09/27/2026
To blanket or not to blanket? It depends on the horse, of course! 🐴🍂
Skippy and Luck are getting ready for cooler weather, and their new blankets have me thinking about how differently two horses can feel the cold.
Skippy may be comfortable starting with a 0 g rain sheet in cool, wet weather or a 100 g blanket as temperatures drop. He also has a 100 g liner and a 200 g blanket, so I can adjust his layers as needed. Luck tends to chill more easily, and she has 100 g, 200 g, and 300 g options ready for winter.
Through my animal behavior and welfare studies at the University of Delaware, I’ve been thinking more about giving horses room to use their natural ability to adapt to the seasons. A winter coat, movement, forage, and access to shelter all matter. So do wind, rain, age, health, body condition, and the horse standing right in front of us.
The temperature guide is a starting point, not a rule. The horse tells us when to adjust:
* Above 50°F: Usually no blanket is needed for a healthy, acclimated horse, though a 0 g rain sheet may help in steady rain or wind.
* 40–50°F: Consider a 0 g rain sheet for wet or windy conditions. A light blanket may be appropriate for clipped, older, thin, or sensitive horses.
* 30–40°F: A 0 g rain sheet may be suitable in dry weather, while a 100 g blanket may help during rain, wind, or for horses that chill easily.
* 20–30°F: Consider a 100–200 g blanket, depending on the horse, weather, coat, shelter, and forage.
* Below 20°F: A 200–300 g blanket may be appropriate for some horses, especially those that are clipped, older, thin, or less cold-tolerant.
Always check under the blanket for warmth and dryness, and adjust for changing conditions. Here’s hoping those heavy 300 g blankets spend most of the winter neatly folded! 🍁
