Blanketing

now do horses keep themse|ves warm?

O $iver
O luff coat
O 5ose least body surface to elements
O $tand in grou5s
o|d Weather
O nergy is required to maintain body tem5erature
O A study of dairy cattle found tat 14 km/our winds increased eat
loss in cows 31%
O Wet coats and air furter increase eat loss
ower r|t|ca| 1emperature (1)
O Te tem5erature below wic orses need to increase teir
metabolic rate to maintain body tem5erature.
ach horse |s d|fferent
O All orses ave a LCT (lower critical tem5erature)
O LCT will cange wit te weater conditions
O Young growing orses are more cold intolerant (little body fat) and
ave iger LCT
O Old, sick orses are also more cold intolerant
esearch est|mates
O Average orse LCT is -15 to -30C
O Growing orses LCT is 0 to -5C
O At tese tem5eratures, te orses energy requirements ave been
sown to increase by 35-50%
O Rule of tumb, for every 1C below te LCT, digestible energy
requirements increase 2.5% (more so ay tan grain)
|bs (Skg) horse ||v|ng out |n Cntar|o
O Moisture and wind are te tieves of body eat and energy in te
5addock
O Cold, wet, and windy weater need more energy from te orse to
maintain body weigt and function
O $elter, blankets, and forages el5 5revent weigt loss
O LCT = -20C wit outside tem5erature at -30C
O nergy requirements increase by 4.1Mcal
O Translates into about 2kg of ay (de5ending u5on te quality of
ay, almost 2 flakes)
O $tabled and/or blanketed orses ave minimum e5osure to cold
and need minor increases in energy requirements
emember
O Heat is a by-5roduct of digestion
O Amount of eat de5ends u5on ty5e of feed
4 orages give off te most eat - fats give off te least
O Less sunligt + blankets = less access to vitamin D
O Reduced access to fres forages = less vitamin A +
hoos|ng the |ght norse |oth|ng
O $ize
O Ty5e
O Weigt
O $tyle
O it
O Budget
O Availability
O Materials
ndoor
O Coolers
O $table seets
O $table blankets
O Liners
O $linkies
O tc.
Cutdoor
O Rain seets
O ly seets
O Turn-out seets
O Turn-out blankets
O Hoods & neck covers
O tc.
easons to Dress norses
O Kee5 clean
O Protect from elements
O Make sow coat lay flat
O Prevent coat from growing tick
O Provide warmt
easons not to Dress norses
O 5ense
O Horse doesnt need it
O Inconvenience
O Poorly fitting blankets cause 5roblems
O Horses can get into serious trouble wen tings go wrong
oat Growth
O Ability to regulate body tem5erature is related to coats tickness,
lengt, and density 5er square inc surface area of skin
O Tree layers of coat, guard air, 5rimary long winter air (800-
1,200 5er square inc of skin) and inner sort air (1,200 - 2,000
5er square inc of skin)
O Hair grows from te follicle witin te skin. If te follicle is straigt
- te air grows straigt. If te follicle is slanted te air grows te
same direction.
O Hair is com5osed mainly of 5rotein and requires energy to be
manufactured by te body. Poor nutrition and ealt can ave a
significant effect on te quantity and quality of air growt.
O Body tem5erature also 5lays a role, blanketing early can 5revent a
full winter coat
O Cold weater can delay sedding
O Remember - tere is no ON/O switc