# Winter Coat Prevention



## Lakotababii (Nov 28, 2010)

Is there a reason you don't want him to have a winter coat?


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## Ace80908 (Apr 21, 2011)

The light might be too far up on the wall, or maybe his stall is big enough it isn't enough? I also blanket mine even though it's still warm - you want him to be toasty and bright lights - enough you can read in the stall easily. My lights are on 6 am to 8 am, then they go out... they are in and lights go on 6 pm to 10 pm, but as it gets dark earlier they will go in and under lights earlier...

good luck!


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I'm pretty sure the light would have to be a full spectrum bulb to simulate natural daylight. I don't think you can fool a horse's coat with a regular light bulb. Only other thing you can do is blanket early to keep it from getting any longer.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

By the way, blanketing will not help slow/stop the hair growth. It's a common misconception.  The only thing blanketing does is smooth down the hair so it looks shorter.

Obviously, if you're keeping your horse under lights, you do need to blanket once it gets cold enough but until then, blanketing and the heat from the blanket isn't going to stop hair from growing in.

I've never kept a horse under lights, but I'd assume, like MyBoyPuck said, that it'd need to be a full spectrum light.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Wallaby said:


> By the way, blanketing will not help slow/stop the hair growth. It's a common misconception.  The only thing blanketing does is smooth down the hair so it looks shorter.


It doesn't stop the growth, but it does help shorten the overall length of the hairs. It'll be more thick/fuzzy than wooly bear.


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## Ace80908 (Apr 21, 2011)

I don't use full spectrum lights, my mare's coat is summer glossy and short. She has finer skin and so a nicer coat that my paint gelding who has a lot of white - he already has a much thicker coat than her and they are both under lights. His isn't nearly what it was last year without lights though... so I'll take it. It is harder with some horses who have thicker coats anyway...


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## horselover5491 (Sep 16, 2011)

hmm... i guess some horses just grow more hair than others, light or no light.


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## DelseyRein (Feb 28, 2015)

I'm having the same question. I'm starting showing in drill team, dressage, and jumping on my mare. She isn't young, 19 years. I feed both a senior feed and alfalfa pellets. We about 45 minutes out of Denver,Co. The altitude at our house is 9,000ft. Last year, I did both blanketing and lights, however I still had a wooly mammoth. She was in and out 24 hours though. This year, I put a foot on my run in shed, so I will be putting up at 5, that might help. So, I suggest that you put up like you doing. Also, you can feed alfalfa because it helps to generate heat inside the horse. It makes them warmer in the winter.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I agree, you can't just have the light on the way "hmm I'm going to the barn late and will turn the lights on" It needs to look like it's daylight.

Have you done this before and just skipped last year? Or are you knew.

I haven't done it personally but the point is to trick the horse's body into thinking it's actually daytime, not that it's nighttime but the light is on in t heir stall lol.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Some horses will respond to regular lights, others, such as your horse, need the full spectrum ones. Read this years ago in a horse magazine, reason why many show barns use full spectrum and they still blanket.


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