Over rugging?

How many not relevant really, rug weight prob a better measure on my decisions:

I got snuggy jams, don't like them. No good for a high wither as they slip back, not pleased with quality, too thin. The Dress Circle though, similar design, cheaper, warmer and beautiful for a high wither are fantastic quality in comparison, heavier fleece, better fit, defo more robust fittings.

16hh Tb, looses weight at drop of hat and does feel cold

snow = 450g full neck
winter = 300 - 450g, depending on wind chill, full neck
Spring = 100 - 300, depending on wind chill
summer = Rainsheet, coolmax (if very mild) or sheet
Autumn = 100 -250g depending on wind chill

Winter and snow = stabled at night, with Dress Circle, if VERY cold 450g

All with Premier Equine rugging system, mainly.
 
Rotchana said:
How many not relevant really, rug weight prob a better measure on my decisions:
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I agree but what the OP puts on can't be light surely????
I can't see why you would need 2 mw (1 full neck), a hw combo on top and a plethora of other rugs underneath!!!!

Indalo said:
Normally will wear a dress circle full body, then under blanket, fleece, l/w stable, m/w stable with neck, m/w stable then a heavy combo on top..
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I think its each horse to its own. My horse would boil in some of the rugging combos you have described, and in others, e.g. no rugs, out with little feed- well he wouldn't make it through winter!
 
Chancer - gypsy cob, full clipped in winter, Farra, Clydesdale, full clipped in winter

As a rule in winter they wear either 100 or 250 g rugs depending on the temp. If it goes below -4 they change to a 350 rug. A few times last year it was down to -10 so I did put a fleece under the 350 rugs. None of my rugs have neck covers.

Spring - fleece, 100 or no fill rugs, autumn they are left naked until clipped unless it is very cold and wet.

Summer - they live out and wear snuggy SI bodies.

I have rugs from sheets, fleeces, no fill, 100, 250 and 350 so I can easily adapt to the temp, and I don't like to ever have more than two rugs on.
 
wow, I feel a bit mean here but. . .

Fully clipped wb has one heavy weight turn out on during the day in the depths of winter. and one heavy weight stable rug on at night. She is a very good doer mind you, so it doesn't do her any harm, and I'm careful no to let her get wet. I think that's what really makes them cold.

Have a funny feeling I will need to invest in some heavier ones for Lenny though :D
 
Pharaoh is a wimpy NFxTB, last winter he was stabled over night and wore a lw with fill most of the winter during the day and a fleece over night, he had a big stable that wasnt really exposed aswell as lots of hay and a big bed. This winter he will be living out and already begining to drop off as the field is pretty exposed. So he's out in a rainsheet over night now (went on yesterday) and am on the hunt to find a mw to put on when it gets very cold and wet!
 
Both of mine live out 24/7 in wettest Wales
Both unrugged in summer, in winter:
Jess (chunky Irish cob with blanket clip) wears a medium weight turnout with neck cover to compensate for what I have clipped off.
Rosie (section D yearling, unclipped) wears a little raincoat with no filling just to keep the worst of the rain off.
I find that they are both absolutely fine with extremes of cold, but it is the rain that causes problems. When me and Jess lived in the north east, where it is much colder and drier, she would be out rugless even with a trace clip and be perfectly warm (doesn't that sound cruel!), but she struggles down here in the wet!
It's just such an individual thing though, you have to let the horses guide you really.
 
WBxTB 19 years old and a good doer.

Summer - unclipped and no rug

Winter - Blanket Clipped, but might just trace this year, H/W Combo turnout if out, Rambo H/W combo stable if in. If temperatures are minus, then he has a 100gm liner underneath.

With lots of hay, fast fibre and oil he does just fine!
 
I feel that a lot of people over rug I remember years ago we only rugged horses that where clipped L/W stable daytime M/W stable night time and M/W turnout. Our unclipped horses only got a rug if it was raining when turned out.
I have 8 horses at the mo who all live out 24/7 and only my TB mare has a L/W rug as she doesn't hold her weight well. Once winter is here then they will all have one L/W rug each. None of them will be clipped this winter as they are ever not in work or just light work. My field has a lot of natural shelter and its only my 2 TB that will stand in the middle of the field when its raining the rest all go to the bottom corner for shelter so the TBs will be getting rugs with neck covers.
 
quirky said:
I agree but what the OP puts on can't be light surely????
I can't see why you would need 2 mw (1 full neck), a hw combo on top and a plethora of other rugs underneath!!!!
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sorry Quirky, my post wasn't related/linked to the one you quoted:o. Just a statement of what I did -lol:)
 
Our 2 are still out 24/7 unrugged, but the Thames Valley is quite warm and dry usually. The NF I'm not intending to rug at all this year (he did wear a MW or a LW only in the snow last winter) as we now have a lovely field shelter and he gets a thick woolly coat, unless he needs a LW on to stop him getting too wet/muddy because he's going to be ridden later, or if we have to clip him but we'll see how we go. The Arab x show pony is quite delicate skinned and does easily get tucked up / shivers/ dislikes the cold and also doesn't keep the weight on well, however I've not rugged yet as I've noticed he makes a beeline for the shelter as soon as it spits with rain, and consequently doesn't get wet (whereas the NF lets it run off, he doesn't care if he gets wet), and as he's not seemed to be cold/wet yet he can stay without as I'm sure he's happy. As the weather turns he'll go up to a heavyweight with a neck and an under rug, but will feed and rug according to the weather/temp as I really don't want him to loose any weight.
 
I agree there is soo much over rugging. My IDxTB who is a wimp but unless its steady rain he is out all day in summer with only a fly rug on and he comes in at night but is naked as he has a cosy stable!!
In winter he is unclipped as retired now but if its really cold(like last winter) he wears- Outside-
MW half neck stable rug
HW full neck turnout
Lycra hood (not full face)
If very cold also HW stable rug and a fleece altho he tends only to go out for mucking out if v cold. he looks like michelin man

Inside-
MW half neck
HW full neck
Lycra hood
If v cold he will have an extra MW on and a fleece. (has had duvet on in the past but he was clipped out)

The others are tough have MW turnouts on outside and nothing inside if v v cold may have summer sheet on but they in a nice barn with heaters and detest rugs!
Although I do think a MW at night at the moment is maybe slightly over rugging its not that cold at night yet
 
I'm leaving my native unrugged for as long as possible, although I don't like to see wet miserable horses and will rug if needed. overrugging can have serious consequences, plus I need to use the winter to help burn calories!

I have even left unrugged with a low trace clip and stabled at night before now, if I clip in the Autumn and then let it grow out it provides a decent enough coat for the worst of the winter when I usually don't ride as much anyway.
 
When it was very cold earlier this year the racehorses at work wore:

HW turnout with a LW stable rug underneath,
LW fleece cooler type blanket, a blanket folded over their necks and a MW stable rug, when it got very cold we replaced the blankets with another MW stable rug with neck.

My fully clipped good doer just got a MW turnout with LW stable rug on underneath, and a LW and MW stable rug on when in, he never felt cold and did very well in all that snow.

There is too much over rugging out there, horses do not feel the cold as much as we do. I can only think how uncomfortable some horses may be, and how heavy more than 2-3 rugs must be for them, especially in the rain when turnouts can become quite heavy.
 
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Whoa, seven rugs, that's ....... impressive!!!

My big fella is currently in his rainsheet when it's wet, otherwise he's naked, and in the winter when he's clipped out (full clip, but with face and legs left on) he starts off in his mediumweight turnout with neck, then graduates to his heavyweight with neck. In the stable he started in a mediumweight stable rug then goes to his heavyweight one, also with a neck. He doesn't like being overheated to I'm careful to check he doesn't have heatbumps.

My only issue with your choice of seven rugs is the weight on your horse's back????

My other boy is new to me and I haven't done a winter with him yet. My late friend (his old owner) used to have problems clipping him so I'm guessing I'll do a partial neck/belly clip (the name of which evades me!) and just pop a mediumweight on him.
 
In the summer my youngster has a lightweight rain sheet on in the day if it looks like showers but he comes in at night, yes even in the summer.
In the autumn early winter he has a med weight turnout and a heavy fleece or med weight in the stable. In the depths of winter he has a heavy weight turnout with neck and stable rug.
It went down to -22 last winter (even his poops froze!!) so he had a heavy weight and a heavy fleece.
He has all separate rugs as i don't like the ones you can keep on in the day and night. I know they might be more convenient but i don't like the thought of him being in at night in a wet heavy rug.

However, your horse, you do what you feel is best for them. It depends on their age, breed, where you live in the country and even what disciplines you do with them so no horse/rug situation is the same and it annoys me when people tell you you are doing something wrong when they don't know your situation.

If you want something doing with your horse any the other person doesn't do it then you have the right to be peeved, even if it was your mum!!!! However ask her why she thinks that the rug she used was appropriate and maybe she has a good reason that you could learn from...Maybe she needs educating and bringing up to date?

Rug technology is changing all the time and i was amazed last year when i went to buy a new H/W rug how thin it was compared to my others, but still did a great job. So it even depends on how new your rugs are. Older ones filling compacts and shifts so maybe you need a couple to compensate for this. Good excuse to go and buy a new rug!!!
 
If a horse is sweating/boling hot it really is not fair on them to be rugged up, I feel terrable when i get too hold but I can take clothes off horses can't.

Mine live out 24/7 and in medium/heavyweight rugs, last year my skinny pony was really starting to sweat in his heavyweight so I changed it too medium and he was fine.

I would only rug to what suits your horse, I rarely rug stabled horse during the night.
 
Jeez, I thought I over rugged! I'm quite proud of myself now.

I have a TB who needs to keep weight on.

At the mo:

Out at day - Naked or fly rug (if raining - lightweight t/o)
In at night - Naked


Autumn:

Out at day - MW turnout combo, normal MW if dry
At night - MW stable without neck.


Depths of winter:

Out at day - HW turnout combo 400gsm
In at night - HW stable combo. 400gsm

By the way, the above is for clipped.
 
My pony

Nude unless very cold then has a light weight stable rug and very occasionally (like when minus 20 in jan) a fleece underneath.
Turnout light weight turnout rug (mainly to reduce the mud!)

My big boy

Summer - fly rug when out unless p'ing down then a light weight turn out (he gets rain scold)
Winter - I just keep adding rugs til he's warm... and he's warm when he's not grizzly... ie if he doesn't try to bite you...:D In Jan this year he had a Fal Gadolphin (or sommit like that) with a full neck over 2 under rugs with a blanket between them and stable bandages (he's well nesh!)

Blitz
 
In the deepest winter- fully clipped tb
stable - heavyweight and a hood, maybe a fleece underneath
t/o - a heavyweight with neck

summer- just a rain sheet as and when needed, had it last night but not tonight.
 
A long time ago I stayed in the attic bedroom of my then boyfriend who was at Birmingham University. It was february and in the room there were icicles on the wall above the bed!!! Evidently it was colder inside than out. We were so frozen, even with our clothes still on that we, ( No suggestive comments please!) piled eiderdowns and wool blankets on top along with our overcoats. You know we woke up soaked in sweat and still freezing.
The next night we tried with just two eiderdowns and pajamas and socks and a wooly hat. We were cozy all night.
I always remember this when I am tempted to layer the rugs on my horses.

Also have you noticed how lovely and warm the lightweight jackets we all wear in winter are? But if you squash down the air trapping filling you'll feel much colder.

My heavy gypsy cob horse has a l/w Fal Pro rainsheet til about Dec, then his m/w Fal Pro til Feb, worst weather he is in his Fal Pro h/w with neckcover. (He is occasionally clipped in late Feb.)
Youngster (ID/cob was in Southern Ireland all the past 4 winters with no rug, and little food ( BRRRR - poor boy)
He will not be clipped this year and I hope he will manage with a light/medium weight rug at most. He is going to be out with others without rugs, so I may not rug him unless we really have a bad spell. It is hard not to do this though, but he will have hay/hayledge and about 20 acre field with his mates
 
Katie__Connie said:
Imagine how heavy 7 rugs must be
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Sorry but ditto this! Modern rugs are so warm nowadays, I see not point in layering more than 2 rugs ever! My current TB x Lusitano (who is woosy) is hunter clipped over the winter normally yet lives out 24/7 (yes, including the winter we just had where snow lay for 3 months!). He's in a heavyweight full neck turnout and usually thats it, only if its seriously cold and wet/windy do I then put a MW stable rug underneath as well.
 
I feel from my previous post that mayb i overrug but every horse is individual and yes the 7 rugs may seem alot but last winter mine had about 6 on because he isnt happy if cold and he prefers to be huge than cold but without extra weight. I know if he is cold as he wont come out of his stable to go out. But im not a rug lover as none of the others have hardly any on, and pony lives out in peak district with lots of snow naked!!
 
I clip and rug in winter according to how they feel. I ride all weathers so clipping makes my life easier, and we are on clay, it takes hours to find and get out of their coats, so clipping it all off makes my life much quicker and easier.

In summer - nothing. Ever. I was camping out at the yard last night in the rain, still too hot in just a t shirt. The horses have all been fine so far and haven't seen a rug since April........
 
Tennessee said:
I clip and rug in winter according to how they feel. I ride all weathers so clipping makes my life easier, and we are on clay, it takes hours to find and get out of their coats, so clipping it all off makes my life much quicker and easier.

In summer - nothing. Ever. I was camping out at the yard last night in the rain, still too hot in just a t shirt. The horses have all been fine so far and haven't seen a rug since April........
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Lucky you, it was cold this morning at my place all cars covered in dew :eek: depending on weather at night mine will wear light weight turnout.
 
I can't believe a horse would benefitr from 7 rugs!! It must be so heavy and uncomfortable. I would also worry about all these surcingles and straps being caught in feet when lying down.
My mare is honestly the coldest tb i have ever met. If she gets wet she shivers and her teeth actually chatter. totally miserable face. If it rains she mostly has a rain sheet unless it is warm and just showers.
She has a variety of rugs for whatever the weather. At the coldest last winter she had a light stable rug on and a 450g premier rug with full neck. That was only for about 2 nights in the stable when it was -15. Mostly she had the 450g on as it was such a cold winter. Sometimes she had her heavy stable rug on but tbh mostly i just left the outdoor on as it seemed a shame to take a cosy rug off and put a cold one on.
If she gets cold she drops weight really quickly.
 
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