Rugging question - am I a wimp?

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Brambridge04

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I have a 5 yr old standardbred (gypsy trotter) not clipped and up to weight, half a bale between him and my mare at night, yet I cannot bring myself to derug him!
 
Grazing is ok a little bare, still tiny bit of hay left next day so not scavenging and eating it all, 2acres and just those two on it.
 
I would not be taking a rug off at the moment, it has been freezing at night with really cold winds, mine are all needing their rugs as they are also losing their winter coats, taking it off too soon will probably mean he will drop some weight.
 
This is the time of yr they're most likely to drop the weight, esp if they're not great doers. Taking that extra fat insulator off whilst it's still cold when the grass isn't enough to keep them going will no doubt result in weight loss. If they've been rugged all winter, leave the rugs on til it's milder at night.

Mine had theirs off for a few hrs in the sun yesterday afternoon, but it was windy and they were tucked up by the time the sun started setting. I put their middleweights on today and heavies back on tonight.
 
Is there a reason you want to take his rug off now?
Mine still have theirs on, bar a few hours during the day if the sun is out.
 
Well at six am this morning it was white with frost here so certainly it's to soon to be unrugging unless the horse is very fat.
Half bale between two is very little and our fields are completely bare so unless you want to see wieght loss I would keep the rug ATM.
 
depends on the horse, only you know your horse. Mine had rugs removed at the beginning of February mainly because my haffy is a porker. He' thankfully lost a bit of weight over the last couple of months, but that was my intention, rugged he wont loose an ounce in winter.
 
No, you know your horse best and what your weather is like where you are.

Mine has been fully unrugged since march as we've had decent weather and he's quite a warm horse - he was mostly only in his medium weight over winter and he was toasty :)
Mum's pony was rugged in her meduim weight till last week as she's a bit of a wimp for a hairy cob and catches chills really easily.

Now we seem to be getting warmer quickly the night temps haven't dropped below 3 degrees and last night it was 7 degrees up in the hills which is pretty good :D If it starts to chill again or if we get buckets of rain again I'll put my lad back in the appropriate rug but for now he's loving being naked and getting to freely scratch that troublesome winter wooly fluff that's coming out in handfulls! :rolleyes:

Every horse is different and you will do what is best for your horse :)

P.s mine is still looking pretty well too so it's not done him any harm :)
 
Overnight we had frost, this morning the sun came out and it's gloriously warm, I've taken off two layers plus my hat and the horses all have their rug off to have a good roll and enjoy the sun. Tonight the temperature will drop again and the rugs will be back on.

Presumably no-one says to you "Oh it's spring now you can't wear a coat anymore" and you put your coat on when it's cold and take it off when it's too warm to be wearing it. Why can't you just be flexible with your horse's rug according to the weather/temperature?

btw amymay, when you made the post above this one it was your 38,500th post:D
 
Just up the road from us is a Standard-bred stud, the mares, foals and youngstock live out all year with only natural shelter, and not much of that, we are right at the top of the Pennines. There are ring feeders which are always kept topped-up with haylage. Not one of those horses has worn a rug all winter and they have all come through it looking good, with some of the mares ready to foal in May.
So yes, I'm afraid I think you are a wimp.
 
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