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Blanketing, Stable vs. Turnout

4K views 16 replies 13 participants last post by  WSArabians 
#1 ·
Not sure if this was the best place to put it but here goes.

I plan on getting my horse a blanket as the night time temperatures dip down to the mid 20's. Daytime temps are 30-50 as Oklahoma is extremely fickle and ever-changing in its weather.

He isn't on free choice hay but gets about 5 to 6 flakes of hay a day.

My question is should I use a turnout blanket or a stable blanket?
My horse has a fairly thick coat but he's on the thin side so I want him to stay nice and toasty.
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#2 ·
Not sure if this was the best place to put it but here goes.

I plan on getting my horse a blanket as the night time temperatures dip down to the mid 20's. Daytime temps are 30-50 as Oklahoma is extremely fickle and ever-changing in its weather.

He isn't on free choice hay but gets about 5 to 6 flakes of hay a day.

My question is should I use a turnout blanket or a stable blanket?
My horse has a fairly thick coat but he's on the thin side so I want him to stay nice and toasty.
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If he's not stabled 24/7 I'd go with a turn out because of the water resistance/water proofing, that way if he gets caught outside in the rain he won't get soaked immediately. Or, if you want a stable blanket and a turn out sheet, you can toss that on over the stable blanket just before he goes out and take it off when he comes in. That also gives you the bonus of a 2nd layer when the weather drops to -10 for 3 days in a row and then back up to 30 then to 45.....GRRRR! LOL! :lol:

These are my favorites:

These turnouts last forever and look great wash after wash. Medium is good for most of our winter weather, but I go ahead and buy a few of the heavyweights for my older or thinner horses.

StormShield® 1680D EURO EXTREME Turnouts in Euro Fit at Schneider Saddlery

I also buy the same sheet for layering if I need to layer over a stable blanket, I just buy the sheet instead of blanket.

Adjusta-Fit® SUPERQUILT® Bellyband Blanket - Heavyweight in Stable Blankets at Schneider Saddlery

This is the stable blanket I buy, it also lasts forever and I love the belly band.
 
#3 ·
Goodness! I've never dealt with -10. I've dealt with 8 or so but not that.

He is stabled. He has a stall which opens into a small run so he has access to go outside. I'd like to stick the just a stable blanket but my horse isn't the brightest. :| haha.
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#17 ·
Goodness! I've never dealt with -10. I've dealt with 8 or so but not that.

He is stabled. He has a stall which opens into a small run so he has access to go outside. I'd like to stick the just a stable blanket but my horse isn't the brightest. :| haha.
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We just came out of a week that was all -40 weather. -46C was the coldest it got.
Glad that's over for now! LOL
 
#6 ·
I keep my horse is a turnout rug, on proper miserable days I just throw his light rainsheet overtop in an attempt to keep his regular rug from getting destroyed. :)
 
#7 ·
Are all of these considered "indoor horse" examples? I must be a terrible owner. Or niave. I don't blanket my pastured horse. I was told and have read that if you blanket a horse you prevent them from growing hair. Horses with enough hay to generate heat and are able to grow coat don't need man-made devices to stay warm. I mean, they managed all those years during the ice age, right? LOL j/k

But, are the suggestions for blankets because there is the ability to be indoors? I was just wondering why you wouldn't let natural evolutation deal with this, instead of blanket.
 
#8 ·
Are all of these considered "indoor horse" examples? I must be a terrible owner. Or niave. I don't blanket my pastured horse. I was told and have read that if you blanket a horse you prevent them from growing hair. Horses with enough hay to generate heat and are able to grow coat don't need man-made devices to stay warm. I mean, they managed all those years during the ice age, right? LOL j/k

But, are the suggestions for blankets because there is the ability to be indoors? I was just wondering why you wouldn't let natural evolutation deal with this, instead of blanket.
I would never have rugged up a horse back in Canada in the proper cold weather, yet over here the majority of horses are rugged from a very young age, which starts a "domino effect" that the horses will end up rugged throughout their lives. Bandit is an ex hunter, he would have been clipped and rugged from a young age, if I dont rug him now he loses alot of condition very quickly.

I know plenty of people who have numerous spare rugs incase a rug get wet or dirty, and plenty who change rugs when the horse comes in from the field. My lad wears the same one all winter long.
 
#9 ·
I have a question. I bought a Tough-1 waterproof turnout sheet (the black and white zebra print--soo cute!!) for my mare. The first time I used it was a day after a light rain and we were expecting a cold night (in the high 30's) I towel dried my mare. I put the sheet on and kept her stalled that night. The next morning when I took the sheet off, my mare was wet and cold! NEXT: THE QUESTION- Did my mare sweat under the sheet or did I not have her dry enough before I put the sheet on? My husband thinks she sweated and since the sheet is waterproof the moisture was held in. I think perhaps she was still damp when I put the sheet on and it could not evaporate since it is a waterproof sheet. Now I am hesitant to put the WATERPROOF sheet on and feel I have wasted the $90.00 that I paid for it. We live in central Florida and have very mild winters (30's is rare). I like to blanket if the temp drops below 40. So, now Im back to putting on her heavier blanket. Also, if she is out with the sheet on, and it rains, won't the rain get under the sheet when the drops run down her neck?
 
#10 ·
I would use a turnout blanket that is water proof
OR you can use a stable blanket(usually cheaper) in different weights and put a turnout sheet so they don't get wet or ruined

AQH SAM-
I know a lot of people that don't blanket their horses out in CO (my home state)
however in GA (where I live) weather changes from 20 to 70 in a day. it gets really dangerous for some of the horses because it's colic weather. In Ga it's a good idea, but not necessary any where
 
#12 ·
Definitely, if he is in turnout, get a blanket that is waterproof. I would say a medium weight blanket should do fine for what you need...you can always get a light blanket liner in case the temperatures drop below what they normally do, and put it under his regular blanket.
 
#13 ·
I agree with goingnowhere...in northeastern Nevada it gets cold -20*F and it stays cold, I didn't blanket at all...but this weather here in east Texas in just weird! It was 75 the other day and then the next it wont get over 40. Then if it rains and the wind in blowing, I am forced to blanket because they are all standing out there humped up and shivering. The extreme change in temps is hard on them. I also think that rain and wind is harder on them than a dry below freezing temp.
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#14 ·
My suggestions for blanketing come from 2 things she said in her original post. #1/ He's thin
#2/ He doesn't have free choice hay, he gets 5-6 flakes per day

#3/ Oklahoma has been on the yoyo for temps this year too, so my horses aren't all haired up like they would be if it got cold and stayed that way.

I have mares who think it's spring and are teasing. They should be 'closed for business' by now.

So because of crazy weather, his thinness and no free choice hay, I suggested she blanket him to help him hold his warmth. 1/2 of my horses are blanketed (show horses that were clipped for Nationals at the end of Oct, those who've never been out of CA or AZ and one who's thin and just got her), the other 1/2 (pure pasture, up to good weight, plenty of shelter, free choice access to hay) are not. It's an individual thing and I go by how each horse seems to be holding up. If anyone starts losing weight, even the pasture ponies have blankets, I'm just not using them yet.
 
#16 ·
Not sure if this was the best place to put it but here goes.

I plan on getting my horse a blanket as the night time temperatures dip down to the mid 20's. Daytime temps are 30-50 as Oklahoma is extremely fickle and ever-changing in its weather.

He isn't on free choice hay but gets about 5 to 6 flakes of hay a day.

My question is should I use a turnout blanket or a stable blanket?
My horse has a fairly thick coat but he's on the thin side so I want him to stay nice and toasty.
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If you want him to be as warm as possible, Going with the turnout blanket is probably the best bet. Maybe not entirely nessessary, but 30-50 degrees is really cold for daytime! I would maybe even layer a stable blanket under a turnout blanket if it were that cold where I live! :):D:-p:wink:
 
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