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This sounds horrible but..

13K views 76 replies 52 participants last post by  Dartanion 
#1 · (Edited)
I blanket my horse everynight if it gets below 75 degrees we put a slinkie on her head and neck, a sheet, and a full body heavy blanket, AND she has a light on her at night,....arggg these crazy ways just so that our horses dont grow a coat!And i live in Florida!Do you guys every do anything like this Just so that your horse doesnt grow a coat?
We do not put the heavy blanket on her if its 75-65 just a sheet and slinke below 60 the heavy blanket goes on
 
#35 ·
I show Halter horses and we live in Georgia. I keep mine under 200 watt lights for 16 hrs. a day. This keeps there coats from bleaching out in the sun and they don't grow hair in the winter. I only blanket(lightly) between 60-70 degrees and heavier below 60. I guess if we are going to show with the big dogs in climate controlled barns we have to do this. I have shown with some high dollar horses and won. So I must be doing something right.
 
#36 ·
i have an array of blankets ... everything from a fly sheet to a light baker sheet to a 200 fill water proof sheet to a 450 fill heavy water proof sheet ... and then i have a handful of sheets that i can layer with other blankets that i have ...

oh and i live in CA so it doesn't get below like 25, well if it gets that low we are shocked ... it has been like high 30s low 40s lately at night though ... im obsessed i know...
 
#37 · (Edited)
I thought that I heard somewhere that growing a coat has more to do with the days getting shorter (the amount of light) than it does the actual temperature? I would think that putting that many layers on a horse in 60-70 degree weather would be a tad too hot for them.

Mine has just been wearing a medium weight blanket, and it's been in the negatives this past month up here. One day in early winter it got up to 50 overnight and she still had her blanket on...and when I got to the barn the next day after work, she was sweating!

But I'm sure every horse is different...some get cold easier than others and might need the extra blankets even in warmer temps! If your horse isn't sweating and uncomfortable, I wouldn't think it matters if you have all that on him.
 
#38 ·
I don't and you wont catch me doing it either. I find it's WAY more simple to just clip. There is a bit of a strange boarder at the barn who does it with 2 of her horses. They are boarded inside and are covered year around in at least 2 blankets. A horse is a horse, let them be. I dont understand the need to put them thru so much not mentioning the light 24/7 because you don't want to clip a horse :? I've seen one other time and once again it was in a western rider. I guess part of that riding world I will never understand.
 
#39 ·
The reason people try to avoid clipping horses is because it tends to "destroy" the coat it a lot of horses don't look nice body clipped.

There are many english horses put under lights as well. We have Park, EQ, CEP, Park Pleasure, 5-gaited, 5-gaited pleasure, and hunter pleasure horses at my barn. They're under lights at night, wear a sheet and slinky if it's over 70 and a blanket, sheet, slinky, and hood if it's anything under that. And we live in AZ.
 
#40 ·
My horses are simple, but we don't show many big shows. They get sheets as spring rolls around to help their coats lay nicely since they probably won't shed completely by the first show in May. No winter blankets though - too much work if they get wet etc. and not enough replacements. They seem to do fine - plenty of shelter and they are used to it. Part of me wants my horse under lights and well blanketed though - love a perfectly shiny short coat and my appys would body clip funny colors:)
 
#41 ·
But you blanket your horse once he is clipped don't you Cachedawntaxes? If we clip here, we have to put more blankets on than if we didn't...

I found that actually when I was over in America. It was april/may, and the horse I was riding, Crackle (so cute!!!) was clipped and not rugged. And he would shiver at night when we would put them out. I felt so bad for him.
 
#42 ·
I'm not sure about the temperature conversions but when in the winter my horse wears: a cooler, light winter blanket and a rain sheet. If it gets below 0 degrees he wears: a cooler, heavy winter, light winter, and a rain sheet. And we leave the lights in the barn on longer in the winter so they don't grow too much of a coat. They go on around 5:30 when they get breakfast and at night they don't go out till around 9:30.
 
#43 ·
I live in Florida too. I put a medium-weight blanket on my horses when it gets below 60. Why don't you clip her instead of baking her?

And as for the light... They only need to be under lights for 16 hours to keep from growing a winter coat.

I'm not trying to be rude... it just seems like it would be a lot better for your horse if you would just clip her. A small price to pay, no?
 
#44 ·
Wow....that's amazing. I can't imagine. I think probably the reason your horses grow coats so easy is all the blanketing and such that they're used to. They're used to being so warm, when they get a little cold their hair kicks in.
We live in Indiana, keep mid-heavy weight blankets and sleazy hoods on ours, and lights on until about 9 at night. They're out during the day, come in at night, and they're all pretty slick still. If we blanketed/lighted them a little more, I'm sure they could be slicker, but we don't show much in the winter around here, so they don't have to be 'perfect'.
I also work in a show barn part time where it's heated to 60 degrees in the winter, the horses wear blankets and sheet hoods in the winter, sheets and sleazys in the summer. They are slick, slick, slick-could go to a breed show tomorrow slick. They have lights on 16 hrs a day and don't go outside.....75 degrees seems a bit extreme to me....but I guess you have to do what works for your horses....
 
#45 ·
Wow. I guess there is more responsibility when it comes to showing, huh? I have 3 horses & have never blanketed them. Nor have I clipped them. I, too, live in Florida, not too far from CloudsMystique. I figure they do fine in the wild, so they should do fine in my yard with the barn.

I do say though, that my Mustang gets the most wonderful winter coat. So warm & snuggly - I just want to take him inside & snuggle up to him when it gets cold. Somehow I don't think the hubby would like that, though! lol
 
#47 ·
Their coat will grow out shiny and sleek if you clip them far enough ahead of a show. Also, if you use a lot of rubber curry, elbow grease and good feed on them, they will produce their own bloom.


Clipping doesn't 'destroy' their coat. Their coat is constantly replacing itself.
 
#49 ·
just a comment

I think everyone jumped on your message because you started out by saying " I know this is horrible but...". It made it sound like you felt a little bit guilty is all. Anyway everyone DOES take care of their horses different ways. I have no issues with that and I wish in the showing world that a horse could win by being natural. We all know that doesnt happen anymore...sadly.
I do agree, however, to the comment made about the lights. First it does mess up the internal body clock, just like it would us. Horses need to have the darkness for rest, and body repair as we do. I don't know why any barn wouldnt think of this. Think about sleeping with your lights on 24/7....it seems like overkill. You should discuss this with your barn manager. I understand not wanting to grow excess coat-but the horses state of mind and the normal cycle of the day should be seriously considered. And it sounds like blanketing is covered so excess hair is at a minimum.:lol:
 
#50 ·
Clipping DOES destroy the coat, but only temporarily. On chestnut and browns/bay's/balcks it also diminishes their colour a LOT. If you clip maybe a month before the show season, then yes it's ok.

Clipping takes half the hair away, which takes a lot fo the natural oils from the coat. This needs TIME to regenerate. It also breaks (cuts) The actual hair, leaving it with a blunt edge instead of a pointed edge, making it rough/coarse for a while.

Also, if I used a rubber curry on my clipped horse, I think he would try to kill me. Way too harsh on a horse who doesn't have the extra barrier of more hair between the curry and their skin! I only ever used a body brush on my clipped horses.

*Shrugs* I don't have anything against clipping, I will probably body clip my arab again this winter, but it DOES diminish their coat for a while.
 
#55 ·
I stand by my original post. If you cut the hair too short, yes, it is an off color. It doesn't DESTROY the coat. The coat grows back. Destroying the coat would mean the coat never grows back, or there is no hope of ever getting the bloom that is so covetted and that could be easily achieved through proper nutrition and grooming.
 
#51 ·
Not trying to be rude, but it is very unnatural for the horse not to grow a coat. It weakens their ability to fight infections and things like that because of the unnatural blanketing when they are supposed to be growing a coat. I know a lot of people do it for show, but it really isnt all that great for the horse. I have never blanketed my horses and they lose their hair once they are ready to. When a horse is blanketed when it is warm out, it wears them out quicker because their body temperature is higher than it should be, taking more energy from the horse just to try to be more comfy. I know that sounds a bit overboard, but if you do the research, you will find it to be true.
 
#56 ·
I agree with you in that it doesn't destroy their coat in the long term. But short term, yes.

Just wanted to add, I don't clip my horse that I show, and probably never will, (except for mane,whiskers, hairy legs etc. lol) And he has the nicest coat ever! That lovely dark brown with lighter dapples. I would'nt clip him. I clip my arab cause he sweats horribly in winter and its impossible to cool him down.

If you cut the hair too short, yes, it is an off color
What is too short? Any clipping i've seen on bays/blacks has changed the colour a fair bit... Not cutting it short seems like it would go against the original purpose of clipping... Or maybe thats just me :]

But yep, i'm the biggest advocate of a nice coat acheived through proper nutrition, health, grooming and yes in winter appropriate rugging.
 
#57 ·
I like Majors winter coat. I think it makes him look cute. He does lose that graceful sleek appearance, but his winter coat makes him look like a big ole soft teddy bear. I love his summer hair too though :)
 
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