-14 and no rugs?!?!

I had no problems at -14 two years ago. Horse was the warmest thing around, I had to stand with my gloved hands under his mane for about 10 mins every morning to get warm enough to do the hay! The really cold weather seems to suit the horses so much better than the windy/rainy stuff.

This morning we had -7 and horse had a lovely frosted mane and bum, but again if you rest your hand on his coat for a moment, you feel how lovely and warm he is :)
 
We're in sweden and Zack is rugless in temps of -15 to -25 most days. It has been known to go down to -40. He does have a lovely fully heated stable to retreat to whenever he wishes, but nooo, there he is outside with the shetlands pawing in the snow. It's quite an experience brushing icicles from your horse's coat for the first time!!!

At first I couldn't quite believe it, but all the horses go rugless and I've not noticed any of them dithering. They keep warm by being active and playing and by combusting a fortune's worth of hay :) 5kg of hay is just a 'bedtime snack' before they sleep! I really should get some pics uploaded :p
 
Dare I say it, it was one of the ways I could control weight on one of my very good doers. It was when you went out to check on them and they had the frosticles on every long hair... made you feel guilty. Got down here to -26 in 2010. Dry cold weather is not the problem, it is more the wet.

I don't see a problem with it, as long as not wet and windy, your horse is not old or ill and they have access to field shelter etc... feed appropriately and you keep a close eye on their weight. Other folks may comment though.

Think rugs causing overheating is more uncomfortable for a horse than being naked. However, my guys this winter as they are in work and clipped are in a rug. Currently despite being very cold here just now, there are happy and lovely warm with medium weight rugs whereas I know some other horses are in full winter weight rugs that haven't been clipped.
 
Friend of mine lives in Colorado and her horses have never had rugs, and -14 is routine for them.

As long as your horses have been allowed to grow and develop full winter coats, and you've not stripped these coats of the waterproof oils, then it should be ok. Obviously plenty of access to hay and some sort of shelter is also a given!
 
Any stock will fare better in the cold than in driving rain and wind.

Their coats will stiffen and form pockets of warm air between each hair follicle which it cannot do in the wet.
 
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