OTT on rugging?

Dizzleton

Dizzleton

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After reading a few other threads I'm wondering if I'm a bit over the top on rugging my horse?

He's a 21 yo BWP who feels the cold very easily. He's also out 24/7 at the moment but will come in at night when the weather gets worse (wind, rain and cold!)

He's in a 200g medium weight full neck at present; but when he's fully clipped he'll go up to a 450g + 360g + fleecy snuggy jams when it's really cold and miserable.

I've never found him sweaty or too hot, he always seems happy to have his rugs on. When I've left him in a rainsheet on a fine day I often find him cold to touch, even under his hair.


OTT owner or a genuinely chilly horse?
 
Horses are individuals and if you've tried in less and he's cold, you're doing the right thing!
Mine is out 24/7 unrugged at the mo but she's a warm horse. I'll rug when she starts to feel cold! :)
 
Do what's right for your horse. He doesn't have a whole forum to look after him, just you, so do the responsible thing and make sure he gets what he needs :)
 
I rug less than many people that I know, but my horses aren't clipped so that does make a difference.

On a fine day (warm, dry) I would leave them naked unless they are being plagued by flies (then a fly mask and fly rug are put on).

If they are cold, they are rugged and I adjust as required. So if they are too warm (what many call 'toasty') they get a lighter weight rug or no rug depending on what they were wearing. If they are cold they get a rug, or a warmer rug.

They don't always need the same thing as the grey tends to be warmer than the other two. I don't use neck covers as they all have long manes, which keep them warm (the neck normally dry and warm under the mane), plus I don't want the manes rubbed out.

CM has a 400g rug (Horseware Duo) which she needs when it is proper brass monkey weather.
 
On one hand I've never had a horse needed that amount of rugging, when my old boy was in work and fully clipped he'd live out happily in 350g max at 28 years old. He's currently out naked, due to arthritis I've kept him lighter this Summer than in previous years so he'll probably need a middle weight in the depths of Winter this year.

On the other hand only you know your horse and if he's cold then he needs it
 
My boy feels the cold very easily, he shivers if it rains in summer! As of last week he has his lightweight on during the day, but I'm going to have to start putting his medium weight on as he is shivering... and that's with his winter coat growing through!
They were in last night and probably tonight because it's been really stormy up here, so I'll just be playing it by ear whether they are in or out, as I didn't want to have to bring them in at night this early. There are three of them so if one comes in they all need to come in (more reason to cave and get my son a pony to even out the numbers :P )

Like others have said, you know your horse, so you what's best for him
 
do what works for you and your horse.
ours are in HW today as meant to pour and wind is very chilly.
both are in hard work and poor doers and one has EPSM and prefers to feel over warm to keep himself loose.

if anyone wants to tell me im over rugging and then offer to pay my vet and feed bills-feel free!
 
Each to their own!
As long as your horses aren't to hot or cold your doing a good job! Mine has worn 8 rugs before whilst my mums tb next door would remove a lightweight stable rug if she was too hot!

I have brought all new rugs this year and now have the premier equine duo turnouts, heavy, med and light stable, thermatex, fleeces and sheets might buy a few more depending on how weather ends up! Nothing worse that chilly horses and no extra layers!
 
Thanks guys :)

I always try to best by him, but after reading that 99% of the horses on here are still out naked or in rainsheets it got me wondering!
 
alma said:
on this subject what do you find are the best rugs for being waterproof. Ive got various brands and horses still seem to get wet underneath
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I used to use Weatherbeata rugs all the time, but found they were too small/didn't offer the best coverage.

Now the only turnouts I use are Premier Equine. My horse was out all day in exceedingly heavy rain, I brought him in at 6pm and he was totally dry underneath his rug.
 
I've got my TB in a lightweight turnout and he is in at night (he stays in it) He isnt a fan of the rain even in summer he will act like he is melting and stand at the gate shivvering desperate to come in :rolleyes:
This will be my first winter with him and i think layers are going to be the aim of the game :)
 
Antw23uk said:
I've got my TB in a lightweight turnout and he is in at night (he stays in it) He isnt a fan of the rain even in summer he will act like he is melting and stand at the gate shivvering desperate to come in :rolleyes:
This will be my first winter with him and i think layers are going to be the aim of the game :)
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Layers are definitely the way forward! Nothing better than knowing your horse is all cosy and warm whilst you're freezing your a** off mucking out!
 
Perhaps if people stopped rugging their horses at the first drop of rain and temp then horses would be more able to cope with regulating their own body temps. Never heard anything so ludicrous as horses shivering in summer rain. Shoot me down now.
 
I use rain sheets in summer just to keep horse dry enough to ride, have recently had him in a 100g light/middle weight and just upped to a 180g as its now 6 degrees here at 9am. Chilly!! He was perfectly warm in that, but not too hot.

I don't use rugs with necks except my big 450g which is for coldest winter, and only gets the neck on it once he's had his second clip in January. I feel like the horse can better regulate its temperature with no neck - if it suddenly warms up or if he's slightly over-rugged then at least he can lose heat through his neck.

ETA: My boy is a TB with PSSM, so I like to keep him warm. Even my fly sheet is a slightly thicker, water resistant fabric. He also lives out 24/7 year round.
 
JennyConnor said:
Thanks guys :)

I always try to best by him, but after reading that 99% of the horses on here are still out naked or in rainsheets it got me wondering!
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Just do whatever's best for your horse, it's nothing to do with anyone else as long as the horse is healthy and happy. People on the forum will tell you you're rugging too much (or not enough, feeding too much or not enough, working your horse too much or not enough etc etc... you get the idea ;) ) but they aren't there to see your horse.

FWIW, of the horses on our yard... yesterday (cold, raining, v windy), one was in a MW (loses weight easily and generally a bit nesh), one was in a LW/rainsheet, and two including mine were in nothing. Mine is a native type, he's got a really thick winter coat coming through and he was warm at the base of his ears. Also, I figured that the inch thick layer of mud he was coated in would keep him warm ;-0 I'm toying with putting a rainsheet on as it's getting cold overnight which isn't that pleasant when it's been raining for days, plus I'm fed up of getting covered in mud when grooming. The "proper" rugs won't go on until he's clipped, but that's because my horse doesn't need them.
 
Moomin1 said:
Perhaps if people stopped rugging their horses at the first drop of rain and temp then horses would be more able to cope with regulating their own body temps. Never heard anything so ludicrous as horses shivering in summer rain. Shoot me down now.
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so you would let them shiver for how long exactly, in an effort to get them to *man up*?

personally find the idea of feeding a competition horse for condition and schooling for suppleness, and then letting them stand tensed and cold against the weather, more ludicrous.
 
JennyConnor said:
Thanks guys :)

I always try to best by him, but after reading that 99% of the horses on here are still out naked or in rainsheets it got me wondering!
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Mine isn't! He's thin skinned, thin coated and needs the weight on so has a 100g on 24/7 at the min. At the same time, I'd say 've read many a time that over-rugging can flatten the hairs and prevent them from trapping warm air, plus it's harder for them to move in lots of rugs so I try to use a 400g in the bitter cold rather than 4 x 100g's if that makes sense?
 
I think I'm one of the few people who had a leaky PE rug. :(

The best LW rugs I've got are Bucas Smartex Rain's. They have a 'stay dry' lining so are more useful than a true no-fill rug and they are very breathable and waterproof.

I go for high denier outers and Nylon is better than Polyester.

Horseware Rambo's are fab as and I have a Shires Typhoon which is great.
 
kellybee said:
Mine isn't! He's thin skinned, thin coated and needs the weight on so has a 100g on 24/7 at the min. At the same time, I'd say 've read many a time that over-rugging can flatten the hairs and prevent them from trapping warm air, plus it's harder for them to move in lots of rugs so I try to use a 400g in the bitter cold rather than 4 x 100g's if that makes sense?
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I'd rather do a few layers of heavy rugs to trap warm air in between. I think it depends on each horse and what it likes :)
 
Faracat said:
I think I'm one of the few people who had a leaky PE rug. :(
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I bought a second hand PE from Ebay, only used twice apparently then washed and reproofed. Leaked for the first winter then I sent it away for washing/ reproofing myself and it was fine afterwards, fab rug. I like PE, and I love Swish Equestrian too. Mine lived in SE last winter, never leaked. Got a JHL which leaks like anything :/
 
Just do what is best for the horse in question!

My general view is if they are not in work, then provided they hold condition, grow a coat and have a bit of shelter they go au natural for the bulk of the year.

In general any horse that is working/competing will get some form of rugging all year round. In the summer mine always go out overnight rugged (be that cotton sheet or rain sheet).

I don't generally go in for excessive rugging, all my past horses have been fine in 'normal' rugging for the conditions.

Current mare I have is very thin skinned and sensitive. If she gets wet she gets unbelievably cold and shivery. So I have had to up my level of rugging for her. This weekend she was away at a weekend long show, arrived home at 10pm and wore a HW NZ out in the field last night. It was cool and windy and tired muscles needed to stay warm.

OP you know your own horse best.
 
Moomin1 said:
Perhaps if people stopped rugging their horses at the first drop of rain and temp then horses would be more able to cope with regulating their own body temps. Never heard anything so ludicrous as horses shivering in summer rain. Shoot me down now.
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My horses are in no way 'soft' or 'babied' but one of them does shiver excessively when it rains for a good few hours in summer so have to dry him off and put a waterproof on. Wouldn't exactly call it ludicrous that I monitor my horse's temperature and rug appropriately so he doesn't get a chill/ become ill.
 
by Moomin1 View Post Perhaps if people stopped rugging their horses at the first drop of rain and temp then horses would be more able to cope with regulating their own body temps. Never heard anything so ludicrous as horses shivering in summer rain. Shoot me down now. NellRosk said:
My horses are in no way 'soft' or 'babied' but one of them does shiver excessively when it rains for a good few hours in summer so have to dry him off and put a waterproof on. Wouldn't exactly call it ludicrous that I monitor my horse's temperature and rug appropriately so he doesn't get a chill/ become ill.
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Whilst at work the other day, I asked another livery to put my horses light weight standard neck on as it was sunny and warm. By the time I got to the yard at 5.30pm it had been raining for 30 minutes. He was stood in the corner of the field with his head down and bum into the rain, once I called him, he proceeded to crab walk sideways up the field to come in!

He really hates the rain and will do anything to get out of it - This isn't because he's rugged, he's always hated rain!
 
JennyConnor said:
Whilst at work the other day, I asked another livery to put my horses light weight standard neck on as it was sunny and warm. By the time I got to the yard at 5.30pm it had been raining for 30 minutes. He was stood in the corner of the field with his head down and bum into the rain, once I called him, he proceeded to crab walk sideways up the field to come in!

He really hates the rain and will do anything to get out of it - This isn't because he's rugged, he's always hated rain!
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Exactly! Some horses just can't cope with it as well/ hate it more than others. They are all individuals like us and it is up to us to look after them and cater for their needs!
 
Moomin1 said:
Perhaps if people stopped rugging their horses at the first drop of rain and temp then horses would be more able to cope with regulating their own body temps. Never heard anything so ludicrous as horses shivering in summer rain. Shoot me down now.
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As soon as I don't feel the need to wear a heavy jacket after winter the rugs come off. As soon as my horse - as an individual - starts shivering and suffering from the cold and wet heading into winter the rug goes back on. That's not to say the other horses I look after HAVE to get their rugs on or off at the same time as him, I know them well enough individually to know what they need.

Since you've never witnessed a horse shivering in the summer rain before, why not come up here next summer and see it for yourself? Be my guest.
 
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