cold weather clothes for my horse

[max72]

Planning a move where there is real winter - Switzerland (pony was born and raised in Northern California) and need some winter advice.

Hoods - are they really helpful? I see horses in catalogs with them on but don’t know how much they are used. I don’t remember ever seeing them when I lived in NY years ago.

Moving during winter - will this be too shocking for a horse to get dropped into cold winter? It will get down to 30 or so as a low sometimes here but even then, it is usually only that cold for a few hours. (is this a ridiculous question?) Of course I would have plenty of warm blankets ready for her.

OK thanks!

[ako]

I’m in NY and never felt a need for a hood. I pretty much think turnout sheet, mid weight turnout, and mid weight stable blanket are sufficient. Of course, I’ve ended up collecting a bit more over time.

I personally like the high neck mid weights. If that’s not enough, I’ll put a nice fitting stable blanket underneath.

I would probably over blanket a bit, given the change, since she won’t have much of a coat the first winter. You’ll see how she does. If she’s sweaty or hot under her blankets, then it’s definitely too much and that’s stressful for her. If she feels neither hot nor cold under her blanket, just a tad cozy, you’ve got it right.

She’ll be fine. She’ll probably love the snow!

[Twisted_River]

[QUOTE=max72;6353090Hoods - are they really helpful? I see horses in catalogs with them on but don’t know how much they are used. I don’t remember ever seeing them when I lived in NY years ago. ![/QUOTE]

How short do you want her coat, and do you plan to body clip? Hoods a definite yes for short coats. If you don’t mind fuzzy, then I wouldn’t worry about it.

I’m a bit blanket crazy. I have 3 main layers, with in between layers too:

Temps are obviously variable to sun/wind, inside or turned out, etc. And are for a horse with a short coat.
Light stable sheet (cool nights in stall) 60-65 degrees
Light sheet (no fill) 55-60 degrees
Sheet + stable sheet 50-55 degrees
Med weight (200 fill) 45-50 degrees
Med weight + stable sheet 40-45 degrees
Heavy weight (400 fill) 35-40 degrees
heavy + stable sheet 30-35 degrees
heavy + med (600 fill) below 30

And I use a 200 fill hood with the 400 fill blanket if temps, wind, or snow dictate

If she’s in a stall during the coldest hours, you’ll probably be fine with a sheet and a medium weight.

[WarDance]

I live in a high altitude area where it’s not unusual for temps to drop to -40 during the coldest part of the winter.

There are horses here that spend the entire winter with no blanket and live outside. None of my horses grow a heavy enough coat to do that and I probably never would anyways. My horses come in at night but on the coldest nights they wear a heavy turnout blanket with a heavy stable blanket under it. They go out in this in the morning but if it warms up the stable blanket comes off. One of my horses wears a hood because she really doesn’t grow much hair at all.

You really just have to learn your horse because they all take the cold weather differently (like people). Like one of the warmbloods that boards in the same barn as me would be covered in sweat if he wore the same blankets my horses do. I would just order a nice heavy turnout blanket and a sheet for the first part of the winter and just start to get an idea of how your horse is doing.

Make sure you have warm clothes for yourself too! I love my montbell down jacket in the winter!

[LauraKY]

Twisted River…where are you, Florida?

It depends on the horse. Mine all get cold at different temperatures and as they age, they need heavier blankets.

[Hinderella]

As others have said, it depends on your horse, and on your horsekeeping style. Horses that are body clipped need a heavy blanket for warmth, or a warm liner under their turnout. Horses that are not clipped are often fine with nothing, unless there’s a cold rain or strong winds.
I’m in CT, and I have an unclipped pony who gets pretty fuzzy (like all ponies). My guidelines are to use a waterproof, unlined turnout for rain/snow and temps below 45. If it’s just cold, but no rain or snow, I’ll put on a light (waterproof) blanket if temps are below 20 during the day, or if it’s windy. I don’t break out the heavy blanket unless temps will be single digits or below, or very windy, or super cold & snowing.
My pony doesn’t have a run-in, if she did, I could probably blanket her even less.
Other horses at my barn, mostly the TBs, have thinner coats and need their blankets sooner.
Good luck with your move!

[SMF11]

I like hoods when the horses are out and there’s precipitation.

I’m in NY, and agree with LauraKY, Twisted River’s blanketing regime seems to be from someone in Florida. At 60 degrees blanketing would not cross my mind. I blanket along the lines of Hinderella, though tailor it to each horse. This means the 30 year old TB gets a heavyweight when the temps dip below 30 at night. The other horses it is more like 10 degrees.

[mayhew]

I lived on the rooftop of Ontario (that’s what they called it because it was the highest and windiest spot in southern Ontario!) Think Buffalo, NY weather but a little colder and a lot windier. My guys were kept outside and blanketed for most of the winter but I probably didn’t need to. It kept the hair on their bodies shorter. The hair on their neck and legs grew long and thick. Never used a hood. It wouldn’t be odd to get a week of -30 there. I do think it is going to be a shock for your mare to move to a cold climate mid-winter. I would definitely blanket heavier given that.

ETA: Also, I would specifically not blanket her at all while she is still in California, so she grows as thick a coat as possible in preparation. How much time is she going to spend outside in Switzerland?

[Eleanor]

I have to ask where in Switerland are you (she) going to be? Is she going to be at a boarding stable?

I live in Switzerland (on a horse farm) and the area I was in never got really cold. 90% of the horses had on layers, a sheet then a heavier blanket a mid weight.

Unless horse is living outside it would be no different then living in the PWN.

[Twisted_River]

[QUOTE=SMF11;6353847]
Twisted River’s blanketing regime seems to be from someone in Florida.[/QUOTE] Why would I need blankets in Florida

I’ve always lived in climates with 4 season and cold winters. Not only is this a rough outline that I’ve used for many years now, but I’ve seen probably 2-300 other horses through the years blanketed with the same outline, give or take 5-10 degrees. Worth noting they were all show horses that either grew hardly any coat, or were body clipped. Many of them were TBs too, which in many of their cases don’t tolerate the cold as well.

I’ve seen so many other horses blanketed this way, I’m surprised that the temps sound unbelievable to people? I guess we all have different experiences.

Still think OP will probably be fine with a turnout sheet, and a medium weight (200 fill) turnout (or stables if she won’t be going out?).

OP, I would advise getting these well ahead of time. In the event they don’t fit, you want plenty of time to exchange for other brands.

[Hinderella]

You’re right, Twisted River. Even though I wouldn’t think of putting a sheet on my horse at 60, for a few at our barn who have TBs that are kept clipped for showing, that’s not unusual, especially when they’ve just been clipped. Honestly, I think even clipped horses may be fine without a sheet, but I’ve seen a few wimpy ones shivering at 60

[Herbie19]

[QUOTE=Twisted River;6353913]
Why would I need blankets in Florida ;)[/QUOTE]

For all of the 17 degrees mornings in Ocala of course! I agree that all horses are different–if it were my horse I would make sure it had at least a sheet a medium and a heavy turnout and layer accordingly. The only time I use stable sheets and blankets are at horse shows mostly so I don’t have to lug dirty turnouts with me.

For my clipped horses I basically follow Twisted River’s chart (using all T/O’s).

[sk_pacer]

You are probably going to suffer with the cold more than your horse - they are cold weather creatures. It gets 40 below here, and most of the time, even at that temp, a blanket is too much as long as there is lots of feed and warmish water. Blankets flatten the coat and when the blanket is removed, the horse can be colder at higher temps than he would have been if left unblanketed. The real trick is to keep them dry and out of the wind.

[SMF11]

@Twisted River;6353913

Why would I need blankets in Florida

Ha ha, that’s what I think, but not what the Floridians on COTH think! :lol:

I agree with your advice of a turnout sheet and a medium weight.

There’s info we don’t know from the OP – how cold does it get in Switzerland where she’ll be living? Is her horse clipped? In work? In a stall most of the time, or out most of the time?

As sk_pacer said, the key is to keep them dry and out of the wind.

[WarDance]

60 degrees in the south feels colder than 60 degrees in the west. When I lived in the south we did put on sheets at 60 degrees because the humidity makes it feel colder. Here in Colorado I wouldn’t think of putting on a sheet at 60. After the kind of winters we have I’m wearing a t-shirt in that kind of weather!

[max72]

hey everyone, thanks a ton for all of these suggestions. We’ll be in Zurich where I know it gets colder than northern california but I don’t think it’ll be like Montana cold.

She wears a med t/o blanket here in the winter at night and I don’t need to clip if i blanket cause she doesn’t get to furry. I’ll make sure I have a few other layer options. Not sure where we’ll be boarding yet.

I was mostly curious about the stuff like hoods and quarter sheets that I always see for sale but rarely have seen anyone use. (well yea, I saw someone with a wool quarter sheet at my barn once and it was kind of funny)

And, maybe irrationally, was worried about the shock of going from quarantine in LA to winter in Zurich. I think it’s true, it will probably be worse for me!!

[Event4Life]

I would find out what they do in Switzerland and follow the “general consensus.” As has been pointed out on this thread, it really does depend on more than simply the temperature. Though FWIW I think European horses do tend to be hardier than their American counterparts. I think your guy will figure it out quicker than you think - look at all the horses who travel across the world at the drop of a hat to compete, and they do just fine :-). You’ll have more of an idea once you get over there and scope out some places.

My mare moved from VA to NWPA winters. Her feed definitely got upped and she was put on a higher calorie diet but apart from that she did fine. I think I added a layer of blankets in the dead of PA winter, which was significantly colder than in VA.

[WarDance]

So I don’t think every horse needs a hood even in our “mega cold” (a scientific term locals use). My horse wears one because her hair is so thin. Also, I do like it when it’s snowing because it keeps her dry.

We use quarter sheets here when it’s the dead of winter. Some people use them just to warm up and then they take them off or they wear them the whole time they ride. They are also good if you want to work your horse then start cooling them out under saddle. We ride them in the indoor then throw on a sheet and go for a little walk in the snow under saddle. I have a jog sheet from Corcel that I love. They lined it with fleece for me so it’s super warm and in my barn colors. It not only keeps the hind end of your horse warm but it also keeps the chest and shoulders warm. It’s awesome when you need to work a body clipped horse!

[WarDance]

So I don’t think every horse needs a hood even in our “mega cold” (a scientific term locals use). My horse wears one because her hair is so thin. Also, I do like it when it’s snowing because it keeps her dry.

We use quarter sheets here when it’s the dead of winter. Some people use them just to warm up and then they take them off or they wear them the whole time they ride. They are also good if you want to work your horse then start cooling them out under saddle. We ride them in the indoor then throw on a sheet and go for a little walk in the snow under saddle. I have a jog sheet from Corcel that I love. They lined it with fleece for me so it’s super warm and in my barn colors. It not only keeps the hind end of your horse warm but it also keeps the chest and shoulders warm. It’s awesome when you need to work a body clipped horse!

[Wonders12]

Unsure of the weather in Zurich, but I moved from CA to WI, so I’m familiar with cold. :lol:

It wouldn’t be the end of the world to move in winter, especially if you have many blanket options and your barn is willing to be flexible while she adjusts. But if you have the option, spring would be kinder.

I would definitely get a wool blend quarter sheet. I love mine, and even use it on my clipped horse in the Bay Area. I use it to warm up, and then remove it, sometimes putting it back on for cool down if it’s really cold. But I also ride early in the AM. In WI, I would keep it on for the whole ride when it was very cold, but I find they pull, so I never jump in them. (If it’s warm enough to be safely jumping, it’s warm enough to remove the quarter sheet.)

Is your barn going to be heated? Check your stock of coolers. If you don’t clip, and then work in a heated arena, your horse might get surprisingly sweaty. And just like us, a wet horse turned back out cold (even with blankets) is uncomfortable - dangerous.

Snow pads are a thing. If your horse has shoes, you will want to get these added ASAP.

Ice is way worse than snow. Horses seem to love snow, even deep snow. It’s the ice you have to be careful of. (So warmer weather doesn’t necessarily equal better turnout.)

Talk to the barn owners while you’re touring. It’s probably not the first time they have dealt with this.