This is the time of year when I begin to see not only the color of the leaves changing but the color of horses out in the fields in my travels; blue, green, plaid, camo, and everything in between and beyond. The fact is that healthy horses do not need blankets. Blanketing comes from the perspective and convenience of the human. Now I will not argue that there are some exceptions especially when it comes to some older and sick horses for specific reasons, but these should be exceptions and not the rule. I have 2 old horses that are now 2 years older than when 20 Below and No Blankets was filmed. I put blankets on both of them on just 2 occasions during the entire year so far, and it was because of a sharp temperature drop accompanied by a cold rain after they had just shed their winter coats. Once I got them dry and warmed by feeding them hay, we removed the blankets. My other 3 horses were fine. They are young and healthy. Shivering is actually a warming mechanism as well as movement and eating hay. Hind gut fermentation of fiber produces heat from the inside out. Movement ends warm blood to the skin and the insulating hair keeps it close to the body. We fight nature when we keep them in eliminating their choice, when we blanket them because we feel cold, or dont want them dirty, when we leave them in small paddocks with no trees or wind breaks and sometimes alone with no motivation to move and a couple of flakes of hay. Still dont believe me? Watch this video of me with my horses on 2 very cold winter mornings in upstate NY. youtube/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=i1SFyuSV7kA#t=10
Posted on: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 01:30:02 +0000
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