I cannot believe I have to write this.

Blanketing. A. Horse. Is. NOT. Bad!

A fake article about a non-existant study done by Colorado State University that proved blanketed horses were actually colder than unblanketed ones. This study NEVER HAPPENED. Read this article where the CSU Equine Sciences department says it's all fake.

The idea that "blanketing is unnatural."

An "article," aka sales pitch, created by Mac's Equine, talking about how normal blankets are bad: "[blanketing damages the] 'arrector pili' muscles which are continually flattened with long term rugging. Eventually the horse loses its natural ability to keep warm by raising and lowering its hair follicles." Guess what? They want you to buy THEIR fancy Cool Heat blanket that won't cause this! Just $200 plus shipping!

Let me explain it to you, in words a three year old would understand.

When animals get cold, they get goosebumps on their skins.

The goosebumps make fur (hair) stand up straight.

When the fur stands up, there is more air in between the hairs.

The animal's body warms up the air between the hairs.

The extra warm air helps keep animals warm.

But if it is raining, or very windy, the hair can't stand up straight.

There are no more pockets of warm air to keep the animal warm.

The animal's fur doesn't work very well. The animal gets cold.

Putting a blanket on an animal can fix this.

Blankets make pockets of air inside the cloth, like a quilt.

Blankets can be waterproof and windproof, so they still work in rain and wind.

Putting a blanket on does not hurt an animal's ability to make goosebumps.

Is that too complex for you?! Try this: WEARING A HAT DOES NOT MAGICALLY MAKE YOUR HAIR UNABLE TO KEEP YOUR HEAD WARM. HAT HAIR IS NOT PERMANENT, OR HARMFUL. HAT S ARE GOOOOOD.

Blanketing Is Not Natural-- But Neither Are Y ou or Your Horse !

Horses 15H and over are not natural-- humans bred them that way. In the wild, horses are smaller, and therefore require less energy to keep warm. In fact, the vast majority of native wild "horses" are ponies, with small body masses and very shaggy coats. No, mustangs don't count-- those are feral horses introduced by humans. Those tend to be smaller too, however!

Keeping a horse in a small enclosure is not natural-- they should be able to run and walk as far as they want to help stay warm.

Horses in North America aren't natural. Yeah yeah, the ancient ancestors of horses evolved in North America, but they went extinct-- horses as we know them came from Asia and parts of Europe, where winters are usually less harsh. Horses aren't "naturally" adapted to below-zero temperatures or three feet of snow.

In the wild, horses have access to forage 24/7. Continually eating helps keep them warm. Domesticated horses often don't have that option-- they are often fed a limited amount of hay and possibly grain, 1-2 times per day.

Hope you're ready to have 6 kids, 'cause condoms ain't natural either!

"I think you should blanket if your horse needs it. Period."

No, blanketing does not make it more likely that rainrot or other skin problems will happen.No, blanketing does not permanently damage a horse's ability to grow a winter coat.No, blanketing has no real affect on a horse's coat.No, blanketing is not just a gimmick created by blanket makers to get money.If you believe any of these things, you have fallen for what we call Bunk Science. Meaning bullshit, urban myths, quackery, superstition, stupidity. Perhaps you have been reading, or listening to someone talk about, one of these:*SIGH* Still not getting it? Think about your wool blanket, or your down feather coat, or your quilt, or hell, any piece of clothing you own. They work on the same principles a horse's coat does: they trap air to keep you warm. But when it's wet, or very windy, they can't do that. You can't keep warm under a soaked shirt. Oh, and YES, snow DOES count as "wet."Also, young or old animals might not be strong enough to warm up the pockets of air in their coats by themselves. This is also true if an animal is sick or skinny. They just don't have enough energy to spare. They may be able to trap the air in their coats, but without being able to heat it up, it's useless.Look people,I didn't used to blanket my own horses. As long as they are healthy and have food and shelter, they will probably be JUST fine.There are situations where it's important! If you are seeking to justify your behavior, maybe you should just give in to your guilty conscience and buy your horse a damn blanket instead!Oh, and I almost forgot:Pretty much nothing about having a horse is natural. We've bred them into specific shapes and coat colors, kept them in boxes, fed them things they'd never get in the wild, ridden them (which they would never be in the wild), protected them from predators they would otherwise face in the wild, and provided vet care, which they would never get in the wild.So when it comes to blanketing, why thedo we suddenly care about what is "natural?" If you want to give your horse more freedom, less harsh training methods, and more "natural" food, good for you-- but don't confuse "natural" with "lazy." Let's talk more about what's "natural," shall we?And let's not limit our examination of what is "natural" to horses. What about humans?! YOU, sitting there in your heated home/office, in front of your computer, are NOT NATURAL. You should be outside right now, dressed only in poorly-sewn furs, attempting to hunt down your breakfast in the snow! Don't bother putting on your glasses, grabbing your cell phone, or taking any medication before you head out there either, because those, and God forbid you be unnatural!By the way, here's what Lodi Equine Vet has to say about blanketing:More information on blanketing here: Farming Magazine says blanket drafts when it's drafty! Cherry Hill recommends blanketing in wet and windy conditions. SmarkPak says DO blanket, and shows you how to measure your horse for one. Equus Magazine explains when you should blanket.Oh, and here's a summary of horse evolution.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------80,327P.S. It's probably fair to tell you whenblanket my horses. My young mare gets one when the temps get below 15 degrees F, unless it's a sunny day. My old mare gets a blanket when it goes below freezing (32F) unless it's a sunny day. My pony doesn't get a blanket at all unless he's sick-- his hair is so fluffy he looks like a cotton ball with legs. They all have access to hay and heated water 24/7.Well said! Whether it's age, breed, poor coat, illness, a sudden change of weather, or a harsh combination of wet and cold weather, justBlanketing is NOT bad.