Do I need a turnout blanket for my horse?
I have a 3 yr old hackney pony cross. I don’t have a stable for her. She does have a small lean to with no sides though. It gets really cold in winter around here and i was wondering if she needs a turnout blanket for the winter since shes out in the pasture all winter and what if she gets to hot in her blanket?
Asked by:Cassie
my aunt out in Colorado has 9 horses, thorughbreds, appalossa, ponies, and she doesn’t have any stalls for them. the only time she’ll put a blanket on them is if its hail/sleet. her horses have been grand champs and sell for a great deal of money. unless u live in alaska, i think u’ll be fine.
The best advice i can give you is to not blanket your horse…It interrupts the natural process of growing a winter coat and when you blanket them because it makes you feel better its actually bad for the horse who already has a coat, it prevents the coat from working properly to keep the horse warm. If your horse is outside all the time just let nature take its course and as long as you provide a lean to to come in from the wind your horse will be just fine. The only time I feel you need to blanket is horses that are taken out of the natural way. Stalled then turned out, shown, body clipped, in heated barn ect…..Just watch your horses progress in growing a coat. Personally I think he will be just fine. I live in MN very cold winters and all mine are out 24/7
I would say she needs at least a turnout sheet… Maybe a light or medium blanket, depending on how long and thick her fur is. If it is a warm day, you can always take off her blanket- you can’t put on something you don’t have.
Horses aren’t made of water… they won’t melt. Your pony will grow a natural winter coat and will keep herself warm. Since your pony lives outside 24/7 I wouldn’t put a blanket on her. Our horses are clipped, shown, and sleep inside so they need blankets during the winter but if they lived outside all the time then they would not get blankets.
I would keep one on hand just in case there is sleet and hail and stuff like that, but if she has a lean to then she will be fine.
Jumpalittlehigher: We get to -30 degrees here! My dad is a vet and he vets lots of horses who are on pasture turnout and they are FINE without blankets. It has nothing to do with breed… hackney ponies are not Arabian ponies that are used to warmer climates and need blankets.
You almost certainly need a blanket. Hackney ponies are very thin skinned, and are susceptible to cold, especially since she’s so young. Ponies in my barn, who live in a stable. all wear blankets in the winter as it gets to about 0 degrees where I am. If your pony lives outside, she definitely needs a turnout blanket. If for whatever reason she gets hot when wearing a blanket, I think you should buy a multiple season blanket. That way, if she gets to hot, you can just take off one of the blanket’s layers
I’m thinkin hackneys are really hardy when it comes to standin the winter, you probably wanna think about adding at least three sides to your lean-to, other than that i dont know except blankets can be dangerous espically aroun trees or fences cause they can get caught.
I’m not sure how hackneys react to winter weather due to their skin-type etc. What I can say, is that some horses do not grow much of a winter coat and do need help to stay warm. Those horses that have a harder time to keep weight on and/or is worked a fair amount during each week should probably have some sort of blanket on also. Some horses are also “sucks” when it comes to colder weather and simply do not fair well living outside.
I am all for not blanketing if there is no need…but if there is a skin-type issue, sensitivity to weather (”princess” type), has weight issues and/or is being worked regularly or is clipped, then I’d be throwing on a blanket.
Get her a thin turn out blanket.. or just put it on her at night when it gets really cold. my horse gets turn out all day with no blanket but he comes in at night and gets a blanket on.