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Original poster

Why do horses get coats and cows don't?

258 replies

noblegiraffe · 13/10/2023 19:59

Today I was driving in the pouring rain past a horse field, and they were all, bar one, wearing coats. Then there was a cow field, obviously no coats.

Which led me to wonder why some animals get coats and others don't. Who decided that horses need coats, and why? Was the coatless horse just like a cool teen who will not wear a coat however much you tell them to, or a rock-hard horse who doesn't actually need one?

Why do some dogs get coats and others not? Did they try to sell coats for cats but cats said no way?

Do other animals get coats?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
33
Bovrilla · 13/10/2023 20:00

Because in winter horses get their coats clipped

This is to stop them overheating and sweating too much, and then getting a chill when exercised in winter.

Cows...aren't ridden.

Bovrilla · 13/10/2023 20:01

My dog has a fleece but only because he's a filthy mud seeking missile and the fleece keeps some of it at bay.

He doesn't need it one bit

1vandal2 · 13/10/2023 20:02

Cows are about to be brought in to the sheds for the winter it just hasn't actually been cold enough to do it yet. And as above about their coats not being cut off.

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 13/10/2023 20:02

I’ve always thought of horses as being more fashion forward.

Swishy hair, shiny hooves, etc.

Cows tend to stick with the 80s style black and white. Classic, but kind of dull.

senua · 13/10/2023 20:02

This is to stop them ... swearing too much
Say what now!?Grin

Cows go in barns in winter.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/10/2023 20:03

Because in winter horses get their coats clipped

So was the coatless horse not to be ridden?

And the horses would be toasty if their coats weren't cut?

OP posts:
TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 13/10/2023 20:04

I didn’t know horses have their coats clipped.

Do you get fuzzy blow-dried horses.

gwenneh · 13/10/2023 20:04

Not all horses get rugged in the winter, either. It depends on their level of work and their own level of comfort - some horses will be uncomfortable in the cold and some aren't.

Mine only gets rugged in the coldest parts of the year or if it's going to be particularly damp.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/10/2023 20:04

1vandal2 · 13/10/2023 20:02

Cows are about to be brought in to the sheds for the winter it just hasn't actually been cold enough to do it yet. And as above about their coats not being cut off.

Cows are brought in to stop them getting cold? That's pretty sweet.

Will horses also be brought in? Or just left outside in their coats?

OP posts:
CloudyAgain · 13/10/2023 20:05

Yes and some horses have quite fine fur generally so get more cold. Some of the hardier native breeds can usually go without if they are not clipped.

Last week I sent my SEN 13 year old on a short bus trip on his own as part of a life skills programme. He texted me excitedly to say he had seen a 'horse in a zebra costume, mum!!'.

I'd seen the same horse on the slightly earlier bus i had taken to our meeting destination. It had a zebra striped rug on. i was so tempted to post on our local horse community fb page to say thanks to the person who had rugged their horse thusly and given my DS so much pleasure.

As for why cats don't get coats... because there simply are not enough bandaids a cat slave owner can purchase to deal with the shredded arms and hands that would result....

Brenna24 · 13/10/2023 20:05

The cows farmed in Britain are bred to be tolerant of British weather conditions and will have coats that she'd water well and conserve some heat. A lot will be put in big barns for the winter though. With horses a lot of horse breeds aren't bred to withstand cold and rain and need some help to stay warm and dry. The one unrugged will likely be a native breed. I have always had natives and they grow impressive thick coats that shed water and have thick warm undercoats. I don't do much more than light hacking in the winter so they don't get too sweaty with their thick coats. A lot of native breeds get their thick coats clipped in winter to stop them overheating during exercise and then getting chilled afterwards when they are soaked in sweat in the cold. They then need rugged up when out and not exercising because they no longer have their thick coats. Cows don't get clipped because they don't do heavy exercise and sweat.

gotomomo · 13/10/2023 20:05

An interesting question! My ddog loves a coat for some reason, he has a thick natural coat that is designed for the Scottish hills

LaBohemia · 13/10/2023 20:05

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 13/10/2023 20:02

I’ve always thought of horses as being more fashion forward.

Swishy hair, shiny hooves, etc.

Cows tend to stick with the 80s style black and white. Classic, but kind of dull.

😀😁😂😃

Bovrilla · 13/10/2023 20:07

Coatless horse probably a native breed and yes, potentially not ridden as much/hard.

Horses taken hunting get v hot and sweaty, so they're clipped put apart from a saddle area.

Those in more moderate work get a belly or trace clip.

Light/no work often left. If you've got a hardy UK native pony type in light work like I had (big hairy Welsh cob) he is bred to live out in all weathers but because he worked, he had a clip and then had a NZ rug in the field to keep his shaved self dry and a bit warmer.

LaBohemia · 13/10/2023 20:07

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 13/10/2023 20:04

I didn’t know horses have their coats clipped.

Do you get fuzzy blow-dried horses.

I reckon zebras blow dry. Their manes stick straight up. Ditto Exmoor ponies.

Libertass · 13/10/2023 20:07

Two main reasons :

1, Many horses which are regularly ridden have their natural winter hair coats clipped off to make them comfortable while being ridden & exercising. This means they can get cold when not being ridden, so owners put rugs on them to replace their natural hair. Fit competition horses are kept very lean, so they don’t lay down stores of fat in the summer to keep them warm through the winter, as they would naturally.

2, Thoroughbred or Arab type horses are not native to the British Isles, they originated in the Middle East (the clue is in the name) so they don’t grow thick insulating coats of their own and they need rugs.

sendismylife · 13/10/2023 20:08

@noblegiraffe The rugs are also good at keeping horses warm. We often left our “good doers” in rugged to try to shiver a bit of weight off! They retaliated by growing 4inch long thick fluff…

Wallywobbles · 13/10/2023 20:09

I have 2 that aren't clipped because they live in the field and can't be rugged because they turn into sweaty messes. They also hate being put into the stables.

Horses have a summer coat which is fine and winter coat which is shaggy.

Most cows only have a mid season coat. Although highlands are pretty shaggy. Sheep are the opposite.

AmyDudley · 13/10/2023 20:09

Shouldn't this be in Style and Beauty ?

Myhusbandearns150k · 13/10/2023 20:10

I’d love to donate a coat to a cow.

TheNinthLock · 13/10/2023 20:10

DD’s pony is a hairy native. He already has an almighty fluffy coat. If this becomes a problem in winter when she rides him (as in he overheats or sweats too much and then gets chilled whilst damp) she will clip him and rug him.
But he is arthritic and has a recurring back problem and is thus semi retired. If she is not able to ride him too much he will take it very easy over winter and she won’t clip him.
He lives out all winter - his coat is surprisingly weather-proof 😊

gwenneh · 13/10/2023 20:11

AmyDudley · 13/10/2023 20:09

Shouldn't this be in Style and Beauty ?

Could be, my horse would love some tips on how to perfect a mud mask.

Kam610 · 13/10/2023 20:11

noblegiraffe · 13/10/2023 20:04

Cows are brought in to stop them getting cold? That's pretty sweet.

Will horses also be brought in? Or just left outside in their coats?

Show quote history

Cows aren't just brought in to stop them getting cold. In winter the grass outside stops growing, so there's nothing for them to graze on. They're brought in to keep warm and to be fed silage that was harvested in the summer.

QueenOfThorns · 13/10/2023 20:13

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 13/10/2023 20:02

I’ve always thought of horses as being more fashion forward.

Swishy hair, shiny hooves, etc.

Cows tend to stick with the 80s style black and white. Classic, but kind of dull.

This is so much better than all the sensible answers Grin

Bemyclementine · 13/10/2023 20:14

So many reasons...

Cows tend to cone in for the winter.

Horses....
Native ponies, cobs etc - are hardy, hairy, and fat. In general.

Other breeds, are from warmer climates, Arabs, thoroughbreds etc. Less Hardy, thinner, finer hair

Also, some horses are clipped as previously mentioned, to prevent sweating when ridden/easier drying. But then need a replacement coat when not ridden

Sone might be old. Or have an owner who prefers them not to get muddy/wet (takes ages to groom before riding)