Trust the Horse: Study Shows Horses Decide When to Wear Blankets
From Conversations in Equine Science by Nancy McLean
January 7, 2026 · 29 min · Season 1 · Episode 1
About this episode
This episode discusses a study on how horses choose to wear blankets based on temperature and individual preferences.
This episode reviews a 2019 study where 23 horses were trained to use symbols to indicate whether they wanted a blanket put on, left on, or removed. Researchers tested horse choices across a range of temperatures, wind, rain, and seasons to see how weather and individual factors influenced blanket preference.Key findings: horses overwhelmingly chose blankets at very low temperatures (below −10°C/14°F) and tended to reject blankets above about 10°C/50°F, with most preferring no blanket around 20°C/68°F. Wind, precipitation, clipping, age, and individual variation also affected choices. The episode emphasizes observing each horse and adjusting blanketing to weather and the horse’s needs.
People in this episode
Host: Nancy McLean
Topics covered
- horse behavior
- blanketing preferences
- equine science
- weather impact on horses
- animal welfare
Keywords
- horses
- blankets
- temperature
- equine science
- animal behavior
- weather
- preferences
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: 2019 study
Places: −10°C/14°F, 10°C/50°F, 20°C/68°F
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