Rugging!

Firehorse

Firehorse

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After my post about yard problems the other day, I now have a space to move. It’s just as question of organising when. It’s the wrong side of the A27, but everything about the yard far outweighs that.
I get a stable & individual turnout. He can buddy up once he’s settle if I want him to.
I’ve never had him stabled so am clueless about rugging. I only hve turnouts and won’t go rushing out to buy stable rugs if I don’t need them. I hve a 50g, a no fill and a one that’s probably around 200-250g for if it snows. He’s currently living out 24/7 in a 100g. He’s a woolly bear with a small clip that’s almost grown out now. Would the 50g be ok for night time in the stable? Nice thick bed & plenty of hay too. Or shud I leave him in the 100g in & out?
 
I wouldn’t rush to buy any more rugs yet. You will be able to tell if he is warm enough pretty easily.
Perhaps later buy a 100gm under rug that you can fit under any of your 3 turnouts. That will give you a lot of warmth options and if one turnout gets damaged or is too wet/ muddy you will have an alternative. The 2 rugs can be clipped together at the fillet string to help stop them slipping.
 
MeredithyChristmas said:
I wouldn’t rush to buy any more rugs yet. You will be able to tell if he is warm enough pretty easily.
Perhaps later buy a 100gm under rug that you can fit under any of your 3 turnouts. That will give you a lot of warmth options and if one turnout gets damaged or is too wet/ muddy you will have an alternative. The 2 rugs can be clipped together at the fillet string to help stop them slipping.
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This.

Weatherbeeta do a nice liner. I have one that I layer under my 100g.
His heavy is rarely out and if needed he can have it under that.

I would buy a fleece for in the stable, but one like the weatherbeeta ones that I fnd don't stretch out.

Mine live in their outdoors even when they come in at night.

They only have their stables if the feilds are shut.
 
It does depend somewhat on the construction of the stables and their position in relation to the prevailing wind. I have wooden stables in a sheltered spot and find the horses stay warm unless temperatures drop below freezing.
 
I use either a lightweight stable rug or a 200g one when temps dip below 0-1C at night. My horse is left naked as much as possible. He is on the warm woolly side and part-clipped but I give him plenty of hay overnight and his bed is nice and thick. Personally I prefer stable rugs because they are cheap secondhand and easily washed in my machine whereas turnouts aren't.
 
How much you'll need to rug will depend on a load of factors which have already been discussed. The only thing I'll add is that if he's living in the same rugs for long periods of time they might get a bit greasy and yucky. I had that issue last year with my mare and found that having thin under layers I could wash at home combatted this. As I can't imagine I'd like to wear the same clothes 24/7!
 
Personally, I would buy a lightweight stable rug. But this is just because I hate stable stains on rugs and stable rugs are easily washed. I try not to wash outdoor rugs due to the waterproofing but if used in the stable they soon become covered in urine and poo stains. On the other hand, the horse probably doesn't care.
 
If he's fat and furry I would be tempted to leave him naked overnight if the stables are cosy. Else just a lw stable rug - easy to wash and keep clean. Turnouts are expensive to have washed and it doesn't do them any favours. By having a different stable rug it won't get as grubby (inside or out) as quickly.

@Wagtail Lovely to 'see' you again!
 
PurBee said:
Thanks for correcting that, i was reading articles by vets too and got them mixed up.

He’s a peer-reviewed physiologist and biochemist, rather than just a vet.

https://davidmarlin.co.uk/
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The article you quoted wasn't peer reviewed, and it also contains a false assertion that horses will lose more heat in radiation to a cold stone wall than a cold wooden stable and need a thicker rug if they are in a stone stable. That isn't true. The amount of heat radiated by the horse doesn't depend on the material from which the stable is made.

It also completely overcomplicates things. If your horse is cold rug it more, if it's too warm, rug it less is the only rule a horse owner really needs.


OP, like many people these days, now we have lightweight breathable turnout rugs, I no longer possess any stable rugs. My horses are full time in turnouts, indoors and out,
 
Wagtail said:
Personally, I would buy a lightweight stable rug. But this is just because I hate stable stains on rugs and stable rugs are easily washed. I try not to wash outdoor rugs due to the waterproofing but if used in the stable they soon become covered in urine and poo stains. On the other hand, the horse probably doesn't care.
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Wagtail! Welcome back, missed you!
 
chaps89 said:
If he's fat and furry I would be tempted to leave him naked overnight if the stables are cosy. Else just a lw stable rug - easy to wash and keep clean. Turnouts are expensive to have washed and it doesn't do them any favours. By having a different stable rug it won't get as grubby (inside or out) as quickly.

@Wagtail Lovely to 'see' you again!
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Sadly he’s not fat. Part the reason I want to move. But very much furry lol!
 
I don't like my horse to wear turnout rugs in the stable if possible. As others have said stable rugs are much easier and cheaper to wash and urine doesn't do the waterproofing on your turnout any good. Plus I like to vary pressure points etc.

Stable rugs are cheap to buy so I would get a stable rug.

I would also want to be sure the horse is warm enough if a bit on the thin side.

Currently mine wears a similar weight rug in the stable as when out but without a neck. It is colder overnight but they are out of the wind and rain.
 
The only time I rug the unclipped pony is if there is a prolonged spell of heavy rain, especially if it's windy too. When stabled, I don't use anything but on the rare occasions that he's rugged to go out, I will leave the rug on him in the stable to dry and if he comes in wringing wet I may pop a fleece on him to dry him off but take it off later. I find fleece rugs tend to slip back and becaome tight tound the shoulders don't fine them great for overnight stabling. good luck with your move.
 
I would also buy a lightweight stable rug but only you can decide how warm your horse is. I don’t leave turnouts on in the stable because I have quite warm stables and my ponies would be too hot in them.
 
My I clipped WB comes in over night in a fleece. Unless of course I know I’ll be in a rush the next morning and I’ll leave her turnout on.
I too like to vary pressure points, I usually swap turnouts anyway as I hate leaving a heavy wet one on (PE!)
What size stable rug does your fella need?
 
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