able to stand alone!

[RedHorses]

My horse spends winter in a midweight Wug and gets a 100g with neck rug over top for cold/storm events. That layer comes off ASAP once the cold snap eases/storm ends.

Even here in the land of real snow and cold winters I can’t justify the storage space for a heavy turnout. The heaviest thing I own is a 340g stable quilt which I used on the horse that needed more warmth than the average horse. He destroyed the waterproofing on two rainsheets in less than six months each, so I wasn’t going to spend money on a heavy turnout that would have to have a rainsheet over it anyway.

[lenapesadie]

Like he lives in it like it doesn’t come off except for grooming and riding?!?!

I live in the land of swapping blankets for fly sheets during the day more often than leaving the blanket on!

[lenapesadie]

@cristalle

ugly freezing rain

That sounds dreadful. My horse doesn’t like to leave the barn when it’s raining and 60f. Or if it’s raining at all really.

[RedHorses]

Pretty much - he lives outside and with the modified trace clip I do (belly hair left unclipped below the straight line from elbow to stifle) a midweight Wug allows him to have some control over his temperature. He can fluff up at night or on colder days for extra warmth, and flatten his coat during the day when it’s warmer. He’d be too warm in a heavyweight most sunny days.

I will take blankets off while I’m there if we get a heat wave (meaning sunny and anything above -5C) so they can roll in the snow.

I did find that covering the neck allowed my cold horse to stay warmer with less insulation. He was as comfortable in a 200g rug/200g neck as he was in the 340g stable quilt/0g rainsheet/0g neck.

[lenapesadie]

@RedHorses

so they can roll in the snow.

Snow Angel Horses

I’m jealous of your minimal blanket changes!

[Mouse_amp_Bay]

Also my experience re: neck.

Southern Ontario, our current weather is hovering around 0C (-3 to 3 ish). Ground is trying to freeze but still squishy. I don’t worry about the -3C overnight as they are inside, cozy in their stalls. The crew is still in their 100G with a hood. Hood up outside, hood down inside as the barn is warmer overnight, maybe up to 5C.

Even here in southern Ontario, my one heavyweight blanket (bought used from a friend) very rarely comes out of storage. Simply not cold enough here, unless we enter a spell of consistent -20C during the day which happens very very rarely. I find the 100G for the milder winter days, up to the 250G midweights for the colder -5C to -10C days work best. All with hoods as that really keeps them dry and toasty underneath.

[Weezer]

I have also learned that a 0g neck cover makes a big difference in keeping them warm