Rugging- When does it become silly!?

[Buds_mum]

Why oh why do people have to become holier than thou just because they don't rug their horses?!

Fine each to their own, it doesn't make you a special hard nosed horse person just because you don't rug/feed/shoe and your horse is as nature intended.

Each to their own. My horse is rugged to his needs, according to temp. I'm sure many of people on here would not rug him he is an unclipped cob. However he is my horse, due to this I know that he is very susceptible to rain scold. He also is prone to becoming a wallowing hippo x yak x swap monster.
His rugs keep him dry, clean, warm and comfortable.

Currently (and lucky you people who are 15' temps!) it has been about 5' here, with showers and a stiff breeze. He is out in his mw (no neck) and has kept it on in the stable tonight and will go out early in the morning in this (y/o turns out 6am for me). Luckily I live and work in the same village as his yard is in so can go up numerous times to check he is just right, he may be nude tomo if its nice, or maybe lw or stay in the mw.

This may seem like faff to some, but I love it. He is a full time hobby and its what I enjoy. As long as he happy and comfortable why shouldn't his life be better by me using rugs. I have a chest freezer filled with his wardrobe, he has a rug for whatever the winter is going to throw at us. From rain sheet to hw. Along as the horse is comfortable and helped by wearing rugs then I see no issue.

Of course over rugging is cruel, but do not scoff at those who intelligently rug in accordance to their neddies needs.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

We are actually more likely to rug in summer than at this time of the year. When the horses have only summer coats but the weather is as cold and wet as it was this 'summer' they are more likely to shiver. If they do, we will dry them off and put a rug on before they go back out.
When the Westphalian arrived here she was fully clipped and wore only a rain-sheet until her coat grew back, she was fine.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Why oh why do people have to become holier than thou just because they don't rug their horses?!

Each to their own. My horse is rugged to his needs, according to temp. I'm sure many of people on here would not rug him he is an unclipped cob. However he is my horse, due to this I know that he is very susceptible to rain scold. He also is prone to becoming a wallowing hippo x yak x swap monster.
His rugs keep him dry, clean, warm and comfortable.



Of course over rugging is cruel, but do not scoff at those who intelligently rug in accordance to their neddies needs.

The problem is of course that in many instances the horses are NOT comfortable, many rugged horses are too hot and their owners do not realise this. Horses have their own fur coats, so just because the owner feels the need to wear a hat/coat/gloves it does not follow that the horse automatically needs a rug. As demonstrated in several posts on this thread, many owners do not know how to tell if a horse is warm enough, so think that their horse would benefit from a rug, when actually it would be much better without. And as for the current fashion for fly-rugs...........

 

[Achinghips]

My big half Shire x cob has a bib and belly and is naked. I thinkit becomes silly when cobs get over rugged.

 

[Como]

I hate seeing horses out in weather that is far too warm for a rug. Very cruel. I hear all manner of excuses, 'it's forecast rain today', 'it was cold when they were turned out this morning' (it's now sunny and 14 degrees!), ' I hate him being muddy' - argghhh - then come the dreaded neck covers - are you lot really taken in by this marketing rubbish? And this kind of cruelty seems to be the norm these days. Horses aren't people, they are animals. How many fat horses do you see turned out in thick rugs with neck covers? I could rant all day about this one!!! Nothing surprises me these day with people and their horses. I feel sorry for most of the poor beasts!

 

[Charlie Bucket]

Mine are unclipped in rainsheets at the moment, only as it is very wet and I've brought them in shivering more than once. So only to keep the rain of their backs.

Both having a trace clip on Friday so then will be in 200g with neck, probably all winter unless drastic change in temperature.

Fleece in the stable at night, and again maybe a 200g if temp drops significantly.

Pretty much depends on the horse, but do agree some people go OTT on rugging.

 

[Zeehorse]

Why oh why do people have to become holier than thou just because they don't rug their horses?!

Fine each to their own, it doesn't make you a special hard nosed horse person just because you don't rug/feed/shoe and your horse is as nature intended.

Each to their own. My horse is rugged to his needs, according to temp. I'm sure many of people on here would not rug him he is an unclipped cob. However he is my horse, due to this I know that he is very susceptible to rain scold. He also is prone to becoming a wallowing hippo x yak x swap monster.
His rugs keep him dry, clean, warm and comfortable.

Currently (and lucky you people who are 15' temps!) it has been about 5' here, with showers and a stiff breeze. He is out in his mw (no neck) and has kept it on in the stable tonight and will go out early in the morning in this (y/o turns out 6am for me). Luckily I live and work in the same village as his yard is in so can go up numerous times to check he is just right, he may be nude tomo if its nice, or maybe lw or stay in the mw.

This may seem like faff to some, but I love it. He is a full time hobby and its what I enjoy. As long as he happy and comfortable why shouldn't his life be better by me using rugs. I have a chest freezer filled with his wardrobe, he has a rug for whatever the winter is going to throw at us. From rain sheet to hw. Along as the horse is comfortable and helped by wearing rugs then I see no issue.

Of course over rugging is cruel, but do not scoff at those who intelligently rug in accordance to their neddies needs.

well, that's a pretty new trend, if you ask me. It used to be more the opposite; if you didn't rug your horse you were looked upon as being neglectful.

Rugging, (or blanketting, as we say in N, Amer.) is not nearly as common in the US as it is in UK or Aus. I do think it's very much a cultural thing, less based on the actual needs of the horses. However, if a person works the horse hard during the winter, and clips, then it does seem to make sense to rug.

Our horses live out 24/7/365. They have some primitive run in sheds and trees to get shelter from. It rains here a lot, and snow is frequent enough, too. None of the horses wears any kind of blanket/rug. They are all "naked". But, we don't clip, either. so, that makes a big difference.

One thing I learned recently about unrugged horses is to NOT groom them much during the winter, and certainly never brush them when they are wet. By brushing their wet guard hairs you break up the oil/dirt that clumps them into a long "V" shape, and works to shed water off the horse's back. Once you break up this kind of "shield", the water then goes down to the underhairs and the skin becomes wet. If the hairs are allowed to clump and form the shedding "V"s, then the skin will actually be totally dry underneath.

AND, as you know, even wet, a wool sweater is quite warm.

As long as the horses have a LOT of hay to keep munching on , their gut producess a lot of heat, just from the bacteria breaking down the roughage.

Our horses DO sweat when we ride hard on the trails, and we sometimes have no choice but to put them out wet, but it's no wetter than they'd be from the cold rain that is a fact of their daily lives.

Current night time temps: about 3 to 4 C

 

[Equilibrium Ireland]

Zeehorse, I'm from the US. When you say it rains a lot, really it's not that bad. I think my ground has not been a swamp this year for maybe 3 1/2 weeks. I'm not joking about that. Now it's not normal but I was pretty fet up with mud and rugs as were my horses.

I don't use fly rugs. I'm afraid they have to fight those battles.

When I first moved here I found people had time frames. Rugs don't go on til November and don't come off til April. I got to thinking they were time locked rugs! If you are going to rug then you need to be flexible. I see far too much, not on this thread, of throwing rugs on and leaving. Most nights, at the moment, I bring mine in take off the rugs, give a brush, and put rugs back on at 9pm. Im constantly switching between lights and meds as it's that time of year.

In fairness proper rugging is a pain. And yes, as someone who has to ride 7, plus for other people, I don't have time to de-mud and spend an hour cooling out. So if you want to say I take the easy road you'd also be correct. I like brushing but I like riding too. I just don't have time for all of it.

Terri

 

[charlie76]

Rugging posts make me cross! Why is is anyone's business or concern as to what rugs people choose to use?!
Just because you choose not to rug it doesn't mean the ones that do are wrong.
I actually see more horses that look cold and poor that could do with a rug but the owner likes to keep them natural.
Usual thing in the equine world.. everyone likes to have an opinion on every one else's business!

 

[sidsmum]

My 3 cobs are still living out at the moment all unclipped though one will be clipped next week probably as he gets to sweaty when asked to do any work. My youngster has a rainsheet on him and the other two are in medium weight rugs with one of them having a neck on, but then he feels the cold a little more.

Horses for courses!

 

[mynutmeg]

Why oh why do people have to become holier than thou just because they don't rug their horses?!

Fine each to their own, it doesn't make you a special hard nosed horse person just because you don't rug/feed/shoe and your horse is as nature intended.

Each to their own. My horse is rugged to his needs, according to temp. I'm sure many of people on here would not rug him he is an unclipped cob. However he is my horse, due to this I know that he is very susceptible to rain scold. He also is prone to becoming a wallowing hippo x yak x swap monster.
His rugs keep him dry, clean, warm and comfortable.

Currently (and lucky you people who are 15' temps!) it has been about 5' here, with showers and a stiff breeze. He is out in his mw (no neck) and has kept it on in the stable tonight and will go out early in the morning in this (y/o turns out 6am for me). Luckily I live and work in the same village as his yard is in so can go up numerous times to check he is just right, he may be nude tomo if its nice, or maybe lw or stay in the mw.

This may seem like faff to some, but I love it. He is a full time hobby and its what I enjoy. As long as he happy and comfortable why shouldn't his life be better by me using rugs. I have a chest freezer filled with his wardrobe, he has a rug for whatever the winter is going to throw at us. From rain sheet to hw. Along as the horse is comfortable and helped by wearing rugs then I see no issue.

Of course over rugging is cruel, but do not scoff at those who intelligently rug in accordance to their neddies needs.

absolutly

 

[mynutmeg]

And as for the current fashion for fly-rugs...........

Fly rugs aren't a 'fashion' for everyone. My mare doesn't have classic sweet itch but she gets incredibly itchy all over in the summer, I'm restricted in sprays as she reacts to the ones that work so she basically lives in a boet style rug in the summer and is much more comfortable for it.

I try to get a few weeks at the beginning of the summer and the end to get her some naked time, she gets naked time in her box and if it's a windy day I try to get her out her bug rug but the fact remains that for many horses a fly rug isn't fashion but somehting that makes their life so much better. They have only really become availble at a decent price and good designs recently so off course there is an increase in use.

 

[Tinypony]

When I was a young thing... I'm sure there were a lot more naked horses and ponies about. But each to their own really, unless the equine in question is obviously suffering by being frozen or overheated.

 

[EquestrianFairy]

I guess though unless you know the horse properly or see them sweating you cant really know whether they are unhappy?

My TBX is very thin skinned and we had major weight issues last year- she is a perfect weight now and is in a 180-200g (not sure which it is!) rug with a neck and is toasty warm. Maybe its colder down here in Wales? Last weekend she went out naked for a few hours as it was quite warm but she would be rugged again as the temp dropped in the same rug. As the winter progresses she will have her rugs thicker- Yes she owns a 400g rug for the height of winter/frost/ice/snow.

If someone was to pass comment on the thought i was over-rugging my horse i would have to correct them that it is MY horse and i know MY horse better than anyone who stands looking at her from the field gate making an assumption of my care.

As an extra i have 3 hairy cobs who are not rugged and will not be until winter really kicks in- even then they only have LW's on to keep the frost and rain off there backs and my old mare (also a hairy cob) has a medium weight combo on throughout winter to make sure she stays warm and doesnt get plagued with rainscald which with her age she has become more suseptible to. I must add none of my cobs are Over weight.

 

[siennamum]

I've known a couple of horses (out of dozens) who do seem to feel the cold and it really makes no difference what the breed. They had little 'flesh' struggled to carry much weight and consumed vast aount, and had to be rugged to the eyeballs, both had very light (though shiny) coats all year round.

Most horses are wildly over rugged though, and never seem to get a break. Mine love rolling rugless and just having the air/ sun on their bodies, so I rug as little as possible.

Mine are both in rainsheets. They are developing winter coats, and will be clipped when they start really sweating when exercised, which hasn't hapened yet. Till then they can regulate their own temperatures, it's a dangerous time of year to be rugging drastically, it was +15 degrees on Sunday afternoon here and had been -1 at 4am.

My personal opinion is that horse are most comfortable at much cooler temperatures than we think, I think 5 - 10 degrees would be fab for most horses in their own coats, they aren't fans of the sort of temperatures we seem to insist they live in once we pile rugs on. When you put your hand under the rug against a full coat and your horse feels warm, in all likelihood it is actally overheated. Horses should feel cool unless you have your hand against their skin.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Fly rugs aren't a 'fashion' for everyone. My mare doesn't have classic sweet itch but she gets incredibly itchy all over in the summer, I'm restricted in sprays as she reacts to the ones that work so she basically lives in a boet style rug in the summer and is much more comfortable for it.

.

I quite realise that and having had a sweet-itch sufferer years ago, who we really struggled to keep comfortable, I would have welcomed the opportunity to keep her comfortable in a fly-rug.
But I know from several posts on here that there are people who use fly rugs just as a matter of course. There really are some horse-owners who should have nothing more than a 'My Little Pony'.

 

[ShadowFlame]

Am I the only one who feels guilty about putting a rug on at all?? My heavy cob has always been out 24/7 unrugged. Simple. He's in work this year so he's had a chaser clip and a rainsheet thrown on him. Brought him in last night about 5.30, he charged in like I've never known and attached himself to his haynet like his life depended on it. He didn't feel ridiculously cold, but I've got to admit I was surprised at just how much that rug flattened down his coat.

IMO, it's far better leaving them out unrugged if they grow a decent winter coat. I can't help feeling rugs restrict them to a degree aswell, no matter how well they fit?

 

[diamondrockharvey]

My grandad was a race horse trainer and he always told me 'if in doubt go without' when it came to rugging. He also said e would never rug before the first frost.
My cob has a chaser clip and is still living out in rugged. There is plenty of forage in the fields and he just doesn't need a rug yet. When he starts feeling the cold he will have a fleece and a lightweight on. Last year he lived out all winter in rugged and was more than happy bu he wasn't clipped last year as he was not in work.
My friend who shares with me has a TB that lived out all winter in a fleece and medium weight. As long as they have plenty of grass/hay available they don't need all those rugs!!

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

you have to judge each individual horse.

when Fig came to use last Dec he was pretty poor, but un clipped and even so needed 2 x HW combos to keep warm.

obviously now he is in much better condition but in order to keep that condition now he is working hard, he is already in a MW combo and a HW combo in the day and a magnetic sheet, fleece and MW combo overnight. He's *just* warm enough, another couple of weeks and he'll need to go up a notch i expect.

we are going to try and get away with not clipping him so that he doesnt have to wear a million layers when the cold really hits but what can we do-if he's cold he needs more rugs on or he's going to drop condition, and no on wants a working TB losing condition just before winter.

CS is not quite so bad, in a lW and a HW combo in the day and then same rugs as fig overnight and even though he isnt clipped either he isnt over warm.

Bruce is completely roughed off now and furry like a yak, he's in a MW combo in the day, and a thin fleece and a LW combo overnight.

its only silly when its inapropriate for the horse

 

[Moomin1]

you have to judge each individual horse.

when Fig came to use last Dec he was pretty poor, but un clipped and even so needed 2 x HW combos to keep warm.

obviously now he is in much better condition but in order to keep that condition now he is working hard, he is already in a MW combo and a HW combo in the day and a magnetic sheet, fleece and MW combo overnight. He's *just* warm enough, another couple of weeks and he'll need to go up a notch i expect.

we are going to try and get away with not clipping him so that he doesnt have to wear a million layers when the cold really hits but what can we do-if he's cold he needs more rugs on or he's going to drop condition, and no on wants a working TB losing condition just before winter.

CS is not quite so bad, in a lW and a HW combo in the day and then same rugs as fig overnight and even though he isnt clipped either he isnt over warm.

Bruce is completely roughed off now and furry like a yak, he's in a MW combo in the day, and a thin fleece and a LW combo overnight.

its only silly when its inapropriate for the horse

............I'm sweating!! ;-)

 

[MileAMinute]

Bloomin heck, don't think my lad could move with 2 x HWs on!
Am so thankful he was born with a nice natural fur coat to cope with these harsh weathers, don't know what I will do when it actually gets cold though! It's not been lower than 8 degrees and I'm in the north.....

 

[MileAMinute]

Ooh please could one also tell me how a horse is 'roughed off' but still in a MW combo?!
Not picking, just genuinely interested as this is a new one to me....!

 

[Moomin1]

Ooh please could one also tell me how a horse is 'roughed off' but still in a MW combo?!
Not picking, just genuinely interested as this is a new one to me....!

I feel bad now, having 'roughed off' my mare in the way I take it to be!! No rug, no grooming of coat!! Last time I checked though she was warm as toast with her fluffy ears and belly!

 

[Moomin1]

I will probably be reported for cruelty - but my Welsh D was un-clipped and un-rugged even through the bad winter when we were down to minus 12 degrees - even in his stable at night he had no rug on. And to make it worse, I turned him out every day to wade through the snow up to his knees and dig for grass!!!
If I laid a hand on the top of his winter hair it was cold....BUT...underneath the hair at skin level he was nice and warm.

Reported?!! I hope not!! A welsh d does not need anymore than you have given!!

 

[AngieandBen]

you have to judge each individual horse.

when Fig came to use last Dec he was pretty poor, but un clipped and even so needed 2 x HW combos to keep warm.

obviously now he is in much better condition but in order to keep that condition now he is working hard, he is already in a MW combo and a HW combo in the day and a magnetic sheet, fleece and MW combo overnight. He's *just* warm enough, another couple of weeks and he'll need to go up a notch i expect.

we are going to try and get away with not clipping him so that he doesnt have to wear a million layers when the cold really hits but what can we do-if he's cold he needs more rugs on or he's going to drop condition, and no on wants a working TB losing condition just before winter.

CS is not quite so bad, in a lW and a HW combo in the day and then same rugs as fig overnight and even though he isnt clipped either he isnt over warm.

Bruce is completely roughed off now and furry like a yak, he's in a MW combo in the day, and a thin fleece and a LW combo overnight.

its only silly when its inapropriate for the horse

Roughed off? and furry like a yak? and in a MW combo?? seriously?!

 

[Goldenstar]

I see horses I consider to be overugged all the time , including two obese unclipped cobs who are in thicker rugs than my clipped hunter. It must be awful for them when the suns out.

 

[flump]

My roughed off un worked tb is in a mw combo with a lw over the top!

 

[YasandCrystal]

It may already have been said - but I think rugs are just a convenience for owners to keep their horses clean and dry for riding. Nothing wrong with that - most of us keep horses for riding afterall.
If a horse has shelter and plenty of forage in the form of grass and adlib hay/haylage I don't believe they need rugging. My very fine WB proved this last winter - he was out rugless 24/7. He moved to keep warm - he became a mud monster and used his shelter in the driving rain and he was as happy as Larry.

This winter he is being ridden so he is now in a 100g fill and still out 24/7 - and will be coming in at night from sometime in November. None of mine are put in anything heavier than a medium weight. I have a Dales youngster and I wouldn't dream of rugging him being a native he has the coat he needs naturally. If you start clipping it is probably a different matter altogether imo.

It is absolutely natural for horses to go into winter looking well and to lose some condition over winter. This is my WB last year rugless and happy

 

[WestCoast]

I couldn't understand it yesterday when the new livery for her horse out of the stable, tied her up and put a rug on her. Then tacked her up and put the rug over the top. The sun was out and it's stil autumn ffs.

I must be a terrible mummy. Bree has to stand around for an hour or more while I groom her, outside without a rug It's part of her training. Standing around calmly while yard life goes on around her. Mind you she's still out at night with only a lightweight on - call the RSPCA now.

Paula

 

[joshesmum]

Whilst i dont agree with over rugging and ive never heard of a duvet being put on a horse i dont agree with those who say all horses can go unrugged.I have a TBx that lives out 24/7 unclipped wearing a lightweight rug he has shelter but only seems to use it in the summer to get away from the flies.He cannot cope with the wind and rain and shivers terribly if not rugged if i was to leave him unrugged he would look like a plate rack in no time.Hes also got arthritis in both stifle joints and needs to be kept warm and dry as cold and damp is very painful for arthritic joints!