Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466 
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Post by Terry on Jan 3, 2014 15:42:44 GMT
I have never blanketed my horses... ever! Up until today that has never been a problem as they've always been able to stay warm enough with the winter woolies that mother nature gave them. However, this morning when I went out to feed, my little 14.1 h POA, Sis, was shivering terribly. This winter it has been much colder than normal here. It got down around -8F last night, and it's only 4F right now. Monday we are only supposed to reach a high of -8F. She is 16 years old and I'm guessing that for whatever reason, this year she is just having trouble staying warm in this weather. I gave both horses plenty of hay last night (and Sis still had a bunch of it left at breakfast this morning). I'm guessing I need to start blanketing her when we get these extreme cold temps, but since I've never blanketed before, I don't know how to measure for a blanket, and I have no idea what type of blanket would be best. I need help and advice quickly please. Thanks!
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jan 3, 2014 15:52:21 GMT
I found this information online about measuring for a blanket, so I may have answered that question at least.
measure your horse in six simple steps
Basically, all equine blankets and sheets have similar designs. They cover your horse's barrel from withers to tail and hang to just below the elbows and stifles. However, not all blankets or sheets are cut in the same manner. As such, check the manufacturer's measuring guidelines to ensure the best fit of your chosen blanket or sheet.
Regardless of the manufacturer's recommendations, however, there are some simple ways to ensure you obtain the correct measurements of your horse. If possible, corral a companion or tie up your horse to help keep her still while you measure her. Then:
#1 Ensure your horse stands squarely in a natural position.
#2 Stand on your horse's left with the end of your measuring tape in your left hand. Place the end of the measuring tape at the point where your horse's neck meets the center of her chest.
#3 Using your right hand, draw the tape along her left side and over the widest part of her shoulder. Continue to draw the tape in this manner for the extent of your reach.
#4 Note the measurement. Then mark the spot of your reach with your right thumb. Move down to the spot you've marked with your thumb. Place the end of the measuring tape at this point.
#5 Using your right hand, continue to draw the tape along your horse's side and across the point of her buttocks, which is the hindmost part of the quarters and about 10 to 12 inches below where the tail and body meet. Note this measurement.
#6 Add your two measurements together to get your blanket size.
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 3, 2014 19:52:33 GMT
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Post by horselady on Jan 3, 2014 20:05:37 GMT
Horses as they get older do need help to stay warm. also try giving warm water at least one time a day with soaked mash, either hay cubes or grain. that will help the water content also so they do not get impacted.
as for the blanket water repellent is best, i use a mixture of blankets from smooth inner linings to wool linings and i use them depending on the horse. lets say the wood linings for a thinner older horse that needs that extra padding. and the smooth lining for a horse that just needs that extra layer of wind break.
if you need to layer with something extra use hay on their back , it helps insulate and allows air to circulate.
i use blankets on the horses that need it. i sleep better knowing they are protected
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Post by horselover4life on Jan 3, 2014 21:21:56 GMT
If she is outside and can't be brought in, getting her out of the wind will help her immensely. A 2 or 3 sided structure to hide in if she will would be super...barn is the best yet till you can get her a warm blanket, turnout if she is to be outside so it has water repellantancy and a membrane to stop some of the wind getting through it and a tail-flap for added warmth... Here I found a pretty decent "general" sizing idea for you if you run to the tack shop to pick up a blanket for your horse real quick. Below is from: animals.answers.com/livestock/understanding-a-horse-blanket-size-chartWhat Information Does a Horse Blanket Sizing Chart Provide? A U.S. sizing chart for horse blankets typically compares the horse's height in hands to an inch measurement in blanket. For instance, a horse that is 11.2 hands high would take a 54" blanket for the most part. Each hand adds three inches to the blanket size up to 14.2 hands (66" blankets), after which the sizes generally fall into three inch ranges. Horses between 14.2 hands and 15.2 hands take blankets between 69 and 72 inches. Horses over 16.2 hands take blankets ranging between 78 and 81 inches. 17 and 17.1 hand horses can suitably manage blankets between 81 and 84 inches. An 87" blanket is indicated for horses 17.2 hands high. How are European Sizes Different? European sizing for horse blankets differs in two ways. The increments between sizes are different and are a third larger than their American counterparts. Additionally, they are either measured in feet or in centimeters. There are also less likely to be size ranges with European horse blankets. They have standard sizes to align with varying horse heights, each three inches larger than the last. I would tell where ever you go to or order from the size and breed of your horse and her build. Different manufacturers cut different from their patterns so there could be differences, noticeable ones...weatherbeeter runs big, tough-1 pretty true to size...but I can tell you my gf horse wears a 78" weatherbeeta stable and he is a OTTB, wide chested 15.2 hand round barreled horse...fits like a custom glove!! Good luck... |
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jan 3, 2014 21:35:15 GMT
I've tried giving her warm mash before, but she's such a slobbery eater anyway, that she just ends up leaving her feed bucket full of "soup", and right now that's just going to freeze solid in a matter of minutes.  She is eating well and drinking well. I have a heated water bucket in each stall, and I have a large heated water bucket outside for them, so they never have to drink cold water in the winter.
After finding instructions on how to measure her for a blanket I went back out to the barn to do that and she had stopped shivering and was munching on her leftover hay. I came up with 71 inches as her blanket size (I'm hoping I did it right). I put both horses out around 11:45 a.m. so they could run around in the sunshine, and I made sure to put plenty of hay outside for them (like I always do). She seemed to be doing fine at that point, so I left for my doctor's appointment and bought a blanket on my way home so I would have one on hand.
I really like the idea of a blanket with an extended neck, but the only blankets that I could get locally so I'd have it immediately were either a 72inch 420D (www.farmandfleet.com/products/806217-tough-1-royal-blue-420d-turnout-blanket.html#.UscqZWCA3IU ) or a 72 inch 600D (www.farmandfleet.com/products/806223-tough-1-royal-blue-600d-turnout-blanket.html#.Uscqi2CA3IU ). I bought the 72 inch 600D. Do you think I bought the right blanket for these bitterly cold temps? I'm really worried about making sure I have something if she needs it Sunday night and Monday, since our overnight lows for those days are forecast to be -14F and -15F, and our high temperature on Monday is only supposed to reach -8F.
My next question is, do I put it on her and leave it on 24/7, or is there some point where I should take it off? I thought I had heard somewhere that once you start blanketing you need to keep blanketing until spring, but again, I don't know. This is all so new to me and I don't want to mess up and make things worse. |
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jan 3, 2014 21:41:51 GMT
HL4L, I just now saw your post (I think you and I must have been typing at the same time  ). During the winter I bring both of my horses into their stalls every night. Sis was in her stall out of the wind when I found her shivering this morning.
Here locally there aren't many tack shops, and the only one I know of is closed for the winter. The smallest size blanket I could find at the store was a 72", but if your measuring guidelines are correct, then the blanket I just bought is liable to be way too big for my little 14.1h girl. I wanted to get something today, though, so I'd have it ready immediately. If I have to order one I'll be waiting days (or as much as a week) for it to arrive.
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Post by horselover4life on Jan 4, 2014 2:10:22 GMT
I think you are going to have to see how she handles the cold weather for the rest of the winter. Once this ridiculous cold snap passes you could probably forgo the blanket and only use it again when it gets so frigid. The shivering is her way of manufacturing heat in her body. She can though burn up a lot of calories regulating her heat factor...you may need to give her some extra fat in her food to help offset that issue. For now, the sun is warm when it isn't windy out. At night with no sun to add warmth I would blanket those night time hours. If she seems cold during the day and you see her shiver... cover her up. Keep her dry and out of the  /rain so she doesn't also have to deal with that issue.. Keeping the water buckets heated is a great help to get her to drink and help to warm her insides even though it isn't "hot" it is tepid and that is better than ice cubes... Sis is getting older, this is a brutal cold weather happening across the nation and Mother Nature has just not prepared our animals sufficiently it seems. You may just now need to step in and give Sis some assistance by covering her in the worst of weather temps... Even by me everyone I saw who never blankets {I didn't know they owned blankets} had horses covered today with something...those out were standing butt to the wind, puffed up and not happy looking. I saw few actually exposing themselves to eat at the hay rolls but in the protection of some trees for wind breaks...it is downright cold here too. 80's on Wednesday, 30's today...I don't envy any of you what you are dealing with...and I sure don't miss it anymore either. Do you have Tractor Supply Stores? Although they will probably have a run on blankets, you might find something especially since she is smaller and doesn't need the more popular "big" sizes... |
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Post by horselady on Jan 4, 2014 2:13:24 GMT
Sometimes we just need to use what we have and in the mean time get the correct size shipped to you i think you might need something in the 60's , try the one on and make your adjustments before the weather is bad.
and you can take it off during they day if not too cold. and make sure she is out of the wind at night with her blanket on.
i have a couple of horses that the blankets are on all day and all night. and i do go to thicker ones as winter progresses.
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Post by horselady on Jan 4, 2014 2:17:58 GMT
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jan 4, 2014 5:22:05 GMT
Thank you all so much for all of your help and advice! This has been a little overwhelming for me today getting thrown into the whole blanket thing so suddenly, but I will do whatever I need to do to make sure my horses are safe, warm, happy and healthy, so if Sis needs a blanket to help her get through this awful winter, then that's what she shall have. 
Sis and Zena are both tucked into their stalls for the night, and I just went out and checked on them again and Sis is doing fine right now, happily munching on her hay. I had an opportunity to speak to my neighbor tonight who keeps one of her horses blanketed all winter and she suggested, since it's supposed to be up near 30F tomorrow, that as long as Sis is doing ok without the blanket right now, to keep it off until tomorrow night or Sunday afternoon (whenever the temps start plummeting again) and then put it on her and keep it on her until the temps get back up at least into the 20's, so unless Sis tells me differently between now and then, that will be my plan. If it turns out that the blanket I bought today is too big, I'll get her a new one ordered ASAP. Hopefully even if it is too big, it will still help her stay warm.
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Post by horsesupnorth2 on Jan 5, 2014 22:58:26 GMT
Hi Terry- just catching up on your blanketing questions. I hope Sis is doing ok. Just for reference, when you get a new blanket get out some old sheets that will cover your horse up. Working in a clean area with clean clothes & gloves on (I know, I know haha!), drape blanket over the sheeted horse. Most places will let you return a totally clean blanket.
I use the sizing instructions you posted- it works. My MustangxQH at 14.2h and 900lb wears a 76; he's long-backed and got that stocky foundation build to him. My 16h OTTB at 1100lb wears a 78 but he also has an 80 for dbl blanketing- he's just a big hunk of handsomeness lol. You're 72 may be just fine- better to have a little wiggle room that you can snug up with the straps than have it too small. Hope you all make it through the deep freeze ok!!
Adding this: just looked at the blanket you picked out. That's a nice one- waterproof, nice deep shoulder gusset for movement, tailcover, and with 250 fill it's right on the line between mid & heavyweight. Good choice!
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jan 6, 2014 4:38:05 GMT
Well, we got Sis's blanket on her tonight, and just in the nick of time! By the time she had dried off from being outside for a bit today the temps had already dropped to 0 and she was shivering. As far as I can tell, the 72" seems to fit her really well, but what do I know!  Please let me know what you guys think. Thanks again for all your help! I'm really hoping this blanket will give her the help she needs to get through the bitterly cold below 0 temps we are going to have for the next 2 days. Brrrrr!!!!!
By the way, after looking at the pictures it seemed to me like the blanket might have been a bit tight through the shoulders, so I went back out and loosened the top buckle in front 1 notch and when I got out there she was happily munching on her hay and not shivering a bit! 
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jan 6, 2014 14:20:05 GMT
Success!!!!! We just got back in from feeding the horses their breakfast. It is -14F and Sis is not shivering at all. YAY!!!
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Post by horsesupnorth2 on Jan 6, 2014 22:53:17 GMT
Yeehaw Terry- you did it!!!
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jan 7, 2014 1:14:45 GMT
I couldn't have done it without everyone's help. Thank you all so much!!!
Does anyone have any opinions on the fit? I realize it may be hard to tell in pictures (especially these since I was shivering so hard myself that the pictures are a little blurry), but any opinions and/or advice are certainly welcome. |
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Post by lorddaxter on Jan 7, 2014 2:34:15 GMT
aw, she looks cute in it |
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jan 7, 2014 22:10:20 GMT
The horses were not allowed outside at all yesterday. We had bitterly cold below 0 temps, and strong winds that gave us wind chill readings anywhere from 20 to 40 below 0, so we just tied the horses in the center aisle to clean their stalls and left them inside all day with plenty of hay and heated water. They both did great. Today our temperatures have been above 0 (although not by much - my outdoor thermometer says we are currently at 10 degrees) and the winds have died down, so I decided to let the horses go outside to play while I cleaned their stalls. In the process I learned a very valuable blanketing lesson!
Sis was still wearing her blanket (it may be above 0, but it's still quite cold out there so I figured I should leave it on), and I let the girls play outside for 2 hours. Sis had no trouble running, bucking, playing and rolling in her blanket, so that made me happy, but when I brought her in after 2 hours she was all sweaty under the blanket!  I took the blanket off her inside and curried her and brushed her real good and left the blanket off when I put her back in her stall. I'll check on her again in a little while to see how she's doing.
I guess if it's above 0 and not windy this blanket is too heavy for her to wear when she's outside where she's able to move around a lot. It was great to get her through the terrible cold while she was in her stall though! I have a feeling this blanketing thing is probably going to continue to be a learning experience for me.  I'm just glad that I tested it outside today while I'm home from work again, rather than waiting until tomorrow when I have to go back to work and find out after she's been outside sweating for 9 hours.
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Post by horselady on Jan 8, 2014 2:05:53 GMT
so sis is happy and you will sleep better knowing that she is warm and toasty. good for you.
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Post by horsesupnorth2 on Jan 12, 2014 3:31:11 GMT
Ahhh Terry welcome to the wonderful world of blanketing! A couple things to consider if you find that Sis needs a little something but not a big blanket: try a polarfleece sheet, Shires makes a great one. Warm & wicking so it dries fast but not as heavy as a full turnout, and sheds (not for sleety weather). You can also use it as an extra layer under the blanket for severe weather. Also look at the SmartPak thinsulate lined turnout blanket. I can honestly attest that these are great, tough little blankets because a lady who boarded at my old barn had two- they didn't look like they would be warm but they were excellent & very breathable- no sweat issues. Only drawback was the rear leg straps were poor quality & stretched out fast. Hope all continues to go well for you! We are currently ice-bound unless we get some tonight; horsies are in the barn, no figure skating!
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She is eating well and drinking well. I have a heated water bucket in each stall, and I have a large heated water bucket outside for them, so they never have to drink cold water in the winter.
). During the winter I bring both of my horses into their stalls every night. Sis was in her stall out of the wind when I found her shivering this morning. 
/rain so she doesn't also have to deal with that issue..
Please let me know what you guys think. Thanks again for all your help! I'm really hoping this blanket will give her the help she needs to get through the bitterly cold below 0 temps we are going to have for the next 2 days. Brrrrr!!!!!
I took the blanket off her inside and curried her and brushed her real good and left the blanket off when I put her back in her stall. I'll check on her again in a little while to see how she's doing.
I'm just glad that I tested it outside today while I'm home from work again, rather than waiting until tomorrow when I have to go back to work and find out after she's been outside sweating for 9 hours.