# Holding On to Winter Coat?



## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

It's actually more about the hours of daylight. Horses shed when the days start getting longer. Which is why they sometimes shed before the weather warms up. So the idea that she may have more of a winter coat because she grew it later makes no sense. 

I wouldn't worry about it. Lots of brushing, and when the weather allows, bathing, should help her shed out fine. 

I live in Eastern Canada and each year, my horses look like woolly mammoths, but every spring, it all comes off again. I only blanket in the most severe weather. And we ride all winter, thick coat or not!


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

Its is hours of daylight that largky dictates the growing and shedding of coats. Breed, age, and medical condition can effect it. Having lived inside, you are effectively putting them under lights weather you mean to or not. 

My WB came in at night and even though I'm in Canada, he had a summer coat all year round. This last winter he stayed outside and he's got a winter coat now. Its a bad one, but that is because he's not the type to grown a thick coat anyway.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Only old or sick horses keep their winter coats through the summer and that is due to health issues.

Holding it because she grew it late makes absolutely no sense I'm wondering what his logic was... it's not like there's a rule "all horses must have a winter coat for no more than 6 months and no less than 4" or something crazy like that.

As you can see she's already starting to shed. It likely won't be a dramatic shed as her coat is short but she will shed out. And IF she doesn't? World isn't going to end, but I see absolutely no reason she would not. I do have a horse with Cushings and he just gets clipped after he is done shedding as he stops halfway lol it's really not a big deal.

As said it's relevant primarily to light so that is why she still grew a coat with a blanket, blanketing will effect the hair slightly but won't cause a coat to grow completely.

It's like birds migrating or animals that have a set breeding season getting ready. "putting under lights" not only effects the hair growth but you can get a mare bred much earlier in the season.

Sounds like everything is going smoothly to me!


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

She will shed out in time. Some horses shed more than others. 
Redz is 24- he only started shedding a few weeks ago, other horses started about a month or so ago!  He doesn't get super super super furry like some do. Like my friend's horse is 4 & isn't shedding like crazy, he didn't have a super furry winter coat to begin with. Whereas some others had CRAZY furry coats and are now shedding immensely!

Some take longer than others. I wouldn't worry about it, it sounds like she's already shedding so I think she is fine!


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## Spec (Jun 13, 2015)

Great! What a relief! Thank you all!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

One thing I have noticed living in a colder, northern climate, if spring is dreary, more overcast, rainy days, they don't shed as much. They will still start shedding when the days become longer but if the sun is diffused, not as much is shed, once the sun comes out, they shed lots but if the weather gets yucky again, less shedding.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

waresbear said:


> One thing I have noticed living in a colder, northern climate, if spring is dreary, more overcast, rainy days, they don't shed as much. They will still start shedding when the days become longer but if the sun is diffused, not as much is shed, once the sun comes out, they shed lots but if the weather gets yucky again, less shedding.


Yes, I have to say I've noticed the same thing. If we have a cold spell, the shedding seems to slow down. And there's no way a horse living in a hot climate would grow as much of a coat as a horse living in a cold one. So it's probably a combination of light hours and temperatures. Nonetheless, your horse will shed out eventually. Mine are still quite fuzzy! A lot of grooming and washing helps, but it will take however long it takes. We're having a crummy, cold spring so I guess it's not surprising.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

She should start shedding out the more hours of day light. It does not matter that she grew it late. Most of my horses have shed out , I have 2 that will be dropping more hair again. I have found that flax seed meal will help them shed . I prefer to let them shed naturally. If it gets 100 and they are not slick, I will body clip , but it is such a pain and I am not good at it. lol.


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## Jan1975 (Sep 7, 2015)

Last summer, there was a horse at the barn I board at who grew in a winter coat late because she was blanketed, moved barns (not to our barn) in late winter and grew a winter coat. It took her a lot longer to lose it than the rest of the horses. So, I think there is a correlation between getting the coat late and shedding out late, at least for some horses.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Another thing that can alter loosing winter hair is when they foaled. A horse born early will have a woolly coat which takes longer to shed than a later foal whose baby coat will be a lot finer.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

i feel your pain. our Apache pony sheds twice. she has a THICK woolly coat she sheds then she has another more "normal" winter coat she hangs onto for bit before FINALLY shedding to her summer coat. we are in Arizona so its not a good thing. she may get shaved as its hitting the 90s and having a thick coat wont help her.


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