Using lights to prevent horses from growing a winter coat

[AppyMom]

So this winter I’ve decided to prevent winter coats on my 2 show horses rather than body clipping before show season. I show on the Appy circuit, where body clipping is allowed (unlike AQHA) but definitely not preferred. My trainer suggested that I keep them under lights because their coats will be nicer than if I clip them. One of these horses does hunter in hand, which is basically a conformation class for hunter type horses so it’s especially important for his coat to be perfect.

So I started using the lights in early September and it’s working wonderfully for the gelding. The mare (who always grows a thick winter coat) is a little fuzzy but I didn’t get her light going until late September so I’m hoping she’ll shed that out. The lights are on timers so they turn on as soon as the horses are brought in (around 5:30 pm), off at 10, then on again at 6 am until 8 am which is when they go outside for the day.

My question is, does anybody have a recommendation for the best light to use for this purpose? I ended up buying a cheap brooder type light that we’ve secured over the stalls and plugged into the timers. Then I was reading a thread somewhere on fire safety and it had a picture of the same light that I use saying it was the most unsafe brooder light out there. Now I’m not using heat bulbs in it, but the thing still does get pretty warm with my 250 watt bulbs that I put in. So now I’m concerned and would like to replace it with something, but I’m not sure what. I need something with a plug so I can plug into the timer and it has to be able to handle a 250 watt bulb. Trainer has the same lights that I do. What have other people used and where can I get them?

[findeight]

It works better if your lights are over a certain candlepower, that’s a measure of brightness, not wattage. Been years since I was around anybody who did that, can’t remember the numbers. But its not just “light”, it’s light of a certain brightness or more. Depending on where you are, going outside may not even be bright enough, especially around winter solstice further north.

The people I knew who used light did it to get the mares to ovulate very early for January babies, the coats were a side benefit. Imagine you could research the effects of light on ovulation in mares to get the number of hours and candlepower to fool the coat into staying short and slick. I know some of the Halter trainers use lights too. But it was very expensive then and must have doubled if not tripled plus they had to rewire the barn to handle the requirements of the lighting regime.

Ummm…have several friends who show AQHA, they body clip before Congress and have never been cited for rule violations? I know some prefer not to in the Appy and Palomino crowd due to wierd undercoat colors but even those grow back in 60 days or so and clipping can be timed to allow that before showing. Are you sure it’s illegal in the QH?

Be careful what you screw into the barn light sockets too. Circuits and wiring may not be designed to support it. Common cause of fire in the livestock industry in winter. Had a couple of winter fires traced to heat lamps and bright lights overloading the barn wiring around here in the last few years.

[ToTheNines]

I did lights one year fro two horses, and hung fluorescent shop lights. High over the center of the stall. They worked fine, but I was uncomfortable because I try to absolutely minimize use of electricity at the barn at night.

In any event, it seemed like I researched this subject at that time because I am so worried about fire, and the fluorescent seemed the safest choice. Not sure – so please check my work on the safety issue, but they did work for the hair coats.

[jvanrens]

[QUOTE=findeight;8402180]

Ummm…have several friends who show AQHA, they body clip before Congress and have never been cited for rule violations? I know some prefer not to in the Appy and Palomino crowd due to wierd undercoat colors but even those grow back in 60 days or so and clipping can be timed to allow that before showing. Are you sure it’s illegal in the QH?[/QUOTE]

AFAIK it’s not illegal for AQHA, just not the done thing if at all possible, mostly in regards to halter horses because a naturally short coat just tends to look better in most cases.

It’s been a while since I’ve done any reading up on lighting, but what I recall is 200 watts is good, just make sure all parts of the stall are light up well enough that you can read a newspaper everywhere in the stall and the horse can’t stick it’s head out into a dark aisle or outside if you have a dutch door type situation to the great outdoors. Two 100W light bulbs (or their halogen equivalent) should provide adequate light.

[dbliron1]

I use 200W CFL’s, which draw far less power than regular incandescent or halogen bulbs. I had the timer wired into the stall light system, and have been using it for 15+ years. I bring the horses in at dark, and the stall lights stay on until 10 p.m., they switch on again at 6 a.m., and the horses go out shortly thereafter, even though it’s still dark outside.

I started doing the lights because I have a major allergy to horse hair and dander, and having no winter coats to deal with made a huge difference to my health. Clipping as an alternative was too costly, as I had to pay someone to do the clipping, and then spend the week after wearing a mask in the barn.

[dressagegirl123]

It works real do a night check at 10, and turn off the lights. We start at 7, and the lights come on if its not yet light. My lights aren’t incredibly bright. Give it a try!

[AppyMom]

Ok thanks everyone. I have plugs outside every stall so I’ve been plugging the lights in there so I could use them on the timer. Maybe a better idea would be to call the electrician and have him hard wire some sort of timer onto the regular stall lights? I have to leave for work very early in the morning so I’m in bed by 9 pm during the week and don’t want to stay up an hour later just to do the lights… so a timer is key.

Sounds like I was wrong about body clipping in AQHA, but all the big trainers I know of in my area will not clip… they use lights, so maybe it’s just a preference. I will say the horses kept under lights at app shows look 10 times better than the clipped ones… Even though the color does grow back, they just don’t look as smooth and shiny. BTW I’m in NC… it’s plenty bright enough during the day unless it’s raining, and then they’re inside anyways.

[Janet]

A couple of key points.

In order to be effective you need 14-16 hours of CONTINUOUS light.

If it is already after “1/2 our before sunset” when you bring the in, the evening lights will have no effect.

Similarly, if you let them out before “1/2 hour after sunrise” the morning lights will have no effect.

You need to blanket as well. Music a been “under lights” for other reasons for 15 years The first year she did not grow a winter coat. But every year since she has grown a heavy SINGLE coat.

[Tiffani_B]

A study with details: http://animalscience.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2012/04/equine-controlling-hair-length3.pdf