Do you turn out your Minis on wet/cold days????

[misty'smom]

So today was rainy and cold, high 30's. I kept Misty and Josie in until mid morning and let them out while I cleaned their stall and barn. After I cleaned I put plenty of hay in their hay rack in their stall and left their stall door opened all day. They were in and out all day munching on their hay but tonight when I went to bring them in to feed them they were all wet. Should I have kept them in with the stall door closed? I worry when it is cold and rainy and they get so wet. I just got them blankets and I can get Josie's on no problem ( She is just so tiny) but Misty is another story. Misty is afraid of it so I have been trying to get her used to it the past week, letting her smell it and rubbing it on her neck etc..... any suggestions?? I did feel both their chests, under front legs, they did feel nice and warm.

Maybe I am just an old worry wart, but I hate to see them so wet in the cold weather. They both have very,very thick woollies and I would not blanket them daily only on wet/cold days but I need to get Misty's blanket on her!!!! Anyway I would like to hear if your horses are out in the weather. What you do on cold/wet days?? And how to get a yearling used to her blanket??

 

[MyMiniGal]

I wish I could find it, but I was reading an article, that came through FB, the other day, about the coat of horse. It talked about how the outer layer has oils, that keep the under layer dry, even in rain. And that mini's are even better equipped due to how much woolies they get. Halo only has a shelter, with no walls. She can be out in the rain or not, and I really have no choice. I don't use a blanket, since she is so woolie, I don't feel she needs one. I am of the opinion, that by using one, we may be messing with their natural way of keeping warm. Halo is 2.5 and has never had a blanket on her, that I know of. I know the people who had her before didn't put one on her, and they got her when she was 3 mons. old. But, I do wish I had a stall to put her in. We've had rain, here already and she looked really wet, but when I took my fingers, and felt against her skin, she was dry and toasty. I would imagine, if I tried to put a blanket on Halo, she would be like your Misty...she would be fine, until I would try and do up the back leg straps. LOL

 

[snowcapped]

I wish I could find it, but I was reading an article, that came through FB, the other day, about the coat of horse. It talked about how the outer layer has oils, that keep the under layer dry, even in rain. And that mini's are even better equipped due to how much woolies they get. Halo only has a shelter, with no walls. She can be out in the rain or not, and I really have no choice. I don't use a blanket, since she is so woolie, I don't feel she needs one. I am of the opinion, that by using one, we may be messing with their natural way of keeping warm. Halo is 2.5 and has never had a blanket on her, that I know of. I know the people who had her before didn't put one on her, and they got her when she was 3 mons. old. But, I do wish I had a stall to put her in. We've had rain, here already and she looked really wet, but when I took my fingers, and felt against her skin, she was dry and toasty. I would imagine, if I tried to put a blanket on Halo, she would be like your Misty...she would be fine, until I would try and do up the back leg straps. LOL

Are you talking about this article? http://academialiberti.blogspot.com/2012/02/thermoregulation-in-horses-in-cold-time.html

Mine are out 24/7 and it's been in the low 40s and raining here and they will still stand out in the rain. Sometimes I'll look at the window and catch one in their shelter with his head poking out. None of them are shivering so I assume they know what's best for themselves!

 

[Jenny]

Breaker always chooses to stay outside unless it's hot in the summer. When it snows or rains in the day, he always goes into his stall for the night wet (and it's been -20ºC several times already). I have read MANY articles that blanketing is the worst thing you can do to a healthy, unclipped horse. It disables their coats ability to loft, which is what keeps them warm. Of course, if you horse is old, is a foal, is ill, or has a medical condition that they for some reason cannot grow a good, winter coat you should use a blanket, but other than that if they are really nice and furry, they probably don't need blankets. You can do a search on the forum and you will find lots of information on blanketing your wooly little minis.

 

[MyMiniGal]

No, that wasn't the one. Let me see if I can find it.

 

[shorthorsemom]

I think if you blanket your horses then they are better left in on rainy cold days. Blankets lay the hair down and turned out with a blanket the rain can run down the neck etc. I never blanket and my guy can go out 24/7 or hang out in the run in shed. I was super sorry I began blanketing a biggie horse I had... he got cold and didn't develop a super good coat that he could do the fluff out thing on rainy days. On a nor easter weather like tonight sometimes my mini prefers to stand out in the rain and against a block wall. He never shivers. His hair is uber thick and when he fluffs out his guard hairs and coat it is about 4 inches or more deep and I swear he never gets all the way wet through to the skin. In winter I don't clip anything, not even bridle path or chins either.

My guy has all options as to where to lay, stand and he chooses different options for himself. Sometimes he loves to get wet and he loves to roll in the mud and sometimes he is in the run in shed and doesnt have a drop of rain on him and his hair is fluffed to the max. His choice has always seemed to be the right one. I tried to put doors on my run in shed once, It didn't work well and it limited his options for weather control. best wishes.

PS, since my boy makes different choices all the time, I figure he is smart as to what he needs. Looks like a yak in winter, but is super happy that way and I don't worry about him getting cold. My boy is more than 50% white and he looks bright white all winter even with no blanket.

 

[MyMiniGal]

I was wrong, that is the article. I did find it again, but the background was different, that is why it didn't look right. Anyway, I did like the article.

 

[Jean_B]

Yup...well, my horses are NEVER in a stall. They have free choice to be in or out...and invariably they are OUT. Yesterday I woke up to find icicles hanging from the mares' bellies, and they were NOT shivering. Mother Nature got it right....but humans do their best to screw it up. That article you cited, Snowcapped, is excellent. Do your filly a favor, and DON'T put a blanket on her.

 

[happy appy]

Mine are in tonight. We have a blizzard brewing here. I have run in sheds in all the paddocks but With the huge winter coats and the rain that came first, I didn't want their coat wet and flat to the skin before the winds really picked up and the snow hit. I always bring them in during freezing rain storms. The rest of the time they hang out side though.

 

[chandab]

Mine are pretty much out 24/7 with access to a run-in shed. They seem to prefer out, unless its really nasty out.

 

[Marty]

I do have blankets for all my horses and pretty much never use them. Waterproof blankets may leak at the seams or if not fitted well can run down the neck. I would only blanket a horse in winter if perhaps it was a baby or a very old horse that needed extra protection for some reason. You can blanket a horse in winter and run your hands up under the blanket and feel to see if he is warm under there or actually getting clammy instead.

There are a million little things inside your horse called pilo erector muscles. They cause the horse hair to stand on end when cold. We have them too, such as when your hair on your arms stand up......

So when the horse is outside and all fluffy, those pilo erector muscles are holding the hair up to protect the horse. Now, here's the thing: if its windy that hair will part and cause them to collapse thus the protection goes to crap. Same thing with heavy rain, it will cause the hair to lay down and then your horse will get chilled. Same thing if you blanket. You will cause the hair to lay down and blow their protection out of the water. And you really need to get them out of the wind .The wind will get them sick. A roof with no sides is useless.

That being said, I don't let my horses getting wet in winter let alone getting soaked. That's out of the question. And I do not leave that decision up to them. I'm the one with the radar and weather channel and I'm the one that pays the vet bills. I went to great lengths to build a barn for their protection from the elements and I use it diligently.

BUT!!! And there is always a butt.....If you stuff your horse full of hay to keep him warm, and then don't provide a way for him to walk about he cannot digest, thus he will colic. So on really bad days like I've had these past two days, I turn out inbetween the precipitation also let them loose in the isleway of the barn.

 

[Jill]

Nearly every day, our minis are out, with access to shelter. Exceptions would be if someone is sick (thankfully, that's been rare) or if we're trying to keep someone clean for a show the next day. I think it's healthiest for them to be able to come into shelter if they want to, but to not be stalled for more than feeding.

 

[amysue]

My broodmares and pet ponies are out in a big pasture with a barn for shelter which they can choose to go in or out. They are not blanketed as what others said about the protective coat is correct. Their barn has doors on it and I do close them in during blizzards, hurricanes and ice storms but other than that, they're out. My stallions, show horses (any horse who is trace clipped so they can be in shape all winter) are blanketed and go in during inclement weather and cold snaps. My borders have the option of having their horse stalled or turned out w/ run-ins. My problem is the neighbors and misinformed people in my community who think it's cruel to keep animals outside. No matter how many times I explain how horses prefer the open air people complain, call animal control etc. So the few paddocks that are visible from the road always get put in at night if it is going to rain/get cold.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I do not clip in winter- I like the show horses to be horses so they are SO fat at the moment you would have trouble knowing they had ever been to a show! Everyone is out all the time, the only one with a blanket is the colt who came to me in September clipped out, so he is only fuzzy as yet. Once he has grown a coat he will be naked, like the rest! Never blanket over a good winter coat, it really messes things up. There is no harm in a horse getting wet, either. Just let them be horses....

 

[dixie_belle]

I have a huge run in, attached to the dry lot, and the horses have access to it at all times. I've seen them standing out in the rain instead of being under the cover, silly horses. It's been wet here, in addition to the cold, so I've got one of the stall doors chained open and some hay in the two feeders, as well as in the feeder in the run in. That way, if they want to be truly inside, they can, and if they want to be just under the roof, they can. Typically, when it's like this and I go out in the morning, I see evidence that they've been in the stall (all the hay is gone and they have left me little "gifts"...ahem) but they'll all be in the run in. I think they prefer being outside and the run in shelters them from the wind as it is pretty protected by the barn. I typically keep the stall doors closed because, for some reason, they all consider the stalls a giant kitty litter box...er....horsey litter box. I've seen them stop eating out in the pasture, run up into a stall, poop, and then run right down into the pasture again. Thanks a lot. Sigh.

 

[bullockcorner]

I agree with what everyone has said about NOT blanketing, and that mother nature provides. However...I wanted to ask....when you have those "wet spells" between the cold snaps, and those silly horses feel they must roll in the mud, I worry that their coat is not able to do it's job if it's too dirty. Especially if there's dried mud making it flatten . So I try to take the curry comb - especially to their backs, necks, and sides to get the most dirt away from their skin and allow the hairs to function properly. Then, sometimes I wonder if I'm doing them a disservice because maybe they want a "blanket" of dirt for extra insulation?

And what if there is no "visible" dirt on the coat, as it has all settled against the skin, and the hair seems fine. Would you try to brush that layer of dirt away from skin? Hope this explanation makes sense. I do worry when it gets SO cold.

 

[wingnut]

It depends. The actual temperature and amount of wind are taken into consideration as well what the weather is forecasted to be in the coming hours. Rain doesn't always mean stalling. A combination of heavy, driving rain with significant wind and dropping temps? They will be kept in the barn yard area where they have little option but to go into the stalls where I've put the hay. Currently, I will stall the weanling filly to be sure she's not pushed out of the stalls or not allowed access to the hay.

Threatening weather like significant snow forecasted (especially blizzard conditions) or an icy forecast will prompt me to stall for the duration.

My girls are pretty smart. They will stall themselves and munch on their hay, coming out for water and to stretch their legs (or to roll in mud!) as needed.

I too have blankets I rarely use though. My hard keeper who was so thin and with very little fat had to be blanketed because her body simply couldn't do the job. I only left it on for as long as I needed to, taking it off as soon as possible. This year, it looks like even she may be able to escape any use of a blanket. I have them if I need them though.

 

[Marty]

I groom usually every day. Hard to get anyone really that clean in winter but yes i brush out whatever I can.

 

[shorthorsemom]

I dont brush when he is wet because that pushes the wet to the skin. I fluff the dirt off when dry and lets him loft his coat better. Last night we had a 2-3 inch soaker with wind and he got wet, but not to the skin and he did not shiver.

 

[Jenny]

Breaker has been as clean as he could be, WAY cleaner than he was in summer. I think this is because we're really lucky here and have NO rain and NO mud! I think the last time it rained was early September, and his paddock is gravel (now covered in snow) so even if it rains here, he has no way to get dirty