Skinny Horse...should I rug him?

[mrsjcmking]

I have recently bought a rescue horse, and I'm currently trying to get him to gain some weight. Someone suggested that I should rug him to help him gain weight faster.

He seems to be malting a lot at the moment, and he doesn't appear to be cold, the weather is unpredicatble at the moment as well but its probably averaging at about 17C temperature wise at the moment where I am.

Should I rug him, if so, which type/how thick should I go for?

Thanks

 

[Sarah Sum1]

Is it cold where you are? It's not really cold here. I would think putting a rug on if not cold would make him sweat, therefore lose more weight? The weight experts will be along. I just muse

ETA Rugging up in August makes me feel hot! lol, but then this is the UK

 

[JadeyyAndLadyy]

i think it would be a good idea with this wet weather, that way he would be less cold and wet.
if hes skinny and losing fur maybe check for lice?

 

[Sarah Sum1]

There you go
Ignore me

 

[galaxy]

I would rug a skinny/poor doer in a lw turnout (no fill) at this tie of year on a day like today when it's rainy and horrible and not warm outside. You've got to keep an eye out though to be able to get up there and take it off if the sun comes out though!

 

[yeeharider]

mine are out 24/7 atm am rugging older boy overnight as he loses weight easily and if I miss him now will be like a hatrack all winter prevention is always better

 

[[69117]]

Rug him! I have a DELIGHTFUL poor doer, who likes to cost me as much money as possible...and the best thing I have discovered for keeping weight on him is rugging him like a mad thing. I completely ignore the weather and go by how he feels, if he's hot he goes out naked, if he's cold he gets a rug on - I'm fortunate in that he's right outside the house so I can obsess about him all day and check him every hour to see if he's too hot/cold/just right!

It really really does work! He's currently outside with a lightweight rug on (only a bit of fill, he had a rug with no filling at all on during the day today, but was chilly when I went to check him ten mins ago!)

Good luck!

 

[TicTac]

A lightweight rug will keep the worst of the weather off and help him keep dry. The temperature is changing up and down like the wind at the moment so make sure you take it comes off when it dries up. Plenty of hay or fibre chop will help too but I'm sure you've got everything in hand