Does everybody use full necks on their horses now?

[Fools Motto]

I know I'm old fashioned, but I see so many posts about full neck turnouts on social media, not just on this site,- what makes don't rub, what makes fit wide shoulders, what makes don't slip and what makes suit *insert picture of pony, or horse with bib clip*....
I get it can help keep them clean, (ah!!) I get it if they are of fragile quality and melt in the rain sorts, and I would get it if it were indeed -10oc and we're in some sort of blizzard. But, surely, is it really necessary? finding ordinary neck fitting rugs is getting harder, a little bit like finding an ordinary cavesson bridle!

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

Im a bit old fashioned, and I hated the idea at first. But I actually found that without the neck the rain just runs down the chest/shoulders, and the rug started rubbing at the front. We had no problems once I put the neck back on.

 

[Kizzy2004]

I use a full neck on my gelding as he’s a complete wuss when the weather changes and becomes a git to handle to bring in at night, with no neck he prances round, leaps in the air and tries to tank to get to his stable leading in but with a neck he’s just a bit eager but no silliness.

My mare has a lightweight no neck and fully clipped all winter.

I wouldn’t rug at all if she wasn’t clipped and he wasn’t such a princess

 

[teddypops]

No, I only use standards neck rugs. I have a full neck rug for my 29yo in case of terrible weather but even when she is clipped, she has worn it only 2 or 3 times. I always respond to those Facebook posts with ‘don’t use a neck cover’ . People don’t like that because apparently their horse ‘needs’ one. I also only use cavesson nose bands and it’s very difficult to find nice bridles with them.

 

[JulesRules]

I don't. I'm not a huge rugger anyway but I only have one fixed neck rug which I bought about 7 years ago when my mare had to live out for a few weeks when it was snowing as we had a strangles case on the yard. I don't think she's worn it since.
The Highland sometimes wears a detachable neck to keep his mane clean and dry when the paddocks are muddy.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I only use one when it gets quite cold or really cold and rainy. Mine is fully clipped though. Otherwise I would not.

 

[Lillian_paddington]

Eh, I think from a commercial point of view they’re appealing to more people by having a neck. Most are detachable excepting PEs, so they get both people who don’t use the neck and those who do. The neck is a very common place to clip too so people want it protected.
From my point of view I have a clipped grey with a long mane so consider a neck essential!

 

[meleeka]

I have them for my old mare, but it has to be Baltic for me to use them. I’m old fashioned too. I know mine get really itchy under them and I liken it to me wearing a hat - ok for short periods but eventually I need to remove for a good itch😂. Two of mine also have long manes so I wouldn’t want to mess those up.

 

[TGM]

We use detachable neck rugs so we can choose whether to put a neck on or not. Generally they go without necks unless they need to be kept clean overnight for a competition or hunting. Daughter's horse is fully clipped so he currently has a neck cover on.

 

[Sealine]

I don't use them. The bottom half of my horse's mane is white, thin, very brittle and breaks easily. A few days with a neck cover on and the white section disappears. The top part of his mane is black and oddly it is much thicker and stronger. He is fully clipped in the winter and stabled at night and he has survived so far.

 

[oldie48]

I use a detachable neck as and when I think Rose would appreciate having her neck covered. She's not clipped yet so haven't used it at all.

 

[Nudibranch]

I don't use them now. I did on TBs/WBs. My Dales has a long, full mane and I show, so nothing on the neck. She's hunter clipped but doesn't need a neck cover anyway. A 100g standard is plenty for her except for the real winter gales, in which case she will get a 200g standard!

 

[ester]

We have necks for all the turnout rugs but they are all removable. the blonde one wears hers more and obv F isn't clipped these days anyway. They have limited shelter in the field (nothing overhanging) so wear them when it's pissing down.

 

[Gloi]

Full neck rugs are useful on sweet itch ponies. Ours moved from the electric fenced summer paddocks to the winter field at the time the sweet itch rugs come off and a full neck winter rug still gives some protection if there is a unexpected warmer day and the midges come out.

 

[HashRouge]

I've got a full neck for my very elderly Arab, but she only wears it in horrendous weather. The rest of the time she just wears a standard neck middleweight. I think detachable necks are less likely to rub.

 

[xxcharlottexx]

Once I get to medium weight and above all my rugs are combo for my TB. If its cold/wet enough for him to need a 200g plus rug then I want his neck to be covered for extra warmth and protection. He is a bit of a wuss though especially in rain. Rain sheets and lightweights are all standard necks. He doesn't have much of a mane to begin with and I find the other horses grooming when he doesn't have a neck rug on him causes more damage than the neck. (he pretty much has a permanent bald spot from many years of his buddy chewing his mane out whilst grooming!) and all field mates seem to go for the same spot.

 

[milliepops]

detatchable necks here too. I put them on when I need to keep a horse clean or when the weather is miserable. at the moment it's cool but dry so they haven't worn them for a couple of weeks.

 

[Widgeon]

I have one, just because it keeps my coloured clean. It's a no fill because he's fat. With a standard neck his whole neck and mane would be caked in clods of orange mud and I would spend forever grooming. I've only really had bays before him and it's been a nasty shock! He's a real mud monster, and our mud is awful.

 

[Reacher]

Full neck rugs are useful on sweet itch ponies. Ours moved from the electric fenced summer paddocks to the winter field at the time the sweet itch rugs come off and a full neck winter rug still gives some protection if there is a unexpected warmer day and the midges come out.

Tell me about it....the midges are still driving mine up the wall 😭🤯

 

[SOS]

Full necks in the rain or white on the ground. Rest of the time no necks. Always no neck in the stable. Only way to keep the manes on. Doesn’t effect body temp in my experience.

 

[Sprat]

I tend not to use them if I can avoid it. All of my rugs have detachable necks, they only go on if the weather is REALLY grotty / cold, and they are whipped off as soon as possible, or I just end up losing stacks of mane with an overly hot horse

 

[catkin]

Native ponies here so they have their own home-grown hair version of a neck cover

Each of them do have a detachable cover available if necessary - easier to get the right fit if the neck is detached as quite often ponies have deep necks and may need a different size.
We rug more in wet and windy conditions rather than cold and dry, only the ridden pony is (blanket) clipped so they still have plenty of hair and come in nights so have time to dry off and warm up. Even in last winter's exceptional run of wet weather the neck covers were used just twice.

 

[Lammy]

Detachable necks here too, I don’t like the fixed neck rugs as I like having the option to remove them. Neck covers on in bad rain or to keep clean before a show. No neck if it’s dry, no matter how cold it is. Standard rugs only in the stable as they hardly need protection from the wind and rain indoors. But then I have a chestnut might be different if I had a grey!

 

[Leandy]

I only use them if they are fully clipped and in medium weight or heavier and it is very muddy to turn out or freezing in the stable overnight. They just rub the mane out and on hairy types are too hot and unnecessary with all the hair. I fail to see the point of a light weight with a full neck (or in fact of a light weight turn out at all (including fly rugs except for sweet itch).....). Full necks are for owner convenience to keep the horse clean rather than horse comfort imho. Having said that, I would not keep a fully clipped horse at grass 24/7. I think the only solution to that would be rugs with full neck in the depths of winter. And I don't own a grey!

 

[Ranyhyn]

I own a grey. I own sheep.

I think that explains everything.

 

[milliepops]

A LW with a neck is useful in driving rain but on a warmish day.
My welsh is very much of the opinion that she is not waterproof and gets silly and miserable in the rain. at the mo its too mild to add a thicker rug but stopping the rain going down her shoulders is really useful to keep her comfortable.
Different strokes for different folks, it's great having all the options available now.

 

[planete]

I have just bought coblet a standard neck 50g in case of dire weather as he has no shelter in his field but my oldie nearly always has a neck cover on when he needs a rug to make sure he stays as dry as possible.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Necks come in different weights, too. I‘ve got detachable necks in 0g, 100g, 150g. Very handy in fine tuning appropriate rugging levels.

Hoods aren’t that new. I’ve got pics taken 25 years ago of my then horses in canvas NZ rugs with detachable necks.

 

[Caol Ila]

I never used them because they weren't a thing in the US. For my first couple years here, I didn't bother, but the winter turnout paddock at my previous yard had nothing resembling shelter and got blasted by the wind and sideways rain. I started buying her detachable neck rugs, hoping if she was more comfortable and protected, she wouldn't fencewalk. I'm not convinced it made any difference, although when a horse fencewalks in a full neck rug, it turns into a sweaty, hot mess. Either way, she definitely walked more on bad weather days.

I've taken all the necks off at the current yard. She is only out for a couple hours per day in the winter, has shown no inclinations to fencewalk, and she's in an outdoor stable. Plus, the yard staff don't give me crap about not having a freakin' neck, so that's nice too.

 

[vam]

I use detachable necks, currently in a standard neck rug but when clipped i will use a neck when out during the day. If the weather is cold but sunny then she goes without, if its wet and windy then neck on. She can be a bit of a hippo and it saves me time in the evenings when i want to ride as she gets mud everywhere. I turn it down overnight and it will only go up overnight if its properly into the minus figures.