What types of blankets or sheets does a horse need?

Question

I live in northern Ms and have a pinto who is 15.2hh. She is a pleasure horse. Besides fly sheets what types of blankets or sheets do i need for her? She is both in the barn and in the pasture. I need to choose the best things to keep her comfortable.

Answer 1

You don't NEED any.  It might be nice to have a turnout for winter if you plan on riding hard throughout the winter, but horses don't really need to be blanketed.  It helps the owners keeping the horse clean, shorter winter coat and less grooming time.  Unless your horse has a medical condition (like Sweet Itch) it probably doesn't need any blankets.  

I do like to blanket in the winter as it save me a lot of precious time when getting ready and I can ride sooner instead of currying off caked on mud for 45 minutes.

Answer 2

If the horse is active in the winter or you dislike the shedding process he should have a heavy coat, especially if he spends large amounts of time outside. If he is mostly inside a medium coat will do

If he is not working or you don't mind shedding then nothing is ok as long as he has a shelter/stalled

In the summer months I never cover my horses, but some people do like fly sheets if flies are an issue.

If you show your horse ALOT then keeping him covered, even with a light fly shee will repel some dirt. They make show blankets for that and are usually cheap

buy good quality, get one with leg straps! they last longer and stay on better.  Valley vet supply is a good place to order them, they tend to be competitive in their prices

Answer 3

It depends on the climate where the horse is, the size of the horse, if the horse is clipped, if the horse is kept indoors or outdoors, and many other factors.

I'll keep checking back and if you give more details, I'll give a better answer.

Answer 4

Some owners will cover their horse with a fly sheet while they are out grazing, but fly spray will do the same thing.

Most blankets ard sheets are completely optional unless you have very cold winters, going to below zero.  

A cooling blanket is placed on the horse after a strenuous workout to keep the horse warm while the sweat evaporates.  This is most often seen on racehorses, as they are walked to cool down.  

A heavy winter rug is used when it is cold and windy, but a stable is preferred.