Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Title: Re: [RC]   to blanket or not

Horses, just like people, are individuals.  I've had shiverers and horses that never seem to get cold.  Had a mare who sweated when she looked at a blanket.  We'd be at a late fall ride.  Snow in the air, water freezing in the buckets, and all the other horses at the trailer were blanketed heavily, seeing as they'd gone 50 or 25 miles that day, and were glad of it.  I'd put a denim sheet on that mare, and she'd be toasty warm under it - just like the heavily blanketed horses were toasty under their blankets.  

I have a brother who never wears long sleeved shirts - ever.  He's always warm.  I have a Jack Russell Terrier who never gets under the blankets, and another one who is always under the blankets.  Individuals have individual preferences.  It's all part of getting to know your horse, dog, friend.

ET
> From: heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2006 08:16:23 -0700
> To: sherman <sherman@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Cc: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [RC]   to blanket or not

> Low 50s is not cold to a horse.  :-)  I would suggest not blanketing at all at such temps, and giving the coat an opportunity to dry out.
>  
> Even at much colder temps (like sub-freezing), when you might want to blanket for the trailer ride, take towels in your rig with you and hand-rub as much moisture out as possible before blanketing, get a net cooler to use as a spacer underneath the blanket to allow some air circulation, and unblanket as soon as you get him home where he can move around while he dries off.
>  
> Heidi
>
>
> > -------- Original Message --------
> > Subject: [RC]   to blanket or not
> > From: "sherman" <sherman@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Date: Fri, November 24, 2006 7:47 pm
> > To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >
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> > I don¹t blanket unless it¹s absolutely necessary, usually only when my horse is wet from riding and it is very cold or I have to trailer home in the cold when he¹s still wet. I wonder if I¹m misjudging the cold (it¹s in the low 50s) because when I get home, about a 30 minute drive, my horse is still soaked and feeling very warm under the light blanket or cooler, but his uncovered neck is dry and feels a more normal temperature. Should I be leaving him completely uncovered so he doesn¹t get so warm and stay so wet on the ride home? We do walk/cool down the last 1?2 to 1?4 mile, but with the winter coat, he just doesn¹t dry out until the riding is completely over. Any ideas on this?
> >  
> > Kathy
> > Grass Valley, CA
> >  
> >  
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