To rug or not to rug?

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zoe101982

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Hi, just wondering what people are doing rug wise at the moment. Mine is out without through the day but I am too soft to leave it off at night, even though she would probably be fine. Im in West Yorkshire, shes a TB and lives out 24/7 happily, shes only wearing a light weight and is still very wooley. Should we both thoghen up and leave it off unless the weather takes a turn for the worst? Just after a second opinion as I have no mates at my yard haha. Cheers.
 
Mine live out 24/7 and the natives are rugless. Elderly TB however is not! He doesn;t cope well with the cold and has been rugged (a lot!) all winter. However, the problem I have is that due to living out, I find it difficult in the morning to know wheter to keep a rug on during the day - I go off to work, and the weather is so changeable. Today I seem to have got it right in that it was a bit miserable this morning, but forecast to be very warm so the rug is off and its blazing sunshine now, really really warm.

However, I got it wrong the other day - nice a.m. and a downpour at lunchtime. Poor thing got soaked.

if in doubt I leave a l/w rug on just in case, but then he is 30.
 
We rug by the weather, not the date! So they (1 TB, 1 Welsh x TB, 1 cob, all out 24/7 and unclipped) haven't been wearing rugs since the beginning of March, EXCEPT if the forecast has been nasty.

I have a husband who WON'T take off his vest until 1 June, even if we have a heatwave. I think a lot of people are like that with their horses - it's March, April, October whatever so my horse should be in a rug. We see horses sweltering, rugged to the eyeballs, when we're out hacking, and wonder why. You'll soon tell if your horse is really feeling the cold, and I guess Yorkshire's still a bit parky compared with Somerset, so go by the weatherman, and your instincts, day by day.
 
Today, thanks to the glorious sunshine we are currently sat at 20oC so everyone is butt nekid!
If its going to be cold at night I rug the oap's and "skinny" types.
 
Yeah thats my problem, I start work at 8 so dont have time to go in the morning unless I really have to, just had to nip out on my lunch to take it off. I dont think she is really bothered by the cold, its just me, its not ment to get below 9 degrees for the next few days and its forecast to stay dry
 
My tb is naked today but has rain sheet on at night as she wasn't clipped this winter.

Walked the dogs past the next door yards fields this morning and the Haflinger was rugged, as were the 2 exmoors (one with full hood) :eek: it is 20 degrees here and sunny!
 
Ive just been to remove my rug and theres 2 in with her still rugged up, medium weights Id say with neck rugs. I might chance it tonight and leave it off, she wasnt clipped either so should be fine.
 
I'd leave it off. I put a 40g on my Arab last night and I'm regretting it now because I know he will be boiled and I can't get there for another couple of hours.
Maybe if you need to keep him dry if bad rain is due I'd rug, but lightweights don't keep them warm so at the moment I wouldn't.
 
My NF mare is neck n belly clipped n bar yesterday when it rained, has been out, unrugged for a week or so now. Only rugging when it rains or is very windy. Its 20 degrees here today but torrential rain yesterday?!?
 
my lad is fully clipped out naked all day and as of tonight out naked, he is 24 and coping very well. its down the the individual horse, he will be rugged when it rains and if it drops over night but other than that he will remain naked
 
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