Rugging over the winter months...

[doratheexplorer]

Just wondering really...

I have never had a horse over the winter and wanted to pick your brains re - rugging inside and out...

Ben is a 5 yo ISH - as far as i know lived out his whole life when in Ireland (imported this year)
He appears to be scarily hairy, chin and he is also attempting to grow feathers (gulp) so only had a lightweight put on when the weathers awful at the moment, although he can be quite cold to touch, ears and lips, in the mornings if it hasnt been that balmy...

He will be clipped out (legs left on) because i will be hunting him, but hopefully he will be out at least during the day, i have a medium weight and heavy weight TO already (both with neckcovers) I will also have a snuggy hood because he is a grotty coloured and a massive bog monster...

Also for when he is stabled, what would you advise I invest in, would like to buy now as I can shop around and find the best deals etc at the moment....

thank you so much for listening to my ramblings

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

I'd just invest in a wicking fleece (for when he's been working and is wet) and a good quality stable rug, or possibly two if you're of the one-on-the-horse-one-in-the-wash mind. Many turnout rugs these days are fine for use as stable rugs too. The best way to dry a wet turnout rug is to leave it on the horse when he's stabled overnight, unless you have access to a rug dryer or maybe an understanding OH who doesn't mind stinky wet rugs drying on the radiator in the sitting room. If you go for the dry-on-the-horse option, you do need to be meticulous about taking the rug off for at least a short while every day to check for rubs, wounds, etc.

Having said all that, I'm in therapy for Rug-o-mania, a terrible, wasting disease where sufferers cannot stop themselves from buying so many new rugs that they'd need 100 horses to ever wear them all. It can be catching so beware!!!

 

[Oliver12]

I don't bother with stable rugs. Wet rugs dry much quicker left on the horse. I offered to look after a friend's horse who insisted I use stable rugs overnight. I felt awful putting a damp, clammy rug back on the horse in the morning whereas my horses were warm as toast. I have two rugs for each horse and do alternate them although they both fit really well.

 

[Mabel98]

I don't bother with stable rugs. Wet rugs dry much quicker left on the horse. I offered to look after a friend's horse who insisted I use stable rugs overnight. I felt awful putting a damp, clammy rug back on the horse in the morning whereas my horses were warm as toast. I have two rugs for each horse and do alternate them although they both fit really well.

As above. Saves time in the morning and you aren't swapping a warm rug for a damp, cold one! NB I do take it off each day in the evening to check underneath.

 

[Ella19]

Mine sounds very similar to your horse, to give you an idea I have

2x heavy weights with full necks (she only had one last year but when v cold she had to have a borrowed stable rug underneath her heavy and the medium)
1 x medium weight with half neck
1 x light weight 100g fill
1 x snuggy hood turnout neck and head (new this year to help stop the cathairs that she still has now!)
1 x waffle cooler for pre hunting
1 x fleece cooler for after hunting

She lives out 24/7 is full clipped (due to hunting) and feels the cold, I might get a stable this year if one comes free in which case i'm not buying any more rugs she's just going to live in her turnouts.

 

[katherine1975]

I don't use stable rugs just leave their turnout rugs on and check/adjust them once a day. They live out as much as possible and come in in the winter when weather is really bad. Mine both have:

1 x turnout no fill
1 x 100g fill weatherbeeta
1 x 200g fill rug with neck cover (for when they are clipped and it's really cold)
1 x fleece cooler (after hunting)

 

[hannah28]

if you want your horse to stay in the best condition over winter being clipped i would suggest you get one of the snuggy hood fleece rugs, these will keep the horses warm in the coldest of weather as they are so snug and ideal as a bottom layer, i am going to get one for my boy as i want his clip to stay nice and will layer it, i would suggest if to buy a 250g and a 400g stable rug

 

[NicoleS_007]

Mines usually fully clipped and i use a polar fleece with a 350g stable rug on top and an amigo summer sheet ontop of that to keep rug clean. For turnout i use summer sheet with a 400g turnout ontop. I dont like neck covers as they seem to rub the mane off and mine bearly has any mane to start with ... but every horse is different, my friends cob who is clipped out to wears a 350 stable and a medium turnout

 

[Honey08]

Personally I hate leaving wet rugs on a horse in the stable, as it takes the horse's body warmth to dry it, and if theres any wind they get really cold. You also don't notice injurues as easily. Every rug puts pressure on the horse somewhere, and often rubs a bit somewhere, so I think its good to have a stable rug on - that will give the horse a break from the turnout rug (and the turnout rug from the stable rug..) Our DIYs used to dry rugs on their horses, and I'd go down and check them at 10pm, and their horses were often really cold, whereas ours, in their stable rugs were warm...

We have a folding rug rail in each stable - so the body warmth of the horse still dries the rugs, just not at the horse's expense.. We also have a spare turnout rug per horse, so the rugs can take an extra day to dry if they need to.

Basically you start with a medium rug in winter, and each time you clip, add a warmer rug/ liner.. Watch your horse and see how he seems - I've two ISHs - one who is naturally warm and would sweat like mad if we put a 300+ rug on her - even fully clipped in the pennines in Feb! The other one likes more rugs - he grows his coat back too quickly if we don't put warmer rugs on him..