DefinitelyDressage.com

So winter is coming. It's still 70 during the day here, but the night temps have been dipping lower.

My horse is a super wimp. He was bred in the south, and he has the thin skin of a true southerner. He doesn't really know what REAL winter is, and gets super cold when it drops below about 35-38 or so. So, while I prefer more "natural" horsekeeping, I tend to put his blanket on so he is more comfortable. It's a super heavy weight, with a high neck. He likes it.

Mind you, the horses live outside (with shelters). They are not stalled, not under lights. Their food is inside the run-ins, with all-you-can-eat hay and shelter from the wind. My other horse (a northern born and raised horse) is just fine without a blanket 99% of the time.

But last night I sort of forgot to check the weather, and thus forgot to put his blanket on, and it dipped to 32. He was giving me the "I am freezing!" interpretive dance this morning when I went to feed, and it made me feel really bad.

I felt like a negligent parent. But, seriously, you're a horse....grow your fur and man up!

Guess who will now be checking the weather religiously before bed so her wussy horse doesn't get chilled? Maybe I should just give up and bring him into the house...

Hey, I also feel the cold easily. I'm on his side!

Hah! I take your wimp and raise you four. This is the second Winter my four California Pansies will spend in Oregon. They live outside most of the time but they started begging to come inside at night and screaming for their blankets a week ago and we haven't even hit freezing temperatures yet. They are ridiculous!

Does he have white on his face or is that ice forming?!?!?!?

Fear not - wimps can grow a back bone (and a good winter fur coat)! My horse was bred in Florida. When I got him as a 5 year old, he was just like yours. He never even had to live outside - he had a nice cozy stall. But he hated everything about winter - cold, wind, ice, snow, wet - all of it. In the beginning I double-blanketed him. In wet weather he gets a sheet and it's changed when he comes in. He's always had "snow tires" on at the first sign of frozen ground. Still, he was a baby. Once he wouldn't come in because a puddle had frozen near the entrance of the barn (just a thin sheet of ice that would break under his hooves but no matter). He stood there and whinnied until I went out to hand-walk him in.

Over time he got better. He even gets a better winter coat now, though it's still no comparison to his northern-born brethren. He only gets one blanket at a time now. He still spends more time in the shelter than out in the field but he does go out there. He still hates the wind and if we go too long with stretches of icy, slippery footing, he turns into a fire breathing dragon so I have to give him turnout in the arena if I want to think about riding. But as for basic winter - he's okay about it.

Now he's getting wussy about summer. He acts like a little humidity makes it too hard to do a little work!

I think bringing him in the house is the only thing to do!

When I turn Freeway out for the night this time of year, it's often a touch too warm for a blanket. Remember, I live in the Bay Area Once the sun goes down and the night chill comes on, I'll look over and see him waiting at the pasture gate. I take his blanket up, put it on him, and off he goes, back to Phantom and their night hay. He's not clipped, and we haven't had a frost yet, days are high 60's to low 70's, nights are in the 40's. Freeway says he needs a blanket at night, so I listen to him.

Ha, any horse that can go full bore down a fence and turn back a large steer is not a wimp. He is a prince.

Mine don't mind the cold so much but a couple get squirrely when it rains to hard (yeah in the wet PNW).

Mine is the same. She is a Gulf girl, through and though (via Florida, Alabama and bred in Louisiana).The mid-south is way too harsh for her sensibilities.

I am also dealing with PSSM symptoms right now---ugh. I thought we had this well managed but the colder temps seem to be bringing it out again.

So put a blankie on your dear boy and be grateful!!

Maybe he needs an electric blanket!

I would prefer not having to blanket but the other day I can home and the were shivering and two were find, they ask live in the same conditions, so of course I blanketed the three , and they were much happier.

It's this time of the year where it's warn then cold that is hard to keep up with their needs

Here is an interesting article in which the Norwegian Veterinary Institute conducted a study in which horses could choose to be blanketed or not:

http://www.thehorse.com/articles/34718/ ... references

Imagine that, different horses had different needs, what a shock.

That article is fascinating!

I have a really hard time getting Ace to eat a consistent diet. Sometimes he'll eat grain, sometimes not, etc. Maybe I should make up a menu made of symbols of his various feeds and hays, and he can select from the menu every night!

(In case you're wondering we've done everything medically possible--diagnosis is "picky eater.")

Tuffytown wrote:Ha, any horse that can go full bore down a fence and turn back a large steer is not a wimp. He is a prince.

Touché, he IS a prince and he will get his blanket (or two, or three....yes he has extras)....but still, dude, c'mon, you have lived here for 13 years, 35 isn't THAT cold.

Literiding wrote:Here is an interesting article in which the Norwegian Veterinary Institute conducted a study in which horses could choose to be blanketed or not:

http://www.thehorse.com/articles/34718/ ... references

Neat find. Thanks for sharing!

Kelo wrote:

Tuffytown wrote:Ha, any horse that can go full bore down a fence and turn back a large steer is not a wimp. He is a prince.

Touché, he IS a prince and he will get his blanket (or two, or three....yes he has extras)....but still, dude, c'mon, you have lived here for 13 years, 35 isn't THAT cold.

35? You left your World Champion in one discipline, high achiever in a few more and FEI dressage horse in his spare time horse unblanketed at 35? You're lucky he doesn't know how to place a craiglist ad because i know a lot of people who would feel the need to rescue him forever.

We might argue whether a heated barn, personal stall solarium and a daily spa treatment is required or just strongly recommended for that kind of a horse but come on, give him a few blankies!

p.s. My horse was born and raised in Brazil. Needless to say he does not approve of Chicago weather. 50 and under and you better blanket him or things wont' go well for you.

Hah - I'm from Maine and I HATE THE COLD!

Even though I live in CA these days, I WHINE when it's below 50.

So I'm with Matt

Snork wrote: 35? You left your World Champion in one discipline, high achiever in a few more and FEI dressage horse in his spare time horse unblanketed at 35? You're lucky he doesn't know how to place a craiglist ad because i know a lot of people who would feel the need to rescue him forever.

Yes! I confess! I am a monster! Matt is glad you all are on his side and that I'm now up to snuff on his totally-not-ridiculous-and-wussy blanketing needs.

But now he is upset because he only got one breakfast (that was hand delivered to him in his stall so he didn't have to go out in the cold wind). WHAT ABOUT SECOND BREAKFAST!?

But secretly, Henry -- who doesn't need a damn blanket at all! -- and I think all of you guys are wusses.