to rug or not to rug!?

Mine is out in a lightweight.

Tbh he probably does not need it, but i have had comments that he looks cold in the mornings so its just easier to put a lightweight on than get snarky comments.
 
Ours are all out without. That might change on Sunday as wind and rain are forecast but not yet. They are all getting their winter coats now -rather more rapidly than I would like, really!
Ours are at home, so I never hear what others think of our management but I certainly wouldn't rug a horse just because of others' comments.
OP, if she has plenty of good quality forage available she should be ok so long as it is dry.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Ours are all out without. That might change on Sunday as wind and rain are forecast but not yet. They are all getting their winter coats now -rather more rapidly than I would like, really!
Ours are at home, so I never hear what others think of our management but I certainly wouldn't rug a horse just because of others' comments.
OP, if she has plenty of good quality forage available she should be ok so long as it is dry.
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Plently of good forage available 24/7. She never really get a thick coat. Just want to get weight back on her before it's too cold!
 
If slightly under as you say i would rug when temp is set to drop below 10 at night. You don't want her to be using body fat to keep warm. My tb is now rugged according to weather and has already had a 70g on overnight when temp went to 5- he is a Wuss tho and drops weight when cold. If they loose now its an uphill battle over winter better to go in a bit over covered i think.

Plenty on our yard are rugged but equally some are not.
 
My boy is in at night but if its cold and raining he is rugged during the day. Will keep an eye on the weather and judge it for a stable rug but at the moment he keeps his lightweight turnout on in the stable as it saves time in the morning with turnout!

This will be my first winter with him. He is under weight and a woss with the cold and rain so lord help me, lol
Im adding a scoop of Baileys No.4 conditioning cubes soon as part of his winter. Its a bit of a fight to get the weight on him before winter to be honest :o
 
serena2005 said:
Who's rugging up at night for those still out at night?

Warmblood, slightly underweight. Don't want her to get cold but it's still quite warm at night
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If she's cold etc - rug and let her use her food to keep/put weight on.

If she isn't cold - don't :)
 
Enfys said:
If she's cold etc - rug and let her use her food to keep/put weight on.

If she isn't cold - don't :)
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I think she will go naked tonight, and I'll see how she is in the morning, then dig out the rugs. She's usually pretty good with weight but the fields she has been in have been over grazed for too many years hence her weight loss
 
Mine has a rain sheet on over night/in the day for the past few days as its been miserable for the most part. She doesn't need it, as she's on the fat side, but I want to ride in the evenings so she has one on. Rug according to your horse OP, you know her best after all :)
 
serena2005 said:
Who's rugging up at night for those still out at night?

Warmblood, slightly underweight. Don't want her to get cold but it's still quite warm at night
Click to expand...
I wasn't planning on rugging up my TB yet because she lived out all last year (rugged) and has still got quite a thick coat.

She is now stabled at night unless we have a particulary warm night between now and the clocks changing, however, a couple of mornings ago the hair on her quarters was standing up on end (she had been in over night and naked) so now she wears a cotton sheet at night and a lightweight TO during the day.

She wont sweat in it but it keeps the chill off, plus she is holding her weight well so I want to keep that weight if I can.
 
Two of my oldies are wearing lightweights at night when it is raining - just to stop them getting chilled and losing condition that they can't afford to lose if they get a real soaking. When the sun comes out in the day though then the rugs come off.
 
Mine are all in no fill sheets at night because the temperature drops to about 7 degrees and it's been heavy rain. Naked in the day and normally inside to keep out of the really annoying flies
 
I always found my boy colder with a no-fill rug on. I only used it in summer to keep him clean. I would use a lightweight not a no-fill.
 
My girl is in during day bare naked and out overnight with what used to be a mw but is older so quite lightweight now. Its chilly here at night now and don't want her to start dropping off as she's perfect at the minute.

On phone please excuse grammar/spelling etc.
 
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