shivering horses in this heavy rain - would you rug?

RutlandH2O said:
Funny you say that...I have large field shelters in all of my paddocks and the horses never use them when it's raining or windy or both. They use them daily in summer to shelter from the sun and flies. There are fresh haynets in those shelters, as well. Not having a field shelter is not why those horses were shivering!
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Agreed, I have two cobs and anglo arab in my fields. Arab is 22 and alsways rugged as he is from racing back ground so he has always been pampered and does not like any weather apart from the sun! One cob is 18 yrs and always lived out with no rugs and he has never used shelters preferring to hide in the corners of the fields. The other cob is my two year old who is always getting into mischief hence my reluctance to rug as im terrified he will get caught up some where. Again he doesnt use the shelters unless the arab goes into them then he will follow. I have considered rugging him this week as he is always so eager to come in when its raining but the thought of him getting caught up some where stops me!!! They have a field shelter and access to two stables and still stand out getting wet through!!!
 
I'd put a rug on if they were shivering too. I worry about some people on here putting rugs on just because others are - if they aren't shivering they are doing fine. Even if they are not "toasty" to touch and have their heads down, tails to the wind - thats what they do... Shivering is a different thing..

My horses rarely go into the shelter on bad weather days, but they do use it as a wind block and stand in front of it. We have a few fields with no shelter, and the horses are not happy if they can't get out of driving wet and wind. I'm not soft with my horses, but do not feel happy if they don't have the choice to get out of bad weather and shelter somewhere - even if its just a few trees..

Interestingly I was driven from Birmingham to Manchester today in a big RAC truck, and could see over hedges. I saw so many horses inside shelters today, it was quite a surprise, as I thought most horses didn't use them! It proved me quite wrong..
 
My poor pony has ended up with rain scald as it has been raining so much and he has been rolling in mud and then not drying out properly. He lives out and although has access to shelter he choose not to use it prefering to stuff his face or roll about in mud or play with his friends.

He has been in all day and I got the vet out to treat the rain scald. He is not the sort of pony that normally like being in but he seemed to enjoy resting, eating hay and being dry.

He now is not allowed to go out without his rug on if it is raining hard for long periods of time.

If your horses are shivering and it is not forecast to stop raining and warm up so they can dry out properly then yes i would definately be rugging.

Many modern brands of rugs are breathable so you can put them on a wet horse.
 
diamondrockharvey said:
I would have just given them more hay ;)
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Like!:)

I saw the forecast and put extra hay out. Fibre ferments in the gut and provides an onboard central heating system.
I have also got into the habit in the last few weeks of getting my unrugged horses in for an hour or 2 during the day. It has been raining for at least 2 weeks now,the mud is horrendous,the field is ploughed and I would rather check and pick out the feet of a dry horse!

It is interesting to note that horses have a set of muscles/reflexes used for two purposes. 1)To twitch flies off. 2)To shivver and warm up if they run out of fuel for the central heating system and if the ground is too slippery for a warming hoolie!
 
Went to check my boys early this evening convinced I was going to have to rug them both but they were both warm, even in all the rain. I decided to put a large round bale out for them instead of rugging them (as the grass has turned to mud) to allow them to make their own heat. Result is 2 very happy boys :D:D:D
 
Our 30 yr old cob has been out during the day for most of the winter in just her own winter woollies but this morning I put her rug on because the wind was from the east. There is very little shelter available from an east wind here and I knew she wouldn't get the benefit of it. The other 2 were wet through at tea-time but not shivering. They do seem to have been standing sheltering for most of the day instead of eating though.
 
Our field has a lovely 'T' shape of overhanging trees providing shelter. Mines a wuss but is more than happy in a mw. Daughters pony has a chaser clip & is perfectly warm unrugged. Although she has decided to hang on to what remains of her winter coat over the last week. I'd rug if they looked or felt cold or tucked up, wouldn't want to wait for them to shiver first.
 
well my 2 were desperate to get in! To give you an idea of how horrible this weather is my dartmoor who came off a moor aged 2 couldn't wait to get in to his stable. He's usually not that bothered in bad weather but the fact it hammered down constantly and the field they were in hasn't all that much shelter seemed to be a bit too much for him. My ISH was not impressed at being out in it (although was in a l/w rug) she nearly cantered to her stable. Went to put them back out at 7pm,dartmoor in l/w t/o as he gets too hot otherwise and ISH in a medium full neck,turned them out on to a field that's been rested with more trees for shelter and they were much happier,both seemed very grateful for a good few hours in for feed,hay and their Horselyx!
 
I brought my shivering pony in, I dont have a rug that will stand up the weather :( despite owning a large collection of fairly new rugs- my light turnouts (she needs a light because she boils) let the water through! They are weatherbeeta so thought theyd be up to it!

Went to buy another yesterday but shop was shut so will try and get another today. Shes quite happy in the stable out the rain
 
It's mad isn't it. My mare has lived out all winter, no rug only natural shelter. Occasionally had frost on her back and icicles on her whiskers but was toasty warm under her fluff.
In 7 years I have never seen her cold....until last week.

The continual rain got to her and I found her shivering. She came in to dry off and had a rug on to go back out. I never thought I would have to do that. Caught me completely off guard.
 
I had to give in yesterday and rug my cob for the first time in 3 years!
He was shivering, so popped a fleece and a lightweight on him (which I had to borrow as he doesn't have any rugs of his own apart from the fleece!)

He was warm and dry this morning so he's back to being naked now :D
 
Mares that were clipped in Jauary are rugged. One in a m/w with a neck, one in a heavy-ish rainsheet (neck). Both toasty dry.

One Trad Cob not rugged and fine. One Welsh x not rugged, and surprisingly fine too - normally shivers like a jelly on a washing machine in heavy rain. Think it's 'cos they're on the summer grazing and there is plenty to eat.
 
My two mares both came in yesterday morning and were shivering - they both had MW rugs on but I guess the wind and rain was really bad. I left them in with haylage - they went back out in the afternoon and were a lot happier.
 
Mine were really shivery and cold - proper cold - yesterday morning and more rain and wind is forecast so I have rugged them (having not rugged all winter!). Iv'e never seen them look so miserable. They are both in a small turnout paddock away from the good grass for a few days and where they are, there is no shelter, so I guess they couldn't protect themselves as they normally would. So I have rugged for tonight and will do so until this horrible wind and rain goes away. Both are elderly ladies.
I must admit I'm really hating this weather - it's so inconsistent.
 
I hate this weather, yearling is in his lightweight and clipped oldie in her medium, they haven't been rugged for over a month until now. Freak weather. Fwiw I could never leave a horse shivering, even a fattie, there's just no need. Much better ways to lose weight.
 
I've put the old boy out in his HW as it's the only one with a full neck.

They were all shivering on Sunday and got them all in about 2pm and chucked fleeces etc on and kept them in for the rest of the day / night.

Torrential rain again today :(
 
Daffodil said:
Mine stabled at night, but spent the morning in. Now out and rugged with under-quilt and h/w necked rug and field boots. Just started raining again.

He had to have the vet out one day a couple of years ago when he got cold and wet and have taken no chances since.
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im glad im not the only one not turning out in a light weight! i was begining to think i was over reacting - my 4yo lives out and she was fully clipped over the winter so has her entire summer coat through which for a PBW isnt that thick and she deffinatly feels the cold and hates the rain. shes out in her 350gm heavy weight and she was shiverring on sunday so yo bought her in, they have hay in the field morning and evening and have lots of natural shelter and they both come in for a few hours each day so they're happy as larry - apart from the day she was shiverring she hasnt been stood by the gate when i got there and never seems to want to come in any more than usual, but i think thats because itsso muddy again around the gate and she hates mud so she cant stand by the gate :L
 
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