Rugging?Would you

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TequilaMist

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rug a 16month old?Am feeling cruel as he's the only one in his field without a rug and only one of 4 in whole yard (the other 3 owners don't come near them)and all the other 'babies' are rugged .Hes a well built boy,doesn't seem bothered,hasn't lost any weight just fine weight wise imo as am concious of overloading joints and is fed daily(balancer,sugar beet and chaff).Did put one on in that really heavy rain but he took it off!
Think it only bothers me as everyone else appear to be rugged so start to second guess yourself
 
Rug if you want - don't if you don't. Its totally your call. I like to rug because like buying rugs! My boy could easily go without. Its up to you. Once you start you might need to continue throughout the winter or he'll get cold.
 
If his weight is good, he has a decent coat and he has shelter from hedges or a field shelter then no, i wouldnt rug him.

If you decide that he needs one at some point then you will have to train him to accept it, not just put it on and leave it on.
 
I rug my 18month old he is tb x and does seem to feel the cold, i think if you feel the tips of their ears and their elbows it helps to give an indication of wether they are cold or not. x
 
if hes happy leave him as is, not as if you mind him being woolly
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if he starts looking miserable when it gets colder rug him then
 
I feel the same about my 3yr old.I really really want to rug him up so he will be nice and cosy but I am going to leave it till the last moment so he gets the full benefit when we get into the minus figures.If he is ok condition wise I would leave it for now and at least you have the option then to rug up when it gets colder.
 
He has a good hairy coat loking like a fluffy bear tbh.
He is usually pretty good with rugs as have tried him before to get used to me throwing them on etc but saying that maybe different when left for longer as in 24/7
 
Yes tips are fine.Checked all of his of his ear as tbh couldn't remember if base or tips
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tips definitely warm.
Tho as temp about 2 this evening they may not be by midnight lol!
 
Yea think I will leave.Its just ,well thought I was maybe being a bit too harsh when 39 out of 40 horses/ponies have rugs on and he didn't!
 
Yes, you need to build up the length of time that he has it on. Leaving it on 24/7 is very in at the deep end when he still needs armbands!
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Horses can regulate their own temperature very well. Once domesticated and rugged up you have to keep rugging because the horse adjusts accordingly. I.e. rugs do actually 'soften' a horse up so it is less likely to cope without continued rugging. you can reverse the process but it obviously takes some time.
 
I know what you mean OP. Our youngster is unrugged but I do feel mean as all our other horses are rugged. He's a native pony, has a coat like you wouldn't believe (does he know something about this winter that we don't) and always feels warm. But I still feel like a meanie leaving him out unrugged.

So I've decided that if there are biting winds and driving rain then he will have a rainsheet on for those times at least.

Good point re building up the duration of them wearing rugs when they are young. He's had his on without any problems but not for any length of time.
 
If he is cold, is dropping weight or looks miserable then rug away. If he doesn't then don't, youngsters often seem to get much thicker coats than adults. Some of my grown horses are still practically in summer coats, the 16 month old and the 4 month old have coats like yaks and may not get rugged at all this winter.

Your call, the only thing I will say is that he is your horse you do what you feel best for him and never mind what others say or think. (If they want to pay his bills etc, then of course they can have a say in his outerwear, until then...
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B is wearing a HEAVY weight rug..............not my choice. He had been unrugged until last sunday - when I put a LW sheet on him. The yard staff have put the HW on him as it was like 2deg on sunday.

And he is hairier than when he left Milly! AND overweight...........

I plan on asking if he can only go in the MW, as a fat hairy cob does NOT need a HW rug yet.
 
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