Keeping a Good Coat in the Winter

Do winter months leave your horse’s coat looking dull and shaggy? 

Horses naturally grow thick winter coats to help maintain their body temperature in cold weather. This can be a maintenance challenge for horse owners who ride throughout the winter. Many performance horses are body-clipped and blanketed to dissipate heat and dry faster after being ridden.

An alternative to body-clipping is using artificial light to alter coat growth. Breeding barns have used artificial light to keep mares cycling so they can be bred earlier in the year. But, recent studies have discovered high melatonin levels coincide with short daylight hours and suppress prolactin. Prolactin is directly connected with hair growth.

Based on this study, melatonin levels can be suppressed and winter coats avoided if you can increase exposure to light. But when and how do you use lights to reduce winter coat growth? A recent study by the University College Dublin looked at the timing of artificial lighting on horse coat quality. 

Here are some of the biggest takeaways:

When to Start Lights to Reduce Winter Coats

The timing is essential if you turn on artificial lighting to extend the “daylight” for your horse. The study found starting light therapy in autumn is too late to prevent winter coat growth. You might not notice any difference in the coat. If you are using artificial light, start in July or within one month of the summer solstice. This will maintain a summer coat for most horses. Ponies need a slightly different light therapy schedule and should be started near the summer solstice.

Setting Up Lights

Horses need 16 hours of light, either artificial or natural, to prevent winter coats from growing. Full-spectrum lighting is the best option for barns as it mimics natural sunlight. Aisle lights in the barn are helpful, but ideally, each stall should be fully illuminated. You can use timers to turn lights on when it is still daylight and off later in the evening. Make sure to adjust the timers as the days get longer or shorter.

Blanketing

Horses grow thick winter coats to provide warmth and protection from the elements. You will need to blanket your horse to keep them warm during the winter if you are preventing a winter coat from growing. Stable blankets are a good option for horses staying in a stall as they are not waterproof. Turnout blankets come in various weights to provide different levels of warmth and are waterproof. Some turnout blankets come with neck protectors as well. Depending on your environment, you may need a few different stable and turnout blankets as the weather changes.   View our blankets here.

Mares Cycling

Mares will continue to cycle while under lights. This is a benefit if you are a breeding barn and need mares to cycle. If you are not breeding, it is something to note and be aware of from a behavior perspective.

Choosing to Use Lights

Using artificial light to reduce winter coat growth is an effective alternative to body clipping. Setting timers and selecting the correct type of light will set you up for success from the start. If you plan to ride or show during the winter months, artificial light and blanketing are great ways to keep your horse more comfortable, allow them to dissipate heat, and dry faster.