# How many of you blanket your horses in the Summer?



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I use a fly sheet. It keeps him from fading and he stays cool and is protected from the flies...


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## BLAZERIVERSONG (Oct 5, 2009)

I rug all year round. I am one of the unlucky owners who has a horse that suffers from the itch. So if its no rug its no hair. All the rug manufactures these days have a good mix of materials for rugs. They have rugs for hot Summers 40 degrees down to the cool winters. It only becomes cruel &/or abuse if you use the wrong rug for the wrong time of year. 

My horse could not live a happy life (scratches himself to death) if it wasn't for my massive collection of different types of rugs. Not only does my summer rug combo collection keep my horse cool and insect free but also stops bleaching from the sun.


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## AztecBaby (Mar 19, 2009)

I blanket all year round, Aussie summers are very hot so I just use light cotton sheets. I'll post a pic of Misty in hers below, she dosn't sweat in it.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

It's called good food. Which basically equals grass. I laugh every single time someone approaches me and asks me what supplements I feed. I'd be rich if I were charging for my answers. I have never blanketed.




























I have never had anything but sleek and radiate coats as long as my horses were eating grass. The only time I've noticed dullness is when they're forced to a hay/grain diet in summer.


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## Pro (Apr 23, 2009)

Thanks for all the responses. 

The blankets I'm talking about are heavy and when you walk up to the horses there wet and there breathing quite heavy and there veins are out. 

During the late Spring/Summer/ early fall, my horses are on grass only. The only other thing the get is their salt and mineral blocks and Pro gets Seabuck. It doesn't work for my horses.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Firstly - No-one who shows seriously will TRY to get their horse to sweat. Sweat actually dulls the coat and quickens the fading of colour.

Secondly - On very hot days, a white, light, cotton rug can actually provide relief from the sun for darker coloured horses.

Personally, I don't rug throughout summer except for a few days leading up to each show. I am like Miko - My horses are all shiny just on grass. I only rug to keep them clean before the show and to help the hair lie flat - Also my brown horse fades a little in the sun. if I am not showing, they don't get rugged.

My favourite thing about not rugging? Watchign the pleasure they get out of rolling :]


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## CloudsMystique (Mar 3, 2009)

Pro said:


> The reason I want to know is, my friend blankets her horse during the summer and her coat turns into a beautiful liver chestnut. I really don't like the idea of having blankets on my horses in the HOT summer months. I know someone who leaves them on every day all summer (without taking them off), so they sweat and look pretty in the winter for shows. To me this seems like it's abuse(?)....So my question is how many of you blanket your horses in the summer to get your horses coats nice (without the sun ruining them), and to get your horses to sweat? Also is there anything to give my horses to make there coats look like they would be if they were blanketed all summer?


Are you sure it's a blanket and not just a fly sheet? Because that makes no sense at all... The salt in their sweat will make them fade almost as much as the sun!

When you're trying to keep a horse from fading, the MOST important things you can do are a) protect them from the sun, b) make sure they're getting enough minerals, and c) hose off their sweat!

I ALWAYS hose the sweat off of my black mare after I ride her, and she still has little patches behind her ears that are lighter than the rest of her body (because she pins her ears when I spray her face and keeps me from being able to get ALL the sweat off).

Use a fly sheet with UV protection to keep your horses from fading. That's what I do with my mare. I agree with you - keeping horses blanketed in the hot summer months is bordering on abuse.

What color are your horses? Cheval makes a few different supplements for different colors (I think they have black, brown, yellow, and white) and they work well, but are also very expensive. Most horses will get nice coats just by being on an all-around supplement. Just make sure it has copper in it.


I just bought this fly sheet and matching neck cover for my mare after it was recommended to me: Schneider Saddlery


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## Pro (Apr 23, 2009)

I'm 100% sure its a blanket. I believe this is the one my friend with the chestnut has, she bought it from SStack anyway. Schneider Saddlery

Yes the girls who blankets her horses in the summer specifically said it was to get them to sweat. 

My horses colors: My appy, palominos, bays, and a chestnut.


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## paintsrule (Aug 20, 2009)

Oh geez, theres no reason to blanket your horse in the summer, unless its a skin condition, its HOT in summer, last time I checked heat=no additional warming techniques, makes no sense. If you feed your horse well they will shine regardless. If you groom them enough they will be clean and shiny. If you ride them they will be muscled. If you fly spray them, no flys. To me I would never blanket my horse in the summer, makes no sense and to me seems cruel. I know I wouldnt want to stand outside in 100 degree weather wrapped in a comforter just so I could sweat or look pretty, would you?


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## CecilliaB (Jan 21, 2010)

I have no choice but to flysheet Aidan specific times around here. The bugs are SO bad, he breaks out all over. But otherwise I wouldn't he's in a nice shady paddock. Blanketing in summer just seems mean.


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## Void (Jun 26, 2009)

A light sheet from June - beginning of August. After August it gets too hot, light sheet comes back end of September-October.


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## Gidji (Dec 19, 2008)

Ricky is blanketed 90% of the time. The bugs and ticks are just so bad and when he gets sun bleached he looks horrible. In the dead heat of summer (40 degrees celcius) he has a Zilco air-flow rug on. Its made out of mesh material, so he stays cool but it keeps the bugs off. On cooler days, he has a light cotton and when it gets to winter, he has a cotton, a doona, and then a rain sheet.


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## Tasia (Aug 17, 2009)

I agree about the grass thing. My horse has never looked better then when he was on grass. The only cover I use on my horse in a fly mask and thats it.


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## JadedEyes (Jun 26, 2009)

:shock:I think something must be wrong with my horse. He's shiny year round. It's......... weird!


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## roro (Aug 14, 2009)

I never blanket in the summer, I don't care about my horse's coat because I know that he is more comfortable without a blanket on. The only situations I blanket for is below 44f. I will also use a fly sheet if the flies are very bad, but that is rare in my area. Nobody should blanket their horse to make it sweat, that would be keeping them in a constant overheated state and wear on their health. My horse is plenty shiny and smooth-haired WITHOUT over-blanketing, not that coat quality is an excuse to purposefully make a horse overheat.


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## ScharmLily (Nov 23, 2009)

I would NEVER put a heavy blanket on in the summer! Geesh, I think that counts as abuse. To me, good food, grooming often, and exercise will give your horse a good coat and will be healthier than anything done simply for looks.

My horses do wear fly sheets if the bugs are bad, but whenever I can take them off I do. I feel that they are so much happier without blankets, except for when it is so buggy that they just stand there stomping, swishing, and biting. They are just miserable like that, and if you buy a fly sheet it shouldn't make them hot because it is just a mesh material. It will also protect from bleaching, and they are in light colors so a dark horse may actually be cooler wearing it.


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## cowgirlfitzy (Jan 27, 2009)

Yea I agree with almost everyone said. Geez if the horse is sweating thats not right at all. Poor things. 

I blanket mine according to the temperature. Like 70F + they wear a fly sheet or are naked, 60-70 they wear a regular sheet. 60 -45ish one medium weight blanket ect. My horses are never sweaty tho. They are accustomed to what they are wearing.


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## Scoutrider (Jun 4, 2009)

I don't blanket mine at all if I can help it. I do own 1 heavyweight quilted stable blanket per horse for winter emergencies (health or temperature), and one lightweight cotton stable sheet per horse to keep the majority of the crap off of them the night before a show. Scout's thin skinned barn buddy might eventually get a thin fly sheet to keep him from getting eaten too badly on buggy days. I'm definitely with Miko; if they're eating right and groomed properly there's no need to blanket for coat health, excepting of course _very_ sensitive-skinned horses. Like JadedEyes' horse, even their winter coats are shiny, just fluffier than their summer coats. If the horse is sweating and breathing hard under there, it's too heavy of a blanket. I know people who blanket all year round for various reasons with success, but for me its a hassle for all involved, and my horses are pretty, happy, and healthy "naked." :lol:

@ CloudsMystique: I'll forward your tip about always hosing the sweat off to my grandmother... she has a black QH, and every summer is a battle to keep him black. He gets bathed/shampooed fairly frequently, but not hosed off every time he breaks a sweat.


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

A light fly sheet does not increase your horses temperature at all, it can actually cool them.


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## Pro (Apr 23, 2009)

Thanks everyone for responding. It's really helpful. 

I think I'm going to get a nice light fly sheet for my horses, and try some minerals. Does anyone have a particular type they like?


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

Sorry I can't help, the minerals I get are Canadian made.


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## Pro (Apr 23, 2009)

What type are they?...I live in Canada, so that wouldn't be a problem.


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

Oh right on! I use Hoffman's Horse Minerals and feed Noralta grains (just a tiny scoop every day (it's got all the vits and minerals in there and oils to help with a shiny coat) and then I give them the Hoffmans free choice.


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## Rodeo Pro (Nov 21, 2009)

All I use is a really light weight nylon sheet and a sleezy neck cover in the summer on my horses.


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## CheyAut (Nov 26, 2008)

My horses would die if I blanketed them, we are always above 100, and often above 110, in the summer here!


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## charliBum (Jan 7, 2009)

chars rugged in the summer, the flys bite him otherwise  and he goes yellow haha


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## Padrona (Apr 13, 2009)

I use white or light tan colored fly sheets and hoods because they actually stay cooler in that than if their dark black/bay coats are absorbing all the sun. They don't sweat, or pant or otherwise seem uncomfortable. I also use a spray on sunscreen and I feed really well balanced diets that contain black oil seeds, rice bran and flax. My crowd all have very beautiful coats all summer long.


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## Hali (Jun 17, 2009)

I sheet my mare in the summertime. She is gray and gets very dirty. I also am a little paranoid about melanoma as well, so the sheet is also a sun protector.


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## Pro (Apr 23, 2009)

Padrona said:


> I use white or light tan colored fly sheets and hoods because they actually stay cooler in that than if their dark black/bay coats are absorbing all the sun. They don't sweat, or pant or otherwise seem uncomfortable. I also use a spray on sunscreen and I feed really well balanced diets that contain black oil seeds, rice bran and flax. My crowd all have very beautiful coats all summer long.


Is the spray on sunscreen made for horses? Pro and Sam tend to get sun burns on his muzzle area during the summer.


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## Scoutrider (Jun 4, 2009)

^ I buy a combination sunscreen/fly repellent gel (made for horses). The brand is American Horseman and it works really well, but the only place I ever find it is a local salvage freight type place. Maybe you could do a search for that.

Anyway, you could try using baby sunblock. I think Absorbine makes an equine SPF 30, too. Remember, sunblock is probably better than sunscreen, since sunscreen needs to be reapplied periodically, and will generally allow more UV's through than a 'block.


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## Padrona (Apr 13, 2009)

I use Quic Screen. If you google it, you'll find it for sale everywhere! It works great and only has to be sprayed on once a week. Well, I'd probably do it more often if I didn't use the Rambo fly sheet. 

You groom the horse and make sure the coat is clean and reasonably free of dirt and dust, then spray it on until the coat is evenly damp. I use my fingers to work it well into the coat and when the horse is dry (10 minutes) you put your fly sheet back on and turn them out. 

It's a tad time consuming but its only once a week, and given how great it works, I say it's worth it


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## Pro (Apr 23, 2009)

So, will the sunscreen effect the horse when I put all my tack on? I know you shouldn't put the fly spray or most shines where the tack goes....Just want to make sure it won't be bad for them


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## CloudsMystique (Mar 3, 2009)

Pro said:


> Thanks everyone for responding. It's really helpful.
> 
> I think I'm going to get a nice light fly sheet for my horses, and try some minerals. Does anyone have a particular type they like?


I love Platinum Performance. My horses have never been healthier...

Platinum Performance Equine Wellness

They ship to Canada.





Pro said:


> So, will the sunscreen effect the horse when I put all my tack on? I know you shouldn't put the fly spray or most shines where the tack goes....Just want to make sure it won't be bad for them


It shouldn't, but it probably depends on the brand. If you read the bottle and it says anywhere that it helps shine the coat, detangle hair, or repel dirt, then it probably shouldn't be sprayed on the saddle area. But if it doesn't say any of those things, it should be fine.


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## Pro (Apr 23, 2009)

Ok, Thanks


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