Poll on Rugging Horses

eh...messed up the poll....so sheep or cows

  • Total voters
    0
D

dieseldog

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 July 2005
Messages
14,332
Visit site
If a horse is out unrugged and its coat is standing up on a cold morning would you assume that means it is cold?

The horse hasn't lost any weight and is very perky and happy so do you think he is cold and needs a rug?
 
my horse isnt clipped yet, and so shouldnt be feeling the cold, but iv had to pile the rugs on this week for this very reason! she was stood there with her coat all stary!
blush.gif
 
I think it must have been a bit chilly to fluff itself up, but would guess that its now toasty with all the fluffiness, if that makes sense
tongue.gif
. Especially if its happy and not dropping weight.
 
If hair is standing up then yes I would imagine its cold. I always check the temp at the base of the ears however to tell if they are warm or not, don't know if its right or wrong but seems to work for me!
 
agreee with above in so much that if coat is up then the horse is trying to improve its insulation so must be feeling a little chilly, even a lightweight would help as it just adds an air pocket for warm air to gather off the body in
 
So by the hair standing up because he is slightly cold and creating more insulation the natural way do you thin k he needs a rug? He has toasty ears and hasn't lost any weight.
 
Is he living out? Personally I would leave him unrugged, although the mornings have been chilly, as soon as the sun comes up it warms up pretty quick and you will only end up with a sweaty horse if you had a rug on.
 
Aggggghhhhhhhh what is the world coming to when people do not understand basic biology? Why do we get goosepimples? its just hair trapping the heat and does not mean we are cold. This is what happens when horses coats are up. Also horses are surprisingly resistant to cold as long as they have plenty to eat.

A cold horse looks miserable, they feel cold and look tucked up. There is a big difference.
 
Well as you can imagine we are not covered with quite as much hair and we shave a fair bit off if female!
blush.gif
But the principle is the same! I am quite a hot person can get goosebumps but not be cold.
 
Completely agree with Lec. It is just the horses winter coat doing it's job well. If the horse is happy and not losing weight then he is doing just fine
smile.gif
 
I don't think it means the horse is cold.

I have only just rugged a native, because she has previously suffered with rain scald so i can't allow her to get too wet - the downside of doing this is that it has flattened her coat, so i am forced to put on a medium weight rug on a horse that really shouldn't need rugging at all because her own hair can't work the way it should
frown.gif
 
My horse looks like a polar bear at the moment, her coat is stood right up in the mornings now it's cold at night. However her ears and her armpits are perfectly warm, she's not losing condition, and she's not tucked up. She's absolutely fine.
My pony used to feel the cold a lot more than my new mare, not only would her coat stand up but she'd hoolie around, and then stand and shake (not just shiver but shake) and tuck up really badly. She lost a lot of condition this way and stopped being such a prat when I rugged her up.
So yes, the horse WAS cold until it's coat stood on end to trap the warm air - then it stopped being cold
smile.gif
I would imagine you'd know if your horse was really, properly cold - as I did!
 
Id say it means they're feeling the cold though I always check the ears. I wouldn't worry too much, its been pretty dry so far and its the wet that makes them feel it worse. Watch the weight thing tho, once you start to notice it coming off its already quite late and feeding back up can be tricky. Depends on the breed tho obviously!
 
Agree with Lec.
We have a 30yr old out, no rug and his hair has been standing up for the last couple of mornings but his ears have been toasty, he hasn't lost weight and as soon as the sun comes up he is lovely and warm and even starts to sweat a little on his chest. He is very wooly though. He won't get a rug on usless it either rains for days on end, so he'll have a rain sheet on or when he decides he is too cold and/or getting stiff. He is still cantering across for breakfast in the morning.
 
I think he would probably have been a bit chilly if his coat was standing up. It has been quite nippy over the last couple of nights as there has been no cloud - there was even frost on the gates and grass this morning!

Perhaps you could pop a lightweight rug on for the night but leave it off in the day.
 
I dont like using lws except in rain showers as I think they prevent the hair being able to insulate the horse effectively.

Fluffed up pony is good!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Aggggghhhhhhhh what is the world coming to when people do not understand basic biology? Why do we get goosepimples? its just hair trapping the heat and does not mean we are cold. This is what happens when horses coats are up. Also horses are surprisingly resistant to cold as long as they have plenty to eat.

A cold horse looks miserable, they feel cold and look tucked up. There is a big difference.

[/ QUOTE ]

I find it quite disturbing that so many believe that a fluffed up coat is a sign of a cold horse!! I had better go and tell my lot that they are about to freeze to death!!
crazy.gif
tongue.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top