# To Blanket or Not Blanket??



## Strangeaddiction (Oct 29, 2015)

Rather than take over another post about winter blanketing I figured I would pose my question on its own. I am getting my own mini. Not my first horse but my first mini. I have owned, trained and shown horses my whole life as well as managed barns. Mini's are new to me. I have been working with a very knowledgeable person who is retired from the mini business but is helping me along the way.

Anyways, my question is about blanketing. I know that people don't body clip minis in the winter and they grow quite the coat. I live in Western Washington where in the fall/winter it is wet all the time, even when its snowing. Would you blanket your mini? I don't know how to prevent rain rot or any fungi with that long hair and being outside. My mini is kept in a stall at night and turned out all day and he has quite the fuzz already. I am training him to drive so he is getting worked 3-5 days a week too so sweat is added to that.

Can anyone offer advice? Blanket, no blanket? Do people do trace clips like big horses or will the minis freeze?

He is VERY dirty so I will be giving him a spa day this weekend as its still on the warmer side and want to start winter out clean-ish!

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## always learning (Oct 29, 2015)

After being around ponies and larger most of my life, I got my first mini in '14, so she's had one NY winter with me. I've never blanketed her. she's in at night also, with shelter if out for the day. I do brush snow off when she comes in, so it doesn't melt on her in the warmer(but still cold) barn. If she got sweaty, I'd just keep her in till she was dry and cool. I've never had a rain-rot problem or fungi in all my years with equines (maybe I've just been lucky). Seems to me, the best blanket is the one they grow. I do keep a couple large heavy towels and blanket pins, in the barn to make an emergency blanket in case of illness, but I've never needed it. Outside, a thick coat of hair is warm and somewhat water repellant.


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## Strangeaddiction (Oct 29, 2015)

Is it moist in NY like it is over here? It's not the cold I am worried about as it is pretty mild here, its the dampness.


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## chandab (Oct 29, 2015)

I doubt a blanket would be necessary, but perhaps a rain sheet to keep the rain from soaking her back to the skin, and only use it on rainy days (which I realize might be a lot in Washington state).

We aren't wet enough here to be in that situation, so I've rarely blanketed in the winter, except a senior that couldn't stay warm and two that can't thermo-regulate due to illness.


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## Ryan Johnson (Oct 29, 2015)

I don't rug any of my minis as I don't show them. They grow the most wonderfully insulated coat that's able to breathe at the same time as keep them warm during the cold months. Then on the other hand I have two thoroughbreds that are rugged during winter , one especially as is a senior and really feels the cold. Ditto to what Chanda has written above.

Someone posted a great article recently in one of the other threads about whether one should rug or not rug.


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## Minimor (Oct 29, 2015)

Sorry, in my view that article almost certainly results in some horses going without blankets when they should in fact be wearing one. The article makes no allowance for those horses that for one reason or another do need blanketing in extreme weather. Some owners read that and jump on wagon saying NO blankets. .and if they have a horse that has trouble on the cold--I feel sorry for that horse. My mare cannot deal with our extreme cold on her own--she is miserable--won't eat, won't drink, she would just hunch up somewhere and be miserable. She is.so happy to see her blanket coming and becomes a different horse once it is on.

I cannot comments t in blanketing horses in the Pacific northwest as I have not lived there. I do know how wet it can be--never ending wetness sometimes in winter. I know people who say they black key to prevent rain rot and I know people who have had rain rot under the blankets. I think you do need to have very breathable blankets that will keep a horse dry. If your horses come in at night and dry off they are likely okay without blankets. If they are soaked to the skin when they come in and are still damp in the morning--that's a different thing. I don't know who we have here for members from the PNW. People in your area would be your best source of information.


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## Rocklone Miniature Horses (Oct 29, 2015)

If he is working a lot i would be trace clipping and putting a 100g turnout on. Im pretty sure Ireland and Washington have a similar climate lol


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## Jean_B (Oct 29, 2015)

Read this article: http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-blankets-an-amazing-article/ My view - and I live in northern Wisconsin where the temps are often 30 below with high winds....my horses are outside 24/7 with free access to shelter. Unless the wind is howling and wet, they are outside and NOT shivering. Mine are healthy, happy, with no snotty noses. A blanket will RUIN the horse's natural ability to insulate itself against the cold/wet. The coat is made to slick off the water. If you put a blanket on a wet horse, it will only make it worse as it destroys the fluff and natural insulation. Read the article which has excellent pictures to demonstrate, and hopefully that will answer your questions.

However, if a horse is sick (that is the ONLY time I stall my horses for an extended period of time), or if it was recently body clipped, they YES, until they have a full coat, blanketing is necessary.

By the way, completing cleaning your horse at this time of year will actually destroy it's ability to wick water away from its body.


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## Rocklone Miniature Horses (Oct 29, 2015)

Mild but wet is worse than cold and wet though. I would rug in mild wet weather more than cold wet weather.


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## paintponylvr (Oct 29, 2015)

I think I answered most in the other post and think it's best to check with others in your area...

I DO trace clip here when working ours during the winter. Also kept manes and tails braided up - out of the mud, kept the heat/weight off of the neck. It was often the only way we could work them because we'd have a wicked winter ice storm, then warm up into the 70s. The last time was a while ago (2012)... I didn't trace clip in fall 2013 and didn't do any grooming clipping (ear edges, jaws, BP, coronet bands, fetlocks) in 2014/2015 at all.

A product from the store that works really well, if you don't already use it, is one of those "funky" wicking towels from the auto department store. Often used to dry a vehicle after a bath as it's soft, soaks up a lot of water than can be wrung out and it dries really fast. Kinda like a sponge in towel form. I seem to have a problem with memory - haven't a clue what it's called. Mine are worn out and in need of replacing.


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## AngC (Oct 30, 2015)

Strangeaddiction said:


> Anyways, my question is about blanketing. *...snip.... *
> 
> I don't know how to prevent rain rot or any fungi with that long hair and being outside. My mini is kept in a stall at night and turned out all day and he has quite the fuzz already. I am training him to drive so he is getting worked 3-5 days a week too so sweat is added to that.
> 
> ...


I live in the same county as you (Snohomish.) I don't blanket; I don't shave. Nicky's been here since Mar 2011. He had rain rot once in Spring 2012; it was a little patch about one-inch across. I was pretty freaked out, mostly because I got on the internet and viewed some really awful photos of rain rot involving the entire body. I bought some pink stuff at the local co-op; I forget the name; and used it maybe 3 times. I haven't had a problem since. So that's one rain-rot incident in like 3 years. Coco's been here since July 2011, and Baby's been here since spring of 2012. No rain rot on the two girls. They're all outside, get wet, get dirty, and aren't shaved or blanketed.

They have free access to shelter in their stalls, but are also able to go outside 24/7 to get rained upon. Frequently they roll in the dirt. (I vaguely recollect reading that the bacteria that causes rain rot is in the soil; I could be wrong about that.) Ours are very hairy, all winter long.

Today we had some rain; I got soaked trying to get them into the stall; they kept popping out. I keep an eye on the temperature, but they all went to bed soaking wet. Honestly, I'm not too worried about it.

In my opinion, in our climate, I would be more concerned with thrush.


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## jayne (Oct 30, 2015)

Another Arlington / Snohomish county person here. Mine, too, are out all day with access to shelter they rarely use, and stalled at night. No rain rot in the 10 years we've been here. I stall on pelleted bedding, and my vet says that wicks enough moisture away and is why I have never had thrush in my herd. She said that she sees a lot of thrush in our area during the rainy season, but the risk can be minimized by getting them out of the wet and muck every day.

I do have one kind of neat trick...if my old guy comes in soaking wet, I drape him with one of those all cotton Mexican blankets while he's eating his dinner. You wouldn't believe how much moisture that wicks off of him in an hour or so. Then I take it off and he rolls in the bedding and dries naturally from his own body heat fairly quickly. It rains enough here that it's pretty much a routine now and he expects it. Spoiled sweet old guy.


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## secuono (Oct 30, 2015)

He looks quite clean.

Dirt/mud naturally comes off over time.

All horses should grow a proper coat. Unless you shave them and/or blanket them.

I'm only in VA, but I never shave them, never blanket them, and they do great.

My barn is 2 solid walls and a slight center wall. They prefer to be out in the open. In summer heat, they stand in the barn for the cool breeze.

When you see a cap of white snow on their backs, that means they are properly insulated from the cold.

It is when you cannot find the white snow blanket that it is an issue.


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## Strangeaddiction (Oct 30, 2015)

His skin is disgustingly dirty right now, which is why i was worried about cleaning him and his tail has been left in a braid for goodness knows how long! (I am quite worried about half or more of his tail hair falling out). He is going to be a show horse and I guess i should have clarified that I do know how to treat rain rot etc. but was worried about it developing. I have rescued countless amounts of horses from the area, all of which had rain rot because they had no blanket (obviously no care either). I guess I will just keep an eye on it since obviously this guy will get the care needed.

I guess I just thought rain rot was an issue with mini's and their long coats. I have noticed at a lot of the local shows the darker (black, bay) minis having scars (white hairs) from having rain rot on their backs.

I do agree with most of you in your climates that no blanket is USUALLY needed in the very cold/dry climates (Some horses need blankets, period). But here in Washington it is MILD and WET, all the time. Even when inside horses don't fully dry out overnight because of humidity. I have always blanketed my big horses when it is needed.

I guess he shall go with out unless i decide to trace clip or if I notice any skin irritations.


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## wingnut (Oct 30, 2015)

As with anything else with horses, the answer to this question depends on your particular circumstances as well as your horse's needs.

Maryland, where I live, is not terribly wet most winters. Somewhat wet, but not what I imagine Washington is most winters...or year round for that matter. In your case, I would probably not blanket but put the horse away at night so he had some time to dry off. When we have a period of wet days where they are getting soaked and it's accompanied by colder temps (but not enough to freeze/snow) or colder temps are to follow before they can dry thoroughly? I will stall my mares. They aren't happy about it and it's extra work for me, but it's temporary and easier than having to blanket them all for the duration of the winter.

Only my hard keeper do I pretty much blanket consistently once temps drop into the 30's during the day. She simply does not have the body fat the others do. Keeping weight is crazy hard due to a medical condition so no amount of feeding changes will correct this. Last year, I had 3 blankets on her at a time starting in January. It's what it took to keep her warm.

So in general, I don't blanket but I have criteria I use to make the decision if and when I should. I have blankets if someone needs them but they get more use in the spring when I clip early for show season and I blanket them after they been bathed/clipped.


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## Miniv (Oct 30, 2015)

We don't blanket in most situations. Horses need some place to get out of the wind and precipitation...It's that combination that chills them.

Blanketing actually works against their natural coat protection/insulation.

They also need extra body fat for winter, so feeding extra HAY is a must. It's the hay that keeps them warm internally, not grain.

If a horse is in full coat, in good weight, and healthy, we let the horse be a horse....without a blanket.

One thing I do to double check is I put my hand up inside their "armpits" just to make sure it's warm.


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## CaliHorseChic (Nov 3, 2015)

Strangeaddiction - you sound like me! I also just got my first mini who is also a chestnut pinto






Here's my plan with him.. He's shaggy. It was 80+ degrees here in Sacramento when he arrived a few days ago so my first though was body clip and get a medium weight blanket and neck because he was pretty miserable, then it rained. And now its cold. So new game plan is a waterproof sheet and leave his fuzzyness. I always blanketed my big horses and my Arab got his on for the rain because he's pretty slick still so its a habit I just can't let go of even if my mini doesn't need one, I feel the sheet is a good compromise to keep the chills away when its raining.





By the way I grew up in Duvall. Do they still have the wonderful antique stores in Snohomoish?


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## Strangeaddiction (Nov 4, 2015)

CaliHorseChic- That is awesome! There are still wonderful antique stores in Snohomish



I love the area and never plan on leaving.

I don't plan on clipping him (other than bridle path) and will probably get him a sheet just in case it gets too wet or cold. I guess I just have always heard of mini's having rain rot issues because of their thick coat and the dampness in the winter months here...


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## Rocklone Miniature Horses (Nov 4, 2015)

I have had to clip one already this year due to rain rot starting so i nipped it in the bud. He is still unrugged though cause it has just been so warm. I can't imagine i will be rugging him at all this year. No other is rugged but they are not in regular work tbh.


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## susanne (Nov 5, 2015)

We're in northwest Oregon in a hilly, wooded, wet (except this year) area. We do not blanket as a rule, but we have waterproof blankets for everyone. They all have run-in shelters, but typically stand out in the rain more often than not. If we worried about rain, they'd never be outside; the only weather that typically worries me is when it is wet, windy, near-zero cold, or super-cold (10-15 degree) temps when they are already wet (for this, we've blanketed and stuffed straw under their turnouts).

We monitor them constantly (no heated buckets, so we're out several time each night to thaw water during a freeze), and if anyone shivers or shows signs of being cold, they are blanketed, but this rarely happens.

The only times they've gotten rain rot has been when they were blanketed. Our herd has a tendency to undress one another, so blankets rarely stay on for long.


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## Barbasol (Jan 4, 2016)

My first post on this forum. My wife got our first mini (first horse of any kind) a month ago. I searched out this topic to see when I need to blanket our Gracie. I'm in Southern Louisiana so i only get a few really cold snaps a season (I have seen snow 3x's in 12 years). From reading this thread, it sounds like I will have nothing to worry about here, but at what temperature would you recommend a blanket?


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## Jean_B (Jan 4, 2016)

Barbasol said:


> My first post on this forum. My wife got our first mini (first horse of any kind) a month ago. I searched out this topic to see when I need to blanket our Gracie. I'm in Southern Louisiana so i only get a few really cold snaps a season (I have seen snow 3x's in 12 years). From reading this thread, it sounds like I will have nothing to worry about here, but at what temperature would you recommend a blanket?


Never....if the horse has a good hair coat and access to shelter where it can get out of the wind and/or rain free choice. But for the most part, even when they can get out of the wind/rain, they often are happy out there. Now, if the horse has been body clipped, has been sick, etc., that is a totally different matter.

And WELCOME to the forum !!!!!


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## Barbasol (Jan 5, 2016)

Thanks Jean. my old barn isn't attached to my small pasture so I was daily walking her back and forth. After a surprise rainfall last week and her being in the elements, I built her an 8x8 building over the weekend. She seems to like it better than the barn because she can come and go as she pleases.


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## Barbasol (Jan 5, 2016)

Thanks Jean. my old barn isn't attached to my small pasture so I was daily walking her back and forth. After a surprise rainfall last week and her being in the elements, I built her an 8x8 building over the weekend. She seems to like it better than the barn because she can come and go as she pleases.


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