Cold weather and rugged horses..

[ZMEquestrian_x]

Hi all just a quick question about rugging your horses
A mare I’ve revently bought has had the kind of pampered life and spent most of her days ticked up in a stable with numerous rugs on, perfectly clipped etc.
However now she’s living more of a natural life and has 24/7 turnout and I leave the gate to the yard open so all the horses can come into the stables if they wish.
My dilemma is on what rug to put on her, she’s a fine standardsbreed and is not used to the cold at all (it doesn’t help that I live in the highest town in Wales, so it gets pretty bleak up here when winter comes!)
Recently when the nights have been around 6 or 7 degrees, she’s been wearing a lightweight 100g, but the temperatures are soon to drop to 1 and even -1! Anyone got any suggestions on what weight rug to put on her at these temperatures,
Thanks.

 

[Nudibranch]

If it remains dry but cold I'd leave the 100g on and see how she feels. If she feels cold then up it to a 200 but the only way to know is to check her. They're all different and she may adapt well to her new environment even though she's been well rugged in the past. It's wind and rain which make them cold rather than sub zero temperatures.

 

[Antw23uk]

See at those temps unless raining, I wouldn't have been rugging (and am currently not) anyway. Bit of rain I would have put a rain sheet on (My ISH can be a bit of a whimp!) so I say stick to what you are doing. At these temps you really are making a rod for your own back and providing she is happy and healthy and not clipped you'll likely get away with 100g for the whole winter perhaps? I did last year with the exception being when it went below -5 then they had a 100g liner put under there 100g turnouts (200g in total) but that was, what? a handful of days?

I will likely stick a rain sheet on from tonight as its going down to 0 degrees here overnight but that might change if it warms up and if dry they wont have them on during the day and I really wont be going for the lightweights until it goes under 0 degrees and wet!

It really is horse dependent though OP so whats working for me might not work for you but really until it starts getting below 0degrees, a fit and healthy unclipped horse really doesn't need a rug/ rainsheet!

 

[ZMEquestrian_x]

Thanks for the replies, the reason I am rugging her is because as I said were in the highest villiage in wales and the winds are horrendous! That is the main reason I rug as the wind practically slices you in half up there lol! However it will remain dry for a while I believe.

 

[Red-1]

I had one, Jay Man, who, when he came, really felt the cold. That first year it was also the awful winter and he dropped weight like mad, had a rubbish coat and just looked miserable. He had moved from Somerset to Yorkshire. I just could not keep his weight on with feed, he was not a big eater. He had been living the life of a high octane competition horse with much restricted roughage and was simply not interested in eating more.

When rugging I just listen to the horse. I had to up my game some with him. He, at one point (for few weeks of the worst weather), had a 400g Fal Pro full neck turnout with a 200g Rhino Wug on top. I could not believe it. I have never done that before or since! Inside he had a 400g Mark Todd rug in the daylight when he was not out, and with the addition of a 100g under rug with neck at night.

The year after he grew no coat to speak of, stayed glossy, and was happy in one rug, of the higher weight. By the last year he only needed a 200g turnout and did still have the 400g indoor one, but by then it was squashed and not half the rug it once was. He had become a big eater of hay and his coat was glossy. In fact, he had learned to need a diet

 

[TGM]

None of us can tell you what rugs she will need from an internet post! Only the person who sees the horse day to day can decide whether she is feeling cold and needs more rugging. But I would suggest you get an under rug that you can pop underneath if she needs it. Cheaper than buying another turnout.

 

[Casey76]

I imagine you’ll need to check frequently at first. When unrugged feel behind the elbow and between hind legs (up by the sheath/teats), if rugged check behind the wither and on the loin.

Most horses are happy enough when they are cool (not cold) in these places, but check for signs of discomfort (tight chin, lips, nostrils; furrowed or “triangle” eyes).

The level of shelter (natural or not) will also influence things, and although you’ve given free choice for them to come in or not, some just choose not to (my horses have to be pretty desperate to freely enter their field shelter!)

Remember, if you have to rig heavily at first, it should be possible to “downgrade” to lighter covers when the horse becomes used to the lower temperatures.

So, unfortunately it is a bit of “how long is a bit of string”, but each horse is an individual, and as you are there and can put your hands on the horse (hopefully!!!), you will actually have the best idea of what to do

 

[Micky]

Well I’ll join in as near the highest village in the Uk, the winds cut through here too, my old lad is in his 200gm at the moment, due to the sleet/rain plus the wind, he gets v grumpy in this combination of weather hence keeping him warm is key plus making sure there’s enough grass to eat..if it’s just wind, then he goes back to his 50gm sheet.. you must do what you think is right for your turnout, it’s at least 2 /3 degrees warmer down the hill half an hour away so most won’t be rugging up down there yet!

 

[Fiona]

Hi all just a quick question about rugging your horses
A mare I’ve revently bought has had the kind of pampered life and spent most of her days ticked up in a stable with numerous rugs on, perfectly clipped etc.
However now she’s living more of a natural life and has 24/7 turnout and I leave the gate to the yard open so all the horses can come into the stables if they wish.
My dilemma is on what rug to put on her, she’s a fine standardsbreed and is not used to the cold at all (it doesn’t help that I live in the highest town in Wales, so it gets pretty bleak up here when winter comes!)
Recently when the nights have been around 6 or 7 degrees, she’s been wearing a lightweight 100g, but the temperatures are soon to drop to 1 and even -1! Anyone got any suggestions on what weight rug to put on her at these temperatures,
Thanks.

Given your description, and the forecast weather and temps over the weekend, I'd suggest upping her rugs to 200g, with the possibility that if the temperatures come right back up again next week you can revert back to the lighter 100g.

The wind chill today compared to earlier in the week is horrendous (I live in NI).

Fiona

 

[Annagain]

Thanks for the replies, the reason I am rugging her is because as I said were in the highest villiage in wales and the winds are horrendous! That is the main reason I rug as the wind practically slices you in half up there lol! However it will remain dry for a while I believe.

I totally understand where you're coming from. If I'm right about the highest town in Wales, I'm not that far from you but down on the coast. A friend had a pony on loan from up near you and I was worried about cushings as it was still in its winter woolies in May but the owner insisted it was normal for poines round there! When he came down to us, he was sweating profusely for the first couple of days, then his winter coat fell out virtually overnight and he was fine. It's amazing the difference a few hundred metres of height can make!

I'd go up to see her as early as possible in the morning and see what she's like then. A friend's wuss of a horse has been in a lightweight until now and has seemed fine during the day and even in late evening has been warm but I was there at 6am yesterday to bathe my horse's bad eye. It was still dark and there was frost on the ground, I had a check and he felt really quite cold under his rug, so he's in a 100g now. He was much better this morning when I was there early again.