To rug or not to rug, that is the question

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BurlingtonBertie

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So... There is definitely a nip in the air over the last couple of days. Has anyone rugged up yet? What's the plan?! Wait? Soon? I've a TB and I'd like him to grow a little coat first but I don't want him to get cold. Dilemma!!! Thoughts please ;)
 
Most horses on yard are in lightweights now but are out overnight still.

The youngsters we are planning to stay naked all winter so no rugs.
 
Thanks for replying.... The problem is that it's such changeable weather and I'm not at the yard twice a day, I'll assess again at the weekend. It'll be interesting to hear other people's views on this.
 
mine still naked.

I only go down once a day so id rathe rthey grow a coat than be too hot in rugs as it keeps changing :@

Both still in flysheets tbh - one gets eaten alive so she has no choice! (bugrug)
 
Yeah we take of in the day and put on at night. I would leave a little longer if you want him to grow a little coat.
My youngster was rugged at the beginning of the year and used to wear fly rug -his now naked and his fine.
 
It's slightly chilly in the evenings, not baltic. Horses shouldn't really need any rug yet at all. I would only think it was necessary if someone didn't want a winter coat developing, or a horse was known to lose condition dramatically during winter, or a vet advises.

My mare will most likely go naked all winter this year.
 
Mine are naked and 4 out of my 5 will stay naked unless the weather turns into something out of "The Day After Tomorrow" :/
 
I'm trying to keep my girls coat from fluffing up as got a showing outing towards the end of the month so she's wearing a rug with a little fill at night as she's still out 24/7, usually though I'd leave her naked for as long as poss think I'm going a bit soft lol!:)
 
NO! I usually think if people need to ask they are trying to justify it to themselves when really they know the horse will be fine! They dont melt and its barely nippy yet fps!
 
My bigger, skinnier ISH is out in a no fill sheet which keeps him warm (he was getting a bit cold without it!) but as it is no fill- it makes sure he doesn't get too hot if the sun comes out, apart from the one day it suddenly went from 11 C to 25 C!! :o He has been out 24/7 naked if not raining until a couple of days ago when the night temps really dropped to below 10, and he is now always in a sheet (finally an excuse to rug him and keep him clean! :D )

Little, fluffier and much fatter 14.2hh ponies are out naked still! they will all be clipped and rugged though by october.
 
Definately no rugs yet, all of ours arn't ridden over winter so we want them to grow nice thick woolies. They'll be out and unrugged as much as possible xx
 
I'm rugging at night now & in day if needed. Got a very poor doer TB who won't eat any feed at the moment & loses weight at the drop of a hat!
 
Not unless it's wet. It's not exactly baltic yet and horses (ALL horses!) are perfectly capable of keeping themselves warm in this kind of temp if they're dry.

Rugging now will just ruin their winter woolies.
 
I've got a skinny TB whom I'm trying to get weight on so she's in a no-fill rain sheet at nights (as shes out) and naked in the stable during the day.

However I've only put the rug on two nights ago since it started bring wet.

My miniature will not have a rug on all winter although I will have to try and persuade my OH that he won't freeze at night! So he may end up with a lightweight rug on in a couple of months time!
 
Mine are well rugged but off to hoys so trying to keep their coats! Having said that, my old boy is still naked as prefer him to grow some coat!
 
I've started rugging my 2 TB's at night. They are out 24 hours. One is an older boy & one is looking a touch lean. The pony however won't wear a rug all winter. :)
 
Mines been fully clipped but she is a fairly good doing warmblood so shes only got a light-medium no neck on for turnout and stable at night
 
I think it depends on whether you are planning to stable overnight come winter, or will be out 24/7.

Mine are both already clipped for hunting, and will only be out for another few weeks 24/7, so currently have lightweight rugs on.

However if I had horses that were unclipped, or were going to be living out over the winter, I agree that it is too early too start rugging, as won't appreciate them when it is really cold.

As in all of these things, each to their own!
 
Mine's in a rug at night (either a cotton sheet or fleece). Nothing as yet during the day. He tends to drop weight when cold and is a fine tb.
 
Sensitive TB is now in a rainsheet by day and quilted stable rug at night. Having had him a few years now I've learnt that I need to start to preserve the weight he has gained from the summer now as anything lost will not be gained again until the spring.

However, fatty 4yr old is still naked and will have to burn some calories on her central heating for a while yet!
 
I have a TB, and I thought the same as you and wanted him to get a bit of fluff. Unfortunately the wet and muddy weather and lack of stable til this weekend has forced me to chuck one on so I can actually ride him!

Mind you, he'll probably need clipping at some point anyway..
 
I was only thinking the same today, it's gone quite chilly down here and my boy is still out 24/7, he's not clipped yet and in a no fill turnout but he felt a little chilly round his ears and armpits last night!!!! Might just put a cotton sheet or fleece underneath it as my next rug up is a 200g and I really don't want to be bringing him in until he's been clipped.
Might have to buy a lighter weight turnout, any recommendations?
 
BurlingtonBertie said:
It's interesting though, I suppose it also depends on where people are.
Click to expand...

That is why I find these posts so pointless! The only person I would consult on rugging is my yard manager who keeps a careful eye on the LOCAL weather forecast and knows which horses lose weight at the first frost.

TigerTail - far from not being nippy, we are already having ground frost and the wind chill factor from yesterday's torrential rain and high winds meant if felt like 0 degrees. I would rather rug my horse now and stop him losing weight than be frantically stuffing expensive hay into him next month in an attempt to help him regain the weight.
 
Not anymore.

I gave in and rugged my mare because all the others in the field were. However yesterday morning, I went up at 8 to take her rug off, it was 6 degrees and she wasn't standing in the sun. She was in a no fill sheet and guess what? she was sweating! took it off and have left her naked.
 
Baran, I have a degree in Equine Science and have been a yard manager so i am definitely not some numpty!! ;) I was just wondering what everyone else was doing at this time of year with the change of weather. If you found it to be a pointless post why did you reply?! ;)

Update on my TB - still naked, I'm hoping to wait another couple of weeks.
 
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