Behind the Bit

---

Barn girl tip: Blanketing is a big deal Posted: 28 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT If you work at a boarding barn, you know that with the colder weather comes a whole new layer (so to speak) of boarder/manager interchange about... Blanketing. Make no mistake about it, blanketing is a big deal. Sure, we know that horses are born to live in 30-40 degree weather... But blankets are as much about the owner as the horse. Parents are always asking their kids "are you warm enough?" Ditto with horse owners. No one likes to think of their horse as cold or wet or overheated. It's ironic that horses thrive in temperatures much colder than we might guess. But once the horse is used to being blanketed, it's all kind of moot -- they start to depend on them, and someone has to monitor the horse's comfort. Blanketing mistakes can make a horse sick. For clipped horses and certain sensitive horses (some just aren't cold tolerant) it's even more critical that the horse is kept warm. What's a worker to do? The transitional seasons are the worst -- cold in the am, warm in the p.m., rain rather than snow. Barns and/or owners usually have rules for when and how to blanket. Barn workers need clear guidelines, but there needs to be some room for personal judgement too. Here are some blanketing "rules of thumb" that I've used... Feel under the blanket to monitor comfort (feel cold? feel sweaty?) Cold horses have cold ears. A horse whose hair is standing on end is probably cold. When doing turnout in the a.m., consider mid-day temps, sun, and wind. For an unclipped horse, err on the side of underblanketing. For a clipped horse, err on the side of overblanketing. The combination of wind, cold, and damp calls is a worst case scenario for horses. Water resistant is not water-proof. Extra hay will help a horse keep warm. Best Practices for Owners A good system is to have layers that can be added or removed. Barn workers typically add or remove a blanket, but elaborate layering instructions ("Please remove middle blanket and replace with...") or contingencies (If it is warm use blanket X except if raining, then...") should be avoided. Make sure you have one waterproof blanket if you want your horse out in wet conditions. Cheap blankets are often not breathable, and can make a horse sweat in cold conditions -- go for good quality. Owners should also keep in mind that weather at the barn may be very different, esp. if the barn is a long commute away. Oh, and keep the blankets clean, especially the leg straps, which can get -- well, icky!

You are subscribed to email updates from Behind the Bit To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610