Rugs in June?

When I had the TB, this is exactly the sort of weather that would have him shivvering. He was happy living out in a good rug in the coldest of wet winter weather but a summer day where it drops below 10c and rained and he'd be moping and cold and need rugging. I am the meanest rugger in the world but this is the sort of weather he hated.

The pony on the other hand has been turfed out naked, shivvering won't do her any harm and as long as she has grass she won't notice a hurricane!
 
Didn't know there would be 4 pages of replies! As I said, my paddock has NO shelter whatsoever from the prevailing wind, it blows straight in, I found the pony trying to get shelter from behind the pear tree! And no, she doesn't have a rug, but she was miserable but had to lump it. My horse is a complete softy and would probably prefered to be in a stable last night, but I couldn't get into the second stable as my son nailed it up for some reason (wild cattle?), so hence the rug.

As I said, I have NEVER put a rug on in June before, but the forcast is for better weather at the weekend.
 
I've been reluctant to rug up but it's been SO cold. My mare has a no fill rain sheet on at the moment - that's more for me than her as she's grey (now bay!! :O)

I was almost at the point of putting a 100g insulator on under it it's been so bad - we're on top of a mountain with no shelter. But for now we've soldiered on, she is definitely feeling the cold though!
 
tallyho! said:
Oh dear.

Someone kill me.

It's JUST frickin rain and a bit of wind. They fart worse.
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Hilarious! Couldn't agree more! This is why we have an epidemic of fat horses because they are rugged up to the eyeballs with a slight bit of rain and wind. They never have to use body fat to keep themselves warm.

The thing that really annoys me is the horses on our yard that are so overweight that they wear grazing muzzles at the same time as wearing a rug! Leave the rug off and the horse might not need it's muzzle!
 
Gratuitous pics of the ancient pony who nearly died of hypothermia during a foul May day. These were taken a year later, with my resolutely non horsey sons (now grown up), so pony must have been 41 here.

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It was horrid here all last night too. Doesn't sound like all the country had it so bad, though.

Re camping in foul weather - trailer tents rock! You can be up off the ground in the cabin, all snug and warm(ish).
 
tallyho! said:
I'll have you know I'm a camping afficionado... even with toddlers.

Thanks madmav you little angel... :)

Twiggy2... you're on a forum!!!! It's my job to worry when I am here.... feel free to drape your horses in whatever you like.... I like to drape ALL my horse in rain, wind, sun you know.... stuff they should probably have access to if you're a PROPER horse person.
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Bit harsh tallyho! I have a 28year old cob, sturdy as you like, spent all winter naked, but due to being a scratchy and not having much coat left this time of year has had to have a rain sheet on as he was shivering last time and my other oldey one went lame through being so stiff with cold.

I was bought up that unless you have something nice to say - keep it buttoned.- but obviously you are having a bad day and decided to take it out on some caring people on a forum - NICE !!
 
My old boy shivers terribly in weather (perhaps he is becoming less waterproof as he ages??) like this, despite having lots of natural shelter, so he is out in a MW which I would have thought was unthinkable in June! I went up to check him an hour ago and he was spot on in terms of temperature, dry and cheerful. He's a poor doer as it is, so my rationale is why should he feel miserable and cold on a point of principle? The younger one has a rain sheet on and seems perfectly happy too. Horses for courses :)
 
I'm the first to leave my horses naked...but, whilst its not cold, its just foul out there, so they have rain sheets on last night / today....and my heating is back on! : )
 
Gentle_Warrior said:
lol !!! funny to see how it is sooooo easy to get this lot going though, so gold star from me mate !!
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I am here mainly to amuse..........

...................................................................... myself :D

Though I can get carried away!!!! Sincere apologies still stand though :)
 
I am trying to toughen my old pony up a bit before winter so i clipped her yesterday, left her out without a rug on and then got up every thirty minutes throughout the night to throw icy water on her. I presume i get kudos from the "dead hard horse owner" contingent?
 
Orangehorse said:
Didn't know there would be 4 pages of replies! As I said, my paddock has NO shelter whatsoever from the prevailing wind, it blows straight in, I found the pony trying to get shelter from behind the pear tree! And no, she doesn't have a rug, but she was miserable but had to lump it. My horse is a complete softy and would probably prefered to be in a stable last night, but I couldn't get into the second stable as my son nailed it up for some reason (wild cattle?), so hence the rug.

As I said, I have NEVER put a rug on in June before, but the forcast is for better weather at the weekend.
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Am I the only one who is deeply concerned as to what might be inside the nailed up stable? Zombies? Treasure? Treasure that is somehow linked to zombies? Experimental storm generating device..?

As to summer, mine are both out 24/7 without rugs - when the worst of it was going on they hid in the gorse along with the sheep. It's always a bit stormy around June.
 
Fun Times said:
I am trying to toughen my old pony up a bit before winter so i clipped her yesterday, left her out without a rug on and then got up every thirty minutes throughout the night to throw icy water on her. I presume i get kudos from the "dead hard horse owner" contingent?
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Don't be daft. You're not supposed to have to get up to throw water over them - they are supposed to be tethered under a waterfall all night. Halfway up a mountain. Surrounded by wolves and so forth. You're not taking this seriously at all, are you?
 
Fun Times said:
I am trying to toughen my old pony up a bit before winter so i clipped her yesterday, left her out without a rug on and then got up every thirty minutes throughout the night to throw icy water on her. I presume i get kudos from the "dead hard horse owner" contingent?
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Pansy effort.
 
Arizahn said:
Don't be daft. You're not supposed to have to get up to throw water over them - they are supposed to be tethered under a waterfall all night. Halfway up a mountain. Surrounded by wolves and so forth. You're not taking this seriously at all, are you?
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I like it.

But a lot of us don't live in wales.
 
I hold my hands up and admit my 18 year old horse had his medium/lightweight rug on, he was dry, warn and happy. It was blowing a gale with rain coming horizontal and they had no shelter, so I don't give a ***** what anyone thinks. The cold - no rug, wind and rain - rug, the 2 together gets right under his coat to leave it standing on end. I don't bother with rain sheets as they really don't keep out torrential rain so why bother with one?
 
Arizahn said:
Am I the only one who is deeply concerned as to what might be inside the nailed up stable? Zombies? Treasure? Treasure that is somehow linked to zombies? Experimental storm generating device..?
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I am more scared at what he was trying to keep out. Werewolves? Vampires? Really cold horses looking for shelter?
 
Fun Times said:
I am trying to toughen my old pony up a bit before winter so i clipped her yesterday, left her out without a rug on and then got up every thirty minutes throughout the night to throw icy water on her. I presume i get kudos from the "dead hard horse owner" contingent?
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Arizahn said:
Don't be daft. You're not supposed to have to get up to throw water over them - they are supposed to be tethered under a waterfall all night. Halfway up a mountain. Surrounded by wolves and so forth. You're not taking this seriously at all, are you?
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tallyho! said:
I like it.

But a lot of us don't live in wales.
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Top marks you lot, great thread :lol: hehehe

I let my welsh cob off the welsh mountain, and put a rug on her, so I've really failed. Thanks for the tips above, must try harder.
 
I have NEVER before had to seriously contemplate re-rugging like I had to on Monday night just gone!

Jesus blumin' wept.... suffice to say, with no where near enough shelter in his summer paddock, I had to resort to something other than being naked (with a summer coat)...

He went out with a LW on Monday evening and moved back into his old winter field with much more shelter in it.

The herd had had a rough night I guess, as every one of them came in yesterday morning and within a short space of time,...were down and sleeping, grateful I think for some respite from that unbelievable front of weather.

Today?...the sun is out and he'll be back out naked tonight.

I rug according to the weather on the whole,...but I've never ever, until last Monday had to crack at this time of the year and re-rug....!!
 
I haven't rugged mine they seem to be doing great despite the horrible weather, they do have a great big field shelter bedded down with straw, they are all getting hey in the field as we have no grass either. I mean come on its june and there is no grass growth, I hope it doesn't happen but I can see the hey prices will prob shoot up, I hear that down south they had their first cut of silage at the end of march
 
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