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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:
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Original poster
noblegiraffe · 18/10/2023 08:44

Er…..?

OP posts:
Commencethedancing · 18/10/2023 08:45

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....

Well done to your ds! Haha the zebra rugs are not for warmth necessarily, they are designed to repel flies in the summer. Apparently the black and white lines make it harder for insects to zone in on a landing strip! 😁

Needmorelego · 18/10/2023 08:52

@noblegiraffe I think there's an episode of one of those vet documentaries ("The Country Vet' or something?) that involves cleaning out a manky horse willy......
Sorry to tell you that....

countingto10 · 18/10/2023 09:00

There’s not much that makes me retch, but cleaning the gunk out of my gelding’s sheath is just🤢. Unfortunately it seems to need doing fairly regularly for some reason (he does seem very well endowed so that may be the reason🤷‍♀️). If I don’t do it he ends up with the gunk down the insides of his legs plus it can build up into “beans” - I’ll let you google!

countingto10 · 18/10/2023 09:00

I see someone beat me to itGrin

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 18/10/2023 09:11

In the novel Cranford (set 1800s) there’s a tale of a woman whose beloved only cow fell into a lime pit and lost all her fur.

She made her a jacket and trousers to wear, instead.

The novel was set in a fictional village based on Knutsford, and I’d guess that the author (Mrs Gaskell) had heard of similar RL case.

Balloonhearts · 18/10/2023 09:12

Horses can get sunburn too. The grey I ride for lessons does if you don't put sun cream on his nose. He has a pink nose and burns really easily.

He's out in a rug at the moment but in the next few weeks they'll all get brought in at night.

therealcookiemonster · 18/10/2023 09:53

@alloalloallo that woman's smile is creeping out....

and all of this has been a bit too much for me first thing in the morning. I am now regretting that breakfast pizza I ate

alloalloallo · 18/10/2023 10:25

I thank the horse gods that all mine have been ladies so we don’t have to be quite so undignified.

Although, one of mine was a total minging hussy when she was in season.

I’ll attempt most things, but sheath cleaning isn’t one of them.

AccidentallyFabulous · 18/10/2023 11:17

alloalloallo · 18/10/2023 08:38

They even get specialist willy washers! 😂

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I knew this thread would end up here eventually.

Conkered · 18/10/2023 12:46

AccidentallyFabulous · 18/10/2023 11:17

I knew this thread would end up here eventually.

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Yup 😂😂😂

alloalloallo · 18/10/2023 12:51

😂 it’s the law

SurvivingCPTSD · 18/10/2023 13:44

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 18/10/2023 09:11

In the novel Cranford (set 1800s) there’s a tale of a woman whose beloved only cow fell into a lime pit and lost all her fur.

She made her a jacket and trousers to wear, instead.

The novel was set in a fictional village based on Knutsford, and I’d guess that the author (Mrs Gaskell) had heard of similar RL case.

Yes I remember now. It's a lovely book, that. I enjoyed the TV series too. Mrs Gaskell wrote some lovely books.

SurvivingCPTSD · 18/10/2023 13:47

HighlandCowbag · 17/10/2023 20:48

Ahhh bless you OP. It's a valid question if you don't know.

I have a highland pony and a freeloading outgrown by the kids welsh pony. Highland pony already been fully clipped once as she is regularly ridden and it was a sweat off between me and her in the late heatwaves. But is still coatless as its all grown back in now and waiting for a hairdresser to come. The freeloading welsh pony is also having a full clip now I have drugs from the vet that will stop him killing nice hairdresser. He jas a clip as his fluff stops him getting cold and burning energy and now he's a freeloader, he's a fat little shit.

He will be given a coat, but a rain mac instead of a neoprene sports jacket, a fleece instead of a duffel coat, and a parka instead of a full ski suit. He will be raging at it, really grumpy and aggy but thinner and healthier for it. The highland pony runs as hot as me, a perimenopausal fat lass so will get coats accordingly. She hates coats but doesn't read the weather forecast so I overrule her decisions which is easier than when dd was a coat refusing teenager.

LMAO at this delightful thread and especially this post. Love your user name too @HighlandCowbag !

Westfacing · 18/10/2023 16:44

Conkered · 17/10/2023 22:36

Yes! They like to lie down more than sit down, but they also sleep standing up! You catch the occasional goof sitting down like a dog, but it's not the norm. They sort of pause halfway as they get up and take a moment before heaving themselves up properly, but some like to sit like that for a while (there was a great meme about years ago which I've sadly lost).

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I'm happy to hear that they get a bit of a sit/lie down Smile

I knew about the sleeping standing up bit, but definitely didn't know about the special washing of their privates Shock

There's something resilient about country gals!

Conkered · 18/10/2023 20:23

There's something resilient about country girls

There is indeed! Sometimes more commonly known as "utterly bonkers" !! 🙂

ALongHardWinter · 18/10/2023 21:22

Anyone who has to ask why coats aren't commonplace for cats has obviously never been a cat slave owner. 😂

Floralnomad · 24/10/2023 14:31

Can I recommend Emily Cole Illustrations on FB , she does lovely horsy drawings and on her clipping threads there are some excellent real life pictures of peoples mistakes .

Bovrilla · 24/10/2023 14:40

I added one earlier up the thread, they're so true 🤣

MaggieMayNotBe · 24/10/2023 15:42

Goats
Don't wear coats.
Nor do pigs
Wear wigs.

Then
There are guinea pigs
Who sometimes do resemble wigs

Needmorelego · 24/10/2023 15:53

@MaggieMayNotBe that's a brilliant poem !

MaggieMayNotBe · 24/10/2023 16:08

@Needmorelego aww thank you. I often find my head composes little ditties like that.

therealcookiemonster · 24/10/2023 16:19

@MaggieMayNotBe beautiful. you have my vote as the next poet laureate

MaggieMayNotBe · 24/10/2023 16:25

@therealcookiemonster thanks so much, I like that idea!