Leaving your horse in the rain without a rug-thoughts?

[poppywalker]

My Irish sports horse is used to getting rugs on from time to time, but recently the weathers been fine! At the moment I've got her out with nothing but the rains just came on and it's supposed to be on for most of the night..
Her coats not the thickest but she's pretty hardy, and I haven't got time to go up today, so she'll be getting soaked all night haha. I feel bad but im hoping i'm not the only one that gets myself into these situations
I could have probably rushed up earlier and chucked a rug on her in the field while she was wet, but i was scared of the risk of rainscald and discomfort? Any thoughts on this and any tips for the future? Thanks!

 

[CobsGalore]

My cob is out naked, I knew the rain was coming but chose not to rug him. He has a few trees for shelter and needs to lose weight anyway so a bit of shivering will do him good!!

 

[Horseycrazy]

It may shrink

 

[Persephone]

I'm really hoping mine shrinks!

 

[FfionWinnie]

But rain makes things grow

 

[rhino]

All the decent new rugs are breathable, so it's not a bother to put them on a wet horse for another time Sure she'll be just fine though! Have you not been up to see her at all today; I couldn't tell from your post?

 

[FionaM12]

Welcome to the forum! I'm not rugging Mollie until it gets really cold, if at all. She's quite hardy and needs to lose weight and it isn't cold at all. I don't have her clipped.

I've had to bring Mollie in tonight though because the others are in and she frets alone. Otherwise I'd leave her out in the rain, I don't think it bothers her.

Last winter I rugged her when she was out but it was mostly to keep her clean, she was coming in covered in mud and brushing it off affects my breathing. This winter I might just try to cope with her hippo-ness and leave her without.

 

[Holly Hocks]

I've left my fatty New Forest X in the starve patch with no rug in the torrential rain tonight. She hates the heat and gets really itchy, so she just stands in the rain as if she loves it.
TB on the other hand has a very thin no fill lightweight on

OP - your horse will be fine - horses don't melt in the rain, it's not the middle of winter and providing there is grazing he will survive, honest!

 

[Cortez]

Horses ARE actually waterproof, you know......they don't melt. It's not cold, they have oils in their coats.

 

[sophiebailey]

I only put a rainsheet on if I know we're in for a long period of heavy rain, because Bails is pushing 21 and I don't want him wasting his energy shivering when he needs to save it for keeping his weight on!!

 

[acw295]

I don't rug routinely until Molly is clipped out (usually late Nov), until then if we have very heavy all day rain and it is also cold/windy then she will get a rainsheet, but heavy showers she stays naked.

We didn't get the rain today though - it always seems to miss us!

 

[StormyMoments]

if they were in the wild i dont think people would be rushing out to put rugs on them if she has a good amount of shelter there should be no problems shes waterproof she'll be fine

 

[Boulty]

My wussy Welsh x hasn't had a rug on since April / May time and I don't plan on putting one on until after he's been clipped (hoping to hold out til the end of the month although at the rate his coat's growing that may be a tad optimistic). He's got plenty of coat, a fair covering and plenty of shelter should he choose to use it so I'm not remotely worried about him. I'm sure your horse will be fine

 

[rhino]

We didn't get the rain today though - it always seems to miss us!

We must have got your share too then

if they were in the wild i dont think people would be rushing out to put rugs on them

Don't get too many warmblood/ISH or thorougbred types in the wild

 

[micki]

I don't understand this obsession of rugging horses up in summer . Fly rugs i can understand.
None of mine are rugged up, even my 21 year old TBx isn't going to be rugged for ages yet and they are all still living out .

 

[BackRidingAgain]

Unless we have clipped them and taken away what nature naturally gives them I can't see any reason why horses need rugs in a field, esp. one with some hedges for protection, unless it is to keep them clean.

 

[crabbymare]

There are foals out in rain here and they and the mares stay out all winter unrugged and so far none have leaked or shrunk so yours should be fine Its advertising and other people who make you feel guilty that make you think you need to rug as horses are designed to be waterproof from the oils in the coat and also self insulating when they are not rugged.

 

[rhino]

Because you treat each horse as an individual; some can cope better than others. Ours are kept on what can be described as the side of a mountain, where it is always cold and windy even when it is not torrentially raining as it has been all day. Most of the horses are fine out without rugs, my older warmblood isn't, so he is rugged. Don't see why it's such an issue either way, and I don't see how it is an 'obsession' any more than tailoring tack or feed for the individual horse

 

[Mrs B]

Mine's got a sheet on tonight for the simple reason that he's a grubby little horror who loves to dig mudpie holes to wriggle in and I want to be able to get a saddle on him in the morning...

 

[I.Camilla]

My 2yo Welsh D is having another rugless winter whilst living out.

I am not rugging my Conny until the weather is very cold and he is clipped. They live out 24/7 with natural shelter so the rain drips through the trees still if it's heavy! Their coats are oily enough and it does them good. The conny would only have a rug on if we had torrential rain for days on end. So I wouldn't worry, they could have an evil owner like myself that sits there smiling whilst they shiver off their overweight bodies in the rain.

 

[rowy]

My new connie x irish sport horse is out without a rug tonight as I haven't a spare lightweight that will fit. I do feel bad since the others have rugs on but I'm going to find her one ASAP.

 

[micki]

Because you treat each horse as an individual; some can cope better than others. Ours are kept on what can be described as the side of a mountain, where it is always cold and windy even when it is not torrentially raining as it has been all day. Most of the horses are fine out without rugs, my older warmblood isn't, so he is rugged. Don't see why it's such an issue either way, and I don't see how it is an 'obsession' any more than tailoring tack or feed for the individual horse

I find it is turning into an obsession as i am seeing cobs in the middle of summer with rugs on?Why is that needed? It is turning into the latest fad where i live and it doesn't matter what horse it is. I can understand a thin skinned TB on a rainy day when it is blowing a gale in the middle of summer but not the cobs that have a perfectly good summer coat to keep them warm and dry!!not clipped

 

[mandwhy]

I wouldn't even think of putting a rug on my TB at this time of year. I Find it hard to imagine any type of horse (apart from non waterproof donkeys!) shivering unless the weather is severely different in other parts of the country, still its up to individuals eh. I'm sure your chap will be fine!

 

[pottamus]

My welshie is not rugged ever so he will be out in rain when it rains. He sometimes gets a bit chilly when it is cold and wet and he has his summer coat still but nothing too bad and I have never seen him use his field stable when it rains - just stands in the middle of the field.
In the winter it can pour all day and yet only the top layer of hair is wet, the stuff near the roots is always dry.

 

[Kat]

Perhaps some of those rugged cobs are clipped year round too. If they are they will need protection from rain, cold, flies and sunburn using appropriate rugs.

 

[rhino]

I Find it hard to imagine any type of horse (apart from non waterproof donkeys!) shivering unless the weather is severely different in other parts of the country

Well it's single figures here, probably about 7 or 8 degrees but feeling much colder. It has been raining horizontally since lunchtime today. My horse still has a summer coat, is elderly and will stand and shiver in persistent rain.

Dry cold he can do, contrary creature. With a full winter coat though, which makes a huge difference for him.

 

[MileAMinute]

No rugs on my lad until winter, and even that's only because there isn't a great deal of shelter where he is. Most he'll have on is a LW T/O.

 

[Natz88]

Mine are not rugged, but I no many that are. Friends have started rugging their horses at night time even cob types aswell, but thats their choice. I have to admit I have been known to give in & put LW's on, but only if they are wet, miserable & cold this is including my haffy, but I don't want him to melt . Mine won't be rugged now until they are clipped, unless the weather took a turn for the worse.

 

[I.Camilla]

http://i1256.photobucket.com/albums/ii484/immy345/IMG-20120204-01999.jpg

The welsh D grows a very good coat as she has not yet been rugged. I refuse to rug her until she will be ridden and clipped, as she manages to keep warmer than other horses rugged up to their eyeballs.

On the other hand, my mums Arab will drop weight if you are not keeping her rugged when the weather gets a nippy chill.

 

[poppywalker]

Thanks for your help everyone, I feel much happier now