Safety First!
The decision whether or not to blanket your horse is a personal one. Some people feel that no horse needs a blanket (after all, they don’t wear them in the wild!), and others want to provide a little extra protection during very cold winters, or a means to keep their horse cleaner. If your horse works a lot during the winter, you may choose to body clip her and she’ll need blankets to keep warm. If you decide that blankets are right for your horse, there are some things you need to keep in mind.
If you are going to blanket your horse, you need to keep an eye on the temperature. Horses with coats are most comfortable at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Even during winter, there are days that are sunny and warm, and you don’t want your horse to overheat and sweat. Be sure to remove your horse’s blanket, or swap it for a lighter one, before it gets too warm. You’ll then need to make sure to rug her up again when the sun starts to set so she won’t get cold! You also may need to layer blankets to provide the best protection.
Blanketing and unblanketing is a time where accidents can happen if you’re not careful. The horse can get spooked or just decide not to cooperate, and you or the horse could get tangled in the blanket and get hurt. You should always put a halter on when putting blankets on or taking them off.
