How to Keep a Short Winter Coat on Horses
If your horse is going to be competing during the winter, or if you are going to maintain heavy training, you don't want it to grow a long, heavy, winter coat. It will still grow a winter coat if you follow these steps, but it'll be sleeker and not as heavy.
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Things You'll Need
- Stable sheet
- Turnout sheet
- Stable blanket
- Medium turnout blanket
- Heavy turnout blanket
Instructions
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Cover your horse with a sheet as soon as nighttime temperatures fall into the 50s, even if daytime temperatures are still in the 80s. Choose a stable sheet if your horse is kept inside or a waterproof turnout sheet if your horse will be in the pasture. Start blanketing during the day when daytime temperatures fall into the 50s.
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Switch to heavier blankets as temperatures get colder. You'll know your horse is cold if its ears are cold. Again, stable blankets are used inside and turnout blankets are used in the pasture. Since your goal is keeping a short coat, put on the heaviest blanket possible that does not make your horse sweaty. Sweating under blankets can cause your horse to get chills.
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Take your horse's blankets off in the morning and look for sweat marks (areas where the hair is ruffled or matted). If you see sweat marks, use a lighter blanket in that temperature bracket and save the heavier blanket for when it gets colder. Only use blankets that are deemed "heavy" by the manufacturer when medium or mid-weight blankets are not warm enough for your horse.
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Use a neck cover when your horse is outside or if your barn isn't heated or enclosed. Even if your barn isn't heated, if it's enclosed, the horses' body heat will warm the barn. If you don't use a neck cover, your horse's neck hair will continue to grow even if the rest of its body has shorter hair.
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Tips & Warnings
Broad-shouldered horses may be prone to getting shoulder rubs under their blankets, where the hair breaks off. To keep the hair slick, spray it with a silicon-based grooming spray, or buy a shoulder guard.
Cover your horse with a cooler or dress sheet after every ride and keep it on until your horse dries. Don't put your horse's blankets back on until the horse has dried completely or he will get a chill.
