Are you rugging your horses now?

[Perfectpony07]

Hi all,
My pony lives out 24/7 he’s only been with us a few months. Wanting him to live out all winter really. I rugged him with a no fill on the days it’s been really wet, but unsure if to remove and leave off now until it’s bad again? It’s dropping abit at night, but warmer during the day, the idea of him living out is because I don’t have time to go twice a day, but this rugging at night removing in the morning is defeating the point .
Advice please? He’s a Welsh A, he usually has trees he can stand under but that part of his field is flooded. He does have a building at the side of his field he can stand behind for wind purposes

Thanks

 

[Barton Bounty]

Yea, its been 2 degrees overnight here so Orbi is in 100g just now and I have started giving him a little more feeding

 

[TheMule]

Unless he's clipped, unwell or underweight I would not rug him at all

 

[JFTDWS]

None of mine are rugged yet. All unclipped, out and feral.

 

[Perfectpony07]

Unless he's clipped, unwell or underweight I would not run him at all

Thanks this is helpful. I do want him to weather abit, he is a lead rein pony so isn’t doing large levels of work

 

[AdorableAlice]

Yea, its been 2 degrees overnight here so Orbi is in 100g just now and I have started giving him a little more feeding

But your lad is a TB and the original question is about a Welsh A. The Welsh A, C and D are bred to live on the side of a Welsh mountain, similar to all our native pony breeds. Unless sick or elderly they should not need rugging or even feeding other than forage when the grazing is poor.

 

[Caol Ila]

Highland, no. PRE, yes.

The latter seems to have a bit of a sweet itch thing going on, and she's a grumpy cow when she's cold and wet. The Highland was born feral, and he's obviously a native anyway, so I never rug him over winter. The PRE has a better wardrobe than I do. Rugging is so individual.

What AdorableAlice said!

 

[meleeka]

None of mine are rugged yet. All unclipped, out and feral.

I'd add old to that list, but essentially, for a Section A I agree! I'd always rug is it's cold and prolonged rain as the coat can't really do its job then, but usually no.

 

[94lunagem]

No. NF and Welsh A, both will live out unrugged apart from any particularly horrendous days when they’ll either have a sheet on or come in. I have plenty of natural shelter and plenty of grazing.

Unless clipped, poor, old or out with a particular lack of fibre, your Welsh will be fine.

 

[Tiddlypom]

How much of his field is flooded?

 

[Barton Bounty]

But your lad is a TB and the original question is about a Welsh A. The Welsh A, C and D are bred to live on the side of a Welsh mountain, similar to all our native pony breeds. Unless sick or elderly they should not need rugging or even feeding other than forage when the grazing is poor.

I didnt recommend her to rug? As far as I am aware, I simply said what I am doing. Be interesting to see if you quote everyone that doesn’t have a Welsh

 

[dottylottie]

C and D both in no fill turn outs, one is clipped and one is a soft arse. i like mine clean and dry though, if yours is living out and you want him naked he’ll be fine!

clipped pony had her 50g stable on last night but off again 6am this morning, naked tonight

 

[Fjord]

My chunky fell is naked. My slim, 27 yo fjord has been in a rainsheet and tonight has a 50g on because its going to be low single figures. But when she was younger and fatter I didn't rug her so much unless she was clipped.

 

[HopOnTrot]

Depends on the weather, it’s dry tonight so they’re naked with a shelter. Last night they were rugged.

Both are good doer natives but getting on in years so I I’m a bit more free with rugs as I don’t want them to get cold and stiff.

 

[Auslander]

I've got 50g rugs on most of my lot, who are primarily aged/infirm sports horse types. The two cobs and the two shitlands are naked, and will remain naked unless I clip them

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Oldest and youngest rugged in the wind and rain…12 year old nope.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Faran was naked until I clipped him today. I rugged him in wet days so I could ride.

Now that he’s clipped again he’s got a 50g to go out in that should do him until the temps drop to small single figures and then he can get his 100g on

 

[Zoeypxo]

Mine is rugged in a 70 or a 0 depending on the weather but she is a big warmblood. I would not rug a welsh A at this time of year, how sheltered is the field ?

 

[KittenInTheTree]

I'd have rugs available for him just in case, but I wouldn't expect him to need them, unless he was very old and frail, or unwell, etc.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I've only just started rugging my partially clipped native in a no fill - mainly to keep him dry and mud free to ride now it's been so wet! In the proper winter he'll be hunter clipped & in a 50-100g for most of the winter, I imagine.

I wouldn't be rushing to clipped your section A right now.

 

[SO1]

NF in at night out during the day not clipped not rugged and still wearing a muzzle and on soaked hay. Our fields are well draining.

If he is not clipped this year he wasn't last year then he will be in a rainsheet to keep clean if it gets a bit muddy. Winter grazing is good but we have not moved on to it yet

 

[SEL]

Last night we had yet another night of torrential rain, but with plummeting temperatures - so everyone was rugged (50g for the cobs). My littlest one grows a huge coat but it's not through yet and they've been miserable in the relentless rain.

Tonight is cold & dry so the one rugged is the one off to a clinic tomorrow and that's purely for my convenience!

 

[Lady Jane]

Sorry to be boring/annoying, but you should be checking your pony twice a day. Is someone else checking too but you don't want to ask them to mess around with rugs? A section A if unclipped shouldn't need rugs yet (if at all)

 

[claret09]

yes

 

[Bellaboo18]

My 2 are in no fills and I'm definitely not an over-rugger! My mare (selle francis) feels the cold, she'd be fine in her 50g now but I'm holding out a bit, I'm sure there's worse weather to come!

 

[Perfectpony07]

Sorry to be boring/annoying, but you should be checking your pony twice a day. Is someone else checking too but you don't want to ask them to mess around with rugs? A section A if unclipped shouldn't need rugs yet (if at all)

I guess that’s down to personal opinion.
He is in a field in which most of the yard have to walk through to get to their horses, it’s a very friendly yard so I’m reassured if something was wrong I would be informed.

 

[Goldenstar]

Mine who live out are clipped and are in zeros

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I have 2 very thin skinned fine coated horses. Showing no signs of fluff yet!! Both out in the day in 100g rugs.

 

[motherof2beasts!]

My cob is mainly in a rain sheet as no shelter in field and it’s been relentless rain. Last night I put a 50gram on as down to 4 degrees but he has been clipped.

 

[maya2008]

Rainsheets when wet is our policy. They won’t melt without but it makes tacking up easier!