Are there any other hairy's that are going to be rugless this winter?

debsey1

debsey1

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I am thinking of leaving rugs off my hairy beauty this winter, he is on the large side so he can afford to loose some or should I say shiver some weight off this forthcoming winter. However, he will need to come in at night, do you think he will need a stable rug on? The reason I ask is, if he comes in icy wet, and being confined to his stable, he won't be able to move around much to keep warm. What will the rest of you be doing in this situation?
 
I would say rug him at night, especially if he isn't coming in dry. The nights are colder than the days and as you rightfully point out, he won't have the same means of keeping warm through movement.
 
My Welsh D was rugless last winter and comes in at night. I did not put a rug on him in the stable as I would be taking it off in the morning and he would be chilly! He was fine without.
 
mine isnt a hairy... and he'll still be naked :D haha!!

hes a welsh x warmblood and grows a good coat, he might have a medium weight on when the weathers really bad as hes stabled at night! (hes not in work btw!)
 
If your horse has a coat as nature intended, he shouldn't need rugging if he comes in wet from the rain. If his coat is working as it should, your horse won't be wet to the skin from rain, he will only be wet to the skin if he's been sweating.

Wintering a horse with rugs intermittently will not do him any favours, rugs flatten the coat and stop it from working as it should so either rug or don't, it's not wise to do both.
 
Yes marmalade speaks sense...even in the worst wet weather, when you parted the huge long coat hairs on my lad, the bottom cm's were bone dry and it was just the top of the hairs that were wet...this was the case even when he has several inches of snow sat on his back too!
 
marmalade76 said:
If your horse has a coat as nature intended, he shouldn't need rugging if he comes in wet from the rain. If his coat is working as it should, your horse won't be wet to the skin from rain, he will only be wet to the skin if he's been sweating.

Wintering a horse with rugs intermittently will not do him any favours, rugs flatten the coat and stop it from working as it should so either rug or don't, it's not wise to do both.
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Spot on.:)
 
Yes my black cob, and my youngsters too. Last year they were all rugless and it was baltic and snowy (aberdeenshire). Went down to -23 and one day didn't get above -10. Too icy to bring them in. They were all fine BUT did go through a heck of a lot of haylage. All were fat bordering obese in the spring so you'll be fine. I noticed when I went to Sweden none were rugged and i believe its not common to rug in Canada either?
 
Agree with Marmalade. My welsh and my exmoor will be out naked this year 24/7 with natural shelter.

The welsh was out in these circumstances last winterm which was more difficult for me than him! I am used to stabling overnight, clipping and rugging. But I knew he would be having the winter off so he was left to grow his coat and left out in the wind rain and snow. I put a turnout rug on him once when the weather was due to be very cold and it had snowed. He was fine for about 10 minutes then rolled and rolled and rolled. I checked under the rug and he was sweating.......
 
All mine will be rugless as usual! Last winter was supposed to be the coldest on record and mine put weight ON - fat fluffies!!!!!!!:D
 
Yearling and probably the old lad will be naked and unclipped this year. First year not clipping the old lad so I will play it by how he's doing - I reserve the right to rug him if he needs it!

The 5 year old will be in work and clipped so he will be rugged. They'll be out 24/7 in the coldest weather :D
 
Oh your all so brave! I am fighting myself not to buy rugs for out shettie this winter!
I know they cope temperature wise but what about the mud? I only just have time to get everything done in winter as it is without having to brush caked on mud before tacking up.- My mud is clay so more like cement tho!

I think the rubbing him off and sticking a cooler/sweat rug on for a hour or so sounds good to me!
 
i have been wondering the same thing. this will be my 2nd winter with basil (although im still waiting for a summer actually). Last year he was clipped as i was riding him regularly & he got through 4 rugs! shredding them! they were all mw rugs. this year i have my medicine finals in february so riding opportunities are going to be quite limited. therefore i was thinking of giving him a winter holiday except for the occasional (& i mean once every 4 weeks or something) walk round the woods (not taxing) & leaving him unrugged & unclipped. just save me a bit of money on rugs whilst im not in a position to ride much & leaving him as nature intended. he would be coming in at night too.
 
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