Not sure what I should do with winter coming..

[MiniforFaith]

I have a question to all of you that breed and live in the colder areas. Some of you may remember that back in Aug. I got my just weaned little one like I wanted..

My question is he was foaled in April, and looks like a mammoth bear with all of the winter whoolies, do I get him some winter Jammies this year? I have never owned a little one before, and I just want to be prepared and do the right thing for him.. Should I get him a blanket, and if I do only use it in what temps? The good news is that we now have a more winterized barn with a big hand made door by hubby. My barn really has undergone some changes since hubby hasn't been working, and he has really bonded more with my mini's.. Oh, yeah, my group are stalled at night, and also when we have the nasty wind and ice storms.. Thanks for any help on this ahead of time!!

Hubby thinks the enclosed barn is good enough, but the mom in me says he needs a blankie!!

 

[Carolyn R]

I am in eastern Pa , your little guy will be fine with being put in if it is nasty out and at night. Just keep him out of the rain too, it is actually worse than the snow, snow tends to just get their backs wet, rain soaks to the bone.

A blanket actually slicks down the hair so ithe hair isn't as good of an insulator and it also tends to acclamate the body to the idea that it is warm enough and doesn't need to produce a thicker/heavier coat.

Unless your little one is wet or sick, you should be fine. There are plenty of us that clipped our April babies in June or July and they still have sufficient coats by now.

Carolyn

 

[MiniforFaith]

I am in eastern Pa , your little guy will be fine with being put in if it is nasty out and at night. Just keep him out of the rain too, it is actually worse than the snow, snow tends to just get their backs wet, rain soaks to the bone.A blanket actually slicks down the hair so ithe hair isn't as good of an insulator and it also tends to acclamate the body to the idea that it is warm enough and doesn't need to produce a thicker/heavier coat.

Unless your little one is wet or sick, you should be fine. There are plenty of us that clipped our April babies in June or July and they still have sufficient coats by now.

Carolyn

Carolyn, thanks so much for your detailed reply

.. I wondered about the blanket maybe doing the opposite of kinda what I needed it to do.. I just want to be prepared, as this is my first "baby".. Posie was 2 when I got her and Lucy and Bulldog were 4 and 5..

 

[Jill]

Jodie --

I live in VA and we get snow, etc., probably not as much as you but not geographically all that far off. I have not ever blanketed my horses in the winter time. I have oodles of blankets in case I clip and go to early shows, but if they are allowed to have a natural coat, and they have access to shelter, it is really healthier for them (assuming they are in good health) to not blanket them.

This year, I'll have four weanlings through the winter, and no plans whatsoever to blanket them until I clip them in the spring

If you start blanketing them, you have to keep it up all season because it will take the loft out of their coat, which is what helps insulate them. I've got pictures of mine out playing in the snow and got unmelted snow on their backs -- that is how well insulated they really are.

The biggest thing for winter and miniatures is to be sure they have heated water. Even when it's not quite cold enough to freeze, or worse when you have to break the ice, the water can be painfully cold for the minis to drink and therefore many of them will simply not drink as much as they should, which can cause impactions and colic. So, having a source of heated water is a really important thing. We have these big 16 gallon heated buckets that look like muck buckets in most of our paddocks and then 5 gallon buckets for the paddocks that have only 1 or 2 horses.

Jill