Horse abroad - coat question

[Nikki N]

Hi - my horse went with me to South Africa. He's been here 5 months. He has a winter coat even though he left UK in August (warm there and arrived here when it was late spring so also warm). anyone know how many seasons it takes for them to adjust? Kinda puts paid to light/heat causing the coats to sprout - he hasn't even had a sniff of autumn weather and he got a winter coat despite it. Hes a warmblood by the way if it matters? And before you all think he's dying of heat in his coat of course he's clipped out - funny colour now though, was black originally but coat has gone seriously light tan in places and he looks like a different horse!!

 

[Baileysno1]

Sorry I can't help with your question, but I'm interested to hear about travelling horses abroad, did you fly him out there?

 

[horsegirl]

I was recently in Tunisia and the hotel where we stayed had a stables and horses. All the Tunisian/Arab horses still had quite fine coats athough it was chilly at night but they had one "english horse" which had a thick wooly coat even though I don't think it had ever lived in England

 

[PapaFrita]

Hi there. PF came out in September just as she was coming into her winter coat. Then she had a few chilly days here so she grew a bit more for good measure and hung on to her coat all that summer but was fine the following year.

 

[dressagespain]

Hi Casulty.

I transport my horses from UK and Germany/Poland. It takes them about 6 months - 1 year, ie a full set of seasons to adjust themselves. Just bear in mind the difference between day and night temps - this may be why your horse grows a winter coat.

The fading will be because the sun is much more intense in ZA (I used to live there!) If you don't want her/his coat to bleach, he will have to wear a UV filter rug or stay in in the heat of the day!