Do experiences as a youngster have that much effect?

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Nannon

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My ex racer tb is a wimp. He really feels the cold - he's in a full neck already with 100g or more fill and is blanket clipped.
I had a lady come to do his back last week who knows the racing yard he came from and said that he would have been really heavily rugged up most of the year to prevent any coat growing through, and many people on my yard have commented on his really thin winter coat, which I noticed last year too.
Would the experience of having been over rugged as a younger horse have that much effect on him now? He's been out of racing just over a year and is 7, or is it just one of those things that comes with the tb territory?
 
well it sure hasnt worked on mine! mine has been well rugged (but not to the extreme) since a her 2yo winter is coming up six now and still grows a mega coat but she gets hot when worked so am currently clipping her every 2/3 weeks! just grows so much up untill end of november!!
 
Can't comment on your horse. But I was advised by the vet not to rug my 6 month old ISH at all as they need to learn to regulate their own body temperature and grow a coat accordingly. My mare didn't wear rugs until her 2nd winter which was the -23 one and it didn't do her any harm. She's 4 now and requires minimal rugging as she's always nice and warm. So yes I do think they learn from early experiences.
 
No it isn't. Some horses just have finer hair, whilst others will grow woolly mammoth coats. Some of my TBs are furry monsters, some are sleek. Every year they all grow their coats the same as they did the previous year. Some of mine need more rugging than others to keep them warm, but for the most part my TBs are in one m/w rug each all winter long. Mine all live out 24/7; all of them lived in with minimal turnout with their previous owners.
 
100g on a horse with a very fine coat and blanket clip may actually not be warm enough. Nothing to do with him being a wimp - just his lack of coat and clip.
 
My two beloved and late TBs had very fine coats, from the time I bought them till the time they past on, so yes they had plenty of rugs on but mine were layered where as now you can buy the right weight rugs for the type of weather. :D and I had them for 11 & 10 years.
 
My 2 nearly 3yo tb grows a coat of epic proportions and doesn't need a rug, but I've had her since a baby and never given her anything other than a sheet and she's always toasty :) maybe my other boy is just a big girl!
 
Nannon said:
My 2 nearly 3yo tb grows a coat of epic proportions and doesn't need a rug, but I've had her since a baby and never given her anything other than a sheet and she's always toasty :) maybe my other boy is just a big girl!
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I'd say far more likely he is genetically made up to not grow a coat of epic proportions.
 
I think that theory is rubbish.
I had a horse who was stabled until January this year when he came to mine and lived out. He didn't have any coat at all to speak of.
This year he looks like a musk ox, it is just that he has had a chance to grow more coat as the seasons change.
 
The weather has only today turned really cold here in Essex. I have a cob and an ISH who were both in rainsheets until today when they have gone over to medium weight necked rugs. They will remain in these all winter - stabled at night. The ISH is quite fine and feels the cold and the cob will be trace clipped as she gets woolly and is worked. My veteran pony has been in a MW rug for a few weeks - he feels the cold and is slim.
My WB who is out 24/7 has been in a 100g fill for a few weeks now. I will swop him to a full neck MW rug tomorrow, he is quite fine coated. My Dales is naked and out 24/7.

I would say 100g rug on a part clipped horse is quite light and would expect it to feel cold. I agree with others who have said some horses really feel the cold, others don't. My WB wintered out 2 years ago naked. With the right shelter and food available even fine coated horses can manage, butthat's not to say they don't get cold.
 
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Sorry should have made it clear - I do adjust his rugging depending on temperature and how cold he is, cold nights and wet nights he is stabled with a stable rug on!
Just thought it was an interesting theory :)
 
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