Rugging a youngster who wrecks them...

[MudMudGloriousMud]

Just a quick question really!

My youngster who is 2 in May has had a rough time between yearling and late Dec, I bought her very very under weight, massive worm belly and (since the vet came last week) it seems a skin condition too.

I did have her lightly rugged 100g/180g depending on weather, but took the rug off under vet advice with her skin problem.

Her skin is fine now, it only needed a wash and scrub with some iodine (?) shampoo.

She wrecked one rug before the skin problem was found, and has ruined the other one now so she is out without one on at the moment.

She has plenty of hay out in the field, a decent feed once a day and there is some natural shelter although it isn't brilliant.

She was dithering a little tonight, although she looked bright and ate her tea/went off to her hay as normal, and I wonder if I should get a rain sheet to just keep the worst off her, or if that will just go the same way as the other 2?

She is registered WPB, but her sire is a show pony/riding pony, and her dam is a very showy, thin skinned pony too.

Her coat was in an awful state - like down - when she came, and doesn't look to be that 'waterproof' now even though the quality looks improved.

Thank you for your time

Mel

 

[sychnant]

I have the same problem with my Welsh colt! Smaller size/pony rugs seem to mainly come in 600 denier, unless you spend a lot, which I won't do if they are just going to grow out of them. I just bought a 1200 denier from Derby House, he wore it for the first time today, and I am just hoping it lasts! It is a 200 gram mind you, I don't like no fill as I think they can flatten down the coat and make them colder...

May not last too long, he does like to play! But hopefully better than the last 600 denier one:

 

[MudMudGloriousMud]

Thank you!

You got off lightly with the 600d - one was torn almost in 2 and the other has the front end almost destroyed!

Your youngster has a much better looking coat to my girl, she looks really starey coated and poor still

Mel

 

[sychnant]

Oh bless her I'm sure plenty of hay will help her keep warm

This is what ASBO pony did to his friend's rug...

Resulting in this!

Luckily Hairy Pony does have a good coat, and wasn't too bothered

 

[PandorasJar]

That mane is amazing!

 

[MudMudGloriousMud]

I'll swap you hairy pony for my bog pony? Who is now lame behind..... at the end on my tether

Mel

 

[sychnant]

Oh no! Poor bog pony

I do adore my hairy boy, he's the sweetest little horse, I even love the aforementioned mane, although I seem to spend a huge amount of time trying to keep it and the rest of his fur clean and non matted Not helped by ASBO who likes to hang off his mane and swing a bit

 

[AMW]

if she had a skin condition she may have been itchy resulty in her scratching and bursting her rug? If thats now under control she may be okay with a rug.
I had one last year who was a rug shredder, we eventually let her go naked and she was happy enough.
If you dont rug make sure she has plenty hay/haylage to keep he warm from within

sychnant, your coloured is lovely

 

[Jess Hoss]

A vet gave me a telling off for having a no fill rug on my chunky cob in winter. She said it would make her colder than being out naked - the hair raises to trap warmth - with a no-fill in the rain/snow, the hair can't work properly. She said it's like wearing wellies without socks - your feet are dry, but will freeze. . . I only rug my girls when it's really bad just to give them respite from the weather. They preffer being naked, but they are hardy cobs !