| Author |
Message |
    
Rebecca Kate Smith
Neonate
Username: Iheartskeetles
Post Number: 5
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 09, 2006 - 03:59 pm: | 
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well, my broodmare also happens to be my show mare. i only have one horse so she has to double as both. well, in order to get her nice and slick for show season (starts in april), i put a blanket on her and a light with a timer january 1st. she is begining to shed out now and i was goign to switch her medium-weight blanket for a sleazy and heavyweight blanket. the only problem is, i don't know how this will affect the baby. my trainer has had this same situation before and assured me that it will mean both mare and baby will have summer coats, no need to worry. now i have an even bigger problem, the guy who is foaling my mare out for me does not believe in having blankets on foaling mares. he wants me to take the blanket off! i can understand taking it off when she begins to go into labor as the baby could get tangled in it, but what about after and right before? is it better to not have a blanket on? if i take her blanket off and take down her light, she'll have a winter coat in june!! anyone ever gone through this? |
Alex Abel
Nursing Foal
Username: Paintedhorses
Post Number: 13
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 09, 2006 - 05:03 pm: |
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I dont think I've ever seen a horse with a winter coat in June. But then again, I live in Texas.
Personaly, I wouldnt want a blanket on my mare when she is due to foal. The baby could get tangled in the straps and it also might hinder him/her to find the milk bar.
My suggestion would be to take the blanket off and if you dont like her coat in June, just have her body clipped.  |
Kim k
Breeding Stock
Username: Kimk
Post Number: 284
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, February 09, 2006 - 06:56 pm: |
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You never know when a mare will foal exactly. I would not want to chance the possibilities of having the mare go into labor with a blanket on. To much at stake. I too have never seen a mare with a winter coat on in june, but we live in northern indiana where the summers can be hot. You can shave her too as Alex mentioned or blanket her after the baby is born. Turn lights on (enough lumins -- for long enough time frames) and that too will help shed her coat.
I personally would leave the blanket off |
Heather Kutyba
Weanling
Username: Heatherck11
Post Number: 41
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 09, 2006 - 11:55 pm: |
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Your mare needs to be equipped to handle weather post foaling without blankets. I debated over this myself (have a mare that doesn't grow hair..gets cold if the wind blows).
My mare had her foal a few weeks ago (early btw). She was cold after foaling and shook like a leaf. I put up heat lamps, and she got through it.
Since foaling prediction is like reading tea leaves, knowing when to keep that blanket on, or take it off is anyones guess...in the event you chose to blanket through term.
It truly is in her and the foal's best interest to ditch the blanket. Your mare needs to be able to handle weather changes w/out it. The foal needs to be able to nurse w/out the threat of getting caught in straps.
Something to keep in mind....while she is your primary show mare, her most important task is going to be to raise this baby. Even if she foals tomorrow (since we don't know when she's due), she won't be shown for a minimum of 4-6 months; unless you will be toting a foal around with you. |
Terri Berwanger
Weanling
Username: Terrib
Post Number: 49
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 12:44 am: |
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I blanket my mares, but I live in Ireland and they don't come in til after Christmas. A horse can deal with cold much better then constant wet day in and day out. I have light turn out sheets on them beginning in the rainy season when they are out the whole time. When they start coming in, the blanket is off at night while in the stable. We bed very deep on straw and I have never had a problem with a cold mare. Also never had to worry about a mare foaling with a blanket on either. When my foals are born weather dictates when and how long they go out, so this is also not an issue for my mares. But as I said I am using a light turnout too just to keep them dry more than warm. I wouldn't be messing around with heavy blankets and such. My pregnant mares seem to shed out their coats quicker then a normal horse anyway.
teb |
Jenn Van Horsen
Neonate
Username: Jennuwynn
Post Number: 9
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, February 11, 2006 - 12:25 pm: |
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I would not blanket a preggie mare, because of the potential dangers at foaling but also she needs to regulate her temperature, and a blanket is throwing that off!
If it is so important that she needs a light coat for showing, then I'd suggest clipping her later, but I'd be thinking of baby first in this case.
Jenn  |
Jenn Van Horsen
Nursing Foal
Username: Jennuwynn
Post Number: 12
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, February 11, 2006 - 12:38 pm: |
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I would not blanket a preggie mare, because of the potential dangers at foaling but also she needs to regulate her temperature, and a blanket is throwing that off!
If it is so important that she needs a light coat for showing, then I'd suggest clipping her later, but I'd be thinking of baby first in this case.
Jenn |
Emma
Breeding Stock
Username: Emma
Post Number: 146
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 07:02 am: |
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I rug/blanket all my mares through winter, I then slowly wean them off them about 10 weeks comming up to there due time. I start by taking them off when it is not wet and just through the day to then leaving them off while light showers and rugging at night to leaving them off all day and then just at night and when i think they have adjusted just leaving the rugs off altogether. has always worked fine for me. They then don't get re rugged till foals are weaned. |
Bill and Debbie Meehan
Neonate
Username: Rising_star_sport_horses
Post Number: 4
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 07:00 pm: |
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I have my mare blanketed. Her foal isn't due until May. I live in Southern Ontario and at present we have a foot of snow and an ice storm coming tonight. Our paddocks are completely open to the elements(most days we can have anywhere from 20-0km/hr winds). As this is a new property to us, we don't have shelters in the pasture just yet.
I am counting on the weather easing up by the time she is ready to foal (normally that is true). She is a very sensitive TB and shivers when being groomed. I have to put on a wool cooler to keep her from shivering.
If the weather isn't cooperating I will have to start to wean her off the blanket and get her used to being without. |
Rebecca Kate Smith
Neonate
Username: Iheartskeetles
Post Number: 7
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 11:15 am: |
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Well, I have devised a plan for my problem, I'll let you know how it works out but here it is:
As of now, she still had the light on and the blanket and hoods. The leg straps are not on the blanket in case she foals with no one to take the blanket off. After she foals, a cooling blanket will be half on/half off so the foal can eat but she doesn't get cold. After that, she will wear her lycra hood and I will be putting up a heat lamp. I've found a 250 watt heating lamp used for chicks and it will be on a timer along with her halogen light. If it gets freezing cold (as it tends to spontaneously happen in Nebraska) she will wear a sheet during the day which will be taken off at night. So far, everything is great and mare is doing well. No foal yet, but we'll see what happens. |
Heather Kutyba
Yearling
Username: Heatherck11
Post Number: 65
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 09:21 pm: |
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Rebecca,
Just in case, I bought my mare a pseudo "maternity blanket"....got it from Schneiders saddlery online.
It's made out of cooler-like (but heavier) material. Instead of leg straps, it has one big belly band. This way, she could wear it/sleep in it/turn out, etc, but there was no threat to the baby. There's nothing to get in his way of nursing.
I haven't had to use it so far, but got it just in case...well, I figured she was going to freeze to death, but haven't had a problem.
This was the best solution, in addition to heat lamps, that I could find.
Think it cost me $40?? wish you were closer because I'd give it to you. |
Rebecca Kate Smith
Neonate
Username: Iheartskeetles
Post Number: 9
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 09:07 am: |
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hmm, i never thought of bellband blankets. thanks for the idea. i'll start looking around. |
Kim Winter
Breeding Stock
Username: Clafairy
Post Number: 145
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 06:23 am: |
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Bill and Debbie - My thoughts exactly. My mare is also a cholly TB - The weather is snowy on and off here at the mo, but come may we should be heading for summer so I will have wened her off the blanket by then (hopefully) |
Rebecca Kate Smith
Weanling
Username: Iheartskeetles
Post Number: 27
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, March 05, 2006 - 10:45 am: |
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well, she foaled and didn't have a blanket or stretch hood on for 2 days. she was shivering even with the heat lamp. i tried to put a blanket on her with the straps attached by thread so they would break under pressure. well, they broke but then baby got tangled in the loose blanket. so, as of yesterday, i put on a different blanket that has velcro closures at the chest, i hooked one strap behind her front legs as tight as i could get it and took the other straps off. baby has figured out to nurse under the blanket and mom is warm. i did have a blanket on the baby (polar fleece with all velcro closures) but it doens't stay on very well so i might just leave it off completely. other than that, things seem to be going well. |
