Clipped horses, rugs and living out?

Fruitcake

Fruitcake

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Those of you who clip and have horses living out, what rugs do you use? Neck cover or not?

Horse being clipped today for the first time since I've had him. (Just a small clip- cross between bib and chaser: Underside of his neck, chest, behind front legs and diagonally back including underside of belly but nothing very far up). He usually lives out with no clip (Has history of ulcers) with light (no fill) rug until it gets really cold and then has a medium weight rug. (Neither has a neck).

Do I need to get a rug with a neck? Am a bit concerned about bare chin! Also, am a bit undecided over whether to change to the medium weight as he's really very furry elsewhere but worry that he'll feel the cold around his new bare bits!

Examples of what others so would be much appreciated!
Thanks in advance.
 
Things to consider are, how hairy he is, ie, mane and the rest of his coat.
Is he a good doer ? Is the field sheltered or exposed ? Does he have access to forage in winter ? Does he maintain weight easily ?

I wouldn't have thought he'll need a neck rug with just a partial clip TBH. His usual rugs may be ok. Just watch if he looks bunched up or drops condition. Usually, given the chance they adapt to the weather quite quickly if you don't put on too much on too soon.
 
Mine has a similar clip and is wearing a no fill during the day staying plenty warm enough so far, he has just started to come in at night and just wears either the no fill or a fleece, he is a very warm horse with little coat where he is not clipped and if he wore anything warmer he would be sweating. They are all individuals so see how your horse is once he has been done.
 
For that type of clip I really wouldn't rush to rug him just yet, and certainly not in a MW, a LW or Fleece should be more than enough. My ISH has just been fully clipped and she is in a MW living out 24/7.
 
My cob has a similar clip (kind of like a chaser but with nothing off his back legs or bum) and has been living out in a no fill sheet since.

He's had a fleece on once when it went down to 3 degrees one night, but he won't be in his medium weight until it is continually below freezing - and even then he might be too hot and I might clip more off!

After all, if I he was unclipped he would be naked whatever the weather!
 
I wouldn't worry too much about neck covers, they are relatively new. My horse is fully clipped and I won't put a neck cover on until it's freezing temperatures (and if he needs it!), his mane got rubbed out last year so I am trying not to cover it up as much this year but he is perfectly warm with a 200g standard neck on at the moment and he only has his legs left on!
 
I full clipped mine (16yr old Shire/TB cross) about a month ago, and he's been out in MW with no neck ever since. He's out 24/7 on really good grass and with lots of shelter, and has hard feed. I deliberately clipped him early so that it grows back a bit before the weather turns cold. He has a heavyweight with a high neck, and a stble rug which can go underneath if he needs it, but wont be using them until we're well into -figures
 
My boy had a similar clip at the weekend and he's now out in a LW with 50g fill and is perfectly happy. I have the matching neck cover on order but that's more to save his neck from his neighbour who seems to think he is part vampire!
 
Thanks, everyone.

Feel so much better about leaving him in his lightweight now! He actually doesn't feel at all cold either.

Am going to leave medium weight until it gets colder then and maybe order a one with a neck for when it gets snowy. (Hopefully that won't be too soon!!)
 
I use a turnout rug with a neck for convenience as my girl likes to roll, usually in the deepest, stickiest mud patch she can find and ends up with a mane of solid mud. It is so much easier not having to coax kilos of mud from a long thick mane. My rug with a neck also rubs her mane a lot less than the neck less rug as there is no seam.
 
Fiona36 said:
Those of you who clip and have horses living out, what rugs do you use? Neck cover or not?

Horse being clipped today for the first time since I've had him. (Just a small clip- cross between bib and chaser: Underside of his neck, chest, behind front legs and diagonally back including underside of belly but nothing very far up). He usually lives out with no clip (Has history of ulcers) with light (no fill) rug until it gets really cold and then has a medium weight rug. (Neither has a neck).

Do I need to get a rug with a neck? Am a bit concerned about bare chin! Also, am a bit undecided over whether to change to the medium weight as he's really very furry elsewhere but worry that he'll feel the cold around his new bare bits!

Examples of what others so would be much appreciated!
Thanks in advance.
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Your clip sounds similar to my cobs only she has most her neck done and half a face and hogged...........she is out 24/7 and on good grass during the day, she is a good doer and perfect weight at the moment. She has just moved into a mw rug without a neck only because she is in harder work now and the temps have dropped to around 4 during the day and 1 at night. Said to have frosts this week. She is fed twice per day and gets hay at night. Only when it gets very cold will she have a neck on and am talking when the ground is hard and frozen solid as this is when she will be least mobile not wanting to walk far on rutted hard ground, may even pop a fleece underneath see how she gets on, normally when she is cold she shivers thats my indication to up the rugs!. Then its ad lib hay too.
 
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