About this Blog

Meet my very 1st horse, Lazarus.
I couldn't wait for Santa anymore or ask one more time for a pony for my bday (after age 30 it got embarrassing). I took matters in my own hands and I finally decided to pick a pony that needed a new home. Laz found me as I contemplated with this idea. He was sweet yet very sassy, fresh off the track, Thoroughbred (OTTB).
Join us for our re-training, rehabbing from laminitis and testing all parts of mixed up horsemanship and partnership, and luck...

Sunday, February 12, 2012

PowderedSuga


 Pulling into the barn (this was about a few weeks ago), out in the distance, there are two frolicking horses. Laz is one of them. I always let out a sigh of happiness to see him romping around happy with so much room to play.
Look, my horse is the naked unloved one! lol
My Husband always questions "Why wouldn't you just blanket him?? Isn't he cold??" until he touches him and feels how HOT he is.
I'm not anti blankets.  
But Laz isn't clipped, has a thick fur coat and is at a great body weight, so I'm testing out leaving him BE.
 
So far, he's been only winter blanketed once.
"HA Ro"
Just like a stack of pancakes that are powder sugar dusted..YUMMY PONEE!
I'll eat you!

He loved this little blizzard (which lasted all of an hour)
 I like the snow to help keep his hooves cool and iced 24/7
Thanks Nature!
 OTTB channeling a wild Mustang
SNORT!
I think this Florida bred baby likes our Michigan weather
       
I did bring Laz in, toweled off the blanket of wet snow and seriously contemplated blanketing him.
But he was SO warm/hot that I thought it would almost be a disservice because then he can't self regulate his own body temps. 
I have to remind myself ALL.THE.TIME; he has great shelter, a great natural fur coat, plenty of hay...he is OK. 

Once I was done drying him, I put him in the stall so he could walk out, and he decided to coat himself some more. 
A good roll in soft shavings

"Now I's dry!"

Yesterday, it was about 15 degrees with the wind chill stating it was close to 0.
I was slightly concerned (I'm getting better) and thought to check to see if Laz was warm enough, and thinking I may blanket him with his winter rug.
Well...he was SO warm. Like ear tip to tail-WARM. Like HOT, like bury my bare hands and feel the tingly burn of a toasty fat horse's heat. Ahhh
So, I left him (gasp) NAKED!
 Do I doubt myself? 
Yes, all the time. 
I keep the blankets at the barn, and question myself, but I try try try to trust he has what he needs: hay, shelter, good body weight, thick fur coat unclipped.
As you can see...this is Laz during his mid morning nap, after he gulped down his BP slurpee mix

ZZZZzzzzzzzzZZZZ
 ZZzzz, a couple of soft "mmmmmm" and licking and chewing, with slight head drooping.
 If I could, I would bundle this sleepy babe in a blanket and snuggle him UP on my couch.
Look at those half mast eyes!
 Mmmm, sweet horse's breath indeed
Enjoy your nap fat boy!


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11 comments:

  1. UnknownFebruary 12, 2012 at 7:48 PM

    You are right about them being so warm, even in this cold! I don't blanket Shy and every time I wonder if she is cold, I just have to touch her. After you get past the cold outer hair, the body is so warm! Sometimes, I just through myself half over her back (she is short, lol) and she warms me up!

    I love love love the snow pictures!! Laz is a cute snow horsey! He looks like he is having so much fun!!

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  2. Calm, Forward, StraightFebruary 12, 2012 at 8:28 PM

    Great post + super cute pictures!

    If possible, Laz is even more adorable covered with his sugar dusting. ;)

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  3. lmelFebruary 12, 2012 at 9:27 PM

    Great pics--and boy, do I know what you mean regarding the blanket dilemma!

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  4. Boss Mare EventingFebruary 13, 2012 at 12:33 AM

    Blankets are only necessary if you are working a lot and they are getting sweaty...just helps cut down cool out time, otherwise I think blanketless is great!

    We only blanket the horses that are worked daily, and the other get them when it's really windy or icey-rain.

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  5. LauraFebruary 13, 2012 at 3:33 AM

    Aww some lovely photos! I love horses in the snow! If they were in the wild they wouldn't have blankets. As long as they don't feel cold then it's fine!

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  6. jenjFebruary 13, 2012 at 12:43 PM

    Laz looks very happy WITHOUT his blanket!

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  7. KarleyFebruary 13, 2012 at 1:18 PM

    love the pictures!

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  8. SandraFebruary 13, 2012 at 5:59 PM

    I don't blanket either because it does interfere with their ability to self regulate. And mine have plenty of shelter too and their weight is good, but still, sometimes when the weather is at its worst, days of torrential rain, I get tempted to blanket them, until I see them, totally unconcerned, happily grazing in the middle of the field in the pouring rain. Minnie does the same as Laz, she dries herself by rolling in her stable.

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  9. SarahFebruary 14, 2012 at 11:09 AM

    Kristen, he looks FanFriggingTastic! Super weight and condition! I'm very jealous of your horsey Taj Mahal Shelter you've got going on there:) And yeah, no blanket rubs-sign me up! Miles has been ok all winter and then I found the start of a shoulder rub this week. Dangit!

    Bonus snowy horse pictures, my favorite!

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  10. UnknownFebruary 19, 2012 at 5:10 PM

    Wow! That's awesome. When I lived in Colorado we never blanketed-and it wasn't called Snowmass, Colorado for nothin'!!! In GA and NC we didn't either, but here in VA we are a lot, it would be great if we could try blanketless, but Im just not sure we could all agree! Awesome job though!!! Very inspiring to see OTTB's going naked!!

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  11. julietteFebruary 21, 2012 at 2:34 PM

    I don't know how I missed this powdered sugar cutie pie Laz. He is adorable! You are doing so well with your natural non-blanketing winter. And he is a toasty one after all!

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