OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 THE RIDER /15


How Big is Your Horse’s Fall and Winter Wardrobe? - Blanketing Decisions


Guelph, ON Sept, 27, 2018 - Does your horse’s wardrobe rival your own? Yes, is a com- mon answer among many in the equine industry. But before you go out and buy yet an- other rug this fall, Equine Guelph has your blanketing questions covered in their free online healthcare tool – Horse Blanketing Tool, sponsored by internationally


renowned


blanket manufacturer, Bucas of Ireland. “One common miscon-


ception is that if you are cold, so is your horse,” says Gayle Ecker, Equine Guelph direc- tor. “The Horse Blanketing Tool explains thermoregula- tion and how horse owners can help maintain their horse’s health by neither over or under blanketing.” The tool also addresses


the question “to blanket or not to blanket?” If your horse is clipped, you are committed to blanketing. Equines having trouble maintaining weight can benefit from a blanket to ensure they are not using up precious calories


staying


warm once the temperatures drop below 5 degrees Celsius. In the horse’s thermoneutral zone (5 – 20 degrees Celsius) they do not have to expend any additional energy to main- tain normal body temperature. It is important to consider your horse’s hair coat, health, age and body condition score when deciding if a rug is re- quired. The blanketing tool takes you through 10 factors to consider and will help you weigh the pros and cons to blanketing. If you have decided to


blanket, no time of year pres- ents more challenges than early spring and late fall, espe- cially if you live in an area with extreme fluctuations in temperature. Leaving a horse in a heavy rug can result in overheating and heat stress re- lated issues as temperatures climb during the day. Here is where the


wardrobe expands! If your horse lives in a stall overnight you will likely need a lighter weight blanket for when they are indoors and a heavier, wa- terproof one for outdoors. If the stable has a one on one off policy, layering is an option. Spares in case a rug need to go in for repair are always a good idea.


Of course- just as we go


to the change room before we buy clothes, your horse needs to be correctly fitted so always ask about the return policy. In Equine Guelph’s tool, the Blanket Centre explains about different types of blankets, how to measure your horse and problem spots. There is even a technical section to learn about denier, fill and all the blanket style terms that will affect the fit. “Bucas is pleased to sup-


port Equine Guelph’s online educational


resource, the


‘Horse Blanketing Tool’, says Ulf Casselbrant, managing di- rector of Bucas . “It is an excel- lent online resource for the horse owner in understanding the principles of thermoregula- tion in horses and helpful in the proper use of blanket protection for their horse.” Make your next blanketing


decision simple by checking out


Equine Guelph’s Horse Blan- keting Tool


About Equine Guelph: Equine Guelph is the horse


owners’ and care givers’ Centre at the University of Guelph in Canada. It is a unique partner- ship dedicated to the health and well-being of horses, supported and overseen by equine industry


groups. Equine Guelph is the epicentre for academia, industry and government - for the good of the equine industry as a whole. For further information, visit www.equineguelph.ca.


Story by: Jackie Bellamy-Zions


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