Think my mini and my friends mini suffered from hypothermia last night

I feel so bad!

First let me say, you pretty much *have* to body clip your minis in South Florida. Just last week, it was 90 degrees and VERY humid. My mini, Boo, has a RIDICULOUSLY thick coat (you can see it in the thread below about minis with curly coats.) I clipped him in the beginning of winter, but it grew back, so I clipped him again this past Monday.

My husband made a joke, he said, "Uh oh, if my wife is clipping her horses, that means we will be getting a cold front soon!"

Well, last night it was about 45 degrees. Not only cold, but also damp and rainy. I know some of you in colder climates chuckle...but that is darn cold for us! Especially for a mini that is on the skinny side right now (he had diarrhea recently, I had the vet out, he is fine now, no more squirts) and was just freshly clipped! So yesterday afternoon, I checked on him (before the cold night) and he was shivering! He looks like one of those hairless chihuahuas. Actually, more like Jiggy the dog from the Real Housewives of Beverley Hills. If you watch that show, you will know what I mean and you will laugh. I clipped him all over except his face and his legs.

Anyway, he was shivering so of course I put the blanket on him. Then I noticed, he seemed awfully disoriented. I actually took his fly mask off because it almost seemed like he couldn't see out of it. When I fed him, he kind of circled his food like he couldn't find it...it was weird. He is fine today, and I did not really think much of it.

Well, just now, my good friend called me in tears, her mini is also freshly clipped and she did NOT blanket her last night and she described the exact same symptoms. Her mini is disoriented. She was worried she has brain damage. I told her about Boo's behavior last night and told her he is fine today so hopefully her mini will be ok, too...although my Boo had a blanket on at night, and hers did not.

Anyway, does that sound like hypothermia? Do you think her mini will be ok? Any other input or info you would like to share?

Thanks!

You need to be worried if they STOP shivering, because that's the most dangerous.

Wikipedia has a good description of hypothermia and its symptoms. Sorry, on my phone or I'd copy and paste it over for you.

I would find another blanket to add to the one that you have, or a thicker/heavier weight blanket. Give them more hay to eat today to, and make sure that they have barely warm water to drink if you can. A warm mash would also do them both some good.
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How are the vitals on the ponies?
Are they both eating?

You need more blankets. I also live in florida and my QH mare gets as fuzzy as a mini so I keep her clipped. At 60 she has a sheet, 50 blanket, 45 blanket and sheet, 40 2 blankets, 30 2 blankets and a hood. If its going to rain she goes in a stall.

I've always fallowed this chart and it seems to work good.

Thanks for the replies!

Velvets-I read the Wiki article, thanks for pointing it out. I did not ask her about her mini shivering. I called her and she said she is much better. My mini is completely fine now.

Spastic Dove (wow, I love that name!) Yes, both eating now. I am going to her barn in a bit, going to see what her mini looks like with my own eyes. See if I notice a difference in her behavior.

My horses-hmmm...I have had two vets (first one moved away) and one told me blanket when it is under 55, the other said 45. This was for a clipped horse. Now, when the clip is "fresh" I could see needing more blankets, but that's only for about 2 weeks, I would think. There are many horses here in SoFla (including our one boarder) that have very short hair even in winter and never wear a blanket ever. I mentioned on another forum that I felt bad for the boarded horse here at my barn because the owners don't even own a blanket, and many people told me I was ridiculous!

I got the waterproof blankets for my minis...not water *resistant* but water *proof.* I wouldn't want to test them in the driving rain, but we rarely get that in the winter, usually just drizzly.

I don't think I have EVER EVER seens a hood on a horse in SoFla!

I do appreciate all the tips and advice! I've been outside giving him extra attention all afternoon.

I live about an hour away from Tampa, and our show horses wear sheets if it's 60 or less. We put hoods and slinks on them if it's under 50 so they don't get too hairy. Mine has a heavy weight, medium weight, a sheet and a neck warmer because hoods don't fit (he's a large horse.. 17.3) and I pile all that on him if it's under 40. He's kept inside, but it gets cold in the barns. Definitely get more blankets!
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Well...I live in cold Canada, and when my Grandparents had broodmares, they would be in the bush all winter without any blankets at all. They were perfectly fine, so you don't HAVE to blanket.

I am glad to hear the minis are feeling/looking better.
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I guess it is all what the horse gets used to. The boarder here...she is a 2 year old filly. She has never had a blanket on her ever (and again, her hair is VERY short) and as much as I want to buy a blanket myself to use on her...if the owners take her away and never put a blanket on her again, well, I will feel that I have spoiled her and she will miss having a blanket.

I really and truly think the issue here is the fresh body clipping. In two weeks from now, I cannot fathom putting 2 blankets on my minis. I swear I have never ever seen a hood on any horse here in SoFla.

I do agree that concrete barns get cold. My barn is wood, and they are never locked in, always have access to a paddock.

So horses in CN, where VelvetsAB lives....even if they grow winter coats...are you saying they should have a blanket when it is below 0? And what about wild horses?

I feel like I am middle of the road on this topic. Both my minis have blankets...which is way more than a lot of horses have...but that's it...after that I think it is overkill here in SoFla.

Oh my goodness.
I am so glad to hear that Boo is back to his warm little self!
Sounds like the combination of body clipping and the quick drop in barometer really got to him.
(Ha, ha, ha, Jiggy, cute little booger!.....Are you going to remedy that?)

Is your neighbor's mini doing okay now?
Is Bruno okay, or did he not get clipped?

Is your weather looking up any?

no its getting worse. It's going to be in the 20's tonight.