Feeling mean !

Horseback Rider

Horseback Rider

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My two are the only horses on the yard staying out tonight ! It's not cold just a bit windy and rainy and they are rugged and they have a mahooosive round bale of hay in their field to munch on !

It has stopped raining now and when I left they were out in the middle of the field grazing and they do have shelter if they want it ..................Why am I still feeling bad after every other horse owner on the yard said
" Oh are you leavaing yours out ?"
Me " Yes I am it's not cold"
" Oh I know but it is going to rain tonight"
Me" Yes but they have rugs on and won't melt"
" Oh well we bought ours in just in case"


FFS !!
 
Just going to hijack the thread - Sorry OP!

Today, Missy was shivering quite violently. Now, she's an unhandled, semi-feral dartmoor hill pony who has never seen a rug in her life (so not an option) and the only shelter she has is dry stone walls and trees - Any advice on how I can get her warmed up? She's unhandled so can't take her into a stable :(
 
Shivering is natures way, as long as she has food she'll be able to warm herself up. In you situation I would leave it to nature she will grow a good coat.
 
ChestnutTinker said:
Just going to hijack the thread - Sorry OP!

Today, Missy was shivering quite violently. Now, she's an unhandled, semi-feral dartmoor hill pony who has never seen a rug in her life (so not an option) and the only shelter she has is dry stone walls and trees - Any advice on how I can get her warmed up? She's unhandled so can't take her into a stable :(
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This sounds really horrible but...if she's really that cold then she will have a trot etc to warm herself up. Is there anyway you could get a mobile shelter put up? Also make sure she has plenty to eat as they warm themselves up that way too
 
I would just put some hay in the sheltered area and leave her to it. If she isn't used to stables or rugs I wouldn't try it all at once and scare the poor thing. I am in the channel islands and it is baking here but the slightest bit of rain and my TB shivers but does while he is out in the rain grazing without a care in the world !
 
Thanks for the advice - was told not to feed her hay until winter by FO so shall start now. I often catch her stood behind a wall grazing and today after we walked away she was cantering around the field and bucking so must be trying to heat up! Cheers all! :)
 
Neighbour told me I was cruel for not rugging mine (she has own horse!).
Its only 6 degrees at lowest tonight BUT (as I told her) they are robust, slightly rotund natives, they can take up jogging if cold!

Tiny fuzzy is very grateful that temps have dropped as she already has a good coat & was far too hot yesterday & was quite uncomfy.

Have booked FLF in for clipping as soon as I get back from hols tho :)
 
All 3 of mine are out naked, plus the 22 year old I look after. None of them seem in the least bothered, and the 22 year old lets me know when he is. I don't think it is really that cold at night, although it feels like it is to us humans.

I have started bringing the tortoise in from the garden overnight now, and he stayed in all day today as it was raining really heavily. (He does have a house he can go into in the garden, but I worry as I am fairly new to tortoise keeping).
 
If it was just the grown up cobs then they'd be out with rain sheets on but the 4 month old foally was standing shivering pretty violently and it's done nothing but rain all day, and is predicted to rain all night and all day tomorrow and the only shelter they have is a small hedge so they are in for the night as I feel 4 months is too young to be left out to shiver - big fat cobs can cope, little 1/2 tb foallys who are half naked as shedding out their baby fuzz can't :p
 
Mine lives out all year round, and to be honest, tonight is like normal Scottish summer weather ;)

When I saw how heavy the rain was, I went to the field on my way home from work. Mine (large hairy ISH who doesn't wear rugs in -15) galloped up the field, so I offered him his rainsheet, and it went on. His pal - skinny OTTB aged about 15, also trundled up. He got his rug on too. I then got the rugs for the delicate TB mare and the other ISH gelding. They saw the rugs, snorted loudly and galloped off. So state of play in field: one horse who doesn't need a rug is wearing a rug. One horse who does need a rug is wearing a rug. One horse who doesn't need a rug is not wearing a rug, and one horse who could probably do with a rug is no doubt standing under a tree ;)

ETA - I'd have asked "in case of what?" too!
 
I would feel mean to bring mine in, they will get enough of that soon enough. All ours are starting to push out their winter coats, my coblet is getting quite woolly and was sweating in yesterdays heat here. What will people do when it realy gets cold?
 
Magicmillbrook said:
I would feel mean to bring mine in, they will get enough of that soon enough. All ours are starting to push out their winter coats, my coblet is getting quite woolly and was sweating in yesterdays heat here. What will people do when it realy gets cold?
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Totally agree! Ok I have hairy highland ponies but do people need to put waterproof rugs on, last time i checked all horses had waterproof coats! Unless its major rain why can't they have access to a shelter, 6 degrees is far from cold?
My cousins fit racehorses are out without rugs too perfectly happy
What are you going to do at -18?

On a lighter note, did tell a pupil to remove woollen coat and gloves today!
 
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