# Whats your barn's blanket policy?



## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

My barn doesn't charge to blanket, it is included. 

If you aren't totally upfront with your blanketing preference and you don't provide the appropriate blanket for the appropriate weather, your horse doesn't get a blanket. The end. 

Maybe come up with a simple weather questionaire for the boarders to fill out. 

If it is raining, I would like my horse:
a. Kept in
b. Blanketed and turned out
c. Turned out

If it is below 30 degrees, I would like my horse:
a. Kept in
b. Blanketed and turned out
c. Turned out

I would just put a little disclaimer at the bottom recommending something medium weight and waterproof. It might just calm everyone down. 

I am up here in the frosty North and we don't blanket unless the horses are we *AND* cold.


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

1.) Blanketing included.

2.) N/A

3.) No barn-wide rules, just my personal preferences. My horse is pastured 24/7. If it drops into the 30s, I request that she has her blanket put on -- a medium weight waterproof turnout. If it's raining AND chilly, blanket on. Last week, the entire state iced over. I had her trailered to another barn that had a spare stall, to keep her out of the ice. If that happens again, I want my horse in a stall. They can get ice in their manes and chill them up quickly, or get ice in their feet. Since we rarely snows or ices around here, we don't keep snow pads or anything on our horses.

4.) She owns one: medium weight waterproof turnout. In central Georgia, stable blankets are useless. I may buy a rainsheet one of these days though.


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## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

I like that idea! Needs some more details though... Texas makes blanketing really difficult because its 65 during the day and 30 at night.. so blankets literally are put on and taken off EVERY day... very time consuming. 

I'm about make a rule.. only 1 winter turn-out and one rain sheet and charge for anything else. In the summer, fly sheets and fly masks are permitted. How does that sound?


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## Arksly (Mar 13, 2010)

That sounds good.

1. My barn does charge for blanketing.
2. I'm not 100% sure. I think it's around $25 a month.
3. Only horses borded inside have access to blanketing.
4. Jesse has one waterproof winter blanket and a neck attachment because he is clipped (trace clip + underside of neck). Miss Kitty doesn't have a blanket on because she isn't in sweat-inducing work yet so there is no need.


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

Blanketing is included in my board.

Blanketing is up to the discretion of the BO (who is also my trainer). We have similar type weather as you, only more extreme. So we can go from 60 during the day to below zero at night. So blankets go on and off, on and off, sheet, lightweight, heavyweight and on and on. Horses are outside an average of 12 hours daily unless weather causes the footing in the pasture to be unsafe or the wind is so bad the horses are demanding back in. 

Generally, my horse is blanketed at night in her stall as some of the stalls in the barns have attached runs, so the wind whips through and makes the barn cold. During the day she is usually outside and not blanketed. Now if it's bitter cold but pasture footing is good, she goes outside in her blanky during the day and then if the barn runs are closed off at night due to wind, she'll have her blanky removed.

I have 5 blankets for my QH. A thin fleece stable blanket, a quilted stable blanket, a midweight turnout (most often used), a crappy midweight turnout and a heavyweight canvas turnout.

The crappy midweight and the heavyweight are *extras*, so if something happens, the BO has backups. Normally she wears the midweight turnout but if she's been wearing it outside and it's damp or needs to air out, it gets switched for the stable blanket at night.
​ 
My poor lil Morgan whom I just purchased has no blankies. He has one heck of a winter coat so he is doing ok while we wait for his new blankies to arrive. My poor BO checked on/re-hayed him hourly the past few nights when it was neg. 15 and he was did fine. Because he has no blanket (and none of the other horses are his size), the stall runs are shut off right now to keep him warmer.

All blankets are at the request of the BO. If what I own already isn't sufficient, she tells me what I need to go purchase.
​


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

I think that rule sounds fair. I think a nice medium weight waterproof turn out would work well. If it will work for us frozen northerners, it should certainly keep texas horses warm! *laugh* 

Not to mention, for your basic canvas, waterproof turn out...you can get those pretty reasonably priced for those boarding on a budget.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

I'm on DIY livery so I am responsible for rugging my horses.

Reeco who didnt bother to grow a winter coat has had a tripple layered fleece on at night and a HW full neck turn out on during the day.

When It got down to -20c here i was double rugging him, he had his fleec and his turnout on at the same time!

call me soft if you want to but this pony didnt even bother to grow a winter coat. There is nothing there! his summer coat and winter coat are exactly the same!


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## zurmdahl (Feb 25, 2009)

At my barn we don't even have the option to pay for blanketing, we have to do it ourselves. Lucky our horses grow really thick winter coats and only really need to be blanketed in the rain/snow. It's really a pain as I don't want them to have their blankets on in their stalls because I worry they will get hot and sweaty but if we don't put them on the night before they won't get put on in the morning and then they'll be cold. I really wish we had the option to pay for blanketing.


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## raywonk (Jan 9, 2011)

most barns that are training facilatys do not charge extra that i have been in. and as to how many my horses have had a biger wordrobe than i do.


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## Fowl Play (Sep 22, 2009)

At our barn most horses wear a rain sheet either light or medium. Blanketing is not done for warmth, but to keep them dry and from getting dirty. It is up to horse owners to provide blanket and if they want it off or on at certain times it is up to them. BO/workers (including myself) check for loose straps at feedings and cleanings. Most of the horses are in run-in shelters with small paddocks so they all have access to the elements. The weather can be 50 and raining (this weekend) or 30 and snowing (last weekend). Horses all have fluffy winter coats right now. If someone notices a tear, the policy is that the blanket comes off. 

It's sort of a family there and everyone looks out for each other. A couple of the younger boarders have been given blankets for their horse because they couldn't afford to buy one, and if someone has a hard time coming out for whatever reason, it's not uncommon for another boarder to take their horse out once a week and give them a good brushing, or fix the blanket. It's what makes this barn so nice.


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## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

Where I board it is entirely the horse owner's responsibility. But they check for loose straps etc. when feeding. It is a hassle, especially in spring and fall when temperatures fluctuate so much. I have had to get out of bed and go to the barn some nights to put blankets on when a freezing rain came in after a 70 degree day. and I have horses why....?


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

at my barn they do nothing with the blankets. they dont know how to put them on even. if you want your horse to have a blanket you do it yourself. they will bring in blankets that have come off in the pasture if they find them though.


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

blanketing is included for all horses. full board and pasture.


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## Puddintat (Jul 24, 2010)

At my barn it is the owner's responsibility to blanket/unblanket. That being said, it is nearly impossible for me to get out there everyday. I put Dancer's blanket on the first time but my BO will take it off and put it back on as she deems necessary. I'm totally fine with this. Also, from what I've been reading (I'm a new horse owner) Dancer will not freeze his butt off if he does not get blanketed, its just a luxury he has. Usually for our area the lowest we get down to is the maybe the teens. However, this has been a cold winter for us so far and a couple of times we've had horrific winter weather for this area.


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## Lonannuniel (Jun 13, 2008)

my stables offers blanketing services for 1 blanket only - any extra blankets are 1 $ each day it is in use. 
so, in the summer, if you want the workers to put a rain sheet one in rainy weather, and a fly sheet on when it's nice, one of those blankets will cost you each time it is in use. Also, extras cost a dollar a day, if you want your horse to have a shoulder guard under the blanket, its an extra dollar.


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## fuadteagan (Jun 10, 2010)

we have it included our barn is amazing
we have no rules 
my barn is amazing i love it every day they get the horses blankets on at night cause it is chilly in the barn in the morning they turn them out , they bring in any horses that need to be for lunch then they bring some in for like other reasons and stuff then they bring them in at night , all included plus the customize alot of stuff they have lots of stuff they do for the feed like electroylights at least like 20 different types


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