Is it time to put a rug on?

[Rusky]

My horse is a Spanish warm blood and older. He usually has heavy rugs at this time of the year. However he resists getting a rug on and tries to walk away. He is keeping condition at moment but I am worried about him. Should I leave him unrugged?

 

[poiuytrewq]

If he’s warm and happier without. I’d reconsider if he started dropping off or looked cold and miserable, hunched up etc.
if he’s got a thick coat and plenty to eat he’s probably fine.

 

[Pebble101]

My horse has a blanket clip and currently turned out overnight in a no-fill. He gets hot (always has done) and overheated once when I left a rug on in the stable - that was frightening. I would rather a horse was a bit cold than too hot.

 

[meleeka]

Go by the horse, not by the month. It’s been very mild here for November. Last year was much colder and wetter than this.

 

[southerncomfort]

No rugs here yet.

We're forecast snow next week though so the old girl will have a rug on then. I know when she needs it because when she sees me holding her rug she runs over as if to say yes please!

 

[Widgeon]

My horse has a blanket clip and currently turned out overnight in a no-fill. He gets hot (always has done) and overheated once when I left a rug on in the stable - that was frightening. I would rather a horse was a bit cold than too hot.

Mine is exactly the same - it's just so warm. He's blanket clipped, out 24-7 in a no-fill and I would rather he be a bit chilly at night than trapped in a rug and sweating during the mild days we're having (I can't get up to change his rugs constantly!). If we have high winds, or the temperatures drop considerably, I'll put his 100g on. But it's not necessary yet, and we're on a hill in North Yorkshire. So I would just keep an eye on your horse and see whether he seems cold or unhappy, and leave the rug off until then.

 

[SEL]

It's really warm. My native pony has a trace clip and was rugless last night because she was so hot. The oldie was rugged but he was sweating when I got there this morning.

If your horse is walking off when shown a rug he doesn't want it on!

 

[Arzada]

My horse is a Spanish warm blood and older. He usually has heavy rugs at this time of the year. However he resists getting a rug on and tries to walk away. He is keeping condition at moment but I am worried about him. Should I leave him unrugged?

Yes

 

[saddlesore]

The weather is crazy for the time of year. My horse is fully clipped and still living out in a 50g!

 

[Julie Ole Girl]

My 21 y.o. sweaty girl has a Hunt clip, so no hair, I showed her the fleece the other night, you would thought I was pointing a gun at her lol. She shares with the mini so they are warm together, so I'm resisting till next week when it really drops. Nothing during the day, it's like Spring here.

 

[HashRouge]

It's so mild atm, I wouldn't rug unless he seems cold! My 28 year old Arab is still unrugged, and that's unheard of for this time of year!!!

 

[Polos]

Mine is wearing a cotton sheet in the day and a fleece at night. Rain sheet when turned out

 

[Ratface]

28 yr old fine-coated Arabian is in a no-fill deep-sided rug. Turned out all day, in at night. Toasty. He's always been a heat-keeper, but checked twice a day as this may change as he's getting older.

 

[hollyandivy123]

just for information
" 40 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit
A mature horse's average thermoneutral zone can range from 40 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. In the absence of wind and moisture, horses can tolerate temperatures at or slightly below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. With access to adequate shelter, horses can tolerate temperatures near 40 degrees below 0 Fahrenheit."
or in Celsius

40F = 4C and 80F =26C

0F=-17C

The thermoneutral zone is defined as the range of ambient temperatures where the body can maintain its core temperature solely through regulating dry heat loss, i.e., skin blood flow. A living body can only maintain its core temperature when heat production and heat loss are balanced

this changes when we clip, torrential rain, health problems etc, but it might be something to think about for those stables were there are no elements

the human range is a lot narrower between 26-32 oC, so when we think its cold they might be thinking nope ok

 

[SpotsandBays]

My lot are not in rugs as it’s still quite mild.
I do pop a 50g on the young warmblood and the geriatric old mare when it rains though. To be honest the old one is fine, (shes 30something now) but I just want to make sure she’s not using her calories to stay warm as she’s a fab weight at the moment. The young one gets tucked up in the rain. But once it’s stopped raining I whip them off again.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Mine have just been in no fill sheets at the moment one is unclipped one has a grown out clip they have been fine.

 

[splashgirl45]

a word of warning, please put a headcollar on if you are rugging in the field. if horse runs off with the rug not quite done up he could have a nasty accident and maybe involve you as well. agree with others its very mild at the moment but its due to et cold soon so he may be happy to be rugged then