I was brushing the hairy critters at the farm this weekend and noticed that all of them are at a different phase in their shedding. Jack and his sister are blowing huge fur balls with every stroke of the shedding blade, but one of them is hardly shedding at all. I know all horses are different in regards to when they shed, and I am not talking about sickly horses that are wormy and malnourised. For the horses that are notoriously late shedders but are healthy, why do you think they shed late? Is it linked to genetics? Nutrition?

i would love input on this too. My gelding is a horrible shedder. one year he didn't shed out at all until july, the next year she shedded out beauitfully in april but them popped a coat in june.....

Was told genetics, nutrition, place of birth and amount of light.
That seems to hold true on the ones that live here.

Me, too. I am leaning towards thinking that genetics may be a stronger factor than I expected. As I mentioned, Jack is losing ridiculous amounts of hair and so is his half sister. He is in with two other half sisters and while neither is shedding as much they're both shedding some. Gracie, the one that's not shedding at all, has had a virtually identical upbringing. She was born two weeks after Jack and has lived at the farm her entire life like Jack. They are fed the same grain, same amount of hay, etc...if anything she gets more because she has a slender build and I like to see just a touch more meat on their bones(Lol, you can tell by looking at Jack) They are distantly related, as are many RMH/KMSH due to it being a relatively new breed, but it's several generations back. Every year she is the last to shed, we've even had to shave her in the past because it's July before she completely loses her coat and it's pretty hot around here by then.

Jen I know you're not talking of Cushings, but I had to mention it anyway for the rest of the general crowd who reads this topic to always rule out 'Cushings' when you have a late, or non-shedder...and laminitis is likely to be hanging around the corner with a Cushings horse.

We have one Shetland who is a cushings pony, REFUSES to shed...he has to be clipped every spring
He has a mild case of laminitis but it is dimishing quickly with very frequent bare trims.

My 5 year old Mustang/Quarter Horse gelding developed Anhidrosis during the summer, and by the time winter had come and gone, his rough coat refused to shed. I had to body clip him in March to relieve him from the heat. Look into the symptoms for Anhidrosis. Good luck

Thats great question, but I don't know the answer May be due to genetics? I think it is certainly influenced by location though. I know my horse from Idaho (i live in CA now, mild winters) always grows a THICK coat for the winter even though he has been in CA for years! My guys thata re from CA don't grow as near as thick of coats!