Blanketing A Partially Clipped Guy

[hunterjumper98]

I am doing a modified irish clip on my gelding tomorrow (clipped head and legs), and I need to make a new blanket chart to accommodate his new “naked” look.

I have never clipped my own horse, so I have no idea at what temperature I should dress him a sheet, blanket, and blanket w/hood.

We live in Georgia, so the temperature can be kind of wild around this time of the year! In fact, it is supposed to get down to a low of 27 tomorrow night. He is in at night and out during the day, so during the coldest part of the day, he will be inside with the barn closed. As of right now, he has a sheet and a medium weight blanket. I am ordering a hood for him, which will be here next week.

At what temperature do y’all usually use a sheet, a blanket, or a blanket w/hood? Any suggestions?

[RedHorses]

It really depends on your horse’s internal thermostat.

I have one that runs chilly and unclipped he wore more and heavier blankets than my modified trace clipped horse. I clipped the chilly bean this year - we shall see what he ends up wearing when. My plan is an insulated neck rug as the first step up.

Anyway, if you haven’t clipped his belly adding neck protection may be all he needs. Unless he runs chilly, then you might start by stepping up one blanket degree (use your old chart, just move the blankets up to the next warmer temperature zone).

Edit to add:

My normal horse wears a rainsheet until the daily highs are below freezing (0C) then he wears a midweight Wug (200gm) until the daytime highs are in the mid minus 20s Celcius. We don’t get more than two or three weeks of that kind of cold, but I put a light quilt (100-150gm) on under his blanket which comes off as soon as it warms up (to -20C) during the day. If we actually get down to highs around -28C (or lower) I have a 280gm quilt for him to wear under the 200gm.

Chilly bean wear his rainsheet earlier, while normal boy is still naked. Then he gets a light quilt and neck rug. When normal boy gets into his 200gm, chilly boy gets his 280gm under the rainsheet with neck rug. When normal boy gets the extra quilt, chilly bean gets his midweight (200gm) on top of the 280gm, under the rainsheet with neck rug. That’s unclipped. He is obnoxious to ride when he’s cold, so he will tell me what he needs this winter to manage him clipped.

[TwoDreamRides]

I’d use his blanket for 35 and below and his sheet for 35-50. Blanket at night according to the overnight low and blanket for the day for the high.

It sounds like his body hair will remain, which will keep his core temp up.

[Heinz_57]

My horse has an Irish clip now, it’s 32* out (actual feel is about 25), and he’s got a medium weight, mid-neck turnout on. He’s perfectly warm and happy. He runs hot, though, and I don’t even own a heavy weight turnout for him. I don’t really use hoods, but I left his head and legs alone.

[kcmel]

Mine with a modified trace clip (left belly hair) I pretty much left naked, unless it got into the 30s at night (or on a couple of cold, windy days), then he would get a sheet. He was always warm when I put my hand under the sheet in the morning (he was out 24/7 at the time).

[asterix]

It depends a lot on how much you have clipped, and how hardy he is. I clip mine in a bib clip- under side of neck, across shoulders, and belly to just behind girth. He is a very easy keeper and is out 24-7 with shelter and free choice hay.
He doesn’t need anything at all unless it is low 20s or less for a high. If it is raining or sleeting (below 50), he gets a sheet. If it is very cold and windy (15, 20), he gets a medium. I don’t own a heavy.
A horse with a thin coat, more of a clip, or prone to low weight would need more.

[skipollo]

My horse has an Irish clip (left belly hair.) He runs warmer. Right now it’s 25F (realfeel 9F), so he’s wearing a heavyweight Rhino with a neck rug. He’ll be in that probably for the rest of the winter as he lives outside 24/7 and is a hard keeper. If it gets above 35F (realfeel) then I’ll switch him to his mediumweight with a neck rug. He always wears a neck rug because I want all clipped areas covered. Truthfully he’d wear a neck rug even if he wasn’t clipped because it keeps him clean and dry (if it were to rain/snow.) If it gets above 40-45F (realfeel) I switch him to his turnout sheet. If it’s really windy, I blanket heavier.

I tend to be “that person” where I board (the heavy blanketer.) My horse does fine with it though–he doesn’t overheat/get sweaty. He lives out 24/7 with two run in sheds and giant bales of hay. We’re in PA.

[SLW]

It depends on what kind of cold it is too- 20F and sunny is less harsh than 34F and rain or 30F and a north wind. Never discount what adding a flake or two of hay overnight can do for warmth for your horse.

I just pulled blankets today and our high is forecast to be 28F, no wind, partial sun. A new horse here, 15 years old, has spent all her winters in Aiken, SC but she is acclimating to an eastern KS winter with no issues. I’ve blanketed her 2 nights thus far due to the extreme cold snap that just went through here.

[tazycat]

Highly doubt georgia will get 20 below zero. If horse is in a barn he should be fine with a lightweight blanket or even just a sheet. At 27 and sunny with no wind horse would be fine with a sheet on. Getting into single digit highs then thats cold.
Funny how people from the south think 20s is really cold that’s just preview of what’s to come for us.

[MysticOakRanch]

I have a couple with trace clips - part of neck, low belly, and our weather varies quite a bit (although never really cold). The lowest we get is mid 20s at night - more often high 30s, with daytime into the high 40s or low 50s. My horses have thick hair, and tend to run “warm”. I’ve never needed more then a sheet on them. Generally, I am more worried about covering them up when it is raining. Our idea of cold is very different from what some of the East Coast and Mid-West deal with:lol: I don’t even add the sheet unless it is below freezing or raining.

One of my mares is full clipped except her legs - and she wears a mid-weight blanket (200 grams) and is toasty warm under her blanket.

Partly depends on your individual horse. But I have found the bigger issue is keeping them dry.

[findeight]

But horses adapt to the “cold” where they live, they can be chilly at 30f if they aren’t used to it or get wet in it.

Depends on where in Ga too, it gets cold in the mountains along the Tennessee and Carolina borders, not so much in the south along the Florida border.

OPs probably going to be fine with an Irish clip with a sheet and a mid weight blanket since the horse has most of his hair. Especially if she likes to keep the horse healthy and in top condition for regular schooling and shows. Cold can take them down condition wise as they burn more calories for warmth…and it doesn’t have to be that cold.