Thursday, October 4, 2012

Blanketing?

Well, today, it snowed.

ugh.


I am not a winter person, although I appreciate how beautiful winter is, and I do love Christmas... I just don't like being cold. Plus, I am a sufferer of winter blues. So, being all glum and cold for the 8 months of winter we sometimes get in Alberta, is just not my cup of tea.


But now, as a new horse owner, I am faced with some winter blanket questions.

Jingle will be blanketed for the first time this winter, and I plan to move him inside for the winter months. He isn't cooling down quickly enough to put him back outside after I ride in the evenings, and I rarely have time to ride anytime during the day. However, the area where he will be stalled is still pretty cool in the winter months, and most of the horses wear their winter blankets inside, as well as out. This means he'll be wearing his blanket 24/7, which I know most blanketed horses do, but it also means i'm on the lookout for something very breathable. Secondly, Jingle's turnout will now change, he'll be out with the geldings. All of our geldings that are stalled go out together in a big field during the day. I'm worried about the horses picking on him/playing too rough and ripping his blanket to shreds. So I need something strong, and secure.

So, any advice? What kind of blanket should I get?

I'm leaning towards a Weatherbeeta, probably the Freestyle with the detachable hood, but they only go to 1680 D. The cheaper ones are about 1200 D, and that's still pretty high for most of the blankets I've seen. However, knowing my horse, his blanket will probably become ripped to shreds in a couple months, so maybe shelling out the money for the higher D blankets like the Freestyle, or Rambo and Shedrow makes isn't really worth it?

Also, because he's never worn a blanket, but our winters can get freakishly cold (-40 celsius, ya'll know what i'm talking 'bout?!) should I get him a lighter-medium weight and a heavy weight to get him used to the whole blanketing thing? I don't wear my heavy snowboarding jacket on chilly November days, and certainly don't wear my warm bomber jacket on frigid, death-defying January days...

Hmmm.. things to think about.

I think Jingle will look really cute in a hooded blanket, just saying.

7 comments:

  1. Thanks for stopping by and commenting on my blog. Blogger won't let me add blogs to my follow list (stupid blogger!) so I'll check in every now and then. You certainly have a nice horse, and it's good that your dentist found out all his issues, poor horse! Hope you find a good bitless option that works for both of you.
    I start blanketing Beamer right about now in a lighter weight blanket and move to a heavier one when the temps are below freezing during the day. He lives outside with a run in shelter. If I ride him and he gets damp, I put a polar fleece cooler on him until he dries out before I put his blanket back on. I use Glover blankets with water proof cordura. I've used these blankets in a herd situation and they can't wreck them. I buy them at UFA.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by :) & thank you, your horses are wonderful - I love Beamer, what a handsome boy!

      Hmm.. i've never heard of Glover, i'll have to look into it!

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  2. If you want an absolutley tear proof blanket go with a homemade one from the Sue at Up In Stitches (shes on facebook or I can get her number if you want) her blankets are 2700 dineier and they do not wreck. But I also have a regular winter blanket from McAllister that I love and it has a built in neck and I never put a blanket on jessie last year till January and she was fine everyday in the same one, closer to spring she would get a little warm under it but the rest of the time she was fine. If hes inside he may not need a blanket in there at all or just a lighter one and a heavier one outside. There were occasional days when we left our horses inside and we never blanketed them indoors, it was too warm in there. Have to see what he is like, will be a learning experience that is for sure and kinda a nuisance to blanket, I am putting it off as long as possible, it was -7 here this morning and my horses were fine so far, until I start showing or boarding I will try to keep them naked.

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    1. Hey Crystal,

      I contacted Sue on FB, and her blankets look great, I'm thinking of getting one for sure. What do you think about the thinsulate? Do your horses stay as warm as they would in those big 600 g filled heavy weights?

      Thanks for the advice!

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  3. Can you find a multi-layered blanket--the ones with a fleece sheet, then medium weight stable blanket, then waterproof t/o blnaket on top of that? I think Dover makes them, but I don't know if they ship to Canada. Regardless, I think I'd lean more towards a couple of layering blankets instead of one ultra heavyweight. Sheet + Med weight is just as warm and there's more play with weather.

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    1. I like the idea of multi-layered blankets, but I've never seen one that comes as a package deal, just ones you buy separately, which means more expensive than just going and buying two or three light-med-heavy weight blankets. I'll have to look into this.

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  4. Why are you choosing blanket free this year? (if you dont mind me asking haha). I'll have to look into Schneider's, i've never seen that brand up here, but maybe they ship to Canada. (the thing is, shipping from the states is SO expensive, I absolutely hate it). My barn is similar, almost as cold inside as out, so he'll be in his turnout 24/7 as well.

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