Shedding Horses=Early Spring?

[RidgebackRanch]

I've heard several people comment last week that their horses were shedding now, and that means warmer drier weather.

Has anybody else heard of this? Any degree of truth to it? It seems to make sense to me

 

[Collector]

Well, let's just say it works. I feel better already.

 

[thistlebloom]

I hope they were in North Idaho

 

[ShowMe31]

I noticed this afternoon that a couple of my horses weren't quit so "furry" so I hope it does mean early spring. I'm sooooo done with winter, but with my group it's hard to use that as a spring is coming guide.

My quarter/arab - not nearly as "furry" as he was a few weeks ago

welsh/walker - he's still carrying a heavy winter coat

My grade gelding - not nearly as "furry"

shetland mare - looks to be thinning out

shetland colt - still a totally adorable ball of winter coat

almost 2 year old stud baby - looks to be thinning out.

 

[pebbles]

I am in NW Arizona. Cold winters here. 2" of snow today down to 26 tonight. My horses always start to shed at the end of January. Days have been getting longer for about 5-6 weeks when they start. When we lived in California my horses I had back then started to shed at the same time-last week in January. Animal shedding is strickly controlled by the length of the daylight. Shorter days, not hot or cold weather, causes horses, and all animals to start growing their winter coat and longer days trigger the coat to begin shedding.

That is why people who show horses keep their horses under lights for 16 hours per day during the winter, it keeps their horses from growing a winter coat.

 

[RidgebackRanch]

That makes perfect sense Pebbles. So I guess that means we expect spring to begin around March 20th. Thans for sharing.

 

[Ariel301]

My goats are still super fuzzy, which is a good thing because we got an unexpected overnight SNOW in what should be our springtime here in the desert. I've got all the poor new babies wrapped up in sweaters and sleeping in my bath tub!

 

[MethowMeadow25]

My horses are starting to shed their coats too!! Does that mean warmer weather is coming??? Let's hope so!

 

[waryyear950]

I'm from northern Minnesota. We still have a foot of snow on the ground.This time last year the snow was all gone .Next few days low 30's during the day and teens at night hopefully it warms up then .I'm putting my green house up the first of April .

 

[baymule]

My horses are blowing their coat like crazy, but we have had a high of 80F and lows of 60F all last week and predicted for next week too. I'll be planting my tomatoes next weekend!