Rug advice needed: Welsh Mountain

OldNag

OldNag

Wasting my time successfully....
Joined
23 July 2011
Messages
12,323
Location
Somewhere south of the middle
Visit site
Hello All,

Could do with some rug advice on finding something likely to fit our pony. I've had a long break (20 yrs or so) and rugs have changed a lot since then :D (I'm sure there were only about 3 types of rug back then!).

We recently bought a 11.2 Welsh Mountain who's developing a nice winter coat. She has spent the last few winters at least, unrugged. However, YO has advised that it might be useful for her to wear a lightweight sheet, so that on very wet days when we go up after school, she can still be ridden as her coat won't be soaking wet. (Apparently she gets really really hairy).

She is quite a rotund little thing although quite "dinky" - any advice on rug brands/types likely to fit would be much appreciated. I gather the fit varies quite a lot between manufacturers. Also with the zillions of rugs out there what am I actually looking for - I presume "lightweight turnout"?

If it makes any difference, I'm not planning to clip. She needs to be sedated for this, apparenlty, so I'd rather avoid it if at all possible.
 
Hello!
We have a little welsh A for our daughter, he is also 11.2hh. He gets a very woolly coat and we do trace clip him as he sweats up when he is worked and takess a long time to dry off, my daughter does xc and hunter trials too so he does work quite hard in winter!
The best lightweight we have found for him is an Amigo no fill light weight turnout, it fits him nicely and is good quality...had his for ages and still does its job.
 
robinsons do a pony range too, we got one last year for an elderly shetland and it seemed fine. I did have a Saxon for another horse and it was rubbish - leaked in anything but light rain. It might be worth getting a spare too just incase.....

In terms of what you pay for there are lots of different variants in straps buckles deneier of the weave etc but anything lightweight should do the job.
 
Thank you Lexie and MontyDonkey.

Our pony won't be worked hard - the kids are at the walk/trot stage so I'm hopeful we can avoid clipping.

I'll check out Robinsons and Amigo - and avoid Saxon! Advice much appreciated thank you.
 
If you are intending using it all winter, especially if the pony is turned out everyday in all weathers or if it lives out, you will be best to have the 1200denier amigo (or any other brand in a high denier) as its much more waterproof. The rhino pony range of rugs are good as well. And definitely have a spare. Also be aware in very cold weather, the pony may well be colder with the light rug on than without it as it will flatten the coat and remove the insualting layer of air. Therefore be prepared for the possibility you may need a medium weight rug as well. But wait and see with that one! Enjoy your new pony!
 
Also...try a Thermatex saddle cloth as this will wick any moisture away from the pony's back when damp/wet still allowing you to ride.
Bryndu:)
 
Bryndu said:
Also...try a Thermatex saddle cloth as this will wick any moisture away from the pony's back when damp/wet still allowing you to ride.
Bryndu:)
Click to expand...

Personally, I would go with this! The pony is not going to be worked strenuously, and unclipped/no rug will be fine. I would even go so far as to suggest that, with just walk and trot, drying off the saddle patch with an old towel will work just as well. Don't go near him with a body brush, just dandy brush off any mud where the leather goes. If by any chance he does get sweaty, turn him out, let him roll, and he'll put his own rug back on! ;)
 
dunkley said:
Personally, I would go with this! The pony is not going to be worked strenuously, and unclipped/no rug will be fine. I would even go so far as to suggest that, with just walk and trot, drying off the saddle patch with an old towel will work just as well. Don't go near him with a body brush, just dandy brush off any mud where the leather goes. If by any chance he does get sweaty, turn him out, let him roll, and he'll put his own rug back on! ;)
Click to expand...

I'm another one who would do this. Our old welsh sec A did fine without rugs for the whole time we had her. She was never clipped (never sweated - but accept that when you're doing XC etc it becomes a different story.. Most section As don't do much though!) and was ridden when she was wet all the time. We too just towelled her back off. Sometimes when you start messing with a good doer with a good coat, you end up with bigger problems, such as the horse not using enough calories to keep warm, it getting overfat and becoming a lami possibility..
 
Honey08 said:
I'm another one who would do this. Our old welsh sec A did fine without rugs for the whole time we had her. She was never clipped (never sweated - but accept that when you're doing XC etc it becomes a different story.. Most section As don't do much though!) and was ridden when she was wet all the time. We too just towelled her back off. Sometimes when you start messing with a good doer with a good coat, you end up with bigger problems, such as the horse not using enough calories to keep warm, it getting overfat and becoming a lami possibility..
Click to expand...

Thank you Honey - and Dunkley.

Yesterday she was soaked, we brought her in and towelled her saddle area off, left her for 20 mins or so to really dry and then rode, and she was fine.

I will check out these saddlecoths, sounds good. And I have plenty of old towels!

Edit: Just managed to get a Thermatex numnah half price on fleabay. Very happy!
 
Last edited:
I used to hunt my Sec C from the field. Yes it was thirty years ago, but it's only attitudes that have changed, not the ponies! He was never rugged, never stabled, and just used good hedges. He would be presentable for hunting (no mud!), and once we got home, even if he was wet, he would be checked over, and turned out. He'd have a damn good roll, and was as happy as larry. He wouldn't be turned out steaming and wet, but if i'd brough him home in that state, i'd have been shot! Especially as we usually had a good long hack back from wherever we'd been. Wet and warm is better than wet and cold. Mind you, in those days there wasn't the winter competitions there are now, but your little one isn't doing those! Anyway - what's the weather like on the welsh mountains? It's what they are designed for!!!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top