Rug for turned out with low trace clip?

[Fruitcake]

Sorry for what is probably one of many rugging posts at the moment!

Having horse clipped at the weekend. (Fluffy Sec D, low trace clip). He lives out with a field shelter. I'd usually put a no-fill rug on as soon as he's clipped (and never go above a neckless medium weight- even in snow), but am wondering whether he actually needs the no-fill this early.

The table guide to rugging that seems to be doing the rounds on Facebook at the minute doesn't mention partially clipped and turned out, just clipped and stabled, in clipped and stabled or unclipped and turned out.

I understand the whole no-fill stops the hair standing up for insulation thing but am just thinking about rain really.

What are others doing?

 

[Jo1987]

I'm having the same dilemma! I really don't want to rug this early as it's still so warm, but as it's so warm he does need clipping 😂
I think I'm going to compromise and do a little neck and belly type clip and leave him unrugged until it gets a bit cooler and then do a proper clip and rug him.
I do have my own clippers though so understand this might not be an option if you need to get someone out to clip him?
Honestly he'll most likely be fine without a rug with a low trace, if he's anything like mine it will have nearly grown back after 10 days anyway!!

 

[meleeka]

I don't like no fill rugs personally as I think in anything other than rain they just stop the coat doing its thing by flattening it.

If you don't think he needs a rug, try him without. Rugs don't really cover the clipped bits anyway.

 

[MissTyc]

Round here he wouldn't need a rug yet. I have a TB type out naked in her low trace and a cob with a no fill rainsheet fully clipped n hogged ... both still warm! Just keep an eye on the chillier nights creeping in.

 

[Peter7917]

I am also clipping at the weekend. Just a bib type clip for now. I will not be rugging. In a month or so I will clip him out properly and rug him then.

 

[MagicMelon]

I think that table rugging guide thing circulating social media is a waste of time - it doesnt take into account the individual horse (some are total babies, some are tough, age of the horse (if a veteran for example), if clipped, how sheltered your field is (naturally or manmade) etc.).

Currently none of my 3 are clipped. Two wont be at the moment (one never as he's retired), the retired horse has been getting a 100g type turnout on him on and off because just looking at rain makes him shiver and I need to keep weight on him as he's old. The other one is a hardy girl and rarely seems cold so shes pretty much rugless unless weather is really bad. Third one is my sons Dartmoor pony, she is also a total pansy with the weather despite being very fluffy already. She will be getting a low trace clip soon as I find it helps keep her weight in check. I dont rug her unless I really really have to but because she shivers easily I do have to chuck on a no fill turnout occasionally. So it really depends on your horse. Only you know what sort of weather makes yours cold, and if he could do with losing some weight then try not to but if he loses weight easily then I would. I just rug purely depending on the day like I would all year round, I dont make a conscious decision that its suddenly now mediumweight time or anything!

 

[ihatework]

If he's generally a warm type and good weight then I'd happily trace clip and leave unrugged at this time of year.

 

[Sophire]

For a cobby type with a low trace I would be leaving without anything at the moment.

ETA - totally agree with MagicMelon on rugging for your horse. I have a warmblood who is out 24/7 and hasn't seen a rug since April last year. I also have a spoilt TB who hates being cold. She's unclipped and in a m/w at the moment. To me, she feels a little warmer than I'd like under her rug at times but I can't argue with how her condition has improved since I went up a rug weight. Rug for your individual horse.

 

[thistledonicely]

My chunky ISH is clipped neck and belly and happily living out naked. There's still plenty grass and even on the wet/windy days she is grazing rather than sheltering so no rug just yet. She'll end up with a hunter clip as winter goes on and rugged accordingly. But with ad-lib access to forage she wintered last year in a l/w with only a day or so here and there in a no-neck m/w. Horses for courses really.

 

[Goldenstar]

Two of my horses are chaser clipped and out in no fill rugs with hoods

 

[Fiona]

The weather is awful for rugging at the moment, goes from 18 degrees and sunny, to 8 degrees wet and windy and back again and also some frosts at night..

Our three who are unclipped but getting low trace clips at weekend have their no fills on because of the rain, and need to make a decision about TB on retirement livery as she is probably shivering all her weight off

Fiona

 

[amandaco2]

got one fully clipped fatso (half head and legs left on) naked living out. will get rain sheet if its wet.
another all clipped out and in rain sheet but ive taken it off during the day on a few days.

 

[Annagain]

I think that table rugging guide thing circulating social media is a waste of time - it doesnt take into account the individual horse (some are total babies, some are tough, age of the horse (if a veteran for example), if clipped, how sheltered your field is (naturally or manmade) etc.).

This. My friend's horse in unclipped and in a 200g already. He is the wussiest wuss known to wussendom. He's 1/2 Section D too! He wears a lightweight on all but the hottest days in summer as if he gets rained on he shivers uncontrollably for hours. The farrier thought we were joking until he got caught in an unexpected shower whilst being shod. He was shivering so badly the farrier couldn't get shoes on him until he was in a fleece with a stable rug on top.

When winter is properly here and he has a low trace clip it's not unheard of for him to be in a 450g with a heavyweight stable rug underneath. Meanwhile my fully clipped 21 year old horse (in the same field and stable next door) is only in more than 200g if it's exceptionally cold (around -3 in the daytime) for more than a week. I think it's happened twice in the 12 years I've owned him.

None of ours are clipped yet. My two had lightweights on on Saturday night to keep them clean but it'll have to be a fair bit colder/wetter for them to need them on for anything other than cleanliness.

 

[Fruitcake]

Thanks. I think I just need the confidence to leave it off. His weight is fine. We do live in a really windy corner in the cold north though! I think it seems to be wet weather that makes him cold, so I suppose I could leave him unrugged and just throw a lightweight on if it rains.

 

[Jnhuk]

My lad last winter had trace clip most of the winter and I kept rug off to help me maintain a good weight as he is such a good doer in the summer months. If he had a rug on it was no fill and no neck but tbh the rug flattens the coat so actually I think they are warmer without as you are letting the coat do its natural thing. Only thing I tended to rug was when wet and needed to ride

I live in Scotland and quite high so it does get reasonably cold.

 

[cobsarefab]

My mare came to me blanket clipped last year in December and we only rugged her for about a month. She was much happier with the rug off and I was much happier not having to keep repairing it. She is a very hardy cob who also was and still is carrying more weight than she should. She has not been clipped this year and won't be rugged at all.

 

[Leo Walker]

Mine is fully clipped and out naked. He only has a rug if its cold, wet and windy, or any combo of 2 out of the 3. Even then unless its pouring down he has a waterproof fly rug on as opposed to a no fill turnout.

 

[ozpoz]

Mine is rugged. I make no apology for this. he has skin like a mouse, a very fine coat and is miserable cold.They are all individuals.

 

[Ali27]

Mine has a chaser clip with all the neck off. She has had a 50g for odd night if temperature has dropped below 8 degrees. Other than that then she has no rug on. She only gets properly rugged when she has Hunter clip at end of Oct. She then has a 100g to 200g on depending on temperature. She does have a heavy weight but only used that when it was - 10 six years ago 😜

 

[Toffee44]

My welsh cob has a full clip with medium blades, you can't see it from her front legs as coat almosr all same length there but you can just make out from her hind there is a line, she's just getting a light weight in rain. We don't seem to get wind in our paddocks as so well sheltered.