Bonkers people up at my yard!!

[Carrots&Mints]

Everyone has gone crazy about this weather! I'd say 80% of the horses are out in full winter rugs and it's not even cold.... It's abit of rain!!!!

Anyhow... Rain should stop by tomorrow *fingers crossed*

 

[maisie06]

Took the lightweight no fill off my 5 year old yesterday. Put it on as heavy rain due - and my lord it was heavy and windy too! Got to yard and he was too hot even in that, so it's off and he'll just get wet until he's clipped!
I have stopped taking notice of what others do and just rug my own accordingly as I see fit.

 

[AMW]

Its like winter here, cold, pouring rain & gale force winds. The ones that are in are staying in & the ones that are out can stay out.

 

[kimberleigh]

Mine are naked!
Rained lightly here from Sunday morning, got heavier as day went on and was torrential all night, by yesterday morning it had stopped and today is beautiful

Won't even consider rugs til around 5degrees as mine can get in the stables if they so choose to be out of the rain

Kim

 

[MrVelvet]

Freezing here between 2 and 3 degrees over night and only 5-7 through the day! Severe weather warnings for floods and very cold wind

 

[benson21]

i kept Donovan in last night, he has no shelter in his field, he was dry, and happy, munching on a hay net. Some of the others were out, all rugged. Dont really see why thay makes anyone bonkers!

 

[staceyn]

We have warnings for floods but its still 10-14degrees this week none stop rain I do feel bad not rugging but they need to grow winter coat don't want to start rugs yet at least they have a warm bed at night so its only during the day.

 

[MagicMelon]

Its like winter here, cold, pouring rain & gale force winds.

Yep, same here. Was a very wild night, our power went off for hours. I put winter-weight ones on mine last night because it was just horrible - so cold and wet! I find that wet and windy conditions are much worse for the cold-factor than a blizzard and sub zero temps! Today will be spent sorting out my rug room, putting all the summer ones away and digging out the winter ones!

 

[AMW]

MM im in Aberdeenshire and its wicked weather this morning. Ponies wouldnt even come across the field for their feeds this morning they were huddled under the hedge.
Last night gave them hay as its been dry so long then this rain, always paranoid about GS after a dry spell.

 

[Pedantic]

My lad was out Sunday naked and wet, he did have a rain sheet on yesterday as it was a bit OTT raining, fly mask and muzzle off as well now.

 

[Equilibrium Ireland]

Mine are I'm med's. They were shaking in lights. Horses can and do get hypothermia. So personally I don't like waiting on a temp. Being soaked to the skin is different than minus temps with sun. I don't use heavy weights. Only meds and liners for clipped ones. They still get nice fluffy costs so the uncoupled ones do fine with just med.

Reminds me of this summer. We had 2 days of non stop wind and rain just like this but yet the horses were stripped down to their summer hair coats. Yup, a bit warmer but no hair. I had med's on mine then too. A friend of mine said no rugs for mine it's June they need to toughen up. Well guess what, I wasn't the one spending money with the vets to clear up lung infections.

Terri

 

[AmyMay]

Everyone has gone crazy about this weather! I'd say 80% of the horses are out in full winter rugs and it's not even cold.... It's abit of rain!!!!

Anyhow... Rain should stop by tomorrow *fingers crossed*

Each to their own. But one thing guaranteed to make any horse loose condition is the driving rain.

But aside from that, if someone wants to rug their horses against the elements whose business is it apart from theirs?

 

[tallyho!]

hulloooo!!! I'm bonkers

 

[J&J]

I went up last night to put a rug on as loads of rain predicted and instead wake up to lovely sunshine. It was only a lightweight but he will stay in that now.

 

[staceyn]

Changed my mind think i will rug today its not freezing but the rain is just constant! and they was not too happy yday not much shelter either lightweight turnout i think!

 

[Littlelegs]

I have one unrugged & perfectly happy, stood grazing in the middle of the field, both last night & this am, even though doesn't have much winter coat yet. The other is fluffy, wearing a lw, will poss be a mw tonight if weather continues, & is just right temp wise. Different horses have different needs.

 

[kimberleigh]

What I don't understand is people who use lightweights in torrential rain...they are only designed to keep off light showers!

Horses will get colder in a wet rug than no rug!!

Mine are lucky in that they can simply walk into their stables to shelter from the rain if they want to...if I rugged now they would a)get too warm and b)not get their winter coats through properly!

Though mine are Welsh so hardy enough not to worry about a bit of rain

Kim

 

[Littlelegs]

What I don't understand is why people get confused between lw turnouts & no fill rain sheets. Or why people have problems with leaking rugs, none of mine do, although I suppose that's something to do with reproofing them regularly.

 

[kimberleigh]

By lightweights I mean no fill! They are pointless in heavy rain as they are simply not designed to withstand constant rain - nothing to do with them not being reproofed enough!!

Kim

 

[CrazyMare]

TBH I don't really care much what the others do, I just make sure my own are rugged/brought in as I see fit.

And all four of mine are out today with rugs on, and all four will come in to snuggly warm beds over night. I've already had one get poorly this year, through no fault of my or her own, so she will be mollycoddled!

 

[Littlelegs]

I wouldn't use a no fill if its also cold as they stop the horse fluffing up their coat, without offering any warmth in return. But mine stand up to torrential rain just fine. If they are sufficiently waterproofed the water just pours off them, instead of going through.

 

[TallyHo123]

It's horrible in Newcastle. I don't care what people do with their own horse as long as the welfare of horse isn't being compromised.
My boy lives in over night (was injured in April and box rest and only having day time turnout now until next spring) He has been out 7am-5pm with a sheet to keep showers off although if it's like today he will have a lightweight on. He hates the rain though and paces up and down & has done himself injuries in the past by stressing. So today I kept him in until just now and he will probably come in around 4.

 

[AmyMay]

By lightweights I mean no fill! They are pointless in heavy rain as they are simply not designed to withstand constant rain - nothing to do with them not being reproofed enough!!Kim

Actually that's not strictly true. Providing the denier of the outer rug is 1200 or more, it will withstand the heaviest of rain.

 

[TGM]

By lightweights I mean no fill! They are pointless in heavy rain as they are simply not designed to withstand constant rain - nothing to do with them not being reproofed enough!!

Kim

That's definitely not the case with my no-fill rugs - two of mine have been out in no-fill rugs in this recent heavy rain with no leaking at all!

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

That's definitely not the case with my no-fill rugs - two of mine have been out in no-fill rugs in this recent heavy rain with no leaking at all!

same here you get what you pay for with rugs.

My Haffie is out unrugged but they are in at night cos of GS risk here. The 20 year old was rugged for the first time this year, just because if I didnt (and our driving rain and gales has sleet in it - NE Scot in the hills!) he would just stand by the gate getting cold and wet. As he's 20 I think he can have what he wants and he def wanted a rug today - LW T/O, and he is grazing happily in horrendous conditions out there

However I would say that generally in wind/rain at this time of year I would NOT be rugging either even tho we are one of the coldest places in UK and it is only because of extremeness of today and lack of shelter in fields (they would blow away and trees dont grow here much either!) that I have done. If i were in S of England with a field with some shelter theres no way I would be rugging.

 

[noodle_]

mine are in 100g-150g combos!! they live out - its windyand hasnt stopped raining!

so yes i may be bonkers - but my horses are lovely and warm ({not too hot!) if it goes hotter i will take them off - but until it stops raining...no!

 

[fatpiggy]

By lightweights I mean no fill! They are pointless in heavy rain as they are simply not designed to withstand constant rain - nothing to do with them not being reproofed enough!!

Kim

Mine is a Shires no fill, full neck. Completely waterproof even after 12 hours continous heavy rain (you should see the field, it looks like the tide came in) and no shelter whatsoever.

 

[Hippona]

Well....

2 of mine are hairy and rugless. And happy.

The other is hairy ( for him) but despite a MW rug that wasn't leaking....last night he came in shivering....


Horses for courses, as they say.

 

[Flame_]

What I don't understand is why people get confused between lw turnouts & no fill rain sheets. Or why people have problems with leaking rugs, none of mine do, although I suppose that's something to do with reproofing them regularly.

Err, IMO LW turnouts and no fill rain sheets are the same thing. My horses are in medium weights (a 200g Amigo and a 100g Duo with a 100g lining). I think cleaning and reproofing rugs just helps do in the waterproofness tbh. I only get it done reluctantly if any need repairs.

 

[ladyt25]

Well, I'm not one for rugging unless necessary but currently our lot are in the 'far field' as it were and will remain there for another week or so at least. There is plenty of shelter as lots of trees bordering the field. However, my sister's horse is in a restricted paddock due to a tendon injury so can't access a lot of shelter so he is rugged. We have a 28/29 yo TB who is fine built and stil has a fairly thin coat so he is rugged, my pony is 26 and I could do without him getting cold so again he is rugged. My 21 yo is fully clipped as he gets too warm in the summer so again rug on for him!

The only one not rugged is my big, fat 3 yo who couldn't give a hoot!

We did have an old pony who did get hypothermia once though as he had a thick coat but got soaked through. That was before the days of rainsheets/lightweights - you outdoor rug option was a NZ or nothing!

You just have to know your own horses I guess and if they need an extra bit of help to keep warm and dry then so be it!