Anti Aging Skin Tips

Stabled in a turn out blanket?

I've been in Florida all week, got back to KY last night and it's freezing. Had called during my vacation to check my horse was doing ok and that he was getting blanketed due to the lows being in the 30's. Anyway when I went over today to see him, I found that he has been wearing his turn out blanket 24/7, both in the pasture and then in his stall at night. I've never known anyone do that? Every horse at the barn also had theirs on and the barn owner told me he always does it, just leaves them in their turn out blankets. I changed my horse's blankets tonight to a HorseWare fleece liner and then a mid-weight blanket on top. My horse is a TB who is not getting at all hairy and who feels the cold and the low is 25 tonight. Just curious to how many other people share the belief of leaving their horses in their turn out blankets both indoors and out - seems odd to me. I'm not acutally bothered or complaining. I'm glad that he was actually wearing something but I've never actually seen anyone do it. Was just curious to how many other people out there do it too.... Sorry - that was a lot of acutally's in that last paragraph??? Should also mention that I am quite aware of the impact of blanketing and also lights and their effects on the pituitary. We stated blanketing horses when it got to 50 in TX. This horse is not under lights and blankets did not go on until this week - some horses just don't gorw dense coats. I don't need to hear about the pros and cons of blanketing etc. All I wanted to know is who leaves their turn out blankets on inside!!! I fail to see how blanketing is tantamount to abuse? As far as sores, I've blanketed horses both here and in Europe and never had sores because I make sure my blankets fit and that they are adjusted as needed throughout the day.

Public Comments

1. I've done it. A blanket is a blanket to me. What I wouldn't do is use a stable blanket for turnout cause they arn't tuff material nor waterproof. If its a freezing night, there is no need to change it in my eyes if the blanket is not wet. Now If I had a barn full of horses and they kept it fairly warm inside when the doors are closed then I would change the blanket to a lighter one. Most people change to stable blankets cause they are nicer, cause they believe they have too, there clean etc... I personaly don't care as long as my horse is content. I'm not into impressing anybody! As for leg straps in the stall, I here this alot, you can't have a horse in the stall with leg straps. WRONG!! Leg straps are just as dangerous inside as they are outside. As long as you intercross them correctly and the are not at a dangerous length, they are perfectly safe if not safer cause they keep the blanket from shifting. My last part was informing the public that leg straps are dangerous when not used correctly. I wasn't insulting your intelligence. I was inticipating thumbs down cause most turnout blankets have leg straps and people believe they are not meant for stalls. I'm quite aware your very intelligent in the equine field. Loved the third post though...... hee hee
2. My horses were RAMBO rugs they are designed for indoor and out door use, really handy. I know some people that do it but i dont think they have any reason other then just not bothering to change the rug. is there any harm in it really?
3. He isn't getting all hairy because of all the blanketing! Horses ideal temperatures for best comfort for them is between 55 and 25. When they are inside the barn , inside their stalls , they are out of the wind , so they stay nice and cozy anyway. Give your horse some relief , and let him be naked in the barn and sleep in comfort. When it gets to the 20's you can start to blanket him (this is really for you and not him) but go lightly. Turn out blankets are for the harsh weather and winds outside. Stable owners just make it easy on themselves. Its a lot of work to take the blankets on and off everyone all the time. Again, the decisions are being made for the comfort of the people and not the horses. I am not saying in any way this abuse . Its just not necessary. (unless the horses are clipped and have no hair) Buy the end of the season, they will have sore rub marks on their bodies where the hair is rubbed off from those blankets. Imagine having to wear your winter coat 24/7. Would you like it?
4. I have done it several times. If I know I am going to be rushed in the morning and there's just me to do the horses I might leave them in outdoor rugs and the local riding school does it all the time - they don't use any stable rugs at all.
5. I tend to leave my turn out rugs on if they are apropriate for the weather even when my ponies are in the barn. However I dont turnout in a stable because they tear to easy and if it is rainy they get heavy and cause rubs, and they don't protect against the wind. But if it is an ok temp I will leave a turn out blanket on my ponies even while they are indoors, as a matter of fact two of my ponies have turnout on right now. I don't think there is a benefit to either way and I don't think that either way is wrong, just personal prefrence and conveince.
6. I live in south dakota and the place where I use to board, some people would blanket their older horses 24/7. I don't blanket my horses, but I don't have a problem with them not growing a winter coat...mine started getting scruffy looking in early September...lol. It's been in the teens here where I live. I don't see how putting a blanket on a horse is abuse...lol...thats a new one. That is good that the owner takes and covers the horses himself...where I boarded, the owners had to do it themselves.
7. That's a new one- horse blankets are abuse, I bet that make the headlines. *cough cough PETA* and hey I would like to wear my winter coat when it's ummm WINTER Um....Anyway :), I only put my horse blanket on him when it's in the 25's or lower. Horse actually don't need blankets, but hey I do it anyway :) I have a walk-in and out stall, I own no barn just a little shack for my horse. But I'd definely change my horse's blanket if it was coming inside, because it's warmer in. (horses get more uncomfortable being hot then cold) By the way welcome back to the freezing cold states!! lol (I live in Michigan)
8. I've always done that, with all my horses over the last 10 years. Every boarding barn I've ever been in has done it. To me, honestly, the ONLY differences between a stable & turnout blanket is, that one isn't waterproof, typically, and the straps are more secure on a turnout - to keep the blanket in place during activity & play. The A barns I've been in from time to time always have their horses in stable blankets, usually baker sheets, which I personally hate, and if & when those horses get turned out, the grooms change them into all-out "body armor". Honestly, I think it's excessive. The barns I've boarded at aren't going to change blankets around, not even for a fee, and my horses never seemed to complain about being in their turnouts in the stall. :)
9. I think ideally it would be nice to switch but don't see a problem with wearing the turnout indoors. I think a big part of it is stable owners/workers not wanting to do all that blanketing every day. I boarded in Rhode Island for a winter and all the horses had their blankets on in and out. Now, I only blanket mine when it gets below 10 degrees or my mare starts shivering, and I use thier turnouts because that's the only decent blanket I have for them. Since I blanket so infrequently, I saw no reason to invest in at least two blankets for each of the 3 (now 4) horses. Growing up in a BHS type barn in the U.S. (owner was BHS certified), we switched blankets all the time. However, that was back in the days when the best turnout was a heavy canvas New Zealand rug, not the comfortable things we use today.
10. My horse lives in Malibu, and it's cold at night right now! Our horses all wear light turnout blankets at night once it starts to get cold, but our stables are pretty open-air.
11. Hope you had fun on your trip & little one good!!!! I was always told to take it off during the day time. Other wise it will not keep him as warm during the night time. I don't leave mine on. Most of them do not get blankets. I think it is odd to leave them on all day.
12. When I blanket, I usually put the blanket on and leave it on unless we're working. To me, if its cold enough for ME to need a winter coat, its time for my kid to get his winter blankets, too. He grows an Ok winter coat on his own, but as he's older and arthritic, his joints become more uncomfortable for him in the wintertime and blanketing really helps him. For my horse, the only time that I switch blankets between turn out and stabling is when there's a HUGE temperature difference. If *I* take off my jacket in the barn b/c its nice and warm, then of course my horse is going to be uncomfortable, too. If that happens, I'll take of his turnout and leave him in with a lighter blanket or nothing at all, depending on the weather. Here, in central VA, its absolutely normal for us to leave our horses blanketed 24/7 when the weather calls for it. :)
13. That is different. I did know a woman at a barn I used to work at who had her horse wear his turnout blanket both in and out doors, but she was odd in general anyway. At least he had something on.
14. yep, we leave ours on in and out. except when we ride of course! :)
15. It used to be the rule to leave their turnout on at night at a livery yard I've been on. If they didn't have their turnout on overnight then they got turned out in the stable rugs or not at all! It does save alot of time in the morning and the tougher material is good for horses that rub alot in the stable. I always think it's important that the rugs come off and they have a good groom at least every other day to let the skin "breathe" (I don't know if there's any scientific logic behind that!) As long as the rugs not damp and there's no need for underblankets I leave my mares turnout rug on overnight as my non-horsey mum does her in the mornings sometimes!