over rugging advice please

ivandenisovich10

ivandenisovich10

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How do I explain that is as bad or worse than under rugging? I've tried the nice approach, today I went a little crazy. Please bear with me ill try and maake it as short as possible. The 2 horses are owned by me but are with a couple down the road as they are point to pointing them this season. So I pop down and ride them sometimes. Today I went up and bering in mind it said it was 11 degrees they both had a heavy weight combo and a medium weight over the top. They were very toasty and looking a bit glum. I've put them back out with just a medium on. They are both hunter clipped but are quite hot horses. One who I had here loived out in a medium high neck so I lnow him well. They have lost weight and so they started throwing more feed at them and keeping them warmer. When I've tried to tell them its cause they are too warm they are sweating it off. Taking the necks off today it felt like a big waft of heat steaming out. So how can I make someone understand how over rugging is bad?? I want to try and make them see sence. But I will not hesiate to bring them home if I can't sort this. They are lovely people other than this problem but I need to make them understand. Sorry for not making much sense. I will send out homemade anythings for anyone who can offer advice
 
Are they your rugs? If so maybe take them for cleaning and say that as the weather has got more mild you know the horses will be fine in the remaining rugs so will store the others yourself and if it gets colder they should give you a ring to discuss
 
Just tell them you want the horses to wear less rugs. Make it clear. Above 0 a MW. Below 0 a HW or whatever.
People have different ideas on rugging, they might like their horses toasty warm and thats up to them.
However these two are YOUR horses and as their owner just tell the people what rugs you want them to wear :).
 
Thankyou. Most of them are my rugs and I have taken two away when I left today. Will be seeing them in person tomorrow and will try and explain again its been suggested I write things down as I'm useless and always walk away thinking I should have said that. And ill give them a time scale to change things. If not ill struggle with them at home. Not ideal as limited grazing but things have had me in tears. So in the future if anyone in medway kent area wants to ride a dopey tb with me :-)
 
Well it sounds like they are nice people but mollycoddling, so hopefully it won't come to you having to take the horses back. I think it would be a good idea to write down some sort of schedule like hw below 0 etc, tell them it doesn't have to be too rigid but it will at least give them a vague idea of what you think is appropriate.

You could also discuss how they decide, like when I put my hand under my horse's rug I like it to feel only a bit warm and definitely dry, so a comfortable temperature. Often if I put a MW on it is just right at night and then when it gets sunny in the morning she feels warm to the point of sweating (she is unclipped so its only for very cold wet nights), but that is when I know I am going to take it off anyway.

I don't envy you, it is super hard to tell someone they're doing it wrong diplomatically and without causing offence! Your horses though!
 
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