At what *C would you say it is cold enough for a HW turnout?

[Lill]

It is supposed to get down to about 4*C Thus and Fri night round our way....

I don't think that is quite cold enough to warrant a HW turnout? Or is it?

 

[Hippona]

Depends on the type of horse, whether its clipped and whether your horse is a bit of a wuss or not.....

...personally I'd say no- cos if it gets a lot colder ( and lets face it- we have november,december,jan and feb to get through yet)...what do you do then...?

 

[ecrozier]

Depends......on your horse, whether they are clipped, where they are turned out, etc?
My arab who feels the cold and has been clipped once already is in a MW and will stay in that til he is clipped again as he is already hairy again. My WB who was bred in russia and never ever seems to get cold, is still in her LW! THeir field is pretty sheltered tho and neither of them exactly skinny!
However we are moving at the weekend and new yard much more exposed, so may add another rug for WB! THey will also start coming in at night next week and will both be in MW stable rugs til arab gets clipped, then he can have his HW.

 

[_OC_]

Depends what you own.......but,nope would not put one on my hairy cob...well he ain't overly hairy....still nope!
However,when I owned my TB mare still would not.....I'm still using just a fleece,might up it to a light/middle weight....nope,I still won't!
For me with a fine breed would have to be boarding on 0c to 2c most likely.....and it would also depend how exposed my box and yard was!

Was that any help as an answer......most likely,nope!

 

[LankyDoodle]

George will not have a HW t/o all winter unless we have some kind of freak arctic weather. He will be clipped inlate November and have a MW if he's lucky.

Lanky on the other hand is already in a MW as he was dropping weight (POINTLESS putting a LW on an unclipped horse unless it's quite mild and wet). He'll be in a HW from the moment he's clipped, unless it's really mild.

 

[Stacie_and_Jed]

Jed is out in a heavy weight! He is cob x and fully clipped!

But he is a chilly boy! I also went upto HW stable last night too.

The main reason is that he needs to be sedated to be clipped so i figure the warmer he is less likely it is i will have to clip again!

 

[Lill]

He's ummm 16hh irish type, full clipped.

He's out in a medium turnout at the moment (out 24/7) with a fleece underneath.

My instructor thinks he's dropped a bit of weight...

He has 2 feeds a day and big bale hay in the field.

 

[_OC_]

Sorry nope to turn out H/W unless at freezing point and howling a north wind......sorry thought we where on stables ones.....just had a great session schooling the cob and a bit on a high!

 

[Nailed]

Ted is in a med weight and has been all week and tonight they have said its gonna be 2c so i might put a fleece on under neath, but then he is an underweight tb who is a bit older and gets stiff.. oh and a big WUSS!

lou x

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
He's ummm 16hh irish type, full clipped.

He's out in a medium turnout at the moment (out 24/7) with a fleece underneath.

My instructor thinks he's dropped a bit of weight...

He has 2 feeds a day and big bale hay in the field.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bring him in at night - and ensure he is warm enough in the day at all times.

 

[Stoxx]

It depends, my horse is in a h/w in his stable if the temp is below 10. But he is a cold horse who is just horrible to deal with unless he is warm (apparently this morning someone changed his rugs to lighter ones until he was turned out and he threw a strop and kicked his water over - this is typical of his behaviour).
My pony who lives out 24/7/365 won't go into a h/w until it drops below 3.

 

[brightmount]

I'm in the same part of the country as you OP and my hairy Irish Sports Horse is living out 24/7 with no rug, and my other less hairy but unclipped ISH currently lives out at night in a lightweight with no fill.

Even when clipped I rarely use anything heavier than a MW with neck, only when it goes below freezing would I consider a HW or a fleece under the MW.

 

[Hippona]

[ QUOTE ]
POINTLESS putting a LW on an unclipped horse unless it's quite mild and wet.

[/ QUOTE ]


Why is that?

My horse is still unclipped, but he needs doing as he's getting sweaty when ridden. He feels the cold (finebred, veteran) but sweats up at present in a MW- he's fine in a LW, miserable naked and too hot in a MW. So its not pointless for him, thanks

 

[madmuppet]

my cob is clipped out and hes got his MW on just now, however when i went down to check him this morning he wasnt as warm as he has been.. hes got access to a field stable with a bed in it 24/7 however too.. Hes got aritiritis and i dont want to shut him in at night, better if he can come and go.. He will be getting his thicker liner on under his NZ tonight so he will have a HW on.. when its the middle of winter god only knows what i will have on him them.. An electric blanket!!!!!

 

[AmyMay]

My unclipped horse is also in a LW turnout - why is it pointless?

 

[ecrozier]

As is mine Amymay! I don't think it is pointless at all - I know the theory about letting their coat fluff up to keep them warm, but at this time of year who knows when it is going to rain, and that is when my horse gets cold. She would happily be out naked if we could guarantee it isn't going to rain, but when the weather turns overnight she would be cold, wet and miserable naked, whereas by leaving her in a LW she is protected against that. And it also means she is dry when we want to ride - I know that is a selfish motivation but unfortunately both sharer and I work full time so needs must!

 

[moneypit1]

I tend to over rug I suppose. I don't want Fly to grow much coat as he is in full work and is a prat to clip. Seems to suit us both really!

 

[Hippona]

[ QUOTE ]
As is mine Amymay! I don't think it is pointless at all - I know the theory about letting their coat fluff up to keep them warm, but at this time of year who knows when it is going to rain, and that is when my horse gets cold. She would happily be out naked if we could guarantee it isn't going to rain, but when the weather turns overnight she would be cold, wet and miserable naked, whereas by leaving her in a LW she is protected against that. And it also means she is dry when we want to ride - I know that is a selfish motivation but unfortunately both sharer and I work full time so needs must!

[/ QUOTE ]


Absolutely agree- don't get me wrong, when clipped he'll be in a MW

.....also- mines a grey - say no more

 

[chestnut cob]

Depends on your horse!

My 17hh IDxTB gelding is a warm horse and despite having a hunter clip (which has half grown back anyway) is in a MW rug at night (stabled) and currently out in a LW Amigo with full neck. He almost got a cotton sheet under it today but he felt warm enough, plus he will be moving around whilst he's out.

I prefer my horses to be on the cooler side, can't stand feeling someone's horse under a mountain of rugs and it's literally sweating... they don't feel the cold the same way that we do.

 

[Pink_Pampas]

Mines out during the day in a HW full neck with a fleece underneath! But he is an oldie who will loose weight easily so cannot let him get cold.

 

[TicTac]

Mine had blimmin lightweights on through most of the summer!!
I very rarely use H/W rugs even on clipped horses. I prefer to put a thin liner underneath the M/W when it gets colder. I find that the weather in this country ( unless you live in bonny wee scotland) never really gets cold enough to warrant one. But as mentioned previously, it does depend on your horse.

 

[LankyDoodle]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
POINTLESS putting a LW on an unclipped horse unless it's quite mild and wet.

[/ QUOTE ]


Why is that?

My horse is still unclipped, but he needs doing as he's getting sweaty when ridden. He feels the cold (finebred, veteran) but sweats up at present in a MW- he's fine in a LW, miserable naked and too hot in a MW. So its not pointless for him, thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Because if it's cold outside and your horse is unclipped, putting a rug on them flattens the top layer of hair and thus the horse's natural protector against the elements (the top layer keeps out the wet and wind, while the bottom layer is the insulator of sorts), so it can't work properly. That is fine if you've put a rug with a decent fill in it, but if you go putting a rug with no fill in it then you're not replacing the warmth you've just stolen away from your poor horse. You are better off clipping and rugging heavily or not clipping and not rugging. I use a lightweight if it is mild and wet. He is better off getting a bit damp and being able to keep himself warm. This is where rugs with different fills come in... if he's sweating up in a MW then probably there's too much fill, but if you're putting a lightweight on him then yes you're keeping out the wind and rain, but if it's freezing cold then he's colder with a no fill rug than he is with just his coat to keep him warm. Thanks.

 

[sar1]

Mine is out today with a H/W on. He's just been clipped and is very fit and lean so don't want him losing any more weight. He is out in a exposed field and it's cold today!

At night he's been wearing a 300g stable rug since he was clipped.

 

[Hippona]

Actually, if it was freezing cold he'd have his MW on- but as it isn't then the LW is fine.......when I check the base of his ears (core body temp) he is warm .....and I can assure you that he is warmer and happier with the LW than naked. The main purpose of the LW is to keep wind and rain out, as he hates both....He doesnt live out, he is stabled overnight.

Your theory is fine, but I prefer to manage my horses as individuals.

 

[Shilasdair]

I am going to buck the trend here, and say that low temperatures even below freezing, are not what make your horses feel cold. It is the wet, windy weather they don't cope with.
So in wet, windy weather, I will rug mine in a HW, even though the actual temperature may not be so low, whereas on the sunny but cold days, I maybe wouldn't.
It also depends on the horse - some cope with cold, some don't.
So there!
S

 

[fredthoroughbred]

Fred has been in his heavy weight turnout and stable rugs since September. It has been colder than normal for this time of the year up here and today there is a similar amount of snow on the hills as in January and there was a few hail storms brrrrrrrrrr I might put two on hahahaha

I think it just depends on your horse and his fluffing up ability!! If he is dropping weight and having two feeds a day, I would definitely put a heavier rug on (but I am a fairy)

 

[scotsmare]

Funnily enough I was having this debate with my OH about an hour ago - we have had mega windy weather with nasty showers blowing through and my WB filly came in from the field freezing cold (with a mediumweight Rhino on). I'm still undecided about the heavier rug but feel that I might need to give in soon. The joys of living on the coast in North Scotland

 

[smokeyjo]

I agree with Shilasdair. Not only does it depend a lot on the type of horse and clip (if any), but it's not even just a temperature thing at all. I think it's those horrible icy winds and lashing sleety rain which really make horses cold. I tend to go by what I am wearing too. If I've got my thermals, a hat, a scarf, gloves and thick jacket on ...... it's HW time, and that's usually worst in Jan Feb and Mar, never Oct and v rarely Nov.

 

[Firewell]

If mine was out tonight she would have her HW on. Shes a TB and although shes not clipped at the mo she has very fine hair.

Because of who she is, shes not out at night anymore anyway and she is tucked up tonight with stable bandages and 2 MW rugs on! I do baby her though!

I think it depends on your horse like the others said. This weather is really awkward, 16 degrees during the day which warrants no rug or a LW IMO unless its puring in which case a MW but 4 degrees at night which is really quite cold I think!

BTW when I had ponies, they would be out without any rug all yr round unless it was really cold/rainey.

 

[Tia]

My guys are rugged as soon as the constant temperature outside is around -10c. Most of them wear M/W rugs but a couple have H/Ws. When the weather goes down to -40 I tend to dig out my stable rugs and pop them underneath their turnout rugs.

At the other end, in the spring, I take rugs off once 0c is the constant temperature.

ETA; by the way, this goes for ALL horses I have here; WBs, TBs, Arabs and my own QHs.