Conference noted::equitation

    Sue...
    Congratulations on your new ownership, especially of an Arabian.
    We happen to raise them in New England.  They go out about 5:30
    in the morning and come in around 6 in the evening.  We don't use
    blankets unless someone is ill.  We found that we ran into more
    problems (colds, etc.) when we used blankets.
    Arabs do grow coats if you let them (no blankets).  We have a wide
    range of coats as we have 10 Arabs at present count.  Each
    individual grows what he/she requires to keep warm.  They have
    shelters if they wish to go in...which they normally don't wish
    to use but that is their choice.  
    We do bring them in at night and if it is real stormy they stay
    in during the day.  However, we have two who live outside all year
    round...5 years and 27 years...and I believe they are the healthiest
    of the entire crew.
    We do keep them up in weight in the winter and slim down in the
    
    summer...schedule of feeding three times a day.
    
    Enough of my ramblings.  More about you...
    Where are you located?  Does the horse stay with you?  Where
    did you find him?  etc.  Love to have you visit and visit with
    you if you are close by.
    
    GOOD LUCK...it is a lot of fun.
    

    Hi Sue,
    
    I live 100 miles away from work (round trip daily). In the winter,
    my guys are blanketed at nite with an indoor rug which are quilted
    but *not* waterproof. 
              At 5:oo am I'm up and feeding them. At that time, I change
    over their indoor rugs to the New Zealand rug which has an inner
    lining (sic?) and the outer shell *is* waterproof canvas/tent
    material. This way, they can be turned out all day and stay dry
    in bad weather. 
              When I get home at 4:30pm, if it's warm I take their blankets
    off for about an hour in the barn. If it's cold, I change directly
    to their indoor rugs.
              In very bad weather you can leave their indoor rug on
    and put the N.Z. rug over the indoor rug if they'll be out all day.        
              You have to use good judgement. Constant blanketing will
    stop them from growing a good winer coat so therefore, they will
    have to be blanketed all winter. 
              I don't start blanketing until early November so that
    they will get some winter coat. I stop blanketing aroung early March,
    as you can have some warm days, and you don't want your horse sweating
    in their blanket on a 50 degree day while you're at work.
              Some owners don't beleive in blanketing at all. Some feel
    they are healthier without it, especially if they have a leanto
    (shelter) for protection against bad weather.
              Some owners blanket for the fact that they purposely *don't*
    want their horses to get a winter coat. These are the show horses
    that are active daily. If they have too long a coat and have a heavy
    workout, they can't release sweat properly as the winter coat traps
    the heat next to the horse and therefore they can't cool off easily.
    
    Hope this helps,
    Tina
    

    Not blanketing is the best.  In bad weather, I leave them in. Horses
    are healthier if you leave nature alone.  
    
    As to blankets not allowing a horse to grow a winter coat?  Studies
    have shown that horses start to grow their winter coats in August.
    As the days shorten, the light changes.  This light change coming
    through the eye and hitting the pituitary (sp?) gland signals the
    body to grow their winter underwear.  The only way to fool nature
    is to start keeping the lights on in the barn (they do this to cycle
    mares earlier as well, same reason) The extra light simulates daylight.
    A horse will grow a coat as much as he is gentically able.  Some
    breeds grow long, others need help.  Wait and see.  My arab grows
    a shorter coat than the quarter horses in the barn, and so in a
    wind chill he goes out with a blanket.  If it sleets, he stays in.
    Other than that, if its sunny and cold, no blanket and they are
    happy.  Don't be upset if you see snow on your horse. That's good,
    it means that all the warm air is on his skin and not melting the
    snow.  In fact that snow will make more insulation.  We have been
    blanketing this way for a long time with no illness.
    
    Also note,  we have a tight barn with 10 occupants.  Closing the
    barn up at night means that the barn stays above freezing all night.
    We do not blanket at night unless it becomes bitterly cold (-60
    wind chill type stuff). Otherwise, you don't wear your jacket in
    the house, so why should they.
    
    Tell us about your arab, and where you are keeping him.
    
    Stephanie

    The horse is a 15.1, 8 yr old mare.  She will be staying on
    my property in a barn that I would not exactly call "tight" because
    the big doors at the end of the barn are not built yet, hence, there
    is plenty of ventilation.  The current owner says she doesn't blanket
    her in the winter, but I live a few more miles north in Weare, NH,
    and think there may be a 5 - 10 degree temperature difference. 
    
    What happens, if it's sunny, and you turnout the horse unblanketed,
    and during the day while you're at work, it starts to sleet or rain?
    Due to the nature of my job, I can never leave work before 5:00
    and must be here for 8:15.  Should I be worried or am I being unduly
    paranoid?  It takes me at least 45 minutes to get home so I'd be
    getting home in the winter well after the night-time chill has begun
    (6:45 - 7:00pm).
    
    I want to do what's best for the horse, which is probably leaving
    her unblanketed, except maybe in extreme wind chills, like you said...
    but I have been known to worry:-!.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Sue
    

    Sue,
    
    No you are not being unduly parnoid.  I have to pay very strict
    attention to the weather to try to circumvent any problems like
    that.  Will the current owner be there all the time.  Are you buying
    this place? or boarding?  Can she put horses in or out if changes
    occur in the weather?  That is why run-ins are always better.  Ask
    how she keeps her horses in the winter.  Also you might try asking
    the former owners how much of a winter coat your mare grows so you
    can at least be forwarned.  It's very hard to be that far from home
    and worry about what's happening on the home front.  I guess sometimes
    you can only do the very best you can and hope for the best and
    that the creek don't rise.
    
    regards,
    Stephanie
    

    I have already spoken to Sue about this in person but I can't help
    but voice my opinion here. I have in the past blanketed mainly
    because I thought my horses were cold and I was doing them a favor.
    Little did I know mother nature is smarter than all of us put together.
    When one of my babied beasts came up sick with a minor winter flu
    the vet let me know in no uncertain terms I was doing him no favor.
    Since that time I've let nature take its course.  This is not to
    say that blanketing will make your horse sick but I honestly beleive
    that not blanketing prepares them better for what's to come in terms
    of wet and cold and in New England you can't avoid that.  
    
    We have trees for protection in our pasture but find that the horses
    usually prefer to stand right out in the middle of the cold and
    snow, and there is nothing sadder than to look out and see icicles
    hanging from your horse.  Minor protesction from wind and rain
    seem to be the only requirements for keeping my horses happy through
    the winter.
    
                  "It's not nice to fool mother nature"
    Karen

    I agree with mother nature!
    
    Although for many years I didn't.  When I lived in Maine not only
    did I blanket at night but I would only let my horses out for a
    couple of hours a day in the winter for fear that they would freeze.
    Because of that my horses had runny noses all the time and had poor 
    attitudes.
    
    After moving to Massachusetts I decided to leave my horse out all
    day and not to use a blanket at night.
    
    Since I made that decision my horse has never been sick.  Has had
    the most beautiful coat in the summer and it's obviouse he's much
    happier.
    
    Infact, all the other horses at the barn were I board wear blankets
    in the winter and all the owners comment on how healthy my horse
    is and how great he looks.
    
    Regards,
    
    Susan
    
    
    

    Sue, I have ARabians, too.  Although I live in Maryland close to
    the Chesapeake Bay, we have some cold winters here.  Cold and damp
    because of the humidity.  
    
    My vet said a horse's hair coat grows according to the horse's
    metabolic rate.  The more efficient the metabolism, the shorter
    the hair coat.
    
    This year, we're turning the babies out more often, even in mild
    summer rain.  I'm going to try leaving them out at night, except
    on the coldest days.  The only weather the horses, especially pregnant
    mares, can't tolerate is freezing rain; I call the weather service
    every morning so I can make an informed decision about turning out
    in the main pasture or putting them up in paddocks with a shelter.
     I don't have a shelter in the pasture yet, but plan to before winter.
     In the meantime, there are stands of trees and a stream for them
    on the 30 acres.
    
    As for blanketing, I don't do it.  There are body clips you can
    trim if you ride often in the winter; anyone who hunts can show
    you.  If you bodyclip, you'll have to blanket, though.
    
    Arabs are tough.  And, as several have said, horses do better in
    nature if we don't impose our ideas on them.
    
    What's the breeding on your ARabian?  I raise Crabbet/Egyptians
    for driving.
    
    Merrie Aiken

    
    Sue,
    	Congradulations on your new Arabian! I bought my first horses
    last year which are all Arabs and I love them! They have wonderful
    temperments, are easy to work with, and in my opinion..the perfect
    family horse. 
    	I live in Candia, NH ...which is not far from Weare and the
    weather/temperatures are the same. This past winter, I did not 
    blanket any of my horses (5yo mare,2yo filly,new foal in Mar 88).
    	In December my filly was partially clipped her to aid in 
    helping her cool down after being worked. Although I had bought a 
    blanket for her while in training...she ended up not needing it.
        My pregnant mare was turned out for about 4 hours every weekday
    and all day every weekend and even though she did not grow a very
    thick winter coat, she did not need a blanket. It was suggested
    to me that because I brushed her everyday (new owners do this) 
    she was not likely to grow as thick a coat? 
    	I have noticed that horses have a way of finding where to stand
    in cold weather so that the sun shines on them during the day, and
    the wind is less severe. From what I understand, it is better not
    to blanket Arabians in the winter unless you have a reason to
    (i.e. your horse has been clipped or you don't want them to grow
    a thick winter coat because they are show horses or a stallion that
    stands at stud and will be shown to perspective breeders during
    the winter months.). If you have a shelter (lean to) that your horse
    can use to get out of the wind or inclimate weather she will be
    fine. Of course...when the weather is really severe, keep her inside.
    	My foal was born this year when there was snow on the ground.
    He did not have a thick winter coat. He went out with mom the day
    after he was born and did not suffer in the cold. After a few weeks
    of going out his coat got a little thicker (mother nature). 
    	Build some temporary (inexpensive) doors for your barn for the 
    winter. Make them light weight and so they swing out for safety.
    Sometime later put the doors you want on. You will probably appreciate
    the added warmth in the barn more than the horses...also this will
    help prevent ice from forming in their water buckets during the
    night.                    
    	Good Luck with your new horse,
    					Regards, Nancy

    Here in Colorado, we can hit 20, below at night with wind chill
    factors as low as 50 below.  The only horse we've ever blanketed
    is my wife's mare (seems really sensitive to cold.) The others
    have been turned out with nothing but a loafing shed (3-sided)
    for protection, and we've never had a problem.  If they can get
    shelter from the wind, they're fine.  I've seen them with ice an
    inch thick on their backs in a snowstorm; break the ice off and
    thier backs are warm underneath.  Horses are amazing!

    I lived in Maine with two horses before moving to Massachusetts-
    an older Arabian gelding and a quarter horse mare.  Both horses
    had stalls which opened out to a pasture, and were allowed to 
    go in and out as they wished, unless the pasture was icy.  If it
    was very cold (10 below zero or more), they were locked into the
    barn (this made the barn much warmer, since cold air wasn't coming
    in through their stall doors), and a blanket was put on the Arab
    as he would shiver when it was extremely cold.  
    
    Neither of them ever had a cold or flu in the 10 years that I had
    them...  They would also stay outside even in snowstorms, come in
    only occassionally in the rain.
    
    One more thing, if cold or ice meant the horses had to be locked
    into the barn during the day, they got handwalked every evening
    just so that they got some exercise.
                                        
    Good luck with your new horse!
    
    Joan
    

    
    I blanket my horses at about 0 degrees, or if they are shivering.
    My horses are out all day during the winter and unblanketed most
    of the time. Of course they have a shelter to come in any time  
    they want.  The only time I blanket outside is when we have
    freezing rain (which we have a lot of here in Ohio).  Snow isn't
    bad but a soaked horses in rapidly dropping temperatures isn't a
    happy sight.  For outside blankets, I use waterproof New Zealand type
    rugs. For inside I like Baker Blankets - they're warm and seem to
    last forever.
    
    Here's a couple of misc winter tips...
    Beware of icy pastures, especially with shod horses - they can have
    some pretty spectacular falls. And make sure the critters have access
    to water  - dehydration is a real concern in winter.  And learn
    to ride bareback - it SO much warmer!

    -Maureen
        
    
    
    

    I have no experience with Arabs, but I do know that my vet recommends
    against blanketing.  I have had quarter horses and connemaras for
    close to 15 years... and have never had a problem.  
    
    AND, I have found that the quarter horses prefer to be outside in
    all kinds of weather, if given the option with a run-in.  (Which,
    as was stated in an earlier note, really is the best option, especially
    for your peace of mind while at work and the weather suddenly changes.)
    
    kathy

	True, true, it's all true! I live about 40 miles from work,
	so have a shed my two can go into and out of whenever they
	want, right from the paddock. It contains their stalls,
	which have a thick bed of shavings, and I put an old carpet
	over the door, that they have learned to walk through.
	It gets nice and toasty warm inside when they're in there,
	and stays dry.

	However, when I get home from work and it's been snowing hard
	for two or three hours, there they are, out by the house
	watching for me. Each will have a tall upside-down coneshaped
	pile of snow on top of his/her head, between the ears. It
	makes me laugh every time I see it, and they can't understand
	why!

	So, anyhow, given the opportunity to do what THEY want to do,
	they prefer to be outside in the snow, no blankets. But, when
	it's very windy, they're inside that shed. So if you can give
	them some structure, maybe just a lean-to, or 3 sides with a
	roof, so that they can get out of the elements, I think they'd
	be very happy.

	-j