Those of you who's horses live out

Clodagh

Clodagh

Playing chess with pigeons
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17 August 2005
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Do you have a wide range of turnouts?
Last year mine didn't live out until January, because one had an op, so going into this winter I have full neck HWs for them both but then only a no neck lightweight as back up. I think I might need a couple of medium weights for those inbetween days we will soon be having? They are both 3/4 breds and over 17hh, fairly fine coated.
 
Quick answer is no, I don't have much of a range of rugs. only one is rugged and that is basic M/W, no neck. (hate necks - personal opinion). I have 3 rugs, much the same and alternate them as and when needed. Very simplistic for us really!! (horse in question is TB x WelshD).
I've had the horse some 13 odd years, and yet to find her cold enough to rug further, if that were to happen I would purchase a H/W.
 
I would rather not spend the money! But am worried about a HW combo being too hot (I'm a neck fan!!). Do you think I might be able to manage then?
 
No, but then the 2 I have that live out 24/7 aren't in any proper work. One fully retired so left hairy and the other may/may not do a bit but would only have a low trace if needed. They will be unrugged for the bulk of winter, and only have a rug through the worst (if needed at all).

That is in contrast to clipped out / full competition work one that has every rug under the sun!!
 
I have 3 rugs I use for my pony who lives out all rambo wugs one in each weight, he is chaser clipped and will normally wear his MW unless it is snowing then he wears his HW. I also have a LW for him when it is wet but not very cold.
 
tbh my tb struggles with the wet more than the cold so I have a 50g fill lw for the rain a m/w rhino as a swap and a beautiful h/w Rambo which has been worn once - no necks as he is rather over blessed in the neck length dept
 
Clodagh said:
I am going to get a neckless MW I think. I don't clip but big horse, who is in work, gets no coat at all.
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I tend to use mws on my lot which include a pony, my TbX made and a 24yr old cob. HW on my mare only in really cold and an extra rug under the old boys rug when needed. The hws seems to be too much unless really windy, rainiy and cold. But depends on the horse I guess, whether clipped, a good doer, access to hay, shelter etc.
 
I will be using no-neck rugs this winter in an attempt to stop the beast from wandering through electric fencing and pulling it all down on her way. which reminds me i must go and pull tens bags of hair from her mane in a vain attempt to make sure she receives a shock as she pushes through the strands-she will be fully clipped too so that she is not insulated from the fence by the mammoth like coat she grows
 
Apparently, you can tie a bit of fencing tape around the front of the rug, so it conducts the jolt to the horse if he gets too close. Never tried it myself though.

Original question- my TB\ WB 's live out 24/7 summer, all day every day in the winter. They have a huge range of rugs ;) mostly second hand from ebay!
 
Cragrat said:
Apparently, you can tie a bit of fencing tape around the front of the rug, so it conducts the jolt to the horse if he gets too close. Never tried it myself though.

Original question- my TB\ WB 's live out 24/7 summer, all day every day in the winter. They have a huge range of rugs ;) mostly second hand from ebay!
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the rug would insulate them so they would not receive a shock, and my mare puts her head down and just pushes under the bottom strand and keeps walking
 
My Arab had a medium weight and a medium weight full neck last winter, although she didn't stay out when the weather was horrendous due to location (very exposed, so when it's windy, you can hardly stand up straight!). She also had a lightweight but tbh if it was lightweight weather then she generally didn't have a rug on. I'm a fan of medium weights - I'd rather have them than a heavyweight, although I'm considering investing in one for this winter so she can stay out a bit more.
 
Mine have very sheltered fields, and a field shelter. They were in full neck heavy weights last year as didn't go out at all until January, by which time it was pretty cold, and they didn't gradually adjust. Having said that I think they are much warmer out, when in the big horse was always cold, out with big bale haylage he always felt and looked good.
 
Mine live out all year (except for extreme conditions) and are fully/hunter clipped in the winter. They all have the best HW combo rugs I can afford and a variety of LW and MW rugs plus stable rugs for extra warmth. The horses next door live out all year without rugs and mine waddle out wrapped up to their ears ;) but they are so much happier out. I don't over rug by any means as I hate overheating but I do ensure they are kept cosy especially when clipped out.
 
twiggy2 said:
the rug would insulate them so they would not receive a shock, and my mare puts her head down and just pushes under the bottom strand and keeps walking
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The idea is the peice you attach connects with their skin inside the front of the rug, and also hangs outside the rug, to conduct the jolt to the horse.

But I can only see it working with a chest pusher. Your mare sounds a real tough nut;)
 
all my three live out 24/7 but do have access to a field shelter. They each have:

1 x rain sheet (Standard neck)
1 x 50 g lightweight (standard neck)
1 x 200 g middleweight (high neck)
1 x 300/350g heavy weight with neck cover
1 x fleece

All are still naked just now, but been flitting between naked/rain sheets/50g L.W depending on the weather.

x
 
Big horse is in a LW overnight, no neck.
Young horse is away at boarding school and is in a huge stable rug (in a stable) overnight so he will probably go straight into a MW overnight. I hope it is back from the menders in time, they are looking at employment from the big rug companies as testers.
 
No. Mine live out 24/7 and there's only natural shelter. One's and old big cob mare, the other a big orange idiot (TB x ID ) youngster. I've had various other types live out similarly.

Mine get adlib hay which really helps them keep themselves warm.

I've got a couple of lighter rain sheet types but in midwinter they live in deep chested full neck middle weights and stay there. They're rarely ever too hot and even in deepest darkest winter they're never cold. They don't get wet down inside the chest like a standard neck either which helps.
 
My guy lives out 24/7 hes fully clipped.. well rugged.. i like the Rambo style rugs as you can add liners or take away depending on weather.. hes got access to a field stable 24/7.. Hes been kept like this for the last 5 years and i can honestly say hes never looked better.. He always keeps on good weight. I dont think i could go back to stabling him at night and out during the day.. He and i are too set in our ways now..
 
mine have a selection of medium and heavy weight rugs but we dont do neck rugs! Big bale haylage(not yet) and field shelters available. The natives dont tend to where any rugs. Just my soft ex racer.
 
Mine have 3 rugs each, rain sheets which they are in at night at the moment.

Middleweights which they spend the majority of the winter in, they're usually in those once it is hovering around freezing point, so a couple of degrees above and below.

Then the heavyweights once it gets below -5 ish.

They have a fleece as well each to pop under here rainsheets if it is a little chilly but not cold enough for middleweights.
 
Over the past three winters I have been de rugging my mare and letting her coat do what it is suppose to. A couple of winters she was out in a heavyweight with neck and a fleece underneath. Last winter she had a rain sheet when it rained and a med weight she had on once. Over the year I've decided that rain sheets are more of a hindrance than anything as it doesn't keep her warm but doesn't let the coat do its job either. So this winter she will be rugless with hay and if she really needs something then I'll put a medium on her which is all I actually have for her now. Since starting out in getting rid of her rugs, she's actually maintained weight so much better through the winter so it really works for her.
 
claribella said:
Over the past three winters I have been de rugging my mare and letting her coat do what it is suppose to. A couple of winters she was out in a heavyweight with neck and a fleece underneath. Last winter she had a rain sheet when it rained and a med weight she had on once. Over the year I've decided that rain sheets are more of a hindrance than anything as it doesn't keep her warm but doesn't let the coat do its job either. So this winter she will be rugless with hay and if she really needs something then I'll put a medium on her which is all I actually have for her now. Since starting out in getting rid of her rugs, she's actually maintained weight so much better through the winter so it really works for her.
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Totally agree, I only rug the one I clip. He has a range of rugs, I find it's best to have a light and/or medium weight rug and add under rugs when needed. I wouldn't use a fleece as an under rug, they are not designed for this and are not ideal, better to use a proper under quilt or a stable rug makes a better under rug than a fleece.
 
I have a LW without neck, MW with detachable neck and a HW combo. Then sometimes put a stable rug under the HW when its really freezing
 
I have a couple of MW and a LW. I layer under them as I need to- I have a proper underrug and a few different wool coolers that I use. Then again, the ponyo is a bit of a bog beast, so it's more to keep the mud off than keep him warm!
 
My 3 are hairy natives living out in the environment they were born and bred in so I only tend to rug in extreme driving rain...or in the rare event that anyone looks to be not coping. I keep no neck LWs 100g fill for them in these circumstances.
 
I have a rain sheet, 100g no neck, a 70g PE full neck and a 100g liner for the PE. I hardly used the liner last year. I find mine is warm enough in a full neck rug even when it's really cold. He is a big ID type with a chaser clip but he is 21 so I don't want him to get a chill.
 
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