Roughing off?

[Tinkle]

Hello all,

Roughing off - who does it over winter, how (unrugged, shoes off, living out etc?) and why? And, if so, would you recommend it for my situation?

I work full time, keep my two horses on DIY livery where I can't ride during the week (no arena lights). I have a 5yr old gelding who 'needs' the work more and an 18yr old mare who is only in light work and has arthritis. She will certainly be unclipped and unrugged this year (she can be a poor doer over winter but she's done very well going naked before), wondering about taking her shoes off as well and just giving her the winter off. When do people normally take them off and when do they bring them back into work? Does it save any money really? She came in hobbling badly this morning so could be her arthritis is is playing up n the colder weather - hoping to get her some toastie stable boots for winter but other than that she will be in the nude.

Guess I just feel a bit mean saying I'll only ride the youngster and want confirmation that I'm not neglecting her! Bad enough that at the moment she's the only horse at the yard that doesn't have a rug on.

x

 

[KatB]

Mine is slowly being roughed off at the moment. Letting him get hairy, he is still in at night at the moment but will go out on Sunday. He is still rugged at the moment as was only clipped 3 wks ago for eventing, but when he gets full coat back, he will be unrugged. His shoes will come off on Weds, but not sure if going for full set or just hinds, depends on what farrier says!! He will only be out till christmas though, as he starts his fitness campaign again in Jan!! He goes out with at least one other 24/7, and gets 1 feed a day (just for condition!) and hay thrown out when the grazing gets poor. He has had his feed cut down slowly over the last 2 weeks, from 3 feeds a day, to going out onto good grazing, and dropping the feed to two a day, and then reducing quantities slowly

He was in PN fitness, and is a 6yr old ISH

 

[goldypops]

Mine is now roughed off for the winter til Jan/feb. She has got such a thick hairy coat already that I dont think I'll bother rugging her and she'll be out 24/7. Had shoes off last week and was told it does their feet good to have them off every so often but it has to be for at least 3-4 months to make any difference.

 

[PoppyAnderson]

My youngster is the only horse on the yard without a rug and I have to resist the urge to secumb all the time! She's like a hairy bear tho' and her coat is like a ducks (kind of!) - wet on the top and dry underneath. No shoes, no brushing, completely au nateurel but lots of hay and in at night. She's happy as a pig in muck!

 

[Vix1978]

My big grey is being roughed off this winter to see if six months in the field will make a positive improvement to his lameness

He's been out for the past week and prior to that was in at night but no rugs. I have succumbed (sp??) and put him in a rug now he's out 24/7 though.
Shoes off all round.
He'll be reassessed in end of March and god willing, brought back into work. Will have to go back to basics though as he'd of been out of work since August 08. Before that he was PN fit