Horses living out 24/7 - what rug?

[winchester]

People who have horses living out (and will do so all winter) are you rugging yet - if so what weight? Im not as still quite mild but they have really thick coats already - so the wind must be quite cold.

Not sure if to start rugging yet or not?

 

[ihatework]

Do what is right for your horse in your situation.

I have 1 retired, unclipped, reasonable do-er with a decent coat who isn't rugged and won't be until the weather really turns

I have one in light work, chaser clipped, good do-er, pretty fuffy, who has worn a lightweight through the rain.

 

[claribella]

Im not. My girl has grown a good coat and isn't bothered by the relentless wind and rain weve been having here. Shes warm and happy. You know your horse so go with your gut

 

[Auslander]

I've got rainsheets on the two olds, and MW on Alf, as he is full clipped. Rugs come off during the day if its sunny

 

[Brightbay]

People who have horses living out (and will do so all winter) are you rugging yet - if so what weight? Im not as still quite mild but they have really thick coats already - so the wind must be quite cold.

Not sure if to start rugging yet or not?

It's not quite as simple as rugs on or rugs off Big hairy horse lives out year round. He does not have a field shelter and the field is exposed. We get significant weather here After last night's rain, I actually had problems getting to his field as two roads were flooded! He has been wearing a rainsheet during this. As soon as it stops raining, the rain sheet comes off. If it starts raining again, it goes on again. So whether he's wearing the rug depends on whether it's raining or not, it's not a case of choosing a day when he will be wearing a rug until spring. He is perfectly happyto have no rug of any description (delighted, in fact) when we get good dry frosty weather.

His pals, on the other hand, have various special needs, and are wearing combinations of MW combo rugs, MW rugs and LW rugs at the moment. They will all be rugged for the winter, except if we get some nice bright sun with snow lying, when they get to run around and roll in the snow.

 

[kerrieberry2]

I've taken rugs off mine for now as its still very mild and even though its wet they are warm and have a shelter to stand in if they want to

 

[Rhodders]

mine are out naked, the midgets wont see a rug all winter, no matter what the weather, my welshy might get a rain sheet if it gets cold and if and when I clip my haffy he will get a m/w

 

[MagicMelon]

I think it really depends where you live in the country. 3 of mine are in middleweights (only the shetland is without) - but then its colder up here than down south. I'm also keen to keep these 3 as warm as possible as they can lose weight easily.

 

[Charmin]

North Wales - pony got kind of blanket clip (half head) and in Medium Weight as it's hooning with wind and rain and she seems to have an aversion to the field shelter (the rest love it!) however she can be prone to dropping weight if cold

 

[Buddy'sMum]

West Yorks/Derbyshire border, very exposed - 3 of my 4 PBAs are still unrugged but my old lad is a wuss and really gets miserable in the rain so he's got a lightweight (no fill, no neck) on most of the time now (although I take it off during the day if possible).

 

[MaccLad81]

I would recommend this link: http://www.grey-mare.co.uk/articles/horse-care/does-my-horse-need-a-rug.shtm

It helped me, and there are some good links at the bottom to follow on.

 

[SO1]

I am in the South and none of the horses and ponies living out are rugged yet.

I have a hairy new forest he has has a bib clip and is not rugged and still wearing his grazing muzzle as we have plenty of grass.

I think it depends on what your circumstances are how much grass they have and what sort of the shelter they have access to.

 

[TigerTail]

I have three out and none are rugged currently. We have having short sharp showers and strong winds but its still 12-18 degree through the day and only 10 at night according to my outside thermometer.

The wimpiest out of the three hasnt even grown her pajama legs yet so she aint cold! The shetty and the friesian are growing massive coats and clearly fine - none are losing weight either.

 

[khalswitz]

I'm North East Scotland, just chaser-clipped my boy, and he's out in a 100gm today - but it has been very mild up here despite the rain over the last couple days. Once it drops below 10 degrees during the day agin he'll be back in his MW.

 

[debsg]

My three, (one cob, one TB, one PBA) are wearing rainsheets. This is purely to keep them relatively mud free to ride They're not cold at all.
Last year they went up to MW, when the snow came. They are all good doers, just have to keep an eye on the PBA as she's 18 and can drop a bit in the winter.

 

[Bambi.]

Mine has been unrugged as its just so mild regardless of the rain but he's generally quite a hot horse. He's getting a full clip this week as he is sweating so much during work and will then get a 100g on, won't go to a medium weight until the temperature drops more.