Blanketing the thin horse that runs warm

[Demerara_Stables]

Looking to the hive mind for some alternative opinions. TLDR mare is hairy and runs warm but is thin - do you still blanket to keep her from dropping more weight?

Full history:

I’ve got a horse at my farm, 20yo warmblood mare, hypo thyroid, PPID, and pretty wooly in the winter. Her weight fluctuates throughout the year as the grass comes and goes, and as expected, it’s very hard to keep it off in the spring when the grass is lush. She gets a muzzle in the spring and is longed 3-4x a week for 40-50 min w/t/c year round. She’s not show ring fit of course, but she’s no pasture puff. Thankfully no history of laminitis but of course it’s always in the back of my mind.

This time of year when it starts to get cold, she drops weight (despite increases in pellets and hay). Not surprising and I’m not worried about it, as this is actually the weight the vet would prefer her at. She’s probably a 4-4.5 body score, I can see her ribs slightly but still good fat cover over the hips and neck. For reasons stated above, I don’t want to increase her feed too much, as I don’t want her to get fat and then be behind the (w)eight ball come spring. However, I obviously don’t want her to get too thin. She tends to run warm, and even on our coldest nights (low 30s), a sheet is usually sufficient and if I use a heavy blanket she is toasty underneath when I check her in the morning (but not sweating). They get dinner at sunset with a flake of grass hay and another flake of grass hay at night check (10-11pm).

The question is, do you keep blanketing with a sheet even on the mild (<40°) nights to prevent more weight loss, or do you let her stay naked and just feed more? She’s at about the max I can feed her 3x/daily, so I can add lunch hay, but again, don’t want her to get too big either. She’s actually started to not finish her dinner hay because it’s so much at once.

It’s entirely possible I’m overthinking all of this, but thought you all might have some insight. TIA!

[Pico_Banana]

I have a 29 year old mare in a somewhat similar situation.

You didn’t say what weight blanket you use when you do more than a sheet, but my mare spends a lot of time in either a 100 gram or a sheet with the Rambo airmax liner underneath. Horseware says the liner is around 50 grams of weight but what’s great is that it regulates heat really well. I’ve never had her get overheated in that combo. So you could try that as an in between option.

But in general I would blanket in this situation.

[IPEsq]

I do like the airmax cooler and liner. And the 50g and 100g shells. I think if she isn’t getting sweaty, you are doing fine blanketing her some to help her from burning too many calories.

[RedHorses]

I would blanket. Once the weight is lost, more calories are needed just to stay warm which makes it even more difficult to regain the weight in cold weather. And winter is just starting.

I put a weight tape on my 25yr old every Sunday to be able to catch any changes before they’re visible. For the first time in years he is slightly above normal going into winter and I’ve been able to cut his feed back a bit. He’s wearing his rainsheet now with temperatures around freezing.

[Demerara_Stables]

Thank you all it’s been chilly here the last two nights (~35) and I’ve blanketed her with a 150g (I think? She moved here with a collection and they don’t all have tags) blanket at night check. She was warm in the morning but not sweaty. Hopefully this helps keep her weight up.

@Pico_Banana I know one of her blankets is too heavy (a 300g, there was a miscommunication when the owner ordered it and I didn’t look at the weight until after she wore it ), and she has a light sheet that doesn’t do much. I’ve been putting a different one on her that’s probably 150g (maybe 100?) and that seems great but it’s not waterproof. I think it might be a liner. If this continues to be the right weight I’ll have her mom order a waterproof one.

[Janet]

My opinion is that, if she is furry and warm, her weight loss is NOT due to temperature, and blanketing her is not going to make a difference.

But if it makes YOU feel better, go right ahead.

[Demerara_Stables]

Me feeling better has nothing to do with it, I’m looking for thoughts on what’s best for the horse.

[RedHorses]

In my experience a horse can be naked, furry and warm while burning enough calories in producing the warm to lose weight. Which means even more calories are required to simply stay warm.