Rugs! Always in a dilemma!

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LouiseG

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There is frost on the cars this morning and my Connemara x TB is still unclipped and is out in a 100g rug during the day and in a 100g stable rug at night. It must be getting to freezing overnight but he's stabled in a barn with about 25 other horses with all the doors closed. Lots at the yard are in heavy weights already so feeling a bit bad but he is always warm under his armpits so haven't felt the need to put anything heavier on until today. Just wondered what everyone else was doing with their unclipped beasties at present? :)
 
You need to go by your horse, not what other people are doing as each horse is different. I would think that for most horses a 100g on an unclipped part native will be ample, even in freezing weather.

If your horse feels cold against his skin then go up a weight.
 
If he's showing no signs of being cold the don't up the rugs for the sake of it! I have an unclipped beasty and he's stabled naked in an open fronted barn (but it's not drafty). Plus plenty of forage will stoke his central heating system and he'll be fine.
 
I faff about with rugs all the time - is he too hot/cold in this, is this the right one for tonight, should I put his turnout on - and if I do, he comes in sweating, so no I shouldn't have put it on........drives my hubbie BONKERS !!
 
As always, go with what your horse is telling you e.g. if he feels warm when you check him, he is warm!
If it makes you feel better, my unclipped veteran TB is out 24/7 at the moment with a 100g rug on, no neck in the day, neck cover at night significantly colder than the day. Ad lib hay keeps him warm!
The level of rugging will increase gradually over next month or so, MW at night only first with 100g during the day :)
 
If your horse feels warm between the hind legs, base of the ears and the armpits then he's warm enough so I wouldn't be adding anymore rugs.
Go with what you feel is right not with what other people are doing as their horses are different and used to different things than yours
 
I fully clipped my mare 3 weeks ago and she's wearing a 100g with neck. I know lately it's got down to 4 degrees on a night but in the morning she is nice and toasty.
 
LouiseG said:
There is frost on the cars this morning and my Connemara x TB is still unclipped and is out in a 100g rug during the day and in a 100g stable rug at night. It must be getting to freezing overnight but he's stabled in a barn with about 25 other horses with all the doors closed. Lots at the yard are in heavy weights already so feeling a bit bad but he is always warm under his armpits so haven't felt the need to put anything heavier on until today. Just wondered what everyone else was doing with their unclipped beasties at present? :)
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You should never clip or rug a horse up in October. This is the time of year when horses and other grazing animals put on a thick coat for winter. Let your horse put on its own natural rug and a good layer of fat for the winter.
 
ZoeRPM said:
You should never clip or rug a horse up in October. This is the time of year when horses and other grazing animals put on a thick coat for winter. Let your horse put on its own natural rug and a good layer of fat for the winter.
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a gloriously sweeping statement :rolleyes:

also "a good layer of fat"?
humm - not actaully a great idea - esp if like many yards turn out is limited so horse are stood doing nothing for hours on end. Our local vets treat more lami cases over winter than over summer due to people thinking their horses should have a 'good layer of fat on them' ;) at best its ignorance - at worst its down right cruelty

OP - do what is right for your horse - ifs its shivering add layers - if its sweaty take some off - all horses are different and all are managed differently so are used to different levels of rugging - i suspect if i rugged yours as i do mine it would be in a pool of sweat - on the other hand if you rugged mine as you do yours she would be shivering - so it really is horses for courses and i'm sure you'll make the right decision :)
 
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