Rugless this winter??? We will try (maybe!)

palomino_pony

palomino_pony

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My 14.2hh retired pony has always been in at night until the last 2 years where she has been out 24/7 with the youngsters with a field shelter. She is Welsh x TB and definately has the welsh coat. It has a double layer and is very hard to clip. She is already very fluffy! She is always pretty warm and has collected a nice layer of fat(!!) to insulate herself - what a clever pony!

Last year I rugged her up in a MW when it dropped cold but she was very itchy.

So I am going to see how we get on this year rug-less! I know I will say this now and she will end up with a lightweight on, then it snows and she'll have a bigger rug on but...I'm saying it!

So - who else keeps their horses rug-less?
 
Starla is rugless this year, and wintering out. She is WB x Welsh.
Shetland pony is obviously rugless too, and living out. They both have tons of natural shelter, and stables that they can wonder in and out of if they wish.
New horse is in at night and rugged, she's an 8 year old TB X who is clipped and on loan to me!
 
Not sure yet, they will be fine if left unclipped, but much depends on the weather as two grow really thick coats and even moderately light work maybe too much for them unless clipped out. There's plenty of shelter and forage, so may do a trace clip and rug at night when the temperature hits the minus's.
 
Bill (H/W traditional cob) is out naked 24/7 and already resembles a yak lol i left him rugless for the first time last year and was surprised with how he coped, only put a M/W on him after it dropped to minus 18 but then took it off again as soon as it heated up (by a few degrees). only problem this year is that he has had to move fields with less shelter so going to need to play it by ear, he will be naked 99% of the time but might need to put a rug on him in the worst of the wet/windy days?? I have the same problem with him that he gets very hot and sweaty with a rug on and is much happier without.
 
Only one of mine (out of 6) gets rugged. My warmblood doesn't grow much of a winter coat and he drops weight if cold, so he's already in a lightweight overnight.

I've also got 2 arab x welsh, a pb appy, an anglo arab and a pure bred arab and none of them are rugged and probably won't need it either, they're all really fluffy already! The anglo I only got this year, so I'm keeping an eye on his weight, but judging by his coat I don't think he'll need it.
 
We have 5 that go without rugs for the winter. 3 are Welsh Cobs so they get immensly hairy! 1 is a NF pony and 1 is a little cobby dales type pony who grow rather large poofy fur coats themselves :)
 
It'll be fine - I wintered my lad without rugs the last 2 years, after 14 years of being stabled at night, and always rugged in winter. He too used to get itchy. He loved it, I was the only one who struggled, rushed up to see him in the morning if it had been a cold night, to be greeted by his cheeky little face, pricked ears, snuffling my pockets for treats, he seemed so much brighter in himself. I am rugging this year though as we've moved yards, and don't have much shelter, also he dropped weight off before we moved so doesn't have his insulating fat layer.
 
My connie x was rugless in previous years, she was out of work for various reasons so I didn't feel the need. She grew a lovely thick coat, held her weight and came into spring healthy & well.

My current horse is worked every day, so is clipped and rugged accordingly.

However, if she is turned away for winter in future, I wouldn't hesitate to not rug again :)
 
All rugged here clipped or not. Makes me pale just at the thought of the state they'd be in without; mud, cowpoo, stream.....Nooooo thankyou!!
 
On the stud, the youngstock live out rugless 24/7 all winter, with a field shelter. The mares come in at night from the first week in January, but only because thats when the breeding season starts. They never wear rugs either.
They are absolutely fine, they grow a wonderfully thick coat to cope with it.....and they are TB's!!!
TB's do not always need rugging up so they look like the michelin man ;)

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