New subscriber w/question

[Linda]

Hello

My name is Linda, and I recently acquired a gorgeous Arabian-ASB. He is registered as half-Arabian and qualifies for NSH registration. He is quite a change from my 4 Norwegian Fjord horses, and I am having a lot of fun learning to "speak" NSH.

While the Fjords are already fuzzing up for winter, the newcomer is sleek and very short-coated so I am looking for turnout blankets. I'm wondering about protecting his long neck. What type of protection is needed for a horse on turnout with shelter in a moderate winter climate with not much rain but a few very cold spells? Do the neck wraps stay up? Do NSHs grow a protective winter coat? (This is his first winter not stalled.)

Thanks in advance.
Linda

[lcunningham]

Hey there! What works on my ASB mare in the winter is a heavy-weight high-neck turnout, that I think came from Schneiders. It didn't rub her mane and she was comfortable all winter. If this is the first winter your horse hasn't been stalled, he may not get a full coat this year - my friend's stallion had been kept under blankets as a youngster and never grew a full winter coat, but my half-arab gelding after two years of stalls/blankets got very fuzzy his first winter out (w/a turnout blanket). So I guess it just depends on the horse!

[vlayne]

Why blanket at all? Whenever I turn a horse out for the winter, as long as they are out in the fall and have a chance to adapt and grow a coat, I don't blanket them (unless I don't WANT them to grow a coat). The temperature fluctuations, wet snow or rain, mud, etc can make a horse very uncomfortable when wearing a blanket.

I would bet any amount of money that if you put the horse out now, by December he'll have a nice fuzzy coat and will be comfortable and happy. Don't worry about it...

[Thunderstruck]

We had an ASB that hardly ever grew any coat at all and we never blanketed him unless it was going to be VERY cold (for here in NC anyway) like in the teens. Horses are made to stay outside and they adapt very quickly, and like vlayne said I think there are more problems with them being uncomfortable due to over heating, blankets being wet etc.

[vlayne]

Oh BTW Linda, welcome!!! Sorry for overlooking that... :)

[D_BaldStockings]

In general, your Arab and SB will have a shorter, but dense coat that develops compared to the Fjord.

Depending on your climate and housing available, your horses will generally be quite comfortable in snow and cold so long as they are well fed with high fiber foods and have some shelter from high winds.

Miserable sleeting rain for days on end is something different..but a soggy blanket doesn't solve that like a roof does.

[smurphy0806]

Hey all.

Linda is unable to get on trot today. She is on ABR and knows me from there. She is helping me raise money for the 4 ASB's at AC4H.

She asked me to let you all know that she is VERY appreciative of all your advice, and will let you know personally asap.