Rugging and yard peer pressure!

A pure bred ID is bred to live out all year round and to survive the irish winters mostly on rough grazing. You are absolutley correct your horse shoud not need rugging until it is much colder, if at all. These hardy breeds (including natives) tend to be too fat and need to drop a bit of condition through the winter in order that they can cope with spring and summer grass. Do not be overly influenced by the current livery yard fashionistas who rug for flies, rug for rain, lightweight, rug, medium rug and heavy rug with/without necks - they are the delight of the rug manufacturers as without them their business would be decimated!

Keep an eye on the condition of your horse and if you have any doubts I would ask your vet not the otherliveries. Good luck and I hope you have lots of fun with your new horse.
 
WHat are peoples opinions on once you start rugging for the winter you have to do it all the time ? I tend to rug on days when it is cold wet and windy but days in between
dont tend to rug (dont know why Ive suddenly gone into italics )
 
Penny Less said:
WHat are peoples opinions on once you start rugging for the winter you have to do it all the time ? I tend to rug on days when it is cold wet and windy but days in between
dont tend to rug (dont know why Ive suddenly gone into italics )
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Rug for the weather and whats happening on that day. If you get a good day take that opportunity to get the rug off and have them out naked.
 
Penny Less said:
WHat are peoples opinions on once you start rugging for the winter you have to do it all the time ? I tend to rug on days when it is cold wet and windy but days in between
dont tend to rug (dont know why Ive suddenly gone into italics )
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Rug on stormy days but not all the time. However I do have natives with minimal clips and only in light work/retired - a fully-clipped hard working horse would need a different regime (though if it's a really nice day even they seem to appreciate no rugs). I do like to keep their backs warm though if they are working so use quarter sheets/cooler rugs etc when needed.

Each horse is different, as is the place they are kept - the days I rug are not necessarily the days that my neighbour needs to rug as their fields and stables face a different direction and have a different microclimate.
 
If they're not clipped, elderly unwell etc - no need to rug at all if have shelter! Dont' worry about 'o degrees' - why rug at all unless you clip!
 
My 23 year old arab is unrugged but he is fat and and furry and his stable door is left open so he can go in or stay out. Some nights he clearly hasn't been in his stable at all and others he's been in most of the night. The two liveries have been rugged since September but one is old, skinny and not in the best of health and the other one is a bit of a wuss although clearly been too hot in the heat of the day. Each to their own.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Tbh, it's not great to use fixed ideas on a new horse on rugging or anything else. Why refuse to rug til it gets to below 0c? Why not see how she does? She may or may not be ok without a rug depending on the weather. Deal with the horse in front of you, not to some pre conceived ideal of how you wish to manage her.
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Yes good point - I did mean to say that my plan is to avoid rigging until its 0 deg but this is of course dependant on my horse. Its just a rough plan as I get to know her.
 
Penny Less said:
WHat are peoples opinions on once you start rugging for the winter you have to do it all the time ? I tend to rug on days when it is cold wet and windy but days in between
dont tend to rug (dont know why Ive suddenly gone into italics )
Click to expand...

I don’t go with that argument at all. Mine are only rugged in prolonged rain and when I remove the rugs it takes a couple of hours for their coat to stand back up and do what nature Intended.
 
Penny Less said:
WHat are peoples opinions on once you start rugging for the winter you have to do it all the time ? I tend to rug on days when it is cold wet and windy but days in between
dont tend to rug (dont know why Ive suddenly gone into italics )
Click to expand...


I think the key word here is "days" if they are only out during the day then if the weather changes unexpectedly then they will be brought in to dry and warm up overnight, I think it rather unfair to take a rug off and leave it off if the horse is living out, if they get soaked through late afternoon it gives owners a more difficult choice either rugging a wet cold horse or leaving it naked overnight, most people do not have the luxury of being able to pop out to rug if it starts raining so tend to leave rugs on once the winter weather comes in and they start rugging.
I usually have several living out 24/7 and even living on site only take rugs off if the weather seems to be set fair as I cannot put a rug on top of a layer of wet mud and with more than one to deal with bringing them in is not always an option.

For the ones living in at night that are in work they rarely go out naked once the ground is wet and muddy as the owners want to ride in the evenings, a wet muddy horse is not what we need to be dealing with and may limited riding time, as the horses are kept to be ridden having a rug on enables this and means more time riding less grooming which for most horses must be a better option, mine are all naked at the moment and have been all summer apart from the odd exception.

It comes back to rug the horse as an individual but using one for convenience so you can ride is not a crime.
 
letitia7778 said:
So, Ive just got myself a nice 9 year old Irish Draught who I had planned to leave un-rugged until the temperature gets to below zero/its horrendous.

She lives out 24/7 at present and has plenty of grazing, though I do have a stable for very bad weather. She is a decent weight with decent fat coverage. Her paddock has a bit of shelter (its hilly and has some trees to stand under). I don't plan on clipping her or grooming excessively (to keep the natural oils in her coat).

Everyone at my yard has started rugging and one or two people look a bit shocked when I tell them Ill not rug until its below zero. Am I being terribly cruel by not rugging my horse?

My priority is my horses welfare, rather than what others are doing but I am worried that I'm being a bit harsh.
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Awww aren't they nice! They are showing some genuine concern so don't be all rude and stuffy. Liveries can get stuck in their ways but also some have reason to be like that from previous experience. Are you new to that yard? Do they know something you don't? Full story not disclosed here obviously so I'm going to suggest that you just stay open to their ideas but tell them you'd like to see how he goes first. He's new to you after all and you don't know his limitations in respect to his own ability to regulate his temperature - some are better than others we all know that :D. After a while, and you are happy with how he goes rugless.... it's quite ok to bring it up over a cup of tea maybe about how he seems to be coping ok so far and you're keeping a beady eye on the situation.

After all, honey attracts more flies than vinegar. Something I'd be prudent to remember myself :D
 
Penny Less said:
WHat are peoples opinions on once you start rugging for the winter you have to do it all the time ? I tend to rug on days when it is cold wet and windy but days in between
dont tend to rug (dont know why Ive suddenly gone into italics )
Click to expand...

Mine has managed quite well like this the past 7 or so years. If she's cold (generally driving wind and rain/snow) she gets a rug on and then when it improves (could be a day or a few days) rug is removed and pony continues through the winter no problem. She probably wouldn't ever need the rug however she gets a neck/belly clip.
 
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