rugs - the cold - rant (ish)

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travelmad

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it snowed last night. horses live out. they are hairy and have been out all winter, now have bib clips as they are back in work.

got text from yard that they are shivering and i need heavy weight rugs.

said horses are tough but well rugged: one is 450g rug - that is the most heavy weight you can get!! Other who is really stocky and hairy and part cob like - is in 350g!

now i know if they are shivering they must be cold, but its only 1 degree and predictions are that it will not go below freezing at all this week where we live. I think they should be ok in these weight rugs at 1 degree and suspect that they got cold as the rain was bad yesterday after i left them and maybe the rugs leaked?

when it was really cold and snowy they were bumped up to 700g and 450g, but i dont want to put this weight of rug on them when its 1 degree.

wwyd? (longer term - for today they are coming in to stables to get dry). Should I bump up rugs? I think that would be an issue if it then drops to -4 next week and they are already in double rugs
 
I find two lighter rugs are better in driving wind and rain as the wind seems to blow between the two rather than under a single rug. The windchill factor does make a massive difference.
 
You can't always go just by temperature. My three seemed colder yesterday in wind and sleet than they were when temperatures were much lower, but dry and little wind.

Is there good shelter in your field so your horses can get out of the wind?
 
They suffer from cold and damp much more than dry cold - one of mine was shivering yesterday, and two of them had rugs that were sodden and really heavy. This is the weather you need decent rugs, especially with all the mud - in cold frosty weather they can keep moving and keep warm.
I would put the warmest rugs you can on them, and make sure they have plenty of haylage, fibre in the gut generates heat and keeps them warm from the inside to a degree.
 
Agree what with the icy wind yesterday it felt much colder than 1 degree and once they are wet thats when they shiver and feel the cold, I think you have to consider the wind chill and wet and maybe put a warmer one on when its like this.
 
Did they have hay when they were out / shivering?

Do they have shelter?

My man shivers even some times if its summer and the rain is persistent - he hates it.

Once they are soaked though - you have had it. Same if you have any tears in the rugs.

I imagine if they have hay positioned in a well protected spot they will do allot better than if they have loads of rugs on ;-)

I actually do think kits the snow that makes them shiver and its normally crisp and "dry" if you get me....

If you have the facility for them to come in for a few hours to dry out and munch hay in peace and quiet I would do this also
 
As for the temperature - yes, I'd say your rugs should be warm enough - however they've recently been clipped, and you need to take in to account the windchill.

And it doesn't really matter if it's only 1 degree - If your rugs leak, then they'll be cold. Personally I'd add no more weight to their rugs, but I would ensure ones that stay dry.

Are you giving them good shelter, and hay?
 
See what they're like for yourself as you'll know them better than anyone :)
My horse is usually a hot horse but was clipped the other day and was shivering in a 300g so i've put him in a 450g today which I've never had to use on him! The rain and cold yesterday was really bad which may have got to them
 
I'm assuming you check them yourself a minimum of twice a day - so how did they seem to you OP this morning and last night??
 
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