Rain sheet vs low fill blanket for mud control

[fizzlepop]

Hello,

I’m looking for input on horse mud management in the PNW. My gelding lives outside and is an absolute mud monster that happily rolls everyday. He’s fairly hard to groom when the mud is wet, and I’ve decided he needs some sort of sheet if I want to be able to ride consistently this winter.

He’s healthy, unclipped, a good weight, and has access to a dry 3 sided shelter. Temps in my area are generally upper 20s - 40s in the winter. Snow is rare, but wind and rain are common. I’m worried about him being too warm in the day time with a blanket with fill on, but I’ve seen some posts stating no fill sheets can inhibit horses’ natural ability to keep warm, which I worry about when temps drop at night. Anyone have thoughts on a rain sheet vs a low fill blanket for mud control? Thank you!

[fivestrideline]

100g fills were MADE for this. Even a 50g might work if he’s got a really dense coat.

Get two, if you can, so you can hose one off and let it dry off the horse.

[SMF11]

Read the other thread asking about blanketing advice, that OP has the same question. (My answer is no, it’s fine to put a sheet on a horse in the 20’s.)

[fizzlepop]

Will do, thank you!

[MadTrotter]

Ugh let me know what you figure out. I’m in New York and we should be in a nice hard freeze but I fear it’s going to be Muddyville all winter, except February.

If this is our “new normal” I am just going to clip the ones I ride next year.

[Heinz_57]

@fivestrideline

100g fills were MADE for this. Even a 50g might work if he’s got a really dense coat.

Get two, if you can, so you can hose one off and let it dry off the horse.

Agree… and for mud control, I’d get either an attached neck or detachable hood that fits the horse’s neck well. Then all you have to clean mud off of is the head and the legs (and maybe the belly).

[Lusoluv]

I have an Amigo Mio Lite turnout sheet. I think it’s only 600 denier and lightweight no fill, like a waterproof windbreaker. My horse is easy on clothes, and I use this throughout the winter just to keep her manageable from the winter mud/crud.

I also have a Riding Warehouse brand of turnout sheet, 1200 denier and no fill. It is noticeably heavier, so use this for mud protection when it’s 10F - 30F. I have a 1200 denier, 100 fill turnout for days consistently teens or colder. My horse isn’t clipped, stalled at night, fit and in good weight. I’ve never had the need for anything warmer.

[Texarkana]

I used no fill sheets in these temperature ranges for years and my horses seemed fine.

But, within the last few years I started buying a lot of 50g and 100g blankets and really prefer those for the upper 20s-40s. My horses surprisingly don’t get too hot in them when it’s in the 40s yet seem to stay a lot more comfortable when it’s around freezing.

[fivestrideline]

I love 50g and 100g blankets!

To be fair, my one horse runs COLD, but he’s been out in sunny 60 degrees in a 100g and not been sweaty or excessively hot under it. He definitely shook and rolled after I took it off, but he wasn’t overheating.

IMO most of the time if you’re putting on a sheet, the horse can probably stand 50g of fill. I’d pick a light fill over a sheet if I was only going to own one blanket, personally!

[RedHorses]

Temps here in the fall are in that range and I put rainsheets on my horses. They’re quite capable of fluffing up their coats under the rainsheet to stay warm.

My normal horses are good up to 50f in a rainsheet. I typically don’t put on the midweight until the daily high is consistently around 20f.

[TWH_Girl]

Ditto…some light insulation in cold and wet helps. I love 100g and almost never use sheets any longer.

[fizzlepop]

I decided to go with a 100 g fill sheet. I think that will be the better option for the cloudy/ rainy/ windy weather pattern that dominates my area. Thanks for everyone’s input!

[fizzlepop]

Haha, yes, I had fleeting thoughts of roaching his mane during a particularly dreadlocky period in November.

[Weezer]

My horses grow full coats and up until about age 25, they would wear no-fill rainsheets as windbreakers down to about -10C. This was at my vet’s advice. Now they are old and require more protection in cold weather.

My understanding is that really heavy blankets (like wool) inhibit the ability of horses to fluff up their fur to hold warm air. But modern blankets with their light fluffy fill aren’t a problem. If you’re unsure, I’d go for a 100g fill.

[TWH_Girl]

Perfect choice!