Friday, September 10, 2010

Horse Blanketing 2011


Normandy Blanketing
Guidelines
Please be aware of the following that may affect you and your horse.

It’s never too early to talk about winter blanketing especially with the recent turn of the weather.

We anticipate beginning blanketing at any time an individual wishes but certainly by November 1st, so please advise us prior to that time if you wish this included service.

• Exterior doors are closed when outside weather is adverse or if the temperature has fallen/will fall below 35 degrees.

• Blankets are tagged by us for identification. We are storing them on the stall door when removed. To avoid confusion and overloading of the blanketing hooks, we ask that your horse be provided with no more than a cotton sheet and two blankets. We suggest a medium weight ( not to exceed 200 grams of fill) and a heavy weight ( more than 220 grams of fill) for those wishing a heavier blanketing .

For those purchasing new blankets please see your trainer for recommended brand and style. Normandy would like to see blue or green blanket colors when possible.

Each weight blanket will be labeled accordingly by Normandy, different color tags will represent the two different weight blankets. ALL blankets not in current use will be stored on the numbered hooks corresponding to stall numbers. If you do provide these two weights of blanket you may switch out one for one based on our exterior stable temperature. We take off one blanket and put back on one blanket, sheets stay on. We recommend that all horses (especially clipped horses) have a cotton sheet on at all times. The lighter weight blanket should be available for 40 degree + weather and the heavier with for 40 degree - weather.

Normandy Farms temperature guidelines are as follows:

• We turnout horse when the temperature reaches 40 degrees or when we feel it’s safe.

• Full coated horses are unblanketed at 50 degrees.

• Clipped horses are unblanketed at 60 degrees. Clipped horses may have a sheet on.
Please note that we shut the doors(if applicable) and blanket( if applicable) the horses at the conclusion of our work day….5pm or so…if one were to be riding or ride after that time, re-blanketing will be your responsibility.

A word about announcing your entrance through a closed door.

From the outside, you can look through the window and then please, please, please announce DOOR, wait for a response and then open the doors slowly. Visibility doors are at the West and East entrances. Always close the door behind you slowly. We have heaters for the washing areas at each end, and this will keep us all safe and comfortable for the winter.