Does My Horse Need A Blanket?: Debunking the 5 Biggest Myths About Blanketing Horses

Every year around this time, I start hearing lots of questions about when to blanket horses. There are posts all over social media arguing one way or the other. Your friend at the barn insinuates you’re a bad horse mom or dad because your horse isn’t blanketed. Someone else tells you blankets aren’t natural and horses should never wear them. But if I’m cold my horse must be cold… right?

With so many strong opinions on both ends of the spectrum, how are we supposed to know what to do? We’re all just trying to take the best possible care of our horses - so what is a horse owner to do?

The amount of mis-information out there about horses is astounding - especially when it comes to blanketing - so today I will debunk 5 of the biggest myths out there about blanketing horses and hopefully provide you with a little more clarity to help you make the best decision for you and your horse this winter.

Myth #1: Horses need blankets to stay warm in the winter.

Reality: Most horses DO NOT need blankets to stay warm, even in the most frigid of temperatures. However, some horses absolutely DO require a blanket to stay warm. Elderly, sick, injured, or underweight horses are much more likely to need the extra insulation a blanket provides. Clipped horses will also need blankets to compensate for the hair being removed. A horse recently imported from a warmer climate may not grow a thick enough coat and may need a blanket. If the temperature drops rapidly overnight and the horse has not yet grow his winter coat, he may benefit from a blanket temporarily. If your horse has access to shelter, access to free choice hay, is eating and drinking normally, and is not shivering, you most likely to not need to blanket that horse.

Myth #2: If you’re cold, then your horse is cold.

Reality: This could not be further from the truth. Horses grow thick winter coats to help them comfortably survive cold winter temperatures.

But horses can get cold! So how can you tell? Some people will feel the horse’s ears, armpits, or around the udders/sheath area and see if they are warm or cold. This is a helpful, but not foolproof, method. Sometimes if your hands are already cold, a cold horse might feel warm to you. On the other hand, if you just got out of your nice warm car and go to feel your horse, a comfortable temperature for him might feel cold to you at that moment.

If the horse is standing with his tail tightly clinched and his abdominals look “sucked up,” then he is likely to be cold. If the horse is shivering, then he’s definitely cold and its time for a blanket, more hay, or more shelter.

Another way to judge if the horse is cold is to check his vitals. A normal horse’s temperature is between 99.5 and 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s important to know what “normal” is for your horse, so taking vitals regularly throughout the year is a great practice. Hypothermia begins to set in at a temperature of 98-99*F.

If you’re concerned that your horse has developed hypothermia, call your vet immediately!

Myth #3: It’s better to throw the blanket on just in case - even if my horse might not really need it.

Reality: Too much blanket that the horse doesn’t need can be just as bad or worse than not enough blanket. If you blanket a horse unnecessarily, he will not grow a thick winter coat and it will be harder for him to cope with colder temperatures. If a horse starts to sweat under his blanket and the moisture cannot evaporate, he can end up much colder than he would have been with no blanket at all.

Myth #4: My horse needs a blanket if its snowing.

Reality: Horses actually do quite well in the snow! Their coats stand up on end in the cold and create an insulated barrier between their skin and the outside world. Snow will often build up on top of the hair trapping air between the horse and the snow, which keeps the horse warm.

Instead, horses are more likely to need supplemental blanketing when it is cold and raining. Light rain will wick off the surface, much like snow. Heavy rain that soaks the horse through to the skin, however, is a much bigger problem. Use caution with blankets that are not waterproof! These can trap moisture from rain between the horse and the blanket and make him colder!

Myth #5: If I blanket my horse, he won’t grow a winter coat

Reality: Yes, he will still technically grow a winter coat, but it will not be as long or thick as it would become without blanketing! Blanketing the horse will also compress the hairs instead of allowing them to stand up on end for insulation. This can actually make a horse colder if the blanket is not adequately thick. It can also give the illusion that the horse has less of a winter coat than he actually does.

If you’re still not 100% sure about when to blanket your horse - you can check out this fabulous flowsheet from Auburn University to help you make your decision.

Good luck this winter and stay warm out there guys!