someone prove my hubby wrong !!!!

[Baileyhoss]

People can be so judgmental. Really and truely, how many of us rug as much for our convenience as for the horses comfort?

It's your pony, rug if you want. As long as you are not steam cooking the wee fella, he'll probably be grateful.

 

[Maisy]

I haven't rugged any of mine yet, but they are mine, and your shetland is *yours*.....if you decide to rug it that is up to you!

I think a couple of posts on here have proved your OH wrong anyway, which I believe was the purpose of the post!!!

 

[Tinseltoes]

Way too early to rug .I agree with hubby,Shetlands DO NOT NEED RUGS. Ive never seen a shetti wearing a rug,even in torrential rain. But its your pony,do what you feel is right!!!

 

[Hanno Verian]

I would be reluctant to rug a Shetland even in winter, unless it was ill, old or for whatever reason didn't have its coat in its natural condition to keep it warm. The Shetland is a tough little bugger naturally, its evolved little in hundreds of years, as long as we haven't changed its habitat, ie it has shelter from the elements, then it will be very happy and healthy.

I would be really concerned about rugging it in August, you might concieveably be preventing it from developing its winter coat, and all the natural oil that does a far better job of keeping them warm than anything we can apply to them. You could actually be making the poor creature uncomfortable, plus its like the arguement about allowing children to be "dirty" or at least be exposed to it to allow them to build an immunity to disease rather than wrapping them in celophane and cotton wool.

So I'm firmly in the hubby camp - If its not broke Dont fix it!

 

[lizness]

Last winter in the freezing cold winter when the shetlands came in at the yard i used to work at the shetlands were sweating at night, these weren't warm stables!
They have amazing coats, wish i had one like that!

 

[touchstone]

I'm another in the 'no rug' camp, and I also agree with Ladyinred that rugging can cause health problems when it is done when not needed. Your horse is far more at risk from suffering health implications when you overrug, which can cause dehydration and colic and also contribute to laminitis.

I've no issues with people rugging when needed, such as an elderly, clipped or ill native, but the whole point of the native breeds is that they are fine in our climate, and Shetland is pretty harsh at the best of times.

 

[kerilli]

I firmly believe that rugging natives is a big contributory factor to laminitis. They need to use those fat stores as nature intended - to keep warm during wet cold weather.

Very very good point, not one I'd ever thought of.

OP, sorry, but I think that if your field has any shelter at all, then your Shetland (unless ancient) doesn't need a rug yet... or at all tbh, unless clipped in winter.
I looked after an ancient Shetland years ago and he grew a really thick coat and was out, happy as larry, unrugged, all winter - it was a hard winter and we had plenty of snow, too. He had a shelter to use if it got wet (I think ANY horse or pony gets miserable if cold and wet, but can cope with one or the other, not both). Btw, he never got laminitis, and he was out all summer...
Your OH is right, sorry, unless the weather where you live is honestly worse than that in the Shetland Isles!

 

[Tinkerbee]

hi , guys please someone prove my hubby wrong, i have a shetland pony that we got about six years ago when she arrived she had never had a rug on in winter and the first winter she was here i didnt rug her, however after the first winter of her comming in wet i decided in year two to rug her,just in a lite weight to keep her dry however as the years have gone past she has gradually got better and thicker rugs. last week my husband came home to find i had put lite weight rugs on our horses and yes the shetland. he announced at the top of his voice that i must have the only shetland in the country wearing a rug in august. so please someone tell they have a shetland in a rug.!!!!!!!!! i just cant stand to see her wet.!!!!!

Have you ever been to Shetland?