Rugging dilemma

[fankino04]

My Welsh x is out 24/7 and has been mostly naked for the last few years, however this year due to loss of grazing she moved to full grass livery and they put a rug on her mid January as they felt it was getting too cold. I took it off her on Sunday thinking the weather was turning more spring like but it's been pretty cold this week (she seems fine though), however temperature is set to drop to -4 tonight so I'm unsure whether to pop rug back on for the weekend as she has been wearing it till recently so might feel the cold more now. She is "looking well" (I think that's the polite way of saying still a little fat lol)

 

[AmyMay]

If she’s looking well, is hairy and the forecast is dry, I’d probably be inclined to leave it off.

Having said that though, if you’re up to her twice a day, it’s easy enough to put it on overnight and whip it off in the morning.

 

[Nudibranch]

I've been leaving the rug off one of mine who has a slightly grown out hunter clip (she's not lost much weight over winter despite no hay). If there's no wind or wet she has been fine even when it's been sub zero this week (they're at home so I've been out in the night to check!). I put a lightweight back on yesterday as the wind got up but it's coming back off this morning. Wind and rain are definitely more important than temperature.

 

[PSD]

If she’s looking well I’d leave her without. My friends cob stables next door to me is fat as a pig, she’s clipped him and leaving him unrugged to help him lose some fat.

 

[Red-1]

Rigsby (cob in avatar) was only ever up to a 200g rug, as he was clipped, but for 2 weeks he was naked.

The last 2 days though, he has been back in a 50g. His clip never grew back, plus I washed him (he is a naturally scurfy chap) so would have no waterproofing.

If he had been au natural, unclipped and unwashed, then I would not have put the rugs back on.

 

[be positive]

My old pony was very ill in Jan and had to wear extra rugs to keep him warm, gradually cut down as he recovered and gained the weight he lost, he has a very thick coat which is now starting to come out so I took his rug off when the weather warmed up and it has not gone back on even though it is not so warm, he seems fine and more comfy without it, unless we get another really wet spell he will remain naked.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

My boy is out naked after wearing a rug of some sort most of the winter. He is a good weight and a Welsh d and young so I’ve just taken his rugs off when he’s out and left him to it. I put a fleece on him at night as he was in the stable but if he’s been out I’d have left him naked as he’d have been able to walk about grazing to keep himself warmer ?

 

[Lipglosspukka]

My full clipped one is naked now as he's a bit too round. It's spring like in the day and won't kill him to get chilly overnight.

 

[PSD]

My boy is out naked after wearing a rug of some sort most of the winter. He is a good weight and a Welsh d and young so I’ve just taken his rugs off when he’s out and left him to it. I put a fleece on him at night as he was in the stable but if he’s been out I’d have left him naked as he’d have been able to walk about grazing to keep himself warmer ?

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Oooo you have a very bum high baby CC!

 

[Sir barnaby]

I’ve just started taking rugs off during the day but put a 200g on during the night on the dark bay as he’s been rugged all year, the light bay hasn’t had a rug on at all this winter as in foal and out 24/7 unless heavy consistent rain when they have come into stable until rain clears.

 

[dorsetladette]

My 18 yr old has been rugged all winter. I took his rug off a couple of weeks ago (like you) when the weather turned milder. He has dropped a few lbs which was the intention to be honest. But last night dropped really cold, so before I left I popped his 100g on. I took it off this morning. I will probably do this while we are getting these chilly spells

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Oooo you have a very bum high baby CC!

Yes I do and he’s was already about 15.1hh at the bum before Xmas ?? I hope he remembers I’m only 5ft1 lol ??

 

[fankino04]

Thanks guys, I wouldn't normally have rugged her at all this winter as she's always been fine and needs the winter to drop the weight but the new yard owner made me feel a bit mean so when they put her rug on for the 2nd time in January I didn't want to be argumentative and take it off for the 2nd time and insist she was left without but now it's got me worrying that I'm a mean and nasty mum ?

 

[Equine_Dream]

I'm so glad I read this thread. My two welshies have come through the winter looking VERY well. One has a high blanket clip the other has a chaser clip. They are both out naked in the day and stabled at night. I've been beating myself up about leaving them in the stables naked at 0° overnight, but they are both round and have access to hay. It won't kill them to burn some calories keeping warm.

 

[ihatework]

If the horse is fat, unclipped and healthy leave the rug off, especially if not in any work.

 

[AandK]

My 24yo TB has had a no fill on all winter (he lives out and is v hairy), he probably could have gone without it tbh. I took his rug off about 10 days ago and it won't go back on now. He has a good covering of fat as well as hair!

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

I think with the nights being so much shorter now, and with the temperature rising well above freezing throughout the day, I wouldn't be worried even if he were a bit chilly for a few hours over night.