My mare (with foal at foot) is cold

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Rainbowrider

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My mare has her first foal at foot, and she is fine in every way except she is starting to get cold at night now that the nights have got chillier. I am worried that if I put a rug on her, the colt will get tangled in the straps as he tends to climb on her a lot and is very playful. Also would it put him off drinking? What do you do? Any advice appreciated.
 
Is she in or out?
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i think i'd put on a NZ rug with x-over belly straps, a fillet string, and no leg straps. the foal will still drink, (although it might worry him for a little while, he'll get brave enough!) and as long as the belly straps are fairly snug, there's hardly any chance of him getting caught up.
if they've got a good shelter, i'd just give her lots more hay to eat to keep her warm at night, maybe!
 
I agree with Kerilli - feed her enough, try to stable her at night or better still, provide a field shelter.
As far as rugs go...you could try introducing one (with belly straps and a fillet string, not leg straps) whilst you are there to see how foaly gets on.
They aren't usually bothered by much for long at that age.
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Thanks for the advice, she seems cold in the stable as well as out so I will try a rug on her with snug straps, no leg straps. She has as much hay as she wants and plenty of feed. Foal goes out with other horses with rugs on, he just doesn't climb on them! He should be OK, nothing will get in the way of MILK!
 
I've had this problem with my Tb mare and had to rug her since the beginning of the week. I removed leg straps and filet strings and made sure belly straps were snug.
Little Hugo soon found the milk and has had any problems infact he loves the velcro straps that cover the front buckles as he undoes them then they shut on their own :lol:
 
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