Foal Rugs - good idea or not?

Doormouse

Doormouse

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My 6 month old foal is living out 24/7, fed twice a day and given haylage but the weather has got so bad that I am really worried he is getting cold. Are foal rugs safe for constant turnout. He is a very sensible lad and not much worries him. Advice please!
 
If you think he needs a rug, then absolutely rug him. The weather is just shocking - enought to drag even the hardiest animal down.
 
mine are all wearing rugs & iv not had any issues so far! i do take them off regularly to check that they arent rubbing, like you would any horse. i also worried about them gettin cold so rugged them up! just do what you think is best for your little man!
 
I actually lay in bed last night listening to the wind and rain and the only thing that stopped me rushing out to get him in was that he may not have appreciated some mad woman in a rain hat, wellies and spotty pyjamas running about in his field in the middle of the night!!!
 
We rug foals as and when they need them. Just make sure the rug has no leg straps and you will be fine. First winters are tough on weanlings, especially if they are living out full time, and you don't want them using valuable resources keeping themselves warm when they need to be growing.
 
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I'm really glad you said that, I do think he should be rugged but everyone at the yard and my OH keep saying I will make him soft! Just needed some back up! Thank you.

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Just tell him that rugging him will save on extra feed bills, and possible vet bills.

Ridiculous to even begin to think it will make them soft.

If it were mine, it wouldn't even be out.........
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Don't! I hate him being out but there are no free stables and he wasn't even meant to be around poor little man. I leant my mare to someone who decided to breed from her and then turned round and said she didn't want the mare or the foal after all! I have found a home for the mare but have had to keep the foal, so as you can imagine OH is going spare about another mouth to feed etc!
 
If he's cold and miserable rug him.
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It is up to you what clothing you decide to put on your own horse (or not), after all, I bet they wouldn't send their children/Granny out in the rain in just a vest, same thing as far as I am concerned.

Mine are rugged when the weather gets chilly, some rugs have leg straps, some don't. Never had a problem with any of them.
 
I cant see the point in feeding the weather, so all mine are rugged. Plus in this weather Rainscald is rife. My foals go through the winter on their mothers so I use lightweights as they have big coats and are getting fed from mum.

Best rugs I have found are the Amigo Pony rugs they fit foals really well as they have a good fit over the shoulders and round the neck. I think someone else here uses them too. I usually get them 2 sizes apart and change them up when their butt sticks out!

My filly born end of may to make about 16hh is currently in a 4'9" but she will soon need to go up to a 5'3", that should last her the winter, they are usually around £30-£40 but are well worth it for the fit. If you want to go cheaper the Rhinegold spotty rugs aren't too bad I take the leg straps off and use a tail strap. They are around £25 but are not such a good fit or as robust.
 
Get it rugged
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Id hate to stand with no shelter in howling gales & no clothes on (not a pretty sight) - You will both feel better! As KarynK said the Amigo rugs are great! I got the one with detatchable hood (which he learned to pull off...*grrr*) but you can get the straps snug to their tummies, cosy & stops your feed simply being shivered off'!

As for this "itll make them soft" argument, ..how many hunters winter out with no rugs on, hardly call them soft!

scotia
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My foal wasn't rugged and she lived out 24/7 but had a good shelter, I have rugged her recently at 18 months with a light weight amigo because the weather has been so wet. I wont rug when it is cold but I think they need something to keep the rain off their backs.
 
Mine is out 24/7 at stud being weaned with a small herd of youngsters. All of them are unrugged, have lots of natural shelter and are fine. When he returns he will be stabled at night but still not rugged untill next year.
 
My now 2 1/2 year old has never been rugged in winter, he is currently still out 24/7- will be coming in at night next week or week after.
Last year I had to start putting a light rug on when he was stabled as he'd started rubbing his tail- I'll have to do the same this year.

However he is a naturally good doer and has been since 6 months- I think if he was ribby or hard to keep weight on I may rug up.

He did wear a fly rug in summer though!
 
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