Rugs - when to Start?

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winchester

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Well i can feel Winter round the corner...

Has anybody started rugging yet?

When do you start to rug? is it when temps go down to single figures or do you have another way of telling i.e. feeling how cold your horse is? What is your guide?
 
I don't clip my horse, so I wait till it gets cold or really wet. I usually rug about the beginning or mid November, though last year it was later - the end of November, as it was still warm. If it's consistently below about 8 or 10 degrees at that time of the year, I will rug. I've usually stopped rugging by the beginning of March - must admit though, that at our yard, I'm usually the last person to put on one and the first to take it off.
 
Mine have been rugged as and when they needed it.
Generally, I start to think about rugging when it gets to about 6 degrees - it depends on how the individual horse is though. For example, my 21yo feels the cold, whereas the 12yo is a hot horse and is fine without a rug. :)
 
It depends on the individual horse. My youngster won't be rugged at all and will be living out 24/7. My mare isn't clipped and has a rain sheet on, more to keep her clean than anything. I'll only up her rug if she looks cold. Armpits and base of ears are good places to check temperature.
 
Waffles said:
I don't clip my horse, so I wait till it gets cold or really wet. I usually rug about the beginning or mid November, though last year it was later - the end of November, as it was still warm. If it's consistently below about 8 or 10 degrees at that time of the year, I will rug. I've usually stopped rugging by the beginning of March - must admit though, that at our yard, I'm usually the last person to put on one and the first to take it off.
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This could be me! Although this year I will be clipping.

My boy shows no sign of needing a rug just yet but I will be clipping him at the begining of October so will put something on him then...

I do prefer them to toughen up to the elements to a certain degree and then only have the choice out of one... maybe two rugs to put on - a mediumweight, lightweight or nothing!!
 
It's really very simple. When they need it. That varies of course from horse to horse for a range of factors, but it still comes down to that basic rule.
 
littlelegs said:
It's really very simple. When they need it. That varies of course from horse to horse for a range of factors, but it still comes down to that basic rule.
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THIS ^^^
Individual horse, individual circumstances.
Just because "Joe Bloggs" down the road is/isn't rugging, doesn't mean that YOU (*applies to every horse owner/keeper in the country ;)), should/shouldn't be rugging yours....whatever the type of horse or weight of the rug. Just don't over rug with 3/4/5/6 heavyweights on all together :p :)
 
my boys hunting twice a week now so he's lightweight rugged at night if its cold and to really keep him clean .off in the day as its been warm and he's in a sheltered old turf field.if he didn't have shelter he would have it on in the day. i tend to put on if its raining or very cold wind.But like the others have said you have to judge it and every horse is different !
 
mines had a medium weight on for the last week after being on a holiday in a friends heated stables to being back home and out 24/7 :D she's one of those that really feels the cold- when we were in our 'summer' about mid July and we had a few days of constant rain and she was unrugged, i found her shivering and freezing cold :( so definitely needs her rugs. Checked on her this morning and was a bit colder than i'd like with her med on already! Cant believe winters come so early :(
 
For about a week now my TB has been stabled at night in a fleece and turned out during the day in a lightweight rainsheet unless it's really warm, in which case he goes naked :D However it's gotten pretty chilly here so may upgrade him to a lightweight stable rug at night as I really don't want him to drop any weight and I'm hoping to get away with not clipping for a good while yet!
 
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