**Rugs what do you do??**

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Hey everyone
Just wondered if u have your horses/ponies out 24/7 when do u rug and what rugs do you use?

The reason I ask is I have 14.2 wesh cob x on loan who was out 24/7 last year and the owner has just told me to start rugging him at night when we get our first frost and then when we are in the full of winter keep him rugged during the day. I have his rugs from her but all she gave me was a standard turn out rug. This was all she used last year even wen we had all the snow!

I dont feel this enough for him if i keep him out 24/7 through all weather. Dont want my poor boy to get cold and miserable. I am planning on getting him a new zealand but just wanted to see what others do, use and when etc.

Thanks for all your help!
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cobby types are usually pretty tough but I would have a range of rugs. Probably get a lightweight turnout and another one of similar weight. You need at least turnouts so one can be drying whilst he is wearing the other. You could get another similar weight turnout, and an under rug, or a turnout with changeable liners
 
To be fair he'll probably be fine with that. years ago horses only had one rug and they seemed to survive ok! That said I'm wintering my boy out this year and he will have a rug collection! I'd say a l/w, and a m/w would probably do you and then you could layer under the m/w. It would probably also be useful to have spares to swap him into if they get wet. I usually put the m/w rug on at the start of october and think about laying by december time
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I have a large suffolk cross and am hoping he will go rugless all winter this year. Am not riding for the foreseeable future so hoping not to clip him this winter and so he can go naked. He does RDA during the week but rarely gets sweaty.

He has a large selection of rugs though
1 l/w
2 m/w
1 h/w
2 heavy stable
1 cotton sheet
1 thermatex
1 fleece
 
Whats he crossed with? If something nativey again then he should be fine. I have only one rug (a Wug) for one of my natives - its only a light/mid weight but as he isnt clipped etc. I find they literally only need something to keep the rain off rather than keep them cosy. Ive thrown it on nown and again over the summer if its been really wet and windy and will do throughout the winter as well.
 
Mine are still naked at the moment, get there no fill rugs on overnight if it's going to rain.
Sometime in September/October when it drops to under/about 10 degrees overnight they get their M/W on if it's dry and come in if it's wet - more to do with trying to keep the grass nice and not turning it into a mudbath quite yet!
By November (they are then clipped) they are in every night and have their m/w t/o on in the day.
They have a combo rug (I'd say it's only m/w but it's very snuggly and warm!) which they get in the coldest time of the year.
My field is very windy in the winter.

Also depends on whether you will be clipping him or not? and whether owner clipped him/worked him last year?
You'd probably want a spare or 2, but only change if he feels cold and wet underneath - otherwise you may find yourself having to put a rug on him that you took off to dry a few days ago and now the underneath is all cold and wet and it hasn't dried at all!!
 
I have a wimp of an ISH
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. He is out 24/7 in the summer although its more like winter at the moment with the wind and the rain.
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If its stays like this I will bring him in to dry and he can have his no fill on just to keep him dry and a bit warmer.
They come in over night around October time for the winter. When its gets colder he will have his no fill on, then he will get his l/w or m/w depending how cold it is, and when much colder his h/w on.
He wasnt clipped last year may well clip him this time round. If he is clipped he will be wrapped up to keep him warm!
He has quite a few rugs though to change if they are wet or if he has ripped a rug which he does like to do.
If its very cold he will have a layer on to keep him snug as he does loose weight easily so I have to keep an eye on him.
Rugs he has offf the top of my head:
2 x no fill turnouts
2 x l/w turnouts
1 x l/w combo turnout
3 x m/w turnouts
2 x combo m/w turnouts
2 x h/w turnouts
1 x l/w stable
2 x m/w stables
1 x h/w stable
4 x fleeces

Prob missed a few off there
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The first winter I had my sec D he was out 24/7 for the first part of the winter, unclipped but wearing only a lightweight weatherbeeta (no filling) to keep him a bit cleaner.

Last winter he was clipped and living in at night so required a more varied wardrobe!
 
My cob is fully clipped but never wears anything above a m/w even in the snow!! Natives are a lot tougher than most and keep themselves warmer - personally I would rather give extra hay than over rug. It is easier for a horse to warm up than to cool down - my cob can sweat just standing in her stable in winter - only has stable rugs on for the coldest nights. Don't judge by how cold you are judge by how cold your horse is.
 
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