E Q U I N E AT H L E T E
Under cover How to determine if horses need to be blanketed By Gwen Rizzo
A
trip out to the barn on a cold winter day may leave you wishing you had thrown on your warm boots or taken along a set of gloves. When you return to the warmth of your home, the redness on the tips of your nose and ears will eventually fade, but how do your horses tolerate such cold? Horses generally adapt to the cold as the temperatures gradually drop in the fall, growing a thick fur coat by the time the cold weather sets in. In most cases, this coat will act as insulation, fluffing up to trap body heat and keep them warm even in the harshest temperatures. However, not all horses are created equal, and there are several factors to consider when determining if your horses need a little more protection from the weather. Many players purchase horses from other states or even other countries. In Argentina, where many polo ponies are purchased, the seasons are opposite of ours. If you are lucky enough to go to Argentina and cannot resist bringing home a four-legged souvenir, you will have to make accommodations for that horse once it
20 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
arrives. December is the start of summer in Argentina, so the horse likely will have a very short coat. Even if it will be living in warm states like Florida or Southern California, the horse may need to be blanketed. If it will live in a cold, Northern state, it will certainly need to be kept blanketed throughout the winter. Even in warmer climates, temperatures sometimes fluctuate by 30 or more degrees in a day. Even horses that live there year-round cannot adjust that quickly. They may need an extra layer of protection to keep them warm during a cold spell. The type of cold should also be considered. The more wind involved, the colder it will feel. Moisture flattens out the horse’s coat, allowing heat to escape; so be sure to provide shelter for horses, allowing them to stay dry. Snow, on the other hand, can act as an additional layer of insulation, as long as it is not wet snow. Also consider how much time your horses spend in stalls and in what type of barn they are kept. An enclosed barn, filled with plenty of warm bodies, is certainly
