Blanketing temps - how do you guys choose which weights to use/when?

[RolexReady]

Hi all!

So I am curious if anyone has a method for determining which weights to use in certain types of weather?

My horse is outside 24/7 - he has a big shed but they rarely use it. He does have a stall for when the weather is extreme (nasty storms, blizzards etc). He is very thin skinned and really has not grown a winter coat at all. I have a lightweight supreme with hood, and medium supreme with hood, and a liner that can attach to either. I also have a lightweight wug as a back up in case one gets wet and needs to dry. I have many other weights available from old horses but I try to keep it to the above.

What blanketing schedule would you guys suggest for the temps?

We are in Delaware, and where he is gets very windy because its extremely flat. I dont want to be that owner who overblankets - but I want piece of mind at night knowing hes not shivering!

Any advice is appreciated, hope everyone else stays warm this winter

[MissAriel]

SmartPak has a blanketing app! Put in your horse’s name, living conditions, coat length and your zip code and it will give you recommendations based on the weather forecast in your area. IMHO it leans toward needing more, rather than needing less, but YMMV.

I don’t live in an area with extreme weather, but my horse is clipped so it is nice to have this as extra peace of mind that I am making the right call - yeah, I’m that owner than can overthink anything ;). Last night I was on the fence about putting on the turnout overnight, and the app recommended it. I decided to put it on and my horse stuck his head right through the neck opening and snuggled into it. OK, then! One point for SmartPak.

[Highflyer]

On an unclipped horse I typically do:
50s and sunny: nothing
50s and raining: sheet or nothing
40s and sunny: sheet or nothing
40s and rainy or windy: 100 gram and maybe hood
30s and sunny: 100 gram
30s and rainy or windy: midweight and maybe hood
20s and sunny: midweight
20s and nasty: midweight, hood
Teens and sunny:. Heavyweight or equivalent (midweight plus 100g or liner)
Teens and nasty: heavyweight, hood
Single digits: two midweights or mid+ heavy, hood

[Kodidog763]

My horses (Thoroughbreds) are unclipped and out 24/7 in Minnesota (so we get “real” winter) with access to a shelter. Mine get sheets if we are going to have sleet or wet snow. They get heavy blankets if we are going to be below zero for a period of time. Otherwise mine go naked.

[saultgirl]

[QUOTE=Highflyer;8948381]
On an unclipped horse I typically do:
50s and sunny: nothing
50s and raining: sheet or nothing
40s and sunny: sheet or nothing
40s and rainy or windy: 100 gram and maybe hood
30s and sunny: 100 gram
30s and rainy or windy: midweight and maybe hood
20s and sunny: midweight
20s and nasty: midweight, hood
Teens and sunny:. Heavyweight or equivalent (midweight plus 100g or liner)
Teens and nasty: heavyweight, hood
Single digits: two midweights or mid+ heavy, hood[/QUOTE]

Holy shit! What would you put on that horse at -40F?

[Garnet_Z]

Quite a few people where I live (northern Alberta) don’t even use blankets and their horses are kept outdoors, and some don’t blanket until it gets to about -20 C (-4 F). Most of these people keep fairly tough breeds (solidly-built quarter horses, drafts, or mixes of the two) and do not clip their horses. It can get extremely cold here (-40 C/F).

My horse has Cushing’s disease and I’ve read that can affect a horse’s ability to thermoregulate. However, his medication seems to be controlling his symptoms. Even so, to be safe, if it gets below the freezing point (0 C or 32 F), he gets his light blanket. The heavy blanket is for very bad weather (i.e. lows of -20 C or -10 C with wind). He may sweat if blanketed (even a light one) if the temperature is above freezing and he runs around.

(Edit: he is also not clipped at all).

[Magicboy]

What’s the name of that Smartpak ap?

[jetsmom]

On a healthy, not elderly unclipped horse, I don’t blanket unless it’s going to be around 25f. That’s as long as it isn’t windy or rainy, and they grow and decent coat.
If it’s rainy, I do a sheet below 50. Or windy below 45 with no windblock.
I do a mid weight blanket below 25.

[Highflyer]

[QUOTE=saultgirl;8948975]
Holy shit! What would you put on that horse at -40F?[/QUOTE]

Not have horses I actually don’t blanket the vast majority of our unclipped horses at all since they have access to shelter, this is just for the special needs ones that I do blanket-- the ones that are elderly or just came off the track and shiver when it’s below 40.

[billiebob]

[QUOTE=Highflyer;8948381]
On an unclipped horse I typically do:
50s and sunny: nothing
50s and raining: sheet or nothing
40s and sunny: sheet or nothing
40s and rainy or windy: 100 gram and maybe hood
30s and sunny: 100 gram
30s and rainy or windy: midweight and maybe hood
20s and sunny: midweight
20s and nasty: midweight, hood
Teens and sunny:. Heavyweight or equivalent (midweight plus 100g or liner)
Teens and nasty: heavyweight, hood
Single digits: two midweights or mid+ heavy, hood[/QUOTE]

This is similar to what I do for my weenie TB. Although he has a clip that goes from just behind the girth area to his head, so he gets a neck cover with his medium when it’s in the 30s. He’s out during the day, in at night. I have had to blanket him for -40 temps and he wore a heavy stable blanket under a 400g heavy turnout with an attached hood. He wasn’t clipped then, just doesn’t get very hairy. And he’s a wimp.

I used to live in SE PA and the most I’d put on him was a medium stable blanket (or his Baker) and a medium turnout, no hood. He either had an Irish or a medium trace clip.

[Jersey_Fresh]

I’ve always gotten an error with the smartpak app

I do for my two clipped (full and thin haired with trace). Not sure if this is right or wrong.

40s-turnout sheet
30s medium
20s heavy
Below 20 heavy plus hood
(We don’t get much below 20s)

Mine stay out if it’s dry and 30 or over.

[NancyM]

It so much depends on the TYPE of environment your horse lives in, not just the temperature. I used to blanket a lot in winter, because where we lived was so wet. Horses huddled into their stalls, and shook with the cold at 2 C. Now, where we live gets MUCH colder, down to -38C one winter. Regularly -15C to -25C with blowing snow. Horses have a shelter, but don’t often use it. I no longer blanket. Since most are turned out 24/7, if they are cold, they go for a run together to warm up. In these temperatures, the coldest thing you can do for a horse is put him in a stall, because he can’t run. But the cold is a dry cold, there is no moisture. Horses do VERY WELL in a climate like this. I still own blankets, and have used them occasionally, especially when a horse is not out on winter turn out, but is stabled instead here. But with the environment being so different from where we used to live (coastal rainforest), it is a substantial learning curve to start to learn different methods of keeping horses. I don’t have to clip any winter coats in winter to ride, because it is pretty easy to not have a horse sweat up, because of the dryness in the air. So the point of my writing here, is… it depends. On where you live, and what you do with your horses, not so much on temperature. My horses are all TBs, and TBXs. Winter coats like mammoths.

[Magicboy]

I have been using the ap for several days now and I think it’s great…very accurate and easy for the Spanish speaking groom to use, too

[Mukluk]

I am away from home too long on work days to do appropriate blanket changes. Plus they don’t get ridden all that much in the winter anyway. I find it easier to let them grow a full coat and not worry about blankets. Both are TBs and don’t grow massive coats. They have access to shelter and hay 24/7. For what it’s worth the climate here is very dry.

[Sansena]

Using other posters’ suggestions for blanketing, start there.

But since each animal is different, it’s always a good idea to check on how your horse is tolerating the clothing. A horse dressed too warmly will feel sweaty or damp under his blanket. One that’s not dressed warmly enough will be a little more ‘high’, and when you pop your hand under his blanket, he won’t feel warm. This is all an issue of personal perceptions, personal preferences, and it will change as your become accustomed to ‘reading’ your horse.

Take your already-warm hand, and feel, palm down against your horse’s shoulder under his blanket. Be sure your hand has been kept warm before feeling your horse up. If your hand is cold, by not wearing gloves, or having recently washed buckets, or bad circulation or what have you, you won’t be able to know accurately how comfortable your horse is.

Your hand should feel the warmth radiating off his body. You should immediately feel relief from the cold air/ weather. Hold your hand there for several moments. If the back of your hand starts to feel ‘colder’, you may realize horse is under dressed. If you feel moisture/ dampness, horse is likely overdressed. Over time you’ll learn to gauge a too-hot or too-cold horse.

Then, (careful now… don’t get kicked)… I like to feel between their hind legs. Feel any moisture? Sweat is BAD. Adjust clothing accordingly. I also feel under their blanket on their haunches. This is a great place to get a grasp on if they’re too cold, but unlikely you’ll feel sweat here.

Some people thing that by feeling the tips of a horse’s ears you’ll be able to tell if they’re dressed properly. This is ridiculous, IMO. I can be sweating bullets under my parka and my ears will be near-frost bit. One has no bearing on the other.

I know this doesn’t help someone who’s only got access to one blanket and is shopping for more. But once you’ve got a bunch of horse clothes from which to choose, you’ll use these guidelines nearly every time you blanket.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

Every horse is different. Some have a thick, warm coat while others have a thin coat. Some get trace or blanket clipped in winter. Some are hot-blooded others need the warmth. No “formula” makes sense IME.

We feel under the blanket and feel their ears to get an idea whether the horse is warm enough or too warm. If you see sweat marks on your horse it’s probably a bad thing. It’s no good if the horse gets sweaty and then chills when the sun sets or wind kicks up.

In Delaware the most important thing is a proper wind break / shed and unlimited access to hay and water.

[Minuet]

[QUOTE=DHCarrotfeeder;8950053]
Every horse is different. Some have a thick, warm coat while others have a thin coat. Some get trace or blanket clipped in winter. Some are hot-blooded others need the warmth. No “formula” makes sense IME.

We feel under the blanket and feel their ears to get an idea whether the horse is warm enough or too warm. If you see sweat marks on your horse it’s probably a bad thing. It’s no good if the horse gets sweaty and then chills when the sun sets or wind kicks up.

In Delaware the most important thing is a proper wind break / shed and unlimited access to hay and water.[/QUOTE]
This.
All our horses are different, but my general base rule of thumb is this:
Below 40’s, light blanket
Below 30’s medium blanket
Below 20’s layer both with necks

Variables, it’s all about variables.
Extra furry horses might go lighter. Older horses might go heavier. Shivering, wind, age, lots of stuff play a part.
Start with a baseline that you feel comfortable with, then adjust it.

[Angela_Freda]

Sansena touched on the individuality of the horse… both my TBs have run ‘hot’ in that while other horses were bundled up, they preferred a lighter blanket.
Know your horse. Blanket accordingly.

.

[Sansena]

[QUOTE=Angela Freda;8950132]
Sansena touched on the individuality of the horse… both my TBs have run ‘hot’ in that while other horses were bundled up, they preferred a lighter blanket.
Know your horse. Blanket accordingly.

.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, A.

I do blanket cleaning/ repairs and I farm sit. A lot.

So I see many horses in similar living conditions, yet being dressed entirely differently. One barn has 2 WBs and a Thelwell type mini. Mini goes nearly naked all year and has a trace clip from pretty much September on. Only wears a layer when it’s raining because it takes so long for him to dry. One WB wears what I’d call traditional attire as per Minuet’s outline. The other WB however, runs hot. I mean, his buddy is bundled up and he’ll break a sweat if he wears half those layers.

It’s always a good idea to know one’s own horse, or ask a previous owner if you’re newly acquiring that animal. Never underestimate the individuality of your own pony. So the advice we’re giving here may mean zip. Your own horse will tell you what he needs. Not particularly helpful when trying to decide what to buy but once you’re well stocked in all things horse attire, you’ll find you rely on maybe just one item per season.

Unless it’s a body clipped show horse. Then I suggest buying stock in Rambo/ Horsewares, because you’ll have a different covering on him for any nuance of a change in seasons/ temp/ environment or activity.

Love show barns. They are the backbone of my business.

[Cheltenham]

I live far north. Get’s to 20 below zero F here.

Depends on horse.

Mine have 24/7 in out stalls with pasture.

Below 40F if it is rainy I like to have a waterproof turnout on them. I don’t like the back to get wet, even on a rugged old draft, I like the back to stay dry because cold wet back vasoconstricts, since we all end up with arthritic olf horses some day…I like to keep that back dry well circulating blood. IME uninsulated just fine. I happen to have Rambo “light” sheet’s no insulation.

A horse that won’t be ridden much, is not sensitive to cold, grows a heavy coat etc. i just do the uninsulated sheet to keep wet and wind off of them even in 20 below temps. Actually once you get to 10F the air is so much dryer it’s not all that hard to stay warm as long as you are covered from wind/snow.

TB type light hair, fine skin, very sensitive to cold, hates to get wet or snowed on---- I have medium weight Rambo rug below 30F. I think that’s like…250-300 gm fill. I’ve had other TB’s that I’d say yes, went with heavy weight blanket because they just had such fine hair and they really hated / cranky when weather turned cold. I play that by ear.

By an large, the things they hate are wind and wet. A sheltered location can be light years different feeling of cold than exposed windy location—or barns with wind barreling thru and aisles that feel like a freezer.

Another simple thing for a horse visibly cranky in the cold is—polo wrap the legs. Increases circulation, and keeps cold/wing/wet off legs. Some horses you see huddling their legs up like birds, stamping when wet or in snow.