Please - why all the rugs?

Nudibranch

Nudibranch

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Passed the yard down the road on my way to work this morning, horses out naked, grazing happily enough. Passed them again on the way home, car registering 18c and every single one was rugged up, from a yearling to a hairy fell. We had the slightest of showers this afternoon, that's all. Two of the horses were scratching against a tree and all looked quite irritable with lots of tail swishing and neck shaking... don't some people realise horses don't melt in the rain???
 
I do have doubts but my Trakehner moved from day turn out to night turn out last Saturday - and it may rain tonight!!!! But he is still naked as the low is 13 C. I hate seeing him bothered by flies during the day but I do worry he will get cold at night and gallop mindlessly around the field. You can't win
 
I have 1 pony in a fly rug 24/7 bar being ridden. My 2 TB's get cotton sheets on overnight in the stable to stop them being pooped on by the swallows and that's it. Nil nada nein!
 
Well one of mine wore a rug late yesterday afternoon & last night.
He's bathed a lot so doesn't have all of his natural greases, he also hates rain. As it happens we didn't get the heavy rain that was forecast but he was happy in a no fill rain sheet, not hot itchy/ distressed.
Maybe the owners were caught out by the weather reports expecting heavy rain? Maybe they wanted their horses dry to ride? Maybe they like to keep their animals differently to how you keep yours?
 
My TB has been naked for about a month out 24/7 whatever the weather. Hasn't melted yet!! Or lost weight for that matter, little git :)
 
Its difficult, I think, gauging when to rug at this time of year.
This is the first time in years I've been able to Have my horses out 24/7 and I'm still confused about rugging. Last night pony was naked as a couple of weeks ago I got it wrong and put a rug on for showers and he was too hot. I'm also soo used to Andy who was a massive wimp I forget Louie is a bit hardier.
 
My Andalusian x Arab has also been naked (day and night) for about a month or so now. She was naked whilst her neighbour was still in a MW!! :O
 
My whimpy fine coated Arab has a lightweight turnout on as his out at night, he hates the rain and is prone to rain scald if left to get soaked through, but my other one is naked and has been for weeks she has a far thicker coat compared to him and copes with the wet, so not all horses can just be left I do have a waterproof fly rug for him so he also has this on overnight if its really warm, and they are more likely to get rain scald when its wet and warm and dont want him having it again as I show him.
 
I only rug my clipped show pony and more so to stop bleaching and sunburn. My cobs not had a rug on since feb!
 
Because some people just can't get it into their heads that horses can cope quite well without having rugs on, that their fur is quite adequate at keeping them warm.
 
Meems said:
Because some people just can't get it into their heads that horses can cope quite well without having rugs on, that their fur is quite adequate at keeping them warm.
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Echo this, mine has been naked for years and though she gets muddy she is fine. I found that in our NZ summer she would sweat up in a cotton sheet. I share grazing with a vet and she is quite indignant that mine is naked
 
Mines 24/7 with a fly rug on - I would like to not put one on but he gets really irritated by flies and we are in a really bad area for them! Most of the horses at my yard are naked though, I own the most sensitive one!
 
My two have been out naked since about the 2nd week in Apr and will remain so until at least the end of Aug, hopefully longer.
 
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