Blanketing Horses in the Winter: 7 Things to Consider

As colder temperatures begin to creep in, the age-old question arises: should I be blanketing my horse? Unfortunately, there is much debate surrounding this topic and the decision can become challenging. This week I wanted to share 7 things to consider when blanketing horses.

blanketing horses

1. Winter Coat Development

Does your horse have a thick, wooly coat that makes it hard to reach skin? In most situations, these horses can go unblanketed (more on this later in the post). However, if you have a horse whose coat does not come in well, consider blanketing to keep them more comfortable in colder temperatures.

2. Rain?

Is the forecast calling for freezing rain for the next week? If shelter access is limited or non-existent, horses exposed to wet conditions may benefit from wearing even a light but durable turnout sheet. This helps keep their skin dry and helps prevent them from getting chilled. Just make sure any blanket you put on is waterproof! A wet blanket does very little to keep your horse warm.

3. Age

If your horse is older, blankets can help keep them comfortable in colder temperatures. Senior horses often have more aches and pains in the winter and wearing a blanket can help keep some of their joints and muscles warmer to prevent injury.

4. Body Condition Score (BCS)

If a horse has a lower BCS, a blanket will definitely help keep them warm. On the flip side, if you have a chubby little pony who has a nice thick coat, maybe skip the blanket. These ponies have plenty of insulation to keep these nice and toasty.

To learn more about BCS, check out my previous post that covers the topic.

5. Position on the “pecking order”?

In many boarding situations, there is some conflict between horses when outdoors. If your horse is lower on the so-called “pecking order”, and has limited access to the shelter in colder weather, a blanket will give them that extra layer of warmth.

6. Hay Availability

If you want to avoid blanketing as much as possible, my number one recommendation is to simply provide ample hay. As previously discussed in my post about equine energy requirements, there are a few critical temperatures where more hay is necessary for the horse to keep themselves warm unassisted.

regular requirement x (.01) x change in critical temperature = additional Mcal needed

Put simply, don’t want to blanket? Feed as much hay as the horses will eat.

7. Unexpected Weather

Do you live in an area that doesn’t experience cold weather too often? Even if it is just a short cold snap, you may want to blanket any horse that has an averse reaction to the cold (or is simply not used to these temperatures).

Thank you so much for reading about 7 things to consider when blanketing horses. Did anything in this post surprise you? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you.<3

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