Rugs - has anyone else taken the plunge

[Queenbee]

Its 7-8 degrees at night here, and the beast is currently in a 100g turnout, he hasn't been clipped all winter. The weather has been pretty lovely by recent comparison but is set to get a bit wet by friday again. I have been holding off on whipping off the rug for 2 reasons really - the swamp-like resemblance that his field has - I just know he will roll straight away and the mud is thick and just bleurgh. It is however better than it was - not completely dry but much better for the weather this week. Second, 8 degrees isn't freezing by any standard but its still a bit brrr. Every day I say I will take the plunge tomorrow and every day I put it off for one more day. But he is moulting like the beast he is and I do like to take their rugs off when they are moulting and let them have a good roll around...

So, am I being a wuss? Anyone else taken the rugs off? I only go up in the evening so the rug would have to be off over night as its not fair to ask my YO to do this in the morning.

 

[SpringArising]

In your circumstances I'd have his rug off for sure.

Mine's only in a rainsheet now and he's clipped out.

 

[pansymouse]

Mines out naked with a almost grown out chaser clip. Forgot quite how filthy an unrugged horse can get.

 

[Griffin]

I would if there is no rain forecast. My blanket clipped mare is out in a rainsheet if it's wet and naked in her stable overnight. She's quite a warm pony though. They do get muddy but she is much more comfortable being able to get the loose hair off.

 

[Queenbee]

Ideal thanks for the responses I just couldn't blooming decide lol. Naked beastie tonight then

 

[be positive]

Some of mine had them off during the day a few weeks ago but they went back on apart from 1 pony who lives out 24/7 who was left naked, 2 others are now out at night but back in rugs as it has been very wet and miserable but hope to get them off soon, the rest are still rugged as it is changeable and I cannot keep putting them on and off, I hate this time of year as they have less coat so can get very cold if out overnight, if I couldn't take it off am and put back pm I would wait a bit longer or move to a good rainsheet to keep the worst off.

 

[Gloi]

Yep taken the plunge, pony is no longer naked and is in sweet itch rug for the summer

 

[Antw23uk]

My gelding has been without a rug for a few days, even with torrential rain overnight .. hey he has a stable! .. my mare has just been fully clipped (everything) and she is in a lightweight overnight and a rain sheet during the day but is very warm in the day!

Gelding looks rough. No work all winter and he has dropped nicely to 'lean' but god he looks awful and i cant wait to get him working and some spring grass in him. Take it off ... get it off

 

[JFTDWS]

The foul, mud-coloured nature of my two ponies is currently a testament to my decision to remove their rugs. The one on whom the mud shows less well, however, remains rugged, as we're quite exposed and she doesn't need to lose any weight and is less fluffy than the midgets.

 

[Hack4fun]

Mine are unrugged now, except for when there is a frost. They are out 24/7 with a shelter.

 

[meleeka]

I can’t stand to see horses with rugs on once it’s warm and sunny in the daytime. I think they’d rather feel a bit chilly overnight than too hot during the day.

Mine are naked tonight and I visit twice a day. It’s not really cold at night and no rain forecast and I’m sure they’ll appreciate it after a long winter of rugs.

 

[Merrymoles]

It has been so wet here that mine is still in a rainsheet. I'm wearing waterproof trousers to get them to the field as it's like walking through a bog and I'm sick of washing filthy clothes. I haven't got the time this week to dry him off/clean him up to ride but, come Friday, it's coming off and won't go back on unless there are blizzards!

We're also hoping to move to the summer grazing next week which is better drained and should help both him and me stay slightly cleaner!

 

[Fransurrey]

Mine are both shedding for England. No way am I putting rugs on. I liken it to wearing a jacket after a haircut when they've thrown the trimmings down your neck! My sweet itch mare is smothered with benzyl benzoate to keep midges at bay. Her rug is on standby!

 

[eggs]

My unclipped mare has been unrugged nearly all winter - only had a rainsheet on when the rain has been particularly torrential although fortunately the mud brushes off easily.

My fully clipped horses have been out naked a few times when the weather permitted and are now in rain sheets as it is still raining on and off nearly all day. Hoping to get their rainsheets off in the next couple of days. They are plenty warm enough.

My horses are in at night and out during the day.

 

[Queenbee]

Well its done, he is nekked - took the rug off and let him into the little grassy area where all the fields meet while doing his stable where he had a nice munch of grass. Then came in with no pj's for the night so he can go out and enjoy the sunshine tomorrow.

 

[w1bbler]

Mine have been naked for a while now (except for the liberal coating of mud). 1 unclipped & 2 with growing out chased clips

 

[PapaverFollis]

I'm at both ends of this particular spectrum. Unclipped Granny horse had her rug off weeks and weeks ago (we didn't get too much Beast from the East Mark 2 and 3 out here), she's happy and muddy but is retired so it doesn't matter. The young (fully clipped) mare is still in a 100g as I don't want her getting cold since she tied up in Autumn (after the 2nd full clip, next year she's getting a blanket clip only)... she did work without her exercise sheet for the first time today! I'm not unrugging her until they are on the summer fields. I really dislike being on the over-rugging end of the spectrum but the tye up makes her an exception to my usual rules.

 

[scats]

Mine are in at night but been naked overnight for 6 weeks now. Diva was fully clipped just after Christmas. They go naked in the day unless it’s a major downpour forecast.

I can’t stand seeing horses still rugged in stables at this time of year, particularly when the temperature isn’t dropping below 7 overnight. My girls would be sweltering if they were rugged, but I still get the occasional comment from people about how cruel I am...

 

[milliepops]

such an awkward time of year and so variable, it's almost impossible to feel like you're getting it right all the time I think.

Mine are all still in rainsheets, it's just relentless drizzle here. The old girls are quite exposed at a higher altitude and although they are shedding their coats, I don't think it's warm enough where they are quite yet... soon though

The 2 down at the yard are clipped so 7 degrees in peeing rain this morning definitely required waterproofing I usually find Kira is a hot bod but even she was cool in a sheet last night so she's still in 100g quilt overnight. I can't really afford her dropping any condition and she is not eating all her hay now the grass is starting to shoot. Looking forward to some sunny days... they must be coming soon....?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Tammy's still mostly in her HW rug and neck cover atm, the other mare is in her 100g, they live out.

Before the overrugging police vent at me, Tammy has PSSM, Cushing's and hock arthritis, and she is far happier kept warm. A couple of days ago she was briefly out nekked, but it didn't stay mild for long and when I went out to the field carrying her rug to put it on, she rushed over to me with evident delight and presented heself to be rugged .

I'm so pleased that I'm not on a livery yard and am free to make my own informed decisions about my own animals.

 

[naza]

One of mine is fully clipped and in a 100g, still stabled at night atm. The other one is a wooly mammoth and out 24/7 naked.

 

[ElliePippa]

My fully clipped cob has been in her sweet itch rug alone for about 2 weeks, she has hives and anything else is just making them burn up :-(

 

[HappyHollyDays]

My two have been out 24/7, one with chaser clip and the other a bib clip. When it was seriously cold they were in 200 and 100 gm rugs respectively but have been naked since February.

DP (bib clip) had a cough in January and vet said he was to fat and needed to be naked so that's what happened. He still looks pregnant and is now in a muzzle but B looks fantastic.

 

[Louby]

We seem to still have winter here! After a lovely warm Monday, its back to blooming cold! Its the wind, its so open and cold at our yard, stood today for the farrier and my hands were blue, winter ccoat on and bobby hat! My girl has a 100g full neck on and isnt overly warm. Still mud mud and more mud here

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Its 7-8 degrees at night here, and the beast is currently in a 100g turnout, he hasn't been clipped all winter. The weather has been pretty lovely by recent comparison but is set to get a bit wet by friday again. I have been holding off on whipping off the rug for 2 reasons really - the swamp-like resemblance that his field has - I just know he will roll straight away and the mud is thick and just bleurgh. It is however better than it was - not completely dry but much better for the weather this week. Second, 8 degrees isn't freezing by any standard but its still a bit brrr. Every day I say I will take the plunge tomorrow and every day I put it off for one more day. But he is moulting like the beast he is and I do like to take their rugs off when they are moulting and let them have a good roll around...

So, am I being a wuss? Anyone else taken the rugs off? I only go up in the evening so the rug would have to be off over night as its not fair to ask my YO to do this in the morning.

Nope not until double figures, though they have been naked on a few days

 

[happyclappy]

Mine live out 24/7/365 and all have been out of their rugs for over two weeks now, including the very old lady

 

[Mrs B]

Not bl**dy likely!

The fields are sodden, even if the grass is coming through.
He is hunter-clipped but shedding the clipped bit. 1980's leg-warmers are hitting the deck.

BUT he is an appalling mud-dragon and if I left his rain sheet off now, he would grind an entire field into his skin in 12 seconds flat. And then moan like crazy when I tried to groom it off.

When the land dries a bit in the next 12 days - sure. Naked in the day, rain sheet at night, living out and saving me a shed-load of bedding!

Please?

 

[Mule]

I did about 3 weeks ago. When the weather gets too warm they run away if they see a rug. I've learned to take the hint

 

[southerncomfort]

My two chubsters have been naked all Winter apart from when it's snowed. Left them out last night unrugged and they came in shivering like mad this morning. I've had to put them in their stables with rugs on to warm up.

Trouble is, although the temperature should have been fine for them, we had a very heavy fog and drizzle which had left them wet and miserable.

It's just so darn hard to predict anything at this time of year! I am counting down the days 'til next weeks predicted 'taste of summer'!!

 

[MissTyc]

My blanket clipped horses are fully naked now & my fully clipped in a waterproof fly rug -- mind you, the grass is coming and they could do with some weight loss as it's been a fatty winter for some reason. Don't understand how, even *I* lost weight from the eternal cold and rain this year lol.