Is anybody rugging a horse that has been unrugged all winter

My youngster is turned out 24/7 without a rug on. She has lived out for the majority of this winter. She is still losing her coat, and is never really cold when I go and see her.
 
managed to get away with rain sheet for my ex race horse but, have had to put on fleece and medium weight full neck rug on over the past two weeks because of the bitter wind and no grass to eat so, he is standing by the gate looking rather miserable and fed up with eating hay.
 
teasle said:
cause its every bit as cold today as it has been all winter and their coat is coming out.
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Not for this reason no - the horse will thermoregulate itself far better than any rug ever can..... if its coat is coming out and the horse is healthy otherwise - leave it alone!

Both of mine are starting to shed despite the weather still dipping below 0 on a night, but the sun is out the birds are singing and their internal clocks are telling them its time to start changing.
 
No as mine still resembles a fluffy teddy bear and is a little too plump! She is now retired due to injury so won't be clipped ever again so she is going to live out her days munching in the field rugless!
 
Yes, she managed all winter weight wise but has now started to drop weight. I've rugged her instead of giving more food. Im also buying a rug for my yearling, I've just got rid of the rain scald and now we are forecast lots of rain again!
 
TigerTail said:
Not for this reason no - the horse will thermoregulate itself far better than any rug ever can..... if its coat is coming out and the horse is healthy otherwise - leave it alone!

Both of mine are starting to shed despite the weather still dipping below 0 on a night, but the sun is out the birds are singing and their internal clocks are telling them its time to start changing.
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You probably wouldn't say that if you lived where I do... my stallion is in his summer coat already (the girls are hanging on to theirs a bit longer) last night.. 4'c now... 30'c in the sun! (Spain) .... the weekend its forecast heavy rain and probably snow.... so you think it would be ok for him to stand rugless?... because I dont...

I take rugging day by day, and luckily they are at home so I can whip them off/on as needed..
 
Presumably depends on the humidity levels a bit with you Freckles - but you're talking a totally different weather to what we get in the UK..... though mine have been out unrugged in the torrential downpours weve had since august right through til now, no matter what the temp as theyve not been cold and always have access to food and shelter.
 
I did not actually put a rug on my horse- but was unsure if maybe he would have been more comfortable if I had done. He is a hairy, unclipped cob - worn a rug for 2 days this winter so far. He has lost weight- but it was weight that he has benefitted from loosing and still has plenty of condition and did not look or feel in any way cold.
 
yes. i had to unrug one in the middle of winter because she sweated so much her lightweight turnout was soaked on the inside :eek: she was then fine all winter without, in the cold, wet and wind but I found her shivering on the dryest day last week with plenty of hay left so not for lack of internal heating. now rugged and she has stopped being grumpy so was obviously cold for a while :o
 
My older horse Is out rugless if dry during the day and has a stable rug on at night. If it rains then he will be rugged. He has hasn't really been rugged up much at all this winter but he's dropping his fluff like crazy and its very cold here at night, still scraping ice off the winscreens in the morning.
 
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