boring rug thread

luckyoldme

luckyoldme

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I know we get loads of rug or not to rug questions but here goes,
My id x was out in a medium weight until the weather warmed up last week, i rugged him overnight but let him have the rug off during the day..which he seemed to appreciate. On saturday the hunt was round late on and he was a ball of sweat, it was a mild night so rather than rug a sweaty horse up i left him naked. Its still mild and he s still naked. Its due to turn colder tommorow,back down to freezing again so the plan is to rug him up again tommorow. I get a bit paronoid about the whole rugging thing and on looking around at other peoples horses it seems my horse is the only naked one...So whats everyone else done during this milder spell... oh and hes not clipped.
Please dont ring the rspca ...he does look very healthy...just a bit scruffy!
 
My horse has Rambo Duos and he's in his 100g Duo with a 100g liner now, he was in the 200g liner when he'd just had a clip and it was colder.
 
i like to have something on so can't you just put a lightweight sheet on. also i wouldn't have left him out sweaty without a rug on because he is likely to catch a chill whereas with a rug on he will cool down slowly and not catch a chill!!
 
We gave up on lightweights as he just seems to remove them overnight..The other problem with rugging him after the hunt was he was just too excited to get anywhere near.. If it was colder i would have brought him in to cool off a bit then rugged him but we decided just to leave him as it was so mild. he s on 15 acre turnout so once its dark theres no finding him!
 
horsey mad matt said:
i like to have something on so can't you just put a lightweight sheet on.
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Why do you like to have something on? Nakey pony = unrestricted pony, it lets their coat do the job it was meant for. My boy always looks quite content when he's plastered head to toe in mud, and it does their skin good to scrub them down now and then.

I get that a sweaty horse should probably have a cooler on until he's dried off, but I don't understand the attitude of "horses HAVE to be rugged 24/7". It's mild, he's happy, what's the problem? :confused:
 
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I would let the horse tell you, is he warm enough, holding weight, happy? If yes he probably doesn't need it. I've got one with a bib clip naked and two unclipped both rugged.
 
Sounds like he's fine with no rugs, especially if he's unclipped and it has been really mild! Mines in a 100g standard neck, out 24/7 and just the right weight, good doer with a blanket clip. When it gets colder again tomorrow I will just add a 100g neck cover for bit of extra warmth if he needs it :)
 
He s holding his weight a bit too well, I usually like to see a bit of flesh on him at the beginning of winter as he winters out, and the last few winters that has dropped off in time for spring.. but hes not lost much at all over this winter. Im just going by instinct with him!... In a few weeks time we will be riding again..im too fat because ive done well this winter as well!
 
The neck rug is a no go as well. they just got so ripped i took the necks off the rugs and used them for patches and new buckles for some i had lost over the years.
 
horsey mad matt said:
i like to have something on so can't you just put a lightweight sheet on. also i wouldn't have left him out sweaty without a rug on because he is likely to catch a chill whereas with a rug on he will cool down slowly and not catch a chill!!
Click to expand...

In my experience a sweaty horse will use natures way of cooling down and go and have a good roll in the mud - natural insulation and cooling in one go! Of course it's not so pleasant for te human that has to groom it all off again to ride, but I'm pretty sure it's as good, if not better than any rug.
 
thats certainly how he dealt with it Touchstone!
I would love to post a picture of the mess he is in .... but im ashamed of him!!!
 
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