The Art of Natural Dressage

Working with the Horse's Initiative
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:58 am

All times are UTC+01:00




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:13 pm 
User avatar

Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 10:35 pm
Posts: 23
I've been thinking about if I could somehow control Bella's coat growth, so she doesn't grow so much. When things started thawing out last year, she got incredibly sweaty and matted very very fast. I had to completely body clip her in April, when it was still quite cold at night here. She did fine without a blanket, but her weight is much better now and she's not fat like she was. I don't know if she'll be ok if I have to clip her again in April, when its above freezing during the day but below freezing at night.

I was thinking of seeing if I can get her used to wearing a blanket now, and keep her blanketed all winter. But would wearing a blanket alone be enough to keep her from growing too much hair? Between the Cushings and her Welsh Cob half, she becomes incredibly hairy...very long and thick. I read about using lights to control hair growth, but I don't want to have to blanket Eldora & Tara too.

They have 2 huge stalls connected to a dry lot where they live, and they have free access to where they want to be at all times. The thing is, it gets extremely cold here during the winter, down to -25F(-31C) with temps never rising about 10F(-12C) for weeks. And we could get cold rain and wet snow, or dry powdery snow. Or it could be like last winter where we had a huge blizzard and multiple smaller snowfalls. The only time I ever lock them inside is if things are going to be extremely bad. But things really haven't gotten to the point where I have had to do that, especially since Bella hates being stalled.

On one hand, I don't want to run into the situation next year where she has 4" of hair that's matting and getting uncomfortable, so I have to clip her completely. But if I blanket her, I'm not sure if she'll be warm enough all winter.


Top
   
PostPosted: Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:21 pm 
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:20 am
Posts: 6281
Location: Dresden, Germany
I know nothing about blanketing and have never done it with my horses, so all I can do is post a link to another thread: Winter Cold & Blanketing questions. Perhaps there is some useful information in there. :f:


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:16 pm 
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 17, 2007 11:57 am
Posts: 1983
Location: provincie Utrecht
i understand that your horse have cushing???
Then nothing what you wrote will help against hair growing.
Cusing is a hormonal problem and you can help your horse with other stuff to control it better.
But blankeds or special lights won't work.

I should only clipping in the spring or summer when your horse does get it to warm. but not in winter time
specialy not when the temperature is going down for long times.
a coat is the best thing what a horse can have during winter time.


Top
   
PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 4:04 am 
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 3:19 am
Posts: 98
Location: America
I have the opposite problem... Rose grows out a short, light winter coat. She seems to do fine with it, but it still worries me a bit, especially when it gets really cold at night. Once somebody asked me if she had grown out her winter coat yet, when she had already gotten it a few weeks before. :roll:


Top
   
PostPosted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 5:19 am 
User avatar

Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 10:35 pm
Posts: 23
Its funny you should post here Rose, since I'm now having a similar issue with the same horse. Bella has EMS and Lyme. I started her on herbs for the Lyme over the summer, and she improved a lot. But the funny thing is she hasn't put on a winter coat this year. She's still in her summer coat, so she's now blanketed 24/7.


Top
   
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC+01:00


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited Color scheme created with Colorize It.