# Do you use winter hoods on your horses?



## Piaffe (Jan 11, 2010)

I am trying to decide whether or not I might put a winter hood on one of my mares. Do you use a hood? Why? Just at night or during the day as well? Thanks


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_My Grandparents and I only use hoods when we are trailering too and from the races._

_The barn I ride at doesnt use hoods, except for maybe a slinky type hood the day before a show. Some of the blankets have the high necks on them, but no actual hoods._


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## Piaffe (Jan 11, 2010)

Hmmm...the one i am considering is a heavier waterproof hood just because it has been rainy/snowy.....dont want her freezing.....or to overheat her either :/
Thx


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## SallyRC123 (Aug 22, 2008)

I have never used a hood but have heard plenty of horror stories with horses getting caught, or the hood becoming pulled over the horses eyes, going through paddock fences and all sorts :S People generally use hoods (lycra hoods) to 'train' the horses mane to sit on one side, as well as keeping the face etc clean HOWEVER, if you are just looking to keep your horse warm then a combo rug would do the job 

I've never seen a water proof hood though?


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## Piaffe (Jan 11, 2010)

hmmmm.... I think i will skip out on it. It is a heavy hood! Possibly came off a combo blanket or something? Not sure...bought it used awhile back. Guess ill get rid of it 

Thanks for the info!


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

ohhh geez.I didn't think of that. I have two hoods(light weight)...maybe I won't use them after all.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

I only ever use a lycra hood in a stable the night before a show.

Reeco has no winter coat at all. He is currently wearing a full nueck fleece rug and a full neck heavyweight turnout over the top of it. It is -20 celcius here at night at the moment and the stupid pony still has his summer coat so is rugged heavily from just behind his ears backwards.


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

The only time I use any type of hood is a sleezy before shows, but otherwise I think hoods are a little silly, and the only place I ever saw use them was a fancy AQHA show barn where their main concern was the coat fading, or if they wanted to sweat a horse's neck. If I were you I would just stick to a nice blanket.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

I can only use connected hoods with my horse (he pulls the connectible ones off). He is shaved except for his legs, belly and head so i need to keep the rest of him covered in lieu of fur. I have a Weatherbeeta Arion that I love and have had no issues with horses injuring themselves with. I'm also looking into the Rambo Plus for a new blanket.
Of course, if you're putting a head condom 
(







) on them and turning them out with it they're going to do something stupid. Just a neck hood and they're not going to be able to do anything with it except wreck it.


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## barrelracer892 (Apr 3, 2010)

My winter blankets have a neck on them. It's not lycra material though. I only blanket my boys when it gets in the single digits or low, low double digits. Like 11 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, which is extremely cold for my area. The neck snaps together with plastic buckles so it can break easily if it gets caught on something, but I have nothing in my pasture for it to get caught on.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

My husband plans to use a hood on his mare this winter. She's a palomino and seems to take great delight in grinding crud into her white mane just before we compete.


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## xXEventerXx (Nov 27, 2010)

id only put a hood on if your trailering and its really cold


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

just a question but why do people use hoods while traveling?..is it just to keep them clean?


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## jess93 (Oct 14, 2010)

I use a lycra one to stop the neck rugs rubbing mane out
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Rodeo Pro (Nov 21, 2009)

I use nylon hoods...


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## SaddlebredGrl (Oct 8, 2009)

I just bought a sleazy for my horse and it's just the head shoulder one, and i was really concerned he would get the thing all messed up when i turned him out, but he rolled and rolled and rubbed and it didn't budge. I have never used a hood and was thinking of buying one for the dead of winter because an idiot at the barn shut my horses window when he was freaking out, and now i can't touch his window. He is body clipped except his legs, but i think the sleazy might be enough to keep him warm. He has a neck thing on his blanket.


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## SallyRC123 (Aug 22, 2008)

Gidget, people generally use hoods while travelling for protection and also to keep braids/plaits neat and tidy or the general cleanliness of the horse  I've only seen accidents with cotton hoods that aren't as forgiving as the lycra ones - which are great because they stretch and are flexible and more comfortable for the horse. But they aren't waterproof..


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

Gidget said:


> just a question but why do people use hoods while traveling?..is it just to keep them clean?


_We use the hood while travelling as for one it is cold, and two, we bath our horses after we race....even in dead winter. Although the horses are dry when put back on the trailer, it is better to throw the hood on them to help keep them warm._

_There are no braids to mess up, or done to keep the main on one side or the other....but used for pure warmth._


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## Kay26 (Sep 28, 2010)

My boy's winter rugs have hoods, actually nearly everyone round here's winter rugs have hoods. We have 2.5ft of snow atm and its down to -12 at night though but he is also clipped. To the person who said about horror stories about hoods hoods should stop a couple of cm before the ears, issues like that would only happen if the horse had a poor fitting rug on.

This is my boy playing in the snow with his hooded rug on yesterday


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## barrelracer892 (Apr 3, 2010)

Kay, that's the exact blanket I have for my horses. Love it!


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## Piaffe (Jan 11, 2010)

Oh thats a neck one! I meant a heavy full face and shoulders one ....i have neck rugs that i use.....


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## Kay26 (Sep 28, 2010)

Ah well thats what people round here would refer to as the hooded rug haha. Don't really know about the lycra ones.


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## Piaffe (Jan 11, 2010)

Kay26 said:


> Ah well thats what people round here would refer to as the hooded rug haha. Don't really know about the lycra ones.



The one i have isnt lycra...it is like regular med/heavy weight blanket status and covers up the face and neck...hmmm.....
I think i will just stick to the neck rugs though...lol


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

so neck rugs would be fine? I have one and it isn't filled.It attaches to the blanket...soo...Oh and it's an amigo one..I don't have the amigo blanket soo I would have to sew straps underneath to attach it on the blanket I have.


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

As the winter arrives here in the UK, we expect a lot of rain. The horses which live out - even for only part of the day - are mostly rugged up especially if they have been clipped out. If they get too cold, then they lose condition.

My horse at the moment wears two coats - the top one is waterproof and is fitted with a hood. Some owners use detachable hoods - for use only when the weather is very bad. 

The rug keeps the horse warm and importantly clean. I always fit a rug in the winter months. Looking in the tack room, she has 8 rugs of different weights for use throughout the year.


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## SallyRC123 (Aug 22, 2008)

We refer to those rugs - the rug + the neck rug as combo rugs. Not hooded rugs. A hooded rug looks like this:Google Image Result for https://www.caribuhorsewear.com.au/images/D/Blue-Fly-mesh-Hood-rug.jpg Generally, but I guess it depends on where your from


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## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

I'm a little confused about what everyone is referring to as a hood now...

My horse is fully clipped and turned out, full time in a lycra hood. We have a fleece lined one as well for when it gets really cold.


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## Piaffe (Jan 11, 2010)

Supermane said:


> I'm a little confused about what everyone is referring to as a hood now...
> 
> My horse is fully clipped and turned out, full time in a lycra hood. We have a fleece lined one as well for when it gets really cold.




Lol...me too!

To me a winter hood is the face/hood w/no blanket. It usually reaches to their shoulders. Mine is waterproof.

Neck rugs= only on the neck

Sleazy hood= lycra

Lol...this is just me apparently tho


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