To Blanket or Not to Blanket (your horse)

So the debate of whether or not to blanket your horse in the winter time has been going on for a long time and I honestly think it'll never really be "resolved". Why? Because it's a preference thing. I think most of us can agree horses do not NEED blankets as they are literally made to live outside. However, blankets do have their place. In this blog we'll talk about which horses should be blanketed and the research behind why horses don't NEED blankets to stay warm.

If you are already a staunch blanket believer, but just want to find out my tips and tricks for when to use which weight/type of blankets... I'll save you some time. My trick is the SmartBlanket app by SmartPak. It tells you if it's a "no blanket", "light sheet", or "heavyweight" kind of day or night. You can even adjust it to each horse depending on their age, body condition, etc. I love being able to quickly check the app and see if I need to haul out the rugs.

Ok, for those of you who are still trying to figure out if blanketing is for you, here is the condensed version of all the research I've done, opinions I've heard, and life experiences I've lived.

What research says:

Science has proven that horses handle the cold quite well. They actually handle extreme cold temps better than extreme hot temps as their hair coat is designed to fluff up and insulate them in the winter, but they are not efficient at cooling their bodies when hot. As long your horse has access to 24/7 hay, water, and shelter they should not need a blanket to stay warm.

*Source: https://www.succeed-equine.com/succeed-blog/2015/12/14/monday-myth-horses-need-blankets-in-winter/ (This is just one easy to read source out of many you can find that state the same conclusions)

What other people say:

I've heard a lot of people say it's unkind to leave a horse outside in the middle of winter without a blanket... I've also heard people say it's cruel to blanket because it inhibits their natural way of self-heating. Another one I've heard is "The blanket is for you, not them". That last one is probably the most true out of all of the above. But like everything in life it just depends. Many training barns blanket all their horses, sometimes double or triple blanket them. While some farms, all the horses are outside 24/7 without a blanket in sight and the run-in shelter is as empty as the bag of chocolates I try to hide from my husband. 🤷‍♀️

* Many people will tell you to blanket foals, but my vet and other experienced breeding farms actually recommend against it. A foal not used to being blanketed could become tangled and hurt themselves. Plus, like we know from research, horses are equip to heat themselves, even from birth. As long as they can get out of the rain and have access to high quality forage and in the case of foals, milk, they should be fine. This is the case for foals born in the natural foaling season, for foals born out of season, consult your vet.

To hear a vet's recommendation on blanketing early-season foals, check out this short audio clip: https://thehorse.com/138235/blanketing-foals/

Here's what I've experienced:

While you may hear lots of opinions, after years of owning horses, riding with many trainers, talking to other horses owners, caretakers, and professionals, this is the guideline I've developed for myself and my boarding horses.

When to blanket:

• Senior or rescue horses that have a more difficult time maintaining body temperatures

• Horses that body clipped

• When horses are outdoors without access to shelter

• Horses outdoors in a cold rain (Even if they have a shelter, I like to put a waterproof sheet on to keep them from getting chilled since their hair coat can't insulate well when wet. Again this depends on the horse though. Some of my chunky ones who are used to not being blanketed do fine with a cooler rain, as long as it's not a freezing rain)

• Horses that have come from a warmer climate and don't yet have a long hair coat

• I like to blanket my horses I ride regularly/hard enough to sweat in the winter to keep them from growing too long a hair coat and not being able to dry off quickly after a workout. If you do plan on riding in the winter, invest in a fleece cooler to quickly dry your horse before placing their turnout blanket on them.

When to not (have to) blanket:

• Happy, healthy horses who are not being rode hard enough to sweat in the winter time and have shelter/forage access. For me, this is my broodmares, healthy retired horses, and foals.

And don't forget to download the SmartBlanket app from SmartPak! It's free and super easy to use. I never wonder if I should take blankets off or put them on anymore and I love having one less thing to worry about.

🐴 Because what cowgirl doesn't want to learn how to make her life a little less chaotic! 😉

Gwen with her coat on before a chilly rainstorm

I want to hear from you! Comment below.

Do you blanket your horses? Do you have a favorite blanket brand or style? Any good or bad experiences with blanketing?

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*I am not sponsored, paid by, or affiliated with any of the brands or links mentioned.