Is it too early to start rugging to avoid winter coat?

[horsegirl]

I don't want him to get hot but I was thinking of a fleece rug at night and just a thin turnout rug during the day? What do you think?

 

[Dovorian]

It isn't so much the cold which will strt the coat, rather the shortening daylight hours. You could use a cotton sheet (easier to keep clean) in the stable and maybe put a light on if your stables are quite dark. The best effect form a rug is keeping the coat 'flat' but you can end up with a fluffy neck!

 

[Kelly1982]

One of mine is being rugged up at night in a thin rug as she is really feeling the cold and keeps fluffing up (she is a TB).

I hate rugging early but she drops weight if she is too cold so would rather start rugging now.

My other one isn't rugged yet and i will leave her as long as poss.

 

[sojeph]

You can't avoid a winter coat - it will grow reagardless - it depends on daylight hours! All a rug will do is to keep it flatter but it will still be there waiting to fluff up the minute you remove it!!!

 

[Ferdinase514]

I've been putting a summer sheet on Finni at night, anyway as it has been quite nippy and he wears a thin TO if it's raining.

I agree - Winter coats are actually more to do with light than rugs, unfortunately!

 

[MrsMagoo]

Mine have just got thin sheets on at night and LW rain sheets if pouring hard....they seem to be feeling the cold at night

 

[SillyMare]

My TBs are both in rain sheets - the were looking a bit chilly!

 

[Ashf]

Our TB Ebony has been in a lightweight sheet for the last couple of weeks as has Jessie who has been clipped for about 6 weeks now.

 

[PapaFrita]

Is there no connection to how cold a horse is and how thick the coat grows? I ask because PF was a real teddy in the UK (where obv it's colder in winter than here) but now we're here, she hardly grows a coat at all... although... *muses* I don't think the days are quite as short as in the uk ...

 

[horsegirl]

Can i ask how you got her to Argentina and hoe much did it cost?

 

[PapaFrita]

PMing you

 

[Tempi]

Bloss is wearing either a summer sheet or fleece rug at night depending on how cold it is and a light weight turnout out in her field during the day.

 

[Bossanova]

Ours are in summer sheets at night and lw turnouts if it's chilly/wet in the day

 

[MagicMelon]

My woosy one has been having a LW turnout rug on probably about 70% this summer. Its on right now! But then to be honest, our weather up here isnt nice than often anyway!

I wouldnt worry about rugging to avoid a winter coat as you will get one anyway. Only rug if you feel your horse is getting a bit chilly.