Native ponies and winter?

I have a native cob x.

1. Do you rug at all? 1st year I had him no, neither in field or stable. Then next autumn he got rainscald so since then have rugged.
2. If so, what type of rug? He grows the most amazing winter coat so even last year he was in a lightweight turnout with no fill, and if he's in a rug that has fill it's usually a medium lite to medium (100g-220g) but even then on milder days in the winter can get warm. He has a neck and belly clip in the winter for work.
3. Does your horse live out all winter? No - has to be stabled overnight at yard.
4. Does your horse have shelter? Field he's in during the day doesn't have much obvious shelter apart from hedge along one side.
5. How did they cope with Winter last year? He was fine - it got to -12 degrees C one night - think they were probably colder being stuck standing in their stables to be honest. They are on haylage in the winter and mine with his native genes fared fine. The only problem the winter caused him was when because the route to the field was snowed and iced over we weren't allowed to turn them out - he was in for about 12 days without turnout beyond a walk round and round the stable block each day. And also some days they got very limited turnout. It showed itself in poor hoof quality in the spring/early summer due to his diet but all fine again now.
 
mishaspey said:
Hello,

For those of you with natives, can you answer a couple of questions for me please?

1. Do you rug at all?
only in harsh weather

2. If so, what type of rug?
lightweight, not a rain sheet
3. Does your horse live out all winter?
yes..unless it is continuous rain for 72 hrs, then they stand in for 24hrs to dry off
4. Does your horse have shelter?
yes, natural hedges and trees
5. How did they cope with Winter last year?
very well
Click to expand...
 
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My lad is a Welsh D who does feel the chill once the Oct weather kicks in...he has a personality transplant every year and turns into a grumpy beast...I have learn't the hard way that he feels the cold more than he should. You put a rug on him - only a lightweight and he flips back overnight to being the normal personality that he is...consistent each year guaranteed!

1. Do you rug at all? Yes he has a light weight on when out for a few months and then when the crap weather kicks in around Dec he has a very old and flattened medium weight and that does him fine for all weathers, even snow. Not clipped.
2. If so, what type of rug? As above
3. Does your horse live out all winter? He could live out all winter fine but I have a corral area of woodchip outside his field stable and confine him to this at night to give him a rest from the grass intake...so he is technically out as he stands more in his outside corral than in his stable.
4. Does your horse have shelter? Access to a field stable at all times...never uses it in daytime in winter though.
5. How did they cope with Winter last year?
Absolutely fine...trudged about in the snow happy as larry!
 
Pharaoh is NF x TB, has spent some winters living out and some coming in. He has only spent one winter clipped but his winter coat is a bit pathetic so i've never bothered to again.

1. Do you rug at all? Yes, depending on the weather conditions. This winter he will hopefully be in work (usually the school freezes over or he injures himself!) so will be rugged most of the time.
2. If so, what type of rug? Sometimes a rainsheet with a fleece under, a lightweight with fill or a medium weight.
3. Does your horse live out all winter? He has before and is currently living out anyway so he will spend the winter out.
4. Does your horse have shelter? There is woodland next to his field plus several big trees.
5. How did they cope with Winter last year? Ok, he was in alot with the snow which made him stress a bit and lose condition (it turns out his stable also leaked!). Im hoping this winter will be better.

All the horses at the yard live out as its mostly full grass livery with alot of retired horses and they all seem to cope well aslong as they are fed and rugged accordingly :) The pony I ride is a native (we think NF) and he does very well with no rug on and a handful of nuts a day.
 
1. Do you rug at all? Yes, when it's really cold and wet
2. If so, what type of rug? She's got a LW, a MW and a HW... she's spoilt! ;)
3. Do they live out all year? Yes, did keep her in for a couple of nights last winter though it was more due to the fact there was nothing for her to eat in her field, rather than it being too cold for her.
4. Does your horse have shelter? Yes, she has a field shelter
5. How did they cope with Winter last year? Very well, we rugged her up as appropriate and made sure she had access to hay, when there was no grass and when it snowed.

Our pony is a welsh mountain pony, but she is about 30 so we do tend to wrap her up a bit more than if she was younger.
 
Two shetlands have never had rugs on. But last year they came in overnight to save the field. They never dried out as their coats are too thick. This year I have bought them turnout rugs with no filling. One of them also gets rain scald down his dorsal stripe so hoping the rug will stop this
 
Last year at home I had a Dartmoor Hill Pony colt, an arab, a Connemara, and New Forest and a TB.

The Hill Pony and the arab came from Devon (I inherited them) and had been living out. They both stayed out the whole winter even in the snow etc. No field shelter but some trees etc. Arab was rugged Hill Pony wasn't - he'd just come off the moors - he seemed happy enough.

TB was in at night as well it's a wuss and hates mud / cold weather etc.

Connemara was in at night as he's the least 'native' native pony I've ever met and doesn't like being left out - he just stands at the gate asking to come in.

The NF was out 24/7 in a different paddock to the others (sharing with the TB and Connie during the day and on his own at night) and he was generally rugged as he was getting a bit miserable and wet.
 
Thanks again for all of these replies. They have been great and have definitely helped me to stick to my guns of it depends on each pony. Every horse/pony in my area has a rug on as soon as winter is starting and I keep feeling guilty for having nothing on my highland (although she doesn't need it).

Newfie, I will wait and see how she goes. If she needs a rug (as she may) I'll get a L/W and take it from there.

Also appreciate everyone who has given further replies and said why your rugging and what type/age pony they are.
 
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