How do you judge when you need to rug up?

MrsElle

MrsElle

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I have been rugging Ellie in a MW overnight when the temps fall into single figures. If the temps are 10 or over I leave her rug off, although if it is prolonged torrential rain she will have a rain sheet on.

When do you rug? She seems ok with my method but with her being elderly and skinny I do wonder if I should rug at higher temps?
 
I usually have a range of temps in my head which dictates what rug to use.....I have been using a 100g the last few nights, I know its been quite chilly but there has been no wind, therefore it won't feel as cold and my boy is mega fat!!!
 
windy - no rug
rain - no rug

wind and rain - rug up
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thats about as technical as i get lol
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Mine has a lightweight summer sheet on all the time. Medium weight just if it feels cold and heavy weight if it feels even colder - not very scientific!
 
Mine has no rug until she is clipped, in about a month or so probably. Lightweight if its above single figures, MW if it goes below about 10 degrees. Generally try to stick to that
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I rarely use lightweight (no fill) rugs unless I need to keep him clean as I don't see the point - the horse raises it's hairs and traps a layer of air to keep warm, a rug flattens the hair and makes this impossible therefore you need to provide an alternative - in the form of rug fill which it can heat up the air in. Therefore if you think it is only cold enough to need a LW rug the horse can, IMO probably sort itself out.

In terms of a MW, it's way too warm for that IMO at the moment. I do all my rugging based on how warm the base of his ears are - as long as they are warm (but not red hot!) then he is fine, if cold then I rug. Of course I also keep an eye on condition too.

I think it comes down to knowing your horse TBH....which means my post is probably of no use to you at all!
 
Play it all by ear, if they look or feel cold and are miserable then the blanket goes on. I don't watch the thermometer though and suddenly think "OMG it's been -7C for three days, MUST rug horses"

10C and under is still warm to me now, but then it doesn't rain all the flaming time and I'm never up to my ankles (or beyond) in mud either.

I tend to rug when the snow is on the ground to stay for the next few months, they just stand around when they can't dig for grass anymore, I'd rather feed a warm horse than a cold one.
 
I don't rug until it either drops to freezing or I clip, which ever comes first. But I do own cobs and a draught x.
My coloured mare has been rugged at night for the last 3 weeks as she is clipped. She either wears her rain sheet (if it is going to rain) or a 100g rug. But she did wear her 220g rug last night as I bathed her ready for hunting today so she lost some of her grease for warmth and it did drop to 6c.
The cobs live out.
 
I don't go by the temperature, but by how each individual is coping with the weather.
 
Definately agree. All individuals.
Last three years I've had a cob/CB and didn't rug until it got really cold. She just felt too hot under rugs unless it was cold.
This year I have a warmblood who definately started to drop off weight when it got cold at night a couple of weeks ago. This has meant I have had to start rugging him already. If I have to wear a jumper, his rug goes on.
 
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