12/18/2024
To blanket or not to blanket? A question that generates more questions than answers.
Here’s a more in depth discussion that may help you with your own management!
Every winter the same question pops up and always makes for heated debates:
“Should you blanket your horse (or mule, or donkey)?”
I think that question is far too obtuse and takes away the nuance of decision making. Because the truth is- you need to THINK and consider many factors. Along with being educated and experienced enough to make thoughtful choices (and this may come by learning what NOT to do as you experiment and learn different management practices), try to remember to make choices that are about fitting for your animal- not just what is easiest for you or what makes you feel better.
The first -and most important thing- to factor in when wondering about whether or not you should blanket- is consider; what environment do you offer your animal?
Rather than listing a million different ways people keep their animals, I’m just going to share how I manage my stock, why I do it the way I do, and THEN what factors I look for with the individual animal to assess whether they should be blanketed.
To simplify my stock management; my animals have 24/7 access to high quality grass hay, water sources, minerals, shelters, live in a herd environment, and have room to explore with some hilly terrain.
So what is it that prompts me to blanket one when they have access to all these things? In my opinion- if they need blanketing- it tells me they are compromised to some level. Period. Even if that compromise just means they simply are not bred to be equipped for the cold- that tells me they are not built for the weather they must endure, at least not in this environment. I will offer other things first before deciding to blanket- as blanketing will ruin their hair’s ability to regulate with “piloerection,” in which they create insulation with their hair to trap in heat.
I don’t like to say “if they’re old I blanket them,” because I have plenty old geezers who don’t need any help when the temperatures plummet. So what I look for are mainly these things;
1. Does this animal have good muscle and fat on them? There are many ways to determine this too. Checking the topline by palpation is a more sure way to determine what condition they’re in as their hair can sometimes deceive you of how they really are underneath it. Also being aware of how they move will help you make an educated assessment as to why and how their body condition is the way it is. If your animal struggles physically (maybe suffering with arthritis) which in turn impedes their mobility- they may not have enough developed muscle to generate heat well. Their coats ONLY WORK if they have muscle/fat. This is the same for blanketing. You can blanket an emaciated animal but without fat they still will not retain the necessary heat to sustain harsh temperatures. This is one reason why all my animals (especially important for the older ones) have constant access to move and space with some hills- it’s to try and encourage muscle. It is also why I give some of these older animals substituted feeds to help them hold fat- as their ability to absorb nutrients can be compromised.
2. Is this animal’s main source of feed long stem forage? Even though my animals have access to unlimited hay- that doesn’t mean it is enough for all of them necessarily. We have some animals here whose dentition requires them to eat mainly (or fully) a “mash” diet of soaked feeds. The reason this is critical to determining their ability to generate heat- is because heat (BTUs) is generated in their large intestine (or hind gut). It is long stem forage that is mainly digested in the hind gut -aka the furnace of the equine- whereas mashed feeds are almost solely digested in the stomach. This means animals that do not get much long stem forage do not have the same opportunity to keep themselves warm. I personally add beetpulp for these “mash only” animals as it too is digested in the hind gut and theoretically may generate some heat for them that way- but I haven’t yet found that to be sufficient enough for these more compromised animals to not need a blanket.
3. And finally- a more obvious factor; is this animal clipped? Now I personally don’t like clipping any of my animals- and I live in a state where that’s typically a no-brainer, especially for stock that live out with a herd. However as someone who rehabs animals, there are plenty times where an animal may be clipped in order to perform ultrasounds and other diagnostics while in recovery. Or more serious cases like post-op animals. So of course when you take away their ability to regulate with their own coat, you must substitute one for them.
So essentially I offer what I can to try and set my stock up to not need extra help- but if they still cannot get things sorted out then it is my job to step in as they are under MY care. Therefore if they need more from me- I fill in when necessary. However there is a fine line with this. As I know many people will blanket because it makes THEM feel better and they prioritize their idea that their animal is more “comfortable” in a blanket- even if it is not needed. I think of it this way, when you are at the gym and exercising you aren’t always gonna be comfortable, but it is for the good of your health to do so irregardless. BUT… if you’re compromised in your health in some way, sometimes comfort is the most important amenity for your ability to recover or sustain your energy.
So whichever way you take care of your stock, remember when this question pops up and everyone is getting heated about it; that so long as someone is doing what they think is fair, it is up to them how they run their program. Everyone has their reasons for their management, so be sure to give people grace and allow them the opportunity to learn as they go along too. If you really are not sure what to do, you can always reach out to someone (like myself!) for help and ideas, but I truthfully think the best thing to do is go with your gut, do what feels right based off the information you have, and then be sure you LEARN from your choices and continue to make decisions thoughtfully with whatever knowledge and experience you have.
Hope this helps,
-Bridget
