Struggling to keep my horse warm?!

[lexiedhb]

If you feed warm feeds you will actually be making him feel colder. When you feed warm you are effectively raising his core temperature, meaning that the outside temperature will feel colder. same in the summer, a warm drink will actually make the surroundings feel cooler as you have raised your core temp. Ok its not by much but it would make a difference.


Also agree with Shils, if you can leave him out do....... movement will keep him warmer than anything else.

 

[Tinypony]

OK, I'll stick my neck out here. I think you're using too many rugs, possibly layering the wrong sort of rugs. Why not ring up a good rug company and get some advice? With modern rugs I can't see why you would need more than a decent heavyweight rug and possibly a suitable (but fairly thin) under-rug. Also, I agree, stop feeding warm feeds.

 

[AndySpooner]

OK, I'll stick my neck out here. I think you're using too many rugs, possibly layering the wrong sort of rugs. Why not ring up a good rug company and get some advice? With modern rugs I can't see why you would need more than a decent heavyweight rug and possibly a suitable (but fairly thin) under-rug. Also, I agree, stop feeding warm feeds.

Tend to agree with this, modern heavy weight rug should be enough. I know a lot of folk say my horse won't eat hay or haylage, but, if they are cold and hungry enough they will. Fiber is what warms them up and they will eat it if they are that cold.

I think that a lot of horses are slightly spoilt in as much as the owner keeps changing the hay/haylage and horses will always eat the most palatable first, and get in the habit of waiting for more, leaving the less palatable. We feed our own horses haylage in a corner manger, and they always sort through it. What the difference is I can't tell as it all looks the same, but they know. As long as their environment is ok, ie. they are out of wind and driving rain and they have forage available all should be well.

It is entirely logical that in extream conditions, such as we are now experiencing, that they may lose some weight initially, until their metabolism adjusts to the lower tempratures.

 

[Tinypony]

I have noticed that my horses living out have cut down on in their hay intake in the last few days.

 

[Degan]

Edited, as already been said in a better way than I could put it

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

Mine are being stabled at night with their heavy stable rugs underneath and turnouts on top (with necks). I have also put stable chaps overnight onto my TB with athritis. I've cut my horses hard feed right down, and only have them on fibre, oil and as much hay and haylage as they want. If they can continue to eat throughout the night this will keep them warm.

I would probably not want to layer up with more than 2 rugs because you want the skin to be able to breath. My stable rugs are good quality breathable ones, and my turnouts are breathable rambos, which fit well and don't pull back or rub. For me this works and my two horses aren't overheating, but are staying very toasty and my TB has put on quite a bit of weight over the last 2 weeks, which I didn't really want as he's looking a bit fat now.

 

[sonjafoers]

I think Tinypony has probably hit the nail on the head - I think I'm right in saying here you have 1000g of rugs on, so the likliehood is the horse is sweating slightly at some point then getting damp.

As previously mentioned FalPro rugs are much warmer then others, for example my 40g turnouts keep my horses warmer than their 200g Rambo Supremes.

You really shouldn't need all the rugs you are using so it may be worth investing in a decent heavyweight with neck and see how it goes, maybe with a fleece if absolutely necessary.

Sorry, not much help I know but I really think you have 2 many rugs on - in terms of the actual weight of them and also grams of 'warmth' if that makes sense.

 

[Dizzydancer]

When i used to fully clip mine legs off and everything!! He had a MW under rug with belly, then a duvet ontop held with roller pad and surcingle, then HW half neck ontop, it wasnt as cold as this winter but the duvet was fab for keeping warm obviously you can get differing weights i think mine was 10.5 tog, but they are lighter for them than having hundreds of rugs on and also keep the air between them well...how often do you wake up cold under your duvet?!
I wouldmaybeput leg wraps on him or bandages if you are good enough, they are said to act as another rug layer as they reduce heat loss. However unless he looks miserable and is actually tucking up then I think he is probably warm enough, he isnt meant to be toasty when you feel just meant to be warm...make sure you feel with warm hands though or he is always going to feel cold.
mix cold and warm water for his stable so it isnt like drinking ice cold water. My 24yo IDxTb is currently unclipped inside majority of the day due to the weather he is in a lycra shoulder gaurd, MW underrug with belly, MW stable rug then HW half neck and he is warm but not toasty to touch, he is happy though and would be cold in less. You need to judge by your horse, I have my duvet waiting incase it gets colder in jan/feb!
Can you change to straw, its warmer and they can bury into it better especially if well banked.

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

I have noticed that my horses living out have cut down on in their hay intake in the last few days.

are they getting enough water?

 

[Dancing Queen]

layering works best, but thin layers trapping the air inbetween the layers. air is an insulator due to the particle arrangement - hence the more layers you get the less heat loss and more insulation.

I have also changed from shavings to a lovely comfy deep straw bed. xx

 

[Rachaelpink]

Shires snug rugs are 500g gram rugs- one of the thickest on the market, my horse has one and she's always lovely and warm.

 

[mystiandsunny]

You can't beat a winter duvet! My wimp has a double duvet with a fleece underneath and full neck HW on top. The rug on top has leg straps so it all stays in place. You can only use it below freezing or they get too hot, but it works v v well!

 

[Doormouse]

This might have been suggested (not read the whole thread) but wool is the warmest thing you can put on. My very wimpy TB is wearing a under rug with hood, a wool rug, a 13.5 tog duvet and a stable rug with a hood. He is lovely and toastie and I must have the coldest stable in England! Any sort of wool blanket will do and the nearer his skin the better. No different to us really!

 

[TallyHo123]

Some great advice already been posted. If you can leave him out overnight I would, my TB who used to drop weight now lives out and she doesn't even have a medium weight on atm.
I also think you using too many/ the wrong types of rug. Ring up a well respected rug company. Maybe a fleece with a duvet then a medium weight or something on top?
I agree with the people who are saying if he isn't shivering/miserable etc. then he probably isn't that cold.

 

[Tinypony]

are they getting enough water?

Yes, thanks that's a good point. They have plenty of water, if anything more in the last few days. When they were eating more hay they had less water because it was freezing almost as quickly as we could top it up!
Op, honestly, you'll get so much varied advice on an internet forum. I do think the best thing to do would be to ring a good rug company for advice. All I can say is that lots of layers may not be the best option. He may already be so wrapped up that he can hardly move.

 

[sonjafoers]

Just a thought but what weight rug/s is he wearing during the day?

 

[humblepie]

Haven't read all the replies but I used to bandage my old horse's legs up for warmth. Just worked on the basis that if our feet/hands are warm then we are too.

 

[onemoretime]

Put stable bandages on - I was always told that bandages are worth a rug on top.

Please make sure you put them on properly though with fibregee/gamgee or similar pads underneath - if you don't feel comfortable with your bandaging abilities use stable boots - something like thermatex leg wraps or similar.

So long as he is not dropping weight though - don't worry they are horses....

I bought my little tb mare some stable chaps which she wears at night and she has been lovely and warm since and is putting on weight.