Ridiculous rug weights..

Michen

Michen

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Is this completely bonkers. Horse is fully clipped, leanish and very very fit and this evening didn’t feel quite warm enough in a 400g (albeit feels less “full” now it’s older) stable rug with a 100g liner. So popped another 100g sheet on.

I can’t remember ever rugging this much, I can only think the stable rug has lost some of its warmth? 600g of total rug on Horse feels excessive for -2 or so. God knows what I’m going to put on when it’s even colder!?

He has as lib forage and looks a picture, so don’t think there’s anything wrong with him. I used to think people who rugged like this were crazy...

I checked ears armpit wither area and he felt just right in this when I left!
 
Last year this would have been me - thin skinned fit ISH mare was fully clipped & needed 600g when very cold - this year has Irish Clip & has been fine up to -3 in 300g combo in stable - you aren't bonkers 😅
 
Ive had a 300g stable rug and a 400g turnout on before when my old boy was skin and bone and shivering in the snow. It made me feel bonkers but he was so cold bless him.
 
It’s really bitterly freezing here. I actually got a weird brain freeze this morning at the yard (you know the type you get when you eat really freezing ice cream?”). It was really strange.
I actually doubled up Polly’s rugs tonight. She feels the cold more than Millie and she didn’t feel warm enough and was a bit fidgety in her stable. So she’s got a 300gm on and a thin under rug with a neck. Millie was fine in her 300gm.
 
I've got a freshly blanket clipped cob who is out 24/7 in a 6 or 7 year old what was a 400g Shires Stormcheeta. Its been washed numerous times & I know that in this temp (around 0 to 2 degrees) it would have been too much when new, but now its squished down a bit I think it must be the equivalent to about 250g as hes comfortable in it.
 
My fat cobby native type pony is in a 300gm and a full face hood. Her clips grown back a bit and if it hadnt this week she would have needed 450gm I reckon. In her case I think its because she grows such a thick dense coat, when I clip it all off she feels it more. Who knows. Shes hysterical when shes cold and rips rugs when shes hot, so its a careful balancing act with her.
 
Michen said:
Is this completely bonkers. Horse is fully clipped, leanish and very very fit and this evening didn’t feel quite warm enough in a 400g (albeit feels less “full” now it’s older) stable rug with a 100g liner. So popped another 100g sheet on.

I can’t remember ever rugging this much, I can only think the stable rug has lost some of its warmth? 600g of total rug on Horse feels excessive for -2 or so. God knows what I’m going to put on when it’s even colder!?

He has as lib forage and looks a picture, so don’t think there’s anything wrong with him. I used to think people who rugged like this were crazy...

I checked ears armpit wither area and he felt just right in this when I left!
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I refuse to put more than 2 rugs on my horses, the weight alone must be uncomfortable, and the only time i put a 3 thin one was when she was clipped full out, then shs wore the under thin one 100 grm, a
200gm then the 400 grm but this I might ass wasa in January feb times when it was frozen outside and minus figures, I won't put their 400 till after christmas
 
They definitely get thinner with age I have some really old quilted rugs they are as flat as pancakes, might be worth getting a new liner or new stable quilt and putting that on first with the thin older one on top might be a bit warmer maybe.
 
TBH I think this year everything seems that bit colder.
I have a fat, hairy, unclipped native pony currently on box rest. Normally I’d have no problems with him being naked and just stuffing him full of hay, he gets hives and very itchy if he gets too hot, however this year he had had a fleece on since early October and was still a bit cold when I got to him this morning so am considering a proper stable rug.
 
I think different brands can be thicker/thinner too. I know that I have two 100g turnouts from different brands and one feels considerably thicker than the other.
 
My old boy is unclipped and in a 400g. He’s never worn anything so heavy before, but his PPID means he struggles to control his temperature, and for one reason or another, he seems to be feeling it more this year than any other.
 
My two (one fully clipped, one with a growing out full clip) are already in 450gs overnight which is unusual for this time of year. We’ve had -2 here and they are both older and seem to be feeling the cold. I’ll habe to add rugs under I expect once it gets even cold...
 
Horses are so variable!
My mare is in 300 standard neck and only has a little clip ... My gelding has everything off bar saddle patch, and out, happy and fat in 150g. Both live out; neither want to come in or hanging about for feed, etc ... Even though I am frozen solid, they both seem bizarrely cheerful. I wonder if it's just the lack of rain after so many weeks of non-stop battering rain? I'm ready to add a neck onto their rugs if the rain comes back ...
 
Crumbs! Haven't put a rug on my oldies yet. Will probably be another fortnight or so.
They're quite happy with freezing so long as it's dry, and grow a better winter coat if I don't rug too soon.
 
I have Victorian stables that are cool in the summer and usually relatively warm in the winter but last night it was really chilly inside. I do wonder if this is partly because everywhere is so wet. I put an extra rug on Rose and found a stable rug for Fatty as I couldn't bare to think of him shivering his fat off! Actually I gave him a good prod and poke today and he's definitely thinner although he's got a big crest, the rest of him has shrunk and because for a Welsh pony he doesn't grow a very thick coat, he felt cold last night.
 
If the rug has been washed a lot it will be wearing out. I had a medium weight one which I now consider a light weight as the filling has squished down a lot.
 
beingachicken said:
How did those of us who are old enough 😳 cope with a canvas blanket lined NZ?! Seriously I am stunned my horse coped in one 😂he must have been a damn site tougher than anything I’ve had since
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Rugs were mostly wool then, so warmer than synthetic. Yes, they had a canvas rug with wool lining and were clipped and seemed quite ok with that! We used to put an under blanket on under the jute rug if they were clipped,and then sursingle round the middle.
 
beingachicken said:
How did those of us who are old enough 😳 cope with a canvas blanket lined NZ?! Seriously I am stunned my horse coped in one 😂he must have been a damn site tougher than anything I’ve had since
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Also back in those days most people bedded on straw. That meant horses always had forage available to keep their central heating going. I've seen some shockers on livery with horses on shavings and max 2 sections of hay to last 12hrs+
 
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