Rugs and storms!

[Roto]

Hoping for some advice. I bought my first horse in 20 years earlier this year having previously shared her for a year. She is a cob cross, very good doer (read fairly overweight!) Lived out happily last year.

Now that I’m responsible for Rugging I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed! She’s got a thick coat but it’s so wet and windy out there. She’s had a no fill sheet on for the last week, but looking at weather forecast and the impending storm tomorrow I’m wondering if I should put the 100g Arika on with/without hood or if she’ll be ok with just the sheet and 100g will be too much given the relatively mild temperatures. The field is at the top of a hill, quite exposed but has good hedgerows and woods so they have options.

 

[Roto]

Also should add not currently getting additional hay or hard feed, but plenty of grazing left for now

 

[meleeka]

If her no fill is properly waterproof I’m sure she’ll be fine. If you think she’d be happier in the 100g you could always pop it on and see how she feels in 20 minutes or so. Im sure she’ll manage in whatever you choose for now and you can always change your mind tomorrow

 

[Squeak]

I'd probably stick with the no fill too if it stayed waterproof last time. I've found that if they're too hot, that's when the rugs can't work properly and start leaking. If she has a good coat that will act as a layer between her skin and the rug and she should be fine. You might find if it rains all day you need to swap to the 100g as the turnouts can get overwhelmed in non stop rain and you'd be better for her to be in the 100g when the temps drop slightly.

Don't worry too much, if she's being checked morning and evening she wont be wrong for too long and if she's got some extra podge, the absolute worst that will happen is she'll lose a tiny bit of it.

 

[alibali]

Is she clipped? If not and a bit overweight I wouldn't be rugging at all (provided there is at least a little natural shelter). Overweight unclipped cob x was out rugless 24/7 on exposed Scottish hillside with access to open barn throughout Storm Babet. Never cold and rarely found anywhere near the barn! Likewise unclipped section A who will be getting a chaser clip shortly and remaining unrugged to assist weight control. Said Section A had a medium height chaser clip during the Beast from the East and elected to stay out unrugged all day in that too, happily digging through the snow to nibble on grass.

I only ever need rugs for my unclipped ones in early autumn when the temperature/weather can turn quicker than their winter coats come in. The exception is my Arab who despite being in her 2nd winter here hasn't grown a much of a coat yet. She is in a 100g standard neck and never cold. Horses are much better adapted to keeping themselves warm than humans in general so try not to assume if you are cold and miserable they will be, it doesn't always follow. It's wind and rain together that's the problem so if they've hedges on the prevailing wind side to shelter then (or another form of wind break) they're normally fine. With the odd exception for young/old or very fine coated animals.

Just edited to add I do pop on a no fill rug from time to time for convenience of getting them dry to ride or keeping them clean! But that's for my benefit not theirs!

 

[IrishMilo]

I'd leave her naked. My TB is hunter clipped and more often than not still out in a no fill sheet and holding weight well.

 

[Roto]

Is she clipped? If not and a bit overweight I wouldn't be rugging at all (provided there is at least a little natural shelter). Overweight unclipped cob x was out rugless 24/7 on exposed Scottish hillside with access to open barn throughout Storm Babet. Never cold and rarely found anywhere near the barn! Likewise unclipped section A who will be getting a chaser clip shortly and remaining unrugged to assist weight control. Said Section A had a medium height chaser clip during the Beast from the East and elected to stay out unrugged all day in that too, happily digging through the snow to nibble on grass.

I only ever need rugs for my unclipped ones in early autumn when the temperature/weather can turn quicker than their winter coats come in. The exception is my Arab who despite being in her 2nd winter here hasn't grown a much of a coat yet. She is in a 100g standard neck and never cold. Horses are much better adapted to keeping themselves warm than humans in general so try not to assume if you are cold and miserable they will be, it doesn't always follow. It's wind and rain together that's the problem so if they've hedges on the prevailing wind side to shelter then (or another form of wind break) they're normally fine. With the odd exception for young/old or very fine coated animals.

Just edited to add I do pop on a no fill rug from time to time for convenience of getting them dry to ride or keeping them clean! But that's for my benefit not theirs!

She isn’t clipped although will probably need to be soon. She wasn’t clipped last year but did have a medium weight rug with neck cover on when it got properly cold and didn’t get too hot, but they were more exposed to the wind at previous yard. She likes to get seriously mucky so agree, most of the rain sheet at the moment is for my benefit and riding!

 

[Pinkvboots]

A 50g turnout is a handy rug I probably use them the most.

 

[zandp]

50g turnouts for me are lifesavers, both are not normally clipped, although the old girl has a bit of neck, chest and belly clipped currently to help her with overheating due to Cushings, if it's rainy they're out in their 50g with necks as we have very little shelter in the field. I had them both out in no fill turnouts without necks at the weekend when everything local flooded and they both came in drenched to the skin.

 

[Goldenstar]

My horses are clipped and in zero fills, luckily new ones so really waterproof.

 

[little_critter]

I discovered this last week how much I need to stop fussing about my pony.
She has a hard standing area and a stable to mooch about in, she has free access to the stable and there is a hay net in there.
She would rather stand out in even the heaviest of rain than stand in her dry stable and eat hay.
She‘s trace clipped and in a no fill neck-less rug.