[jokerslastdude]

I need some articles on this, I did google it, but only found articles on how to, and advertisements, I know a lot of you have tons of articles so I thought I'd ask. I really just need like published articles because my father and I are having a debate, and he is a stubborn man. thanks.

[oxoHorseLover]

If your horse is kept outside or in an un-heated barn he should already be wearing a blanket.You should leave it off for a half an hour after your ride but put it on after.

[dakota's_sable]

My horses are outside all the time unless there is a terrible snowstorm. They have access to a run-in which is unheated but they prefer being out. I don't blanket them and they do just fine. I give them extra hay when it's cold and snowy out.

[jokerslastdude]

I just need some general articles, for both clipped and unclipped horses. in different conditions. Thanks

[LadyDulcinea]

There is a very informative article in the December 2005 Horse Illustrated. It is called The Big Chill. Here's some of what it says for anyone who doesn't have that issue or access to it.

..."As the days get shorten and the retinas receive fewer hours of daylight, they trigger the brain to release extra melatonin, a hormone that prompts the hair follicles to produce more hair. Many western show barns use this light response to their advantage. Since body clipping can detract from the horse's appearance, particulary when it comes to halter horses, owners and trainers install electric lights in stalls so that coats stay short for the winter show season.

But why is it that during a cold snap your horse suddenly appears fluffier? Although it may seem that his hari multiplied overnight, it really didn't. That fuller coat is just your horse's clever way of creating insulation. The hairs lift up to trap the warm air against the skin. Even the shorn hairs on a body clipped horse will lift up if he feels cold, giving his coat a velvety texture. If you blanket your horse you'll discover that his hair will lie flat. If you leave the blanket off, his hairs will eventually fluff up and look longer. The coat is the same length; it's just raised to try to keep the warmth in.

...So the upshot is, when left to his own devices, a horse iwll create his own protection, and a natural winter coat is an amazingly protective feature. The long outer hairs form channels that help repel the water. And if you separate those hsirs, underneath there is a layer of dry hair and skin.

Horse people who live in the Great White North know that when it's a super cold day they can warm their hands by pushing them deep inside a horse's coat. Te heat you fel is produced inside the horse's digestive tract, which is stoked by fermentatoin. It's true; a horse has his own little cnetral heating system. You can help keep that warmth flowing by providing the right materials. For the horse, this means fiber. (hay)

Calories gained from fats and grains, such as corn, can also help a horse stay warm, but won't produce long, sustained heat."

This was just a highlight of the article. I covered most of the "big" stuff. I found it to be an article well worth reading.

[MusicalGenius]

i dont have any articles but i will say this.
Clipped horses NEED to be blanketed in the winter unless kept in a heated barn. But unclipped horses are comfortable to around 30 degrees. I blanket my horse beacuse she gets worked regularly and it keeps her from getting a heavy winter coat. But i know lots of people with unclipped horses that don't blanket their horses, i didnt blanket my horse last year because of a fungus that was going around. I think that if wild horses can survive out in the winter with out shelter than most horses should be fine. but it also depends what breed of horse you have to decide weather to blanket or not.

[dakota's_sable]

LadyDulcinea, thanks for sharing that article - very informative. I need to go get a copy of that issue.

[JBandRio]

Originally Posted by oxoHorseLover

If your horse is kept outside or in an un-heated barn he should already be wearing a blanket.You should leave it off for a half an hour after your ride but put it on after.

On the contrary

Horses are MUCH healthier if left unblanketed and fully haired. They are born with the ability to warm themselves - heat generated from fiber (hay) digestion, relatively small skin to body weight/size ratio, and hair fluffing.

By constantly keeping a horse blanketed (in general, there are always exceptions), you keep a trapped supply of warm, moist air against their skin, waiting to erupt into rain rot (or worse), you potentially damage the hair follicles, and you often keep them warmer than they are comfortable with.