To those with naked neds out 24/7

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HaffiesRock

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My pony is now in full on moult, but the weather is forecast for -3/-4 over night for at least the next week or so.

What are you all doing? He's OK at the minute and I've not touched his coat, but its our first show on Easter Sunday so I need his loose coat out, but don't want him cold!

Should I just feed him more hay and see how he goes?

Thanks x
 
I wouldnt be to worried about the cold weather as such, mine suffer more with the incessant rain!! This time of year is the worst, i only have two rugged , one of them only when the forecast is really cold with heavy rain , they both have rugs off when dry and sunny. If it was just cold i wouldnt worry to much...but then mine are quite well covered!
 
He's not as well covered as he was going into winter. Ill keep feeding him and see how he goes. Fingers crossed for some warm weather soon!

Thanks
 
Leave as is :) His coat is capable of faaaar more than any rug man has managed to make so far!

As long as hes got ad-lib hay Id not worry. Mine havnt got ad-lib as theyre stupidly good doers and anything that comes off now will go straight back on as soon as Dr Green arrives.

remember a healthy weight horse is shadowy ribs showing not 'show condition'!
 
Its a quandary though isnt it.....i am having a similar one with feed at the moment , ponies are prone to weight problems, two (one who is twenty) are on poor grazing and have dropped a lot of weight over the winter.....so on one hand i dont wont them to drop any more , So have been feeding, BUT the grass will start to come through now and it wont take long before they are getting fat!! And the rug on, rug off saga is doing my head in!!
Do you have a light weight rug you can chuck on IF you need to??
 
My rising 3yo has been living out 24/7 with just natural shelter since she was a yearling now. I rug the Connemara that lives out with her, as he is clipped. I check them regularly and if anything, have found her to be warmer than him at times, but both always warm.

I wouldn't worry if his not as covered, I'm sure we'll have some rich grass through soon.
 
He's thinner than i'd like, but to say he was obese going into winter (480kg) he is now 360kg so don't want him any thinner. He's a 13.2 Haffie.

Supposed to warm up by next weekend so ill keep the hay coming and hope he doesn't get too cold. Blooming British weather!!!!
 
Wish I cold drop more off my dartmoor. She lives out with no rug but does have a field shelter. When I got her she had two quilted rugs on that went on in the autumn and hadnt been off since. She was fed ad llib hay and hard feed once a day. When I took the rugs off she was obese. I slowly weaned her off the rugs and she is slowly dropping some weight but with this poxy weather we are struggling to excersize her enough. She will be broken to drive during this year so hope to knock some weight off. her old owner said I was cruel and she wasa poor pony not being looked after. !!
 
I dont have any rugs but YO has millions! I'm sure she will let me use one if need be.

I want to crack on with the shedding blade before the show but don't want him cold.

How much use is the already shed hair that's just stuck in his coat at keeping him warm? It obviously cant stand up to trap hair so is it better off out?

Argh! So many quandaries!
 
mine are out naked and my haffy was last clipped (full) in November, he's fine, he's been naked for weeks now - still not lost any weight though. I don't feed hard feed, they just get hay which if it's really cold and windy they eat more of.
 
TBH he will probably be happier with it all gone...i know i would be! It cant be nice all itchy , One of mine has loose bits all stuck in his mane after a grooming session with his mate , he looks like a burst old mattress! :rolleyes:
And who knows how long this bliddy weather is going on for!!
 
My 2 yr old fells are out 24/7, both have started moulting in the last few weeks, and both have not a lot of fat left after the winter, ready for spring. I'm just keeping them on adlib hay, and keeping an eye on them. I do feel that it is more us that worries - at the end of the day they are designed for this weather, and know better how to cope with the cold than we do with rugs etc. The rain and wind combined worry me more as that is when they drop weight most, but again, plenty of hay and freedom to move or find shelter as they wish and they don't seem too phased by it. Personally I think putting a lightweight rug on them is more likely to make them cold as they can't regulate their own coat properly - we may think they are shedding loads but if yours is the same as mine he will have plenty still to go!
 
Thanks everyone for the reassurance.

Ill get the blade out tomorrow and even after i've removed a mountain of hair, he will still look just as fluffy!

Roll on spring!
 
My haffy does wear a rug when it is wet and windy and cold, but has not had one on this week as she doesn't mind just cold and I think the rug is a bit of an annoyance unless it is windy when I think she doesn't mind it!

I have been at it with the shedding blade, don't think its made any difference as their hair is dense :-)

If I couldn't rug her occasionally I'd just give her more hay, that keeps her toasty!
 
My 3/4 tb broodmare is out 24/7 naked (hates being rugged). To keep her warm we feed loads of fibre (haylage), & to condition her coat add linseed to her daily feed of grass nuts, allen/page fast fibre & carrots. She has maintained her weight really well over the winter.
 
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