I dont blanket my icies, but here I think my other horses need it now and then, not because it is cold, but because like today, the roller coaster of temperature is just unreal. The temp today is supposed to drop 40 degrees between now and midnight, so its 71 now, sunny and humid, rained this morning a little so they will have long winter hait that is damp to the skin. Then after dark very windy, so there will be windchill, temps below freezing. My donkey in particular, one morning when temps dropped similarly I went out to feed and he was standing off just looking miserable and wouldnt come eat so I walked out to check on him and he was shivering, shaking like a leaf. I called in sick that morning and drove to jeffers and bought him a blanket.
I really think its what they are used to. and they cant get used to a drop in one day from sunny and warm, almost hot, then go with damp winter coat to below freezing and blasting north winds. not out in the open like mine are... altho many many do, so all but the donkey, I'm real sure they could live without being blanketed, its nice to do it for them tho I think! But the donkey, i think if wet especially it can be really hard on them. Janice -- yipie tie yie yo
