Have I turned into a dreaded Over-rugger?!

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

Native pony, got a fairly decent coat already, I wouldn't normally even think of rugging her at this time of year. But. Forecast is for 3 days solid, heavy rain, with high winds. And I'm only just in the process of carefully introducing her into the winter field, so at the moment she only has about 20x30m, which doesn't include a field shelter or even a decent hedge (I am edging the electric fence down the field each day - she won't be stuck on this horrible bare postage stamp all winter! )

I've put a zero fill on her just now- am I being too soft?! She's a bit of shiverer (if that's a word) specifically if it's wet AND windy, which breaks my heart, but she's (well managed) cushings, and I don't want to mess with her hormones by over heating her.

Am I massively over thinking this? Would she basically be fine with or without the rug, and it's not as big a deal as I'm making it into?!

Oh ALSO I remember when I used to have horses 25 years ago I had a YM who insisted that once a rug went on, you couldn't take it off until March, regardless of specific weather conditions each day. No one believes that any more do they? If I rug her for these 3 hideous days, she'll cope without the rug when it's dry and mild again next week, right?

 

[ihatework]

I think you are over thinking this.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

I think you are over thinking this.

Phew. I thought I might be. Sometimes just "saying" it out loud helps though ?

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Hopefully you can see the kinda coat we have atm (a connemara) and her rugs are no where in sight.

it’s an annoying time of year, coat is a bit thick for the warmer days but not quite thick enough for the colder, rainier ones. But then I remember she can regulate her temp a lot better than I can and she’s got a bit of summer tum to lose.

In short, my motto is if you have a native you’re always overthinking it.

 

[doodle]

Robin has so many rugs I chop and change depending on weather. I will be told off for this but Robin our (zero shelter) in a 200grm combo. He has had some days with rug off in the day then back on at night or a thinner one in the day.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

View attachment 56170Hopefully you can see the kinda coat we have atm (a connemara) and her rugs are no where in sight.

it’s an annoying time of year, coat is a bit thick for the warmer days but not quite thick enough for the colder, rainier ones. But then I remember she can regulate her temp a lot better than I can and she’s got a bit of summer tum to lose.

In short, my motto is if you have a native you’re always overthinking it.

That's a motto I should definitely try to adopt. To be honest, I could probably drop the "if you have a native" part ?

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

Robin has so many rugs I chop and change depending on weather. I will be told off for this but Robin our (zero shelter) in a 200grm combo. He has had some days with rug off in the day then back on at night or a thinner one in the day.

I mean, this makes total sense to me. But "facts" you learn in your formative horsey years are hard to shake!

 

[IrishMilo]

My native has been wearing a no fill or a 100g depending on what the weather’s doing. I have to literally drag him out the stable if he can see it’s raining. He’s an absolute wuss and gets cold very quickly, he stands at the gate shivering and becomes very grumpy. I had the audacity to leave him out in the rain the other night, he got so wound up he ran through the fence. You can see where he paces when it’s raining as well.

 

[kidsandponies]

The rain is forecast to start here about 9am tomorrow morning and not stop until Saturday night so I will be putting a rain sheet on two of the ponies when I do them first thing. I too have a shiverer (definitely a word in my book!), we got him last November and he was wearing a rug then so we continued it. I planned on leaving him naked as much as is possible this winter but was horrified to find him shivering one morning a few months back after some heavy overnight rain-so much for Welsh’s being tough!! I now pop a rainsheet on if rain is forecast for any length of time, he has also been clipped (Irish). The other pony is also clipped and elderly so will have a rain sheet put on but our third will be left naked. We have to carefully monitor his weight and he is naturally a “warm” pony. All do have access to a field shelter.
I too was always taught growing up that once you started rugging you couldn’t take them off again until spring but I think that’s very old school and mine will be naked again as soon as the rain stops. I was also told that if you brought them in for one night, that was it for winter but I bring in very occasionally if the weather is absolutely dire and for a couple of nights over bonfire night and New Year’s Eve and then turn them back out again with no I’ll effect!

 

[PapaverFollis]

A no fill or light rug in persistent wind and rain is perfectly appropriate for any horse if shelter is limited.

 

[Bambelina]

Native pony, got a fairly decent coat already, I wouldn't normally even think of rugging her at this time of year. But. Forecast is for 3 days solid, heavy rain, with high winds. And I'm only just in the process of carefully introducing her into the winter field, so at the moment she only has about 20x30m, which doesn't include a field shelter or even a decent hedge (I am edging the electric fence down the field each day - she won't be stuck on this horrible bare postage stamp all winter! )

I've put a zero fill on her just now- am I being too soft?! She's a bit of shiverer (if that's a word) specifically if it's wet AND windy, which breaks my heart, but she's (well managed) cushings, and I don't want to mess with her hormones by over heating her.

Am I massively over thinking this? Would she basically be fine with or without the rug, and it's not as big a deal as I'm making it into?!

Oh ALSO I remember when I used to have horses 25 years ago I had a YM who insisted that once a rug went on, you couldn't take it off until March, regardless of specific weather conditions each day. No one believes that any more do they? If I rug her for these 3 hideous days, she'll cope without the rug when it's dry and mild again next week, right?

Yeh I’ve got someone that tells me the same thing about not taking a rug off once it’s on. I don’t listen tho! Just go with what you think! You obviously know her best so if you think she might need one for a few days go for it!

 

[milliepops]

a very old skool YO at a place I was a livery for a long while was also of the same way of thinking, when the rugs went on they didn't come off until spring. I think it's bunkum but clearly there are still some folk out there who do it that way.

I've just put a 0g combo on my (currently) unclipped native, she has no shelter and is a wimp in the rain.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

Oh, I'm so glad I'm not the only one. But no one remind me of this post when I'm back on here in the spring worrying that my pony has come out of winter as round as a pound ?

 

[Nudibranch]

My unclipped one (big native, borderline EMS) gets a no fill for the worst weather, although if it's truly horrific I'll open up the hay field so they can use the barn. The rug comes off when the weather is anything less than awful though. We do have stone walls and a fair few trees, as well as a hill and a small valley they can get out of the wind in. The clipped beast will be wearing a 100g mostly, and a 220 in the worst weather.

 

[Cob Life]

The cob has a rain sheet on at the moment, and will likely until it gets really cold, mainly to keep him dry for riding/stop him looking like he’s spent the last week in a mud wallow

 

[Equi]

Im on the fence. Yes, a rainsheet will work for a while but it will then get bogged down and end up making her colder unless it is being swapped or dried out. Then again maybe my light weight sheet is just rubbish and they're supposed to be waterproof

 

[milliepops]

They are definitely supposed to be waterproof ? mine keeps her dry all winter without issue

 

[Cob Life]

We have 2 really good rain sheets, a mark Todd one that is fairly old and Another that I think is a rambo? But I’m not certain

 

[Equi]

They are definitely supposed to be waterproof ? mine keeps her dry all winter without issue

Well there you go but in my defence, the rug is super cute its cow patterned !

 

[Goldenstar]

Just to say I would do exactly as you are doing .

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

My Welsh D & WB both shiver in driving wind & rain regardless of fluff levels, so both have 40g standard necks on as I know they wont leak & stay dry, neither need any warmth but I know my 0g will leak. Both will be back off once it dries up though. I was always told the same growing up - once rugs are on that's end of sports, but I just play by ear now - yes coats are flat immediately afterwards but a shake & hooley they're back to full fuzz mode

 

[Sir barnaby]

I have a mare keeping my riding horse company, she is in foal so I’ve been the same I don’t want to rug her up As I want her to put a good coat up; but went up the other day and with the rain she was really shivering and cold. so I popped a 200gm on which was the only one that fitted her she had it on for 2 days then I took it off as soon as weather improved. She hasn’t had one on for past week but I will be putting it on today with the threat of heavy rain. I don’t like standing them in as she and my gelding tend to stiffen up so I think they are best moving about. Then as soon as the weather improves again it will come off. I will do that until Xmas if threat of heavy rain, but after that I will have to bring in and not rug as I’m really loathe to rug her when she is heavily pregnant. I’ve not had a mare in foal before but I will try and use my common sense and see how it goes. This weather is so unpredictable sunny and warm one day, then freezing windy and wet the next. I have a sheet but it does protect from heavy rain.

 

[southerncomfort]

The only thing I would say is that the coats on cushingoid horses are not massively good at keeping them warm despite looking very thick.

I have a Fell pony and a mini shetland that have never worn a rug. But I also have a welsh cob X who hates the rain and turns in to a shivery mess so she has a no fill rug on when rain is forecast and I have a 100gm rug on standby if needed.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Id say you have it bang on. WB and WelshB both have a lightweight on. The rain is relentless. It comes off in showery rain but this kind for me is the stuff that gets right in and chills you and we have little shelter in their Autumn paddocks so there we are.

 

[Leandy]

I hate overrugging, particularly of native ponies but I would do exactly what you propose. Chiefly because your pony has no shelter and cannot move around much to keep warm if she does get soaked. I wouldn't rug for this weather if in a big field with shelter but I think you are doing the right thing here. I'm sure you will check how warm she is under the rug. If she is overly hot then of course take it off but I would start where you have. Of course you don't have to leave it on all winter! Take it off again when it is drier.

 

[Dexter]

My biggest lad is wearing a 500gm rug overnight. Hes a big cob, not fat but nowhere near thin. He has PSSM so needs it. I'm sure there are lots of judgey people tutting at the over rugging behind my back. I wish people would just mind their own business. The other 3, 2 are naked and 1 is in a no fill to stay dry and clean.

Rug the horse in front of you based on what it needs.

 

[SEL]

I've rugged the 2 natives today - one has a decent rainsheet (actually this will be a test of how decent) and the other is in his 50g. Its just horrible out there and not looking like stopping any time soon.

And if you want to over rug then get yourself a horse with PSSM like Dexter has said above. Mine is in her heavyweights already.

 

[dorsetladette]

Yeah my Welsh D has had a no fill or 50g on for a couple of weeks now. This morning after a night of driving rain he was wet underneath so is now in a 100g as it was nearest the feed room door. He doesn't have the natural 'fat' gene most welsh have so drops condition easily. He's already a little lighter than i would like for this time of year so I don't want him getting cold. My other pony is a shetland is a welsh D body and the mere sight of food puts on pounds so he is out shivering some weight off.

Every horse and scenario is different. Its never a one size fits all.

 

[meleeka]

I went this morning to find my mare shivering. She’s normally very hardy and I’d put a 100g rug on last night. I’ve put her 200g one on until this weather passes.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Looking at my forecast even MrT will have a rainsheet on this weekend.