Rugging youngsters?

[Patterdale]

I have always been dead against rugging natives who aren’t clipped.
However -
One of my Connemaras is quite weedy and seems to be a bit of a poor doer. He’s a yearling, 2 in spring.
He lives out as part of a herd on a mountainside, and although there is a shelter they rarely use it so get a lot of bad weather.

The others are looking very well - as I want them this time of year, to allow for weight loss in winter. But the weedy one has that empty frame look that yearlings can get, not ideal going into winter.

Would you rug? I just feel like instead of throwing feed away just keeping him warm, if I put a 50-70g on him he’ll do better. But this goes against all my beliefs ?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think I would rather feed him can he not have hay?

 

[Polos Mum]

Presume there's nothing up with him that makes him different - worm count, teeth issues etc. ?

No harm in trying - a native youngster in a herd might go through quite a lot of rugs having fun with them!
You can always revert to brining in for haylage / grass nuts if it doesn't make any difference or if the hassle of checking it / finding it / repairing it gets too much.

I had to stop rugging my ridden horse a couple of years ago as my 2 y/o was ripping a rug a week at his peak !

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I have rugged yearlings. If they are shivering despite shelter and ad lib hay, IMO they need it.

I would see how he goes, but if I found that he was too cold I would rug without guilt.

 

[Patterdale]

They get ad-lib haylage and a balancer, it’s just a very exposed area and gets very wet and windy. He’s very healthy looking and full of beans, but just lighter than all the others. He’s always been like it.
I do have a Welsh A who I rug even unclipped as she just really feels the cold.

I don’t mind a fat horse shivering but I don’t like a thin one shivering. Think I will need to see how he gets on but keep an open mind.

Just don’t want to turn him soft for the rest of his life..!

 

[NinjaPony]

If he’s a good healthy weight , getting decent feed and still shivering then I’d put a light rug on. He’s not out in the ‘wild’ and I don’t see much point in leaving them cold if they aren’t happy.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

They get ad-lib haylage and a balancer, it’s just a very exposed area and gets very wet and windy. He’s very healthy looking and full of beans, but just lighter than all the others. He’s always been like it.
I do have a Welsh A who I rug even unclipped as she just really feels the cold.

I don’t mind a fat horse shivering but I don’t like a thin one shivering. Think I will need to see how he gets on but keep an open mind.

Just don’t want to turn him soft for the rest of his life..!

I totally agree if his having plenty to eat and still cold I would rug him.

 

[paddy555]

Would you rug? I just feel like instead of throwing feed away just keeping him warm, if I put a 50-70g on him he’ll do better. But this goes against all my beliefs ?

why do your beliefs matter? if he needs a rug then rug him.
My youngster was rugged at 8 months. Fortunately I had taught him to be rugged by that age as he was taken to horse hospital in an emergency and had to be rugged whilst he was there to keep him warm as he was seriously ill.

 

[Vodkagirly]

I wouldn't rush to make a decision, see how he looks when the weather changes. Can easily order a rug to be delivered within 2 days and since youngsters change so quickly you will at least know the right side.

 

[hobo]

I would be careful rugging a young horse kept in a herd he is better off a bit on the light side than injured because of a rug. If they are getting adlib haylage and balancer he should be fine so are you sure he is getting to the haylage ok and not being bullied away from it?