Rugless this winter

[throughtheforest]

I keep my yearling at a fancy livery yard where I am anticipating the horses will be rugged this winter. He is in with a herd of older geldings which I don't blame the owners if they rug them, that's their choice. However, I am also anticipating some disapproval of choosing to keeping him this way, he's done well putting on weight on just grass and hay since I've owned him and in consideration of that I am happy that his already thickening coat will do the job for the winter. I've had other horses that have been kept without rugs with phenomenal results in their condition so I'm thinking this is the way I will continue. It's just before it was just my two on a field I rented solely and other owners can be buggers for putting in their two cents where it's not needed... Anyone else going to be in a similar position?

 

[maya2008]

I don't rug most of mine - they live out, with ad-lib forage. My TB obviously needs rugs, and the warmblood x had one last winter when she got a diarrhoea bug. But the rest go naked. That's the whole point of a winter coat!

 

[be positive]

I wouldn't rug a youngster unless there was a real need to, as long as they have shelter from the worst of the weather or they are in at night/ there is the option to bring in if there is no respite from constant rain and a good supply of grass and hay why take the risk of putting a rug on, in an ideal world/ yard youngsters would not be in with rugged horses thus reducing one way they can get injured, most find plenty of opportunities without having straps near their legs to get tangled in.

 

[The Trooper]

If he is a good doer and unclipped I wouldn't worry about rugging. We see a few threads similar to this around this time of year and ultimately the answer is the same.

Each horse is different and there is no rule that works for them all. I'll be low blanket clipping Belle this year and leaving her naked as much as possible because otherwise she will just balloon on hay all winter (Very very good doer) but Bonnie will be rugged as of when I decide to, again she will be clipped, probably a higher blanket as she is in work where as Belle is off due to working out some hoof issues.

 

[joosie]

Both of mine live out and have been rugless their entire lives. I'd tell other people to sod off...

 

[HappyHollyDays]

All the full liveries on the adjacent yard are rugged already.

It wouldn't work at all for me so my two boys are partially clipped and out naked and only have raincoats on if it's wet. Before anyone thinks I'm being a bit hard on them they are both good doers and I ran it by the vet two winters ago before doing it as DP despite living on fresh air was really piling on the pounds.

 

[Leo Walker]

Nothing would get me to rug a yearling unless there was a serious medical need. They dont rug sportshorse and TB youngstock so I doubt yours needs a rug

 

[Follysmum]

My 4 yr old has never had a rug on at all. The rest only get lightweights even with a clip of ridden over winter to keep clean.

 

[Hack4fun]

Which came first - the horse or the New Zealand rug? That is a bit facetious. My 3 year old and 6 year old over-wintered living out without rugs just fine. My 20 year old was cold opn a few occasions, mainly when it was wet, so she was rugged about 5 times this winter. They grow great coats when they get a bit chilly.