How thick a rug for the winter?

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Gorgeous George

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Hi not really sure how thick a turnout rug George will need for the depths of winter? He is a thoroughbred, shire, ID x (reasonable doer) and he will have a minimal clip and only be turned out during the day. I have a Mark Todd autumner rug which has 150g of filling, will this be enough, or should I get something thicker as well?

Thanks
 
Personally with stable rugs I prefer to layer thin rugs, all mine are 200g or less. I have fleeces and an under rug to layer up for when it gets really cold. For my turnout rugs I have a 350g Premier equine and 250g and summer-weight Amigo turnouts. Sring is TBx ID and a good doer.

It depends a lot on the weather (obviously!) and also the type of stables you have, Spring is in an indoor barn set-up so it will be warmer than those that face outdoors. I would get a few lighter rugs and then play it by ear, he will let you know if he is too hot or cold.
 
I would get some thicker rugs if I were you. Can you get breathable turnouts so that he can wear them in the stable as well? I got rid of all my indoor rugs bar a lightweight and mediumweight to use under my outdoor rugs. If you get a mediumweight rug you could always put a lightweight stable rug on underneath it when turning out.
 
Having spent all summer layering rugs on the fellow with sweet itch (he is currently wearing 3 rugs!!), I prefer to get thicker rugs and use only one.

I full clip except legs, and they wear a 400g rug in cold weather, 300g rug when not freezing and a 200g rug in warmer weather. If freakily hot, I would change to a rain sheet and swap into a warmer rug at night.

I also use neck covers depending on the weather - so if below freezing I would use a 400g rug and a heavyweight neck cover.
 
it depends how cold it gets, but i'd say a medium-weight rug would be fine. if it gets bitterly cold, then a heavyweight rug. i love Fal and Rambo rugs, personally... still going strong after 5-10 years of use, some of them!
 
Definately get something thicker. My ID X grew a huge coat (she was blanket clipped) and had a lightweight, 40g, 220g and 370g. They all had removable hoods as well. TBH she didn't need the full 370g and could have done with a 300g for the really cold and frosty days, with a neck on. I don't like layering for turnout so that was all she had on, and lived in the 220g for most of the winter.
Neck covers are always a good idea IMO, keep the wind from blowing rain and snow under the neck of the rug and add a lot of warmth to the rug.
 
I would get a heavyweight for him, at least 350g, and a medium weight, 200g.

Also a light weight with no fill if you dont have one, for milder days.

In winter Beau wears a full neck Rambo with 370g of fill.

Lance has a 300g Bucas.
 
bonus of neck covers is that it keeps them clean and dry and warm, especially if clipped. I tend to go from sheet, 100g, 200g, 300g, 400g as the winter progresses and Pidge has a full clip and occasionally when really cold he will have a rug on underneath his heavyweight rug
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I tend to put him in horseware mainly as they can be worn in the stable as well as they are breathable and have one weatherbeeta as well. Then when turning out in the morning he has a nice warm rug on and the same when he comes in
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he's not spoilt he's mine
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IMO they are also cut well for larger horses as IDx tend to be quite large over the shoulder and neck. It may also be worth investing in a bib in case his rugs rub his shoulders.
 
I hate combos in all forms, as they often cause pressure on a horses withers or garrote them. Could just be the shape of mine!

Instead I get my speedy stitcher out and attached D rings to all rugs if they don't have them (note that on a 400g rug, this generally means you will stab yourself a few times...)

Then I tend to use Jumpers Horse Line / Mark Todd neck covers.
I found mastas to be too long and actually cover the ears, and also tried som Riff Raff ones, that made them bald on the mane.
 
I would probably buy something without a filling for the autumn (like Horseware Amigo LW), then use the one you already have for later on. If he starts to feel chilly then you can invest in something a bit heavier. The heaviest my cob had when he was only minimally clipped and stabled was 200g (and he's quite a cold pony). Just remember that just because you feel cold doesn't mean George will - there are so many people on my yard who load them up with rugs then the horses sweat all night long.

I like my rugs to have a neck cover as well as I think this helps to keep them warmer.
 
I use necks purely to keep them a bit cleaner!

If Lance doesnt have a neck on he will get every inch of himself caked in mud!

I would recommend Horseware or Masta, Masta are really generous and deep, perfect for big boys.
 
It really does depend on each individual horse. One of ours is a thumping great horse, solid chunky chap, not clipped but ends up in HW rugs (350g or more) and usually has his neck cover on too. (Thank goodness for the detachable ones)!

Another one literally only has 40g filling rugs on for pretty much all winter. Think she had to have her 200g one on twice last winter - and that was because of the wind rather than rain or snow!
 
I do the same as pidge and go up from 100g 200g 300g 400g as the weather gets worse. Think one day he even had a 200g stable rug under his 400g TO (it was about -5 with stong winds though
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mines a skinny TB who's a big wimp, who was still putting on weight going into winter so wanted to keep him nice and toasty so he wouldnt lose any.

Id probably get something thicker too.

You can just play it by ear as winter comes along. If you think hes un happy and getting a bit cold then put a thicker rug on, if you thinks hes fine then leave him as he is
 
I use a medium weight rhinegold rug without a neck and a heavy weight rhino plus. Used in the stable as well. My horse despite being a thoroughbred gets very warm and i have to be careful not to over rug him. He wore the heavyweight one just a few weeks last year.
 
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