Being told I'm cruel for not rugging up!

[Finn]

I got told yesterday that I'm being cruel for my horse being out naked in this rain.

The thing is she's a Shire X Cob, well built and very woolly. She never wears rugs anyway even in the snow or when its minus 10 as she is a naturally warm mare and even with a rain sheet on she still gets too hot.

Shes out 24/7 with plenty of hay and has a small feed every morning just to get her supplements inside her and is perfectly happy wandering around her field and eating. I have checked her religiously to make sure she's not cold or shivering or anything and she's perfectly warm still so the way I see it she doesn't need rugging up.

I just don't see why, if she's still warm and happily eating hay and grass that I should rug her up or bring her in out of the rain just because that is what everyone else does. Surely its about doing what is right and what suits your horse. Don't get me wrong if she was cold she would be in to dry off then a rug put on her.

Am I cruel or are there other's out there that are still naked in this rain? Should I be made to feel cruel just for doing what's right for my horse?

Pointless post really, just wanted to see if there are others out there that are still naked.

 

[Rose Folly]

Yes. The TB, who is a toast rack, has a rain rug on. My cob did last night because the wind was dreadful, but it's off this morning, and the two Shetlands don't own rugs as they are mobile waterproof hearthrugs. I get cross too when people carp at me. Over-rugging is bad horse management. Full stop. Many horses don't need it at all. It's just owners who are too lazy to groom.

 

[ridefast]

Don't worry, the only time I have ever rugged any of mine was an elderly mare who was dropping weight. Otherwise, all are naked. The welsh isn't even very woolly. I've worked on tb studs and they hardly ever rug unless one is really struggling but otherwise, plenty of shelter, room to move around and food to eat is enough for them

 

[MiniMilton]

Most of my unclipped horses would be absolutely miserable if I had rugs on them at the moment. When they get hot they get itchy. Whey they have a rug on they can't get at the itch! That would be torture

 

[_GG_]

You're not cruel....it would be cruel to rug a horse that didn't need it and leave it to overheat!

So long as a horse can get shelter, be it man made or sufficient natural shelter, I really don't see a problem. I only put a rug on my TB mare last week when the weather took a turn. I didn't do it until she needed it either. I knew the temps were due to drop but was till warm doing evening duties, so I went back late evening and both the girls were cold so I put rugs on them both. They cam off the next day and it's only the last couple of days they have stayed on.

I cannot stand horses being left to sweat under unnecessary rugs!!!

 

[be positive]

I have several out with no rugs, that is why they grow a winter coat at this time of year or so I was led to believe, mine are not that hairy yet several being part bred arabs who do not get very think coats so require rugging when it gets cold but it is not that cold yet and they are absolutely fine. They are getting no hay either as very fat and could do with dropping a bit first, there is plenty of grass and they have hedges for shelter, far healthier than being rugged for months on end.

 

[NativePonyLover]

My New Forest is out naked - he's only one of two that aren't in a rug at the moment at my yard.

He's absolutely fine - he's in clipped with a good coat & it's still relatively mild, he's groomed accordingly (when he's not wet) to keep as much natural oils in his coat & is stabled overnight with ad-lib hay.

I plan to keep him unrugged for as much as winter as I can.

He might not look too smart, but he's happy which is more important.

 

[luckyoldme]

You do whats right for your horse. mine is naked tb/irish draught cross and will be till we have a considerable drop in temperature...usually when he is looking miserable and stood shaking in the field. He winters out with two Clydesdales and two percherons who are never ever rugged. Each to their own..the Clydesdales and percherons take no hurt wind rain snow or shine. This morning I saw a pony rugged in a dead sweet rug with little daisies on it...not for me but cute all the same. I woud nt personally rug this early but other owners do.........different approaches by different owners for different horses. I know my boy is ok and don t feel the need to justify his care to anyone!

 

[jrp204]

Its a wonder that any horses survive in the wild.

 

[WelshD]

These threads always end up as arguements! someone will say that their horse is unrugged, someone else will say theirs is partially clipped and unrugged, someone will say theirs is unrugged with no shelter and on a hill then someone will say that theirs lives in siberia with no rugs. Barefoot and living naturally 'as a horse should' will rear its head somewhere along the line

The one upmanship will continue for a few pages then someone will say their horse is rugged, someone will say theirs has TWO rugs, the next will say theirs is clipped and rugged in wool blankets from the 1920's

Then the first set of people will set out the reasons why it is better not to rug with differing levels of rationality

Then the second lot will defend their actions

this will result in a stand off between two members with a bit of mud slinging and dredging up old posts to score points

If your horse is happy and you are happy then you will be ok, what anyone else thinks is irrelevant

 

[Finn]

Awww, thanks everyone for the replies. I don't feel as bad now.

I just shouldn't have to be made to feel as though I should bring her in or rug her up just because everyone else is, in fact my mare ( I think) is the only one on our whole yard that isn't rugged up!

The only down side to it is that shes too wet to be ridden but I'm sure she doesn't mind that at all lol.

 

[_GG_]

These threads always end up as arguements! someone will say that their horse is unrugged, someone else will say theirs is partially clipped and unrugged, someone will say theirs is unrugged with no shelter and on a hill then someone will say that theirs lives in siberia with no rugs. barefoot and living naturally 'as a horse should' will rear its head somewhere along the line

The one upmanship will continue for a few pages then someone will say their horse is rugged, someone will say theirs has TWO rugs, the next will say theirs is clipped and rugged in wool balnkets from the 1920's

Then the first set of people will set out the reasons why it is better not to rug with differing levels of rationality

Then the second lot will defend their actions

this will result in a stand off between two members with a bit of mud slinging and dredging up old posts to score points

If your horse is happy and you are happy then you will be ok, what anyone else thinks is irrelevant

Love this

 

[babymare]

Toast and coffee anyone. this maybe a lonnnng thread

 

[WelshD]

Toast and coffee anyone. this maybe a lonnnng thread

Butter and jam on mine please!

 

[dianchi]

We've got a whole herd that are out naked- and plan to be for the entire winter, one 2yo, one 3yo, and three 10yo all mares, all out for the winter!

 

[ihatework]

Well I took a low clip off my hairy monster yesterday, and given the driving rain I did relent and pop a sheet on him when I lobbed him back out for the night. Never fear, as soon as the rain passes, he will likely loose the sheet and be out 24/7 with a clip (low chase) for a wee while longer.

 

[jrp204]

I think the answer is consistancy, a wet, permenantly naked horse will have a more waterproof coat than one whos rug is left off occasionally, a permenantly naked horse who is rugged on a very cold day may actually be more cold as its coat is unable to stand up to trap warmer air closer to the skin.
Rugging is obviously more convenient for the owner so if you choose to rug or not who gives a damn, just be consistent.

 

[Embo]

I am rugging mine because he is a fine ISH who I've struggled to get up to weight over summer. I've had the funny looks off others at the yard as he isn't wearing a lw/mw stable rug at night. Just a simple cotton sheet. A friend said to me at the weekend that I should put his mw on as it's going down to about 5c overnight. Then she looked at me gobsmacked as I said no, he will get too hot!

I rug according to my horse, not to what others do. I'm the odd one out at my place, with my very TB ISH with minimal rugs whilst some others with their native types or cobs are rugged up to the eyeballs! There are some who have been wearing a fleece underneath a quilt for weeks now. How many are they going to be wearing when it actually gets cold?

I'm feeling bad atm as I have over-rugged today. It was raining with a very chilly wind, so I rugged according to me, not him. Bet he's all hot and bothered by now... silly me.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

I think the answer is consistancy, a wet, permenantly naked horse will have a more waterproof coat than one whos rug is left off occasionally, a permenantly naked horse who is rugged on a very cold day may actually be more cold as its coat is unable to stand up to trap warmer air closer to the skin.
Rugging is obviously more convenient for the owner so if you choose to rug or not who gives a damn, just be consistent.

This, if not rugging and not clipping it's better to stick to that and just ensure shelter is available. My pony is never rugged and were in the Cairngorms for heavens sake :-DD My old big chap is lightly rugged as he's 20 but only HW in really horrid weather as he's quite a good doer still.

 

[glamourpuss]

I'm a firm member of the 'I love rugging gang' but then I own horses who's type, coat & work level mean that rugging them well is in their best interests.

In the OP's case do I think they are cruel for not rugging their horse? Absolutely not! If their horse is happy & well with how they are being managed then there's no problem at all.

...and that's all I have to say about that.

 

[HaffiesRock]

I too think that these posts do end up in fights, but at the the same time when people are calling others cruel it isn't on. I too got called cruel on Friday OP. My Haffy is as fluffy and waterproof as they come, I leave him be in the rain and dont interfere with him, he was warm and eating his ad lib hay, bucket of beet and bucket of soaked grass nuts when a fellow livery looked at my pony and said something along the lines of poor boy, cold and wet because mummy is too cruel to put a rug on you. I just smiled and said yep! But then I did go home and start thinking am I being cruel? So next morning (still hammering it down) I checked him again, still warm as toast, still stood in the rain rather than under shelter and I thought stuff everyone else. It would be more cruel to rug him and interfere with him. I felt happier still after poo picking a barrow and having to strip to my t shirt as I was so warm!

Yes, my pony may look wet and soggy in the field and I cant ride him in wet weather, but he is not cold and as soon as he starts to show signs of being cold or starts to lose condition I will chuck a rug on him, but until then my pony and I are happy.

 

[Patterdale]

My sec D has a low chaser clip and is out in wind and rain unrugged as he's fat as a seal.

 

[Finn]

Hi everyone,

I genuinely didn't start this thread to cause an argument between people. I was just upset that someone thought I was cruel and it has played on my mind all night but he fact that she is happy, warm and eating makes me know I am doing the right thing by not rugging her up just because everyone else is

Many thanks for all the replies and once again Im sorry if this has caused any arguments, it really wasn't meant to

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

as long as each and every horse is happy and comfy, it doesnt matter what they are wearing (or not wearing).

mine are in HW and thermatexes in the day (out), magnet sheets and MW at night (in). CS is fully clipped and has EPSM, Fig is the worlds worst doer and grows no winter coat so in effect is also fully clipped!

its been blowing a gale all weekend and pouring and the fields dont have much natural shelter.

Furry Bruce has been in a MW up to this week but is now in a HW in the day and a no neck MW overnight. He looks old this year and feels the cold too.

at the yards i teach at, theres everything from HW and under rug to totally naked and out 24/7. they all have diff needs/issues so are in diff rugs.

 

[Sparklepony]

My TBS are all rugged up, the horses at work range from Shetland, cobs and tbs, the older guys are in medium weights, one cob is naked one is in a heavyweight, 2 section A's are naked but one has on 2 rugs, so a proper variety here!
Our fields have no shelter and are on a hill though so that's a big factor!

 

[Puppy]

These threads always end up as arguements! someone will say that their horse is unrugged, someone else will say theirs is partially clipped and unrugged, someone will say theirs is unrugged with no shelter and on a hill then someone will say that theirs lives in siberia with no rugs. Barefoot and living naturally 'as a horse should' will rear its head somewhere along the line

The one upmanship will continue for a few pages then someone will say their horse is rugged, someone will say theirs has TWO rugs, the next will say theirs is clipped and rugged in wool blankets from the 1920's

Then the first set of people will set out the reasons why it is better not to rug with differing levels of rationality

Then the second lot will defend their actions

this will result in a stand off between two members with a bit of mud slinging and dredging up old posts to score points

If your horse is happy and you are happy then you will be ok, what anyone else thinks is irrelevant

Haha!! So true

OP, you know your horse; just do what you think is best

 

[picolenicole]

I used to rug my cob, until last year. I work full time so cannot ride much in winter so thought for the first time in 4 years I would turn him away at Christmas, so I didn't clip him. The odd weekend riding he didn't need clipping, so I left him and it was the happiest I've ever seen him. He was nude in all that snow and rain and still wouldn't come in at night

If it wasn't for him being on box rest and turned out in a 12x12 padock he would nude now, but seeing as he cannot get out of the rain or wind I have put a lightweight on him. I know the first thing he will do when he comes in and has his rug off, a good old roll in his stable and then stand for ages scratching his itchy bits He always looks relly pleased to be nude, also it stopped his main falling out, evey winter his main would rub out as he was too hot.

Do what your horse is happy with

PS I always get called cruel, be it for not ruging last year or turning out with a grazing muzle on or turning out in a fenced off section of our field. I do move the bloody fencing when he needs it!!! Gggrrr

 

[Pearlsasinger]

The Standardbred stud near us has mares, foals and other youngstock out 24/7 in fields with very little shelter at the top of the Pennines, so very exposed to weather from all directions. They do absolutely fine because they have access to PLENTY of food. They have haylage bales replenished frequently and lots of carrots available. They don't need rugs and although some of the passersby mutter about 'cruelty', especially in the snow, they are some of the healthiest horses in the district.
We brought ours in overnight for the first time this year because the land is getting wet. They are unrugged, back out today. None of them are clipped, coats are very different but all plenty warm enough. There is a danger of fungal infections under rugs if the horses sweat and can't dry off properly.
OP, continue to do what you think is best for your horse and ignore the numpties.

 

[Chunkie]

Totally irrelevant what anyone else thinks - do what's best for your horse.

FWIW, my section D is out naked, and next week he will be clipped (low chaser) and out naked.

 

[JLD]

is very much whatever suits - my old ish was the hottest horse I have come across and never worse more than a MW fully clipped out in the snow. my current pony is a welsh x cob sort of hairyish who I planned to leave naked but has been bloody miserable this week in the rain even with full access to natural shelter and a field shelter. put a rainsheet on him and is so much happier ( although he is still keen to come in ! ) so there goes my plans of not buying more rugs !