The decision to blanket your horse in cold weather is individual and can be difficult. Humans have different reasons for choosing to blanket their horses, and horses have different needs.
We spoke with Ann Andrews, DVM, CVA, with Park Equine Hospital in Paris, Kentucky, just outside Lexington, to get a vet’s perspective on blanketing.
How to Make the Decision to Blanket Your Horse
It's important to first consider the climate where you live. There is no "one size fits all" template for blanket decisions.
Generally speaking, horses fare better in cold weather than humans; however, older, body-clipped, and light-boned horses may need help staying warm.
Dr. Andrews recommends having a good plan going into winter based on your region.
"Horses spend a lot of calories to stay warm in cold weather," says Dr. Andrews.
Horses have individual winter needs. Photo by Kara Robinson
You Know What's Best for Your Horse
Unless it's your first winter season with your horse, most horse owners have an idea of whether their horse tends to run cold or hot.
Additionally, if you have moved your horse from Arizona to Michigan in the fall, your horse may not be able to grow an adequate coat for a frigid northern winter.
According to Dr. Andrews, blanketing can help your horse make the transition smoother.
Hay for Warmth
Increasing dry forage or hay also helps horses stay warm in cold weather. Dr. Andrews encourages horse owners to increase available hay to help their horses stay warm.
Horses forage for hay in a paddock. Photo by Jodi Dickey
"Having plenty of hay to nibble on is key for horses that are not blanketed. The hay gets their gastrointestinal tracts working and creates warmth."
The Benefits of Blanketing
Blanketing has many benefits for a variety of horses and needs. The most obvious is keeping your horse warm, but blankets provide additional benefits.
Ducati, wearing a blanket, enjoys a little hay. Photo by Jodi Dickey
Beneficial Blanketing Considerations
- Waterproof blankets keep your horse dry reducing rain rot and other moisture-related skin conditions.
- Prevent your horse from growing a shaggy coat more befitting a wooly mammoth.
- Keep your horse clean if you live in muddy environment.
- Reduce the risk of impaction colic with increased water intake.
According to Dr. Andrews, "Blanketed horses are more likely to drink cold water because it's easier for their body to warm that water up. If they're drinking more water, they are less likely to experience intestinal impactions and colic."
The Downside of Blanketing
There are potential risks and possible downsides to blanketing horses in the winter. Horse owners should take their individual horses - their needs, histories, and tendencies - into consideration. That will help you evaluate the benefits and downsides of blanketing when making the decision whether to blanket.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Requires regular monitoring and blanket changes when temperatures fluctuate.
- Difficulty to monitor your horse’s weight.
- Additional expenses for blanket purchases.
Additional Expenses
As all horse owners have experienced at some point in time, horses don't always appreciate nice things. Nor do they consider the cost of the tack that we buy for their benefit. And while "expenses" mean an additional cash outlay, it also requires more time and effort on a horse owner's part.
Additional expenses associated with blanketing include:
- Purchasing blankets can be costly.
- Annual cleaning and repairs.
- Regular waterproofing to ensure your horse stays dry.
- Replacement cost when horses destroy a blanket.
Dr. Andrews offers sound advice. "The more you can prepare and have extra stuff together is key. You may be last-minute blanket shopping because you didn't get
a backup and somebody rips their blanket or mid-season treatments because the blanket is not waterproof anymore."
Having a backup blanket can be useful if your horse and their herdmates are playful. Photo by Kara Robinson
Blankets
Blanketing requires planning ahead and regular monitoring when the temperatures change.
"What's the weather like and how is that going to affect your horse?” Dr. Andrews says, "It does get a little frustrating when the weather does whatever it wants to do and it doesn't follow the forecast. I still have plans in place to keep that horse at a steady temperature."
Maintain Supportive Barn Communities
Lastly, we should address the proverbial "elephant in the room" when it comes to blanketing. It is not a universal practice, and some people have very strong opinions. Anyone who uses other modern tack, like a grazing muzzle, for instance, will be familiar with a range of reactive stances.
Blanketing can be controversial among horse owners, particularly those at boarding facilities. Boarders may experience negative comments from fellow boarders who have differing opinions about blanketing.
It's important to remember that horses have individual needs and barn community members should support one another. Taking care of horses in the winter is difficult as it is. Creating an uncomfortable or adversarial environment between humans only increases that difficulty.
Dr. Andrews insists, "Don't let somebody bully you into not blanketing your horse. Ensure you have the correct size, fit, and weight of blanket for the situation."
Key Takeaways
- Blanketing is an individual choice and should be based on each horse’s needs.
- Eating hay increases heat generated inside a horse’s body and helps keep them warm.
- There are many reasons to blanket your horse and many reasons to not blanket your horse in cold weather.
- Despite differing blanketing opinions, horse owners should encourage a supportive environment with each other.
Resources for Further Learning
1) If you'd like to learn more, Penn State Extension offers a free 1-hour pre-recorded webinar on "the science behind blanketing horses."
2) The University of Kentucky Extension has a free 5-page pdf that goes in to great depth about blanketing horses.
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We are so grateful to Dr. Ann Andrews for sharing her time and knowledge.
About Ann Andrews, DVM, CVA
Dr. Andrews graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. She has specific interests in podiatry, dentistry, internal medicine, surgery, and radiology. She is a practice associate with Park Equine Hospital.
