Layering Rugs

Hippophilia

Hippophilia

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Saskatchewan, Canada
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Does anybody do this?
I have rugged my old mare earlier than usual this year as she is starting to show her age (25) and is recovering from a leg injury, so she has a lighter coat than usual (Normally I would let her get super fuzzy then pop her rug on about November when it starts to hit -10 in the daytime). I have a Rambo Duo which gives her light and heavy weight protection, but nothing in between. Money is tight so rather than spend $100 on a med weight Rambo liner I was thinking of putting her fitted fleece cooler underneath her outer rug to give her a bit more warmth before I have to start using the heavyweight liner. This is the cooler I have, it is a good fit and I don't think it would slip:
http://www.weatherbeeta.com/weatherbeeta-fleece-combo-cooler-39825.html
Is this a dangerous/foolish/completely numpty idea?
 
My lad wears a snuggy jams rug under his combo. It is fitted with a belly wrap and doesn't move an inch.
Good fitted fleeces are fine as under rugs... Wouldn't think twice about using one.
I just love snuggy jams :P
 
Not at all - if you are checking the rugs twice a day say?
My horses are generally clipped right out and turned out out circa 7 hours a day - with extra layers if it is very cold (usually leave a thin stable rug on) as at night they have a big stable rug - duvet type and a thinner sheet on under - that is the layer that the NZ goes on top of....The biggest problem with rugs that are left on for a long time and are layered - is that one layer rubs against the other and you get chaffing and ultimately a bad back. Not sure I would use a fleece - coz if they have a galllop around the field they get very hot - prob better to use a finer nylon sheet (though that will get hot too, but not as hot as a fleece) or a cooler rug, ideal, because of the wicking properties, not perfect because you have a layer of NZ canvas / nylon on top - but better than all the alternatives.
Look out for multiple strappings, back leg ties and slippage - which will be more of a problem if a horse is out 24/7 in layers. One of the rugs has to give if the horse gets tied up in veritable knots......
 
I always find that fleeces stretch quite a lot,I tried snuggy jams under turn out last year but stretched & sort of sagged out the back of the rug & got crapped on! I use a weatherbeeta under rug under turn out when it really cold & that stays put. Tonight mines out & got a lightweight horsewear stable rug on under heavyweight turn out & never had any probs with this combo of rugs either.
 
I use duvets so would have a cotton sheet/fleece, then a duvet and finally a top rug. I love duvets because they give warmth but not too much weight :)
 
Hippophilia said:
Does anybody do this?
I have rugged my old mare earlier than usual this year as she is starting to show her age (25) and is recovering from a leg injury, so she has a lighter coat than usual (Normally I would let her get super fuzzy then pop her rug on about November when it starts to hit -10 in the daytime). I have a Rambo Duo which gives her light and heavy weight protection, but nothing in between. Money is tight so rather than spend $100 on a med weight Rambo liner I was thinking of putting her fitted fleece cooler underneath her outer rug to give her a bit more warmth before I have to start using the heavyweight liner. This is the cooler I have, it is a good fit and I don't think it would slip:
http://www.weatherbeeta.com/weatherbeeta-fleece-combo-cooler-39825.html
Is this a dangerous/foolish/completely numpty idea?
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Blimey some posters on here would have you nicked for only putting a rug on your 25 yr old in temps of - ten. In fact they would have you nicked for not putting three heavyweights on a young healthy horse in less than 10 degrees too!! :D

I think you obviously have a lot of common sense when it comes to rugging, and your idea of rugging a bit more this winter due to her injury etc does seem a good idea. I wouldn't worry about layering two rugs, one thin, one thicker. Personally I hate the idea of rugging with thick rugs one over the other. I would rather get a more heavyweight rug to put on by itself, but that is just me, I hate being layered up myself!
 
Moomin1 said:
Blimey some posters on here would have you nicked for only putting a rug on your 25 yr old in temps of - ten. In fact they would have you nicked for not putting three heavyweights on a young healthy horse in less than 10 degrees too!! :D
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Well when there is snow on the ground for almost 6 months of the year and daytime temps of -25 (without the wind chill) what you think of as cold certainly changes! My yard is a Western barn and very few horses are rugged, even in the depths of winter. A lot of people here think that if you rug a horse they will get sick, so I am seen as an over-anxious English oddball, making my horse ill when I rug her at -10...:D
 
Hippophilia said:
Well when there is snow on the ground for almost 6 months of the year and daytime temps of -25 (without the wind chill) what you think of as cold certainly changes! My yard is a Western barn and very few horses are rugged, even in the depths of winter. A lot of people here think that if you rug a horse they will get sick, so I am seen as an over-anxious English oddball, making my horse ill when I rug her at -10...:D
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Ha ha!! Now that I hope would bring some reality to some people! :D

Dear me, people think that horses are going to die in -10 over here!! :rolleyes:
 
I now prefer to layer rugs as I find he stays warmer than using a single heavier weight rug. I use Horsewear mediumweight Amigos with an Insulator on when it gets colder.

Where about in Saskatchewan are you ? I've got friends in Lloydminster and I've been there in October before and know it gets really cold!!!
 
I would double up on rugs if necessary but only turn out rugs if you have a fleece under a turn our rug and it gets wet then its just going to absorb all the wetness and make the horse colder! i always find the fleeces do stick out a bit more!

they are okay in a stable but never when turned out!
 
I layer rugs but never more than two at a time. I have varying weights of rugs from no fill to 450g in turnouts and I just pop on what's necessary.

If my horse had his two heaviest weight rugs on it would end up at 780g and that's a lot. I've never had to put that on him even when fully clipped out.

The most he will need this year will be about 380g with a full coat so that's the only rugs I have unpacked is his 180g lightweight and his 200g mediumweight combo.
 
Derfette said:
Where about in Saskatchewan are you ? I've got friends in Lloydminster and I've been there in October before and know it gets really cold!!!
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I'm in Regina. My OH is originally from Saskatoon and we moved put here about 3 years ago. Loving the permanent government job, not loving the arctic wasteland of winter quite so much...

kerrieberry2 said:
I would double up on rugs if necessary but only turn out rugs if you have a fleece under a turn our rug and it gets wet then its just going to absorb all the wetness and make the horse colder! i always find the fleeces do stick out a bit more!
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Yes, I just thought of this as an issue. It is very dry here though and any winter precipitation is snow but I will be checking the fit of the cooler & turnout combo to be sure no fleece escapes :)
 
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