I'm not sure whether to blanket my horse this winter...she is a 9 year old Paint/Welsh/Arabian Pony...definitely not too thin, she is a little on the tubby side She has a good fur coat. Here in Iowa it is usually around 10-20 degrees, and at night usually in the 10 degrees and under, often in the below zero's. There is a shed in her field for her to go in. We had a blanket on her last year, but I'm not planning on riding her too often this winter so I don't want to mess with a blanket if I don't have to. Will she be too cold without a blanket in below zero weather?

When I worked at a ranch, we would only blanket animals at the owner's request or if they looked uncomfortable. I wouldn't worry about it much if she is stocky (not just tubby...stocky lol.)

How warm is the shed? if it is a nice barn with insolation and such i wouldn't worry too much about it, but if it is just a wind block i would think she would be cold.

I think blanketing really depends on the individual horse. Age, condition and previous environment should play very large factors in your decision. That said, I live in Michigan and never blanketed a stalled horse, just because they are out of the weather most of the time. If they're in a field with minimal wind protection, I would put on a windbreak (not necessarily anything with fill). For an older horse or one that is recently moved from a mild climate, use something with fill. Oh, and if your climate is moist AT ALL, get a waterproof blanket!