Rugging up, When How and What?! YOUNGSTERS

[MeganAbigail]

Ok so i was reading a couple of threads on a few forums today about when to rug up your horse and what rugs people prefer but came across a few people that said they never rug a youngster at least until it is broken in, and i was wondering if people on here with youngsters rug theres up through winter??? i have a MW - HW cob who is 15 months old, i dont understand how if they are young they wouldn't need rugging especially with the snow and rain we have up here in yorkshire!

The post's i was reading have completely thrown me off track! lol. What do you guys think ?

All this started out because i didnt know weather to get him a rug with a neck on it or not for winter!!!

Megan.
xx

 

[eggs]

As a general rule I don't rug my youngsters (competition bred sports horses) but let them grow their coats - they only get a minimal grooming to keep the grease in. They do however have well sheltered, large fields with access to large barns for shelter.

I have rugged youngsters, especially if they were unwell but do worry about them getting caught up in a rug/rubbing, etc and also it is easier to keep an eye on their condition when they are checked each day (my youngsters live out 24/7).

At the end of the day it comes down to personal circumstances.

I have seen my youngsters with snow on their backs - showing their coat has done it's job by keeping them warm and dry. Plenty of hay goes a long way to keeping them warm (digesting food creates a lot of heat or a horse).

 

[_Samantha_]

My recently turned year old filly was rugged all last winter varyng from light to heavy weigts with a neck cover. she was stabled at night and rugs changed to stable rug for the evening and if necessary a dry turnout on the next day. she is currently turned out 24/7 with a light weight full neck on as she is prone to rainscald since getting it as a foal. I don't treat her any differently in that sense to any other horse - she is very sensible, stay out of trouble type of girl though - to the point where she has never so much as snagged a rug. her rugs tend to stay pretty clean too as she avoids mud whenever possible

 

[jools123]

i dont like to rug the youngsters for the reasons above
rain scald is not caused by rain!!! its caused by bacteria

 

[Queenbee]

My youngster has always had a lightweight rug in the winter from the age of 6 months, I didn't need to rug him, but as he was going to be a big beastie I wanted to get him used to the whole idea when he was a tiddler, didn't do him any harm but beware when days start getting warmer, I find that it's better to take the coats off a bit sooner in the season, the baby coats can get quite warm without the need of a rug when the temperature starts to rise

 

[CrazyMare]

My now 4 yr old was rugged as a weanling, as she did very poorly when she came off her mum. She was then naked as a yearling and 2 yr old. I clipped her when she was backed as she was so furry, so she was rugged as a 3 yr old

 

[Kallibear]

I alwayd try not ot rug them as much as possible. It seems to help them grow a better coat for when they're older, plus they're uncomfortable, itchy and potentially dangerous.

I will however rug if they need it: usually if it's very wet, cold and windy with little shelter. However most youngsters, even big TB types don't seem to need it much.

 

[_Samantha_]

jools123 - I am aware it is caused by bacteria that thrives in moist, humid conditions. my girl gets rainscald anywhere that is exposed to this continuous rain (apart from her legs). she has had to be stabled several days now (anytime it is raining for a few hours) to try and help her skin recover as this rain is really persistent. she has it really bad around her eyes and ears which there isn't a lot I can do about, but when I can do something to prevent her getting it all over her body then on goes the rug. its not ideal but I couldn't leave her naked and let her get covered in scabs and the hair fall out all over she's sore enough on her face and neck as it is :-(

 

[jools123]

jools123 - I am aware it is caused by bacteria that thrives in moist, humid conditions. my girl gets rainscald anywhere that is exposed to this continuous rain (apart from her legs). she has had to be stabled several days now (anytime it is raining for a few hours) to try and help her skin recover as this rain is really persistent. she has it really bad around her eyes and ears which there isn't a lot I can do about, but when I can do something to prevent her getting it all over her body then on goes the rug. its not ideal but I couldn't leave her naked and let her get covered in scabs and the hair fall out all over she's sore enough on her face and neck as it is :-(

poor thing!
have you tried washing her in an antibacterial shampoo and washing rugs frequently-you probably have but just a thought.
my daughters pony gets it under her numnah if they are not washed at least once weekly, i think hers is due to the bacteria that builds up in the grease

 

[MyLuckyStar]

I have a nearly 1 year old traditional cob filly, I've had her since she was 6 months old and have never rugged her.

She was out in the snow, rain and cold winds through January/February and coped fine. She was fed daily with the others and they had a bale of hay out as and when was needed. In fact whenever she was checked she felt like a radiator!

She has been rugged when she's had a bath so she stays clean overnight but that's the only time she's been rugged.

 

[wyrdsister]

I started rugging my current youngster this winter. She was 2 rising 3 and she's rugged now (3 and in light groundwork). I confess it was/is for no better reason that me being sick to death of dealing with an enormous sodden horse when I wanted to do something with her. She's only rugged very lightly though and not unless it is utterly chucking it down, which it seems to have been doing for the last forever! My previous youngster wasn't rugged until she was about 4. We moved up from somewhere milder to where we are now and got hit by a heavy snowfall within a few months. Once again, it was mainly a case of needing her dry/clean to work her in the few scant hours I have free around work commitments. Neither one seemed to come to any harm being unrugged as a baby nor rugged as a youngster/maturing horse. As long as they're warm enough/not too hot, most horses seem to cope just fine with or without.

 

[PandorasJar]

We have a 3yo and two 4yo who have never been rugged. All tb or tb x. Always warm and have never had a problem with a cold, they build their own coat up very nicely.

Our broodmares are not ruged 90% of winter either. They have plenty of natural shelter and keep themselves warm. If they drop temperature they get rugged but it rarely happens.

I think broodies were rugged about 3 days this winter and that was when relentless rain with no breaks to warm up.

Rather than deciding on what other people do, please look at your own horse. Feel it and then make a decision.

In regards to rain rot, we have more problems with rugged horses sweating and getting it than unrugged. Vet said there was just as much likelihood getting it when rugged as unrugged as the rug actually creates a great environment for the bacteria

Pan

 

[Gracie21]

My 3 year old was rugged over winter and has a sheet on when its raining. He's a very hot pony though (but he really shivers as soon as he gets rained on a bit?..Go figure..)

Our 1 year old NF fillies will be forever naked I hope

 

[MeganAbigail]

ah brilliant, yeah his ears are always warm even through these monsoon rains we have been having in yorkshire lol! i always feel guilty and have to go down to check on him just to make sure, but he loves the rain, and mud -.- unfortunately lol he will only go in the shelter if its dry... he stays out in the rain constantly and his ears are always hot and hes never shivvering or showing signs of cold i was just more thinking about the bad winters we have been having with the snow! but all you guys seem to be saying the same thing. awsome

 

[PandorasJar]

he stays out in the rain constantly and his ears are always hot and hes never shivvering or showing signs of cold i was just more thinking about the bad winters we have been having with the snow! but all you guys seem to be saying the same thing. awsome

To be honest the only time our broodies were rugged is in relentless rain. Normally with wind and no break.

Never had a problem with snow, they get chucked hay and far warmer in snow than wind and rain

Pan

 

[FinkleyAlex]

Completely depends on the horse - I planned for my 2yo welsh x TB to winter out unrugged but seeing how shivery he can get in the summer rain (I don't rug him as muppet chooses to not go under shelter) but I think even when he grows his winter coat he will find the winter unpleasant as is likely to be rugged.

 

[georgie0]

we never have. Including tb youngsters in snow. All have been fine. The one concession i would make would be if it was driving rain with wind and cold with no shelter and then i don't rug i bring in.

This made me smile...

www.thepersianhorse.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/horsesinsnow5.jpg

 

[Enfys]

I stick to my old mantra...if it is cold, miserable, dropping condition then rug. In my book, there is no cut off, or start date for rugging, similar with temperature, all this 5C and must rug, pffft, I have horses that get cold at 5C others that are sweating because 5C is not cold in the grand scheme of things.

I couldn't give a toot what the books, the forums, or Fanny's Mother's Uncle used to do or think, my horse, my business.

We have fairly brutal winters here, constant cold rather than wet though, I rug some of the older horses, but rarely the weanlings or youngsters. They seem to grow much thicker coats than the adults and cope well enough. British rain, well, that would be another matter, half the time I suspect I'd want to put them out in hats, macs and waders!

You just have to go with what your horse is telling you and what you feel is right for him. Neck or no neck, hmmm? No help there as I think that is a personal choice.

 

[Rowreach]

Well Enfys has pretty much summed it up and saved me a lot of typing

I would only add that youngsters tend to play a lot, and mine do not get rugged because I have seen some nasty accidents caused by a combination of rugs + hoolying about.

When the weather is really vile and my youngsters are cold and miserable, they come into a big barn where they can roll and dry off before being chucked out again the next day.

 

[Newbie84]

Could someone give me some advice on putting a fly rug on my yearling. Shes only just one. We're suffering really badly with flies round here and shes getting bitten, should I get her a fly rug? I have heard tthat some people dont use fly rugs and their horses adapt...is there any truth in this? What would you do? Thanks in advance

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I have a fly rug on my two year old (and a fly mask with nose cover) because the horse flies are awful at the moment and it would be a bit mean to cover the others up and leave him to be bitten. I would have rugged him if he was a yearling in the same situation.

 

[Newbie84]

Ok thanks for your opinion/advice! Now just to get her used to being rugged

 

[haras]

My yearling is in a full neck fly rug and a mask with ears and nose bit. I did have to put a couple of tucks in the neck of the rug to make it fit though.

She was rugged as a weanling though, so was ued to wearing a rug. Probably worth popping your yearling in a stable the first time you put a rug on.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Start by just putting a tea towel on his back. When he's happy with this, move on to a rug (fly rug would be ideal) but fold it up so that it's small to start with. Then have it folded less, until he's happy to have it put on unfolded. Then you can do it up. Don't rush though, it's easy to frighten them so take it slowly. It took me three - four days to get my never been rugged gelding to accept a rug, but he was quite nervous about it to start with. He's now completely happy and chilled about the whole process.