Rugging.....let's have a debate!

[tangoharvey]

My shire TB x will have a waterproof on all winter and nothing else. This is to keep her dry as I believe a horses warmth comes from the provision of good and adequate forage. There are people on my yard who's horses are already trussed up like Xmas turkey's so god knows what they will do when it's really cold!
Nb this only applies to un clipped horses! Discuss....

 

[_GG_]

I rug as necessary. I'd happily have had the three boys that are here now naked if they were set up for it, but they weren't so it would be incredibly unfair for me to not rug them. They each have a choice of rugs so I can change as an when needed so they are never too hot as I too believe they can always warm up a bit, especially here with room to move and neverending grass. They're still not touching hay so I guess I am getting it right so far.

I try not to pass judgement on how others choose to rug as there are often factors at play that other people don't know about, but I certainly do know of some who need to cut back a bit and some that need to spend some money on a good rug or two!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

its -1, snowing/sleeting heavily with a -9 windchill and 60mph winds with me tonight and its to get colder and windier still overnight. how much colder should I leave it before I start rugging the one that isn't an Exmoor? because a rain sheet just wouldn't cut it here tonight.

 

[ridefast]

I have 2 natives and I don't rug, their coats are waterproof as is the majority of horses, yes even tbs! HOWEVER mine have plenty of grass and lots of shelter. Last year they were in a different field with little grass and barely any shelter, so they came in at night to have a chance to dry out and fill up on hay. Still didn't have rugs on though. My old mare before she was pts would rapidly drop weight in winter in spite of being a tough native cobby type with again lots of grazing and shelter, she just needed more feed and rugging. It's individual. Most horses don't NEED a rug but most horses won't suffer from being rugged either

 

[Pinkvboots]

I agree my warmblood is out 24/7 naked and not clipped have just put them on a rested field so plenty of grass, once its gone they get hay everyday twice a day and she never feels cold, horses are quite capable of keeping themselves warm if they get enough fibre.

 

[WelshD]

I have a Welsh section B yearling living out currently unrugged

I'm not a fan of no fill rugs but do have a lightweight (100g) rug for him which will only be pressed in to use if there is rain and wind sustained for days. Cold I am not worried about, he will be fine unrugged then

On the other side of the coin I have a section A who to outsiders may seem trussed up like a turkey but he has been clipped to manage his allergies so there is a reason for the rugs

 

[pixie]

Three of my liveries are double rugged and stabled at night.
One livery wears a single rug and is out 24/7.
Mine is unrugged, muzzled and out 24/7. I wouldn't mind some cold weather to get a bit of weight off him tbh.

 

[kassieg]

My current mare is full clipped with only legs left on & currently just has a heavyweight on as her clip is growing back.
She is getting clipped again on Thursday & then I will add a 200gm under rug as well

I have bought a rising 3 year old connie who I haven't got yet but she has a lovely wooly coat & will stay naked all winter as she doesn't need a rug

 

[happyclappy]

Depends entirely on each individual animal. Even the hardiest if old/ill/no shelter may need a rug.
I rug according to each individuals needs.

 

[ilvpippa]

Mine a tb stabled & currently wearing a 200g with a 50g over the top. She feels the cold easily & it's torrential rain & horridly windy!
She goes out in a medium weight & fleece under it for colder days

 

[Arizahn]

I mind my own business and hope that others will do me the same courtesy, tbh...

As you have opened the debate, I have two geldings. One is aged two and a half, and is full Connemara. The other is a twenty year old semi-retired Standardbred. Both are currently out 24/7, unclipped, without rugs. To make catching in enjoyable and therefore possible, I feed them a token bucket feed of molassed sugar beet and whole oats, with apple cider vinegar and linseed oil. They have ad-lib round bale hay on top of the remaining grass, and whilst the gateways are muddy, the rest of the field isn't bad. There is also plenty of natural shelter. So far they are toasty underneath their very thick coats, and the rain and sleet haven't been an issue. Next winter, we will be using a more exposed area on the yard for grazing, so I will probably need to rug them accordingly.

 

[flirtygerty]

Only one of my four needs a rug, he's a 20 yr old TB who drops weight easily, he's in a fleece lined LW and doing fine, last year, living out 24/7, he never went beyond a MW, I adjust rugs according to how he's doing

 

[Spring Feather]

There are 3 out of 50 horses on my farm who are not rugged, the rest are all in MWs. It's +3c today and staying mild for the next few days. It has been down to -15c already though this winter. Our temperatures are all over the place right now, we have no snow and it's great. All rugs here are breathable so everyone is just fine in their blankets. Only 2 of them have an extra rug putting on when winter-proper arrives and we're down to -30c and -40c temperatures.

I personally couldn't care less what others do. I choose to rug mine, most people on my farm choose to rug theirs, and a few choose not to rug theirs; I'm totally easy with what other decide to do.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

My retired wb is fluffy and in a rain sheet as she gets rain scald.

Las yr my 23 year old welsh was unclipped and still needed a heavy weight as she has never held her heat well and would colic if she got too cold and wet.

 

[Nudibranch]

Not again!
Enough rugs, over rugging is my pet hate and I see it all the time but there's not really much point debating it on a forum when nobody can see for themselves.

 

[BWa]

My companion pony who looks like a Shetland with a very fluffy, thick coat has a rug on. Madness I hear you cry. However she certainly isn't full Shetland and under that thick coat is a pony who drops weight very easily after a long period of neglect in her younger years. She caught me out this year and is already thinner than I would like. She hates being stabled, won't eat hay in the field and is very fussy about hard feed. So although it looks rediculous she wears a rug.
It has taught me to stop judging others when it comes to rugging as you never know all the details..

 

[sandy3924]

My shire TB x will have a waterproof on all winter and nothing else. This is to keep her dry as I believe a horses warmth comes from the provision of good and adequate forage. There are people on my yard who's horses are already trussed up like Xmas turkey's so god knows what they will do when it's really cold!
Nb this only applies to un clipped horses! Discuss....

I agree that part of a horses ability to keep warm in very low temperatures is by having access to adequate forage. However to keep warm they also have to be able to use their wonderful thermoregulatory system which is second to none. Part of this system is their ability to raise and lower the hairs of their coat which if you rug they sadly cannot do. So by putting a no fill rainsheet on a horse in cold weather, you are taking away one of their, extremely efficient, methods of keeping warm. So I think a lightly filled rug, for example 50 to 100 gram is more beneficial than a rainsheet.

 

[honetpot]

I only rug if they are clipped or they have a reason to need extra warmth i.e they are elderly. I believe plenty of forage keeps them warm from the inside.
Over rugging leads to fat animals especially natives, they use 80% of their energy keeping warm, then people start panicking when they go into spring carrying too much condition/fat and end up in small diet paddock. Mine live out most of the winter, I aim for them to lose weight gradually so by the time the grass starts growing they are not likely to get laminitis.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Mine's in a lightweight combo and will remain so unless clipped. It's mostly for the filth rather than the warmth/protection. I do wish people would stop telling others what to do (I don't mean so much on here)

 

[Illusion100]

I wish my horse knew he was unclipped, roughed off and has a waterproof coat with ad lib forage and plenty of grass left as he becomes a skittery, miserable mess in wet windy weather without a rug. Tucked up, bit frantic, shivering and won't eat. He's so tough lol!

 

[[100323]]

My daughter went out to put a rug on her unclipped pony last winter, as the weather was awful. He made his feelings known very clearly about having a rug on. He was happier without a rug.

 

[rara007]

It's pretty much as cold as it gets here this week! So I'll do exactly the same as I'm doing now, unless it gets below -10, which would be pretty rare for Essex

 

[AngieandBen]

Well I don't give a damn who does what with their horses; I have three natives, all out 24/7 with plenty of grazing and they are in medium rugs! Two in their twenties and one 16 year old

My field is high up and always very windy, they have lots of tree/hedges and all look good, none are overly warm. They are happy, I'm happy and I sleep well

 

[Jo1987]

I agree that part of a horses ability to keep warm in very low temperatures is by having access to adequate forage. However to keep warm they also have to be able to use their wonderful thermoregulatory system which is second to none. Part of this system is their ability to raise and lower the hairs of their coat which if you rug they sadly cannot do. So by putting a no fill rainsheet on a horse in cold weather, you are taking away one of their, extremely efficient, methods of keeping warm. So I think a lightly filled rug, for example 50 to 100 gram is more beneficial than a rainsheet.

Exactly this. A lightweight is unsuitable for use in winter imo, flattens the coat without providing any extra insulation, horse would be better off naked. And I've yet to find one genuinely waterproof after a few days worth of rain!

 

[blitznbobs]

Why does everyone feel they have to justify putting rugs on . The only attitude that annoys me slightly is the 'it's natural so it's never ever having a rug' it's also natural for horses to die if they get injured, starve to death in harsh weather etc etc. horses are heavily domesticated animal which have been v selectively bred to do certain jobs (yes even the natives which are more inbred than most). it's not natural for humans to have duvets and central heating but most of are happy to use them. Rug it if it is cold not if it is hot. My wb is still in a rain sheet my cob is in a heavyweight turnout - it's not about rigging or not rugging it's about is the animal uncomfortable.

 

[Dry Rot]

Due to her mother running with an infertile stallion (not mine!) and assumed in foal, Morrich Fearna was born in mid winter in what was one of the worst for years. She couldn't have cared less about the weather, as all my Highlands, and none have ever worn a rug here (80 miles south of John O'Groats) as they all grow their own. All winter out with mostly natural shelter, nor do they get hard feed though these mares did get molassed supplementary feeding. If they were clipped, it might be different. Just stick your hand under the mane of a Highland and feel the body heat that is generated.

 

[MS123]

Not sure why it's necessary to have a debate on how OTHER people chose to rug their horses!?

 

[Goldenstar]

Not sure why it's necessary to have a debate on how OTHER people chose to rug their horses!?

I not sure either , until,I came on here I just did not realise how nasty and judgemental other horse owners often where .
I have a happy time looking after my own horses well it's happy most of the time .
For the record my lot went into heavy weights on Monday inside and out and the one that's hunting out the field has a liner under his heavyweight .
That's what I judge is appropriate.
Of course my horses are clipped and lean and hunting fit .

 

[milesjess]

Mine a tb stabled & currently wearing a 200g with a 50g over the top. She feels the cold easily & it's torrential rain & horridly windy!
She goes out in a medium weight & fleece under it for colder days

Same! Mines still in his summer coat, no fur on him at all. Really feels the cold so he has to be rugged up well or he drops weight easily.

He has a fleece with lightweight stable rug on top during night. Fleece with medium weight turnout whilst in field... All with necks.

2 big nets of hay a night and good grazing, plus 1 hard feed.

Oh to have a wimpy horse! I dread if it snows ha.

 

[_GG_]

Not sure why it's necessary to have a debate on how OTHER people chose to rug their horses!?

Yep...each to their own!