Too early to take rugs off?

L&M

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Ours have had mw rugs on since they finished hunting but haven't had much work the last few of weeks, and shocked to see how portly they both look when I took their rugs off today. Especially as only the very beginning of grass growing season.....

Their normal spring/summer activities will obviously be curtailed too, so although will be hacked out a few times a week, will also be burning off less calories.

They both have been fully clipped but have a light coat already. The forecast is for cool but dry for the foreseeable...…...so would it be cruel to make them go naked? Obviously if it went back to side ways rain I would think again.

Thoughts?
 
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Could you swap to a lighter rug; 50-100gm instead (not a rain sheet)?

We had a lovely day yesterday so everything was naked but the wind is back to freezing and enough to cut you in two so rugs are back on the two that wear them (fat cob unclipped and always naked).

The weather is still so changeable that I dont think any firm decisions can be made.

As they've been clipped and rugged 24/7 I personally wouldn't go from m/w to naked.
 
I took the rugs off mine that are out 24/7 earlier this week and unless the weather changes they will not go back on, it is chilly in the wind but my field has a good hedge all round so they have a wind break, my old boy is losing his coat at a fair rate he is out all day naked and coming in very warm so despite being a bit under weight I don't want to rug him when he can have a good roll, he wears a light rug overnight.
 
Mines out naked, she was fully clipped about 6 weeks aog and its grown back a bit. Shes fine. She is in overnight though or in any torrential weather
Thanks all.

Ours are out 24/7. Maybe I will pop some l/w's on for overnight then.....

Just worried about summer weight gain, especially the cob who gains on fresh air. Have tried muzzling him but he ends up with rubs (have tried different muzzles) and just ploughs through electric fence.
 
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Where my young horse is there are now 6 turfed out - 2 would have been anyway and are hairy/naked and the other 4 to cut down on commitments through this CV19 period. 2/4 are on the slim side, mine included, but not clipped and are naked. 2/4 are fully clipped but with some regrowth - the obese one is naked, the normal one is rugged.

Personally I’d struggle with fully clipped out overnight rugless and would probably pop a LW on overnight if it were mine
 
My fully clipped horses are going out in the morning in their rugs but I took them off late morning today and will continue to do so whilst we are having lovely sunny days. Their rugs go back on when they come ion late afternoon.
 
I threw mine in a new, dry but not lush field last week (had sheep on it all winter) after being stabled overnight for months. 2 naked (hardy) and my ridden mare in a rain sheet. Left all week as been mental at work dealing with impact of CV. Brought in today and whilst v happy to come in and have stable comforts, all are looking quite well. If I turn her out in the day only she will be naked.
 
Mine are unclipped and went in their summer field with tons of grass last week so they've had rugs off even though it's been chilly, and they've been fine.
 
Mine went out yesterday rugless (fully clipped but almost grown out) but today was a cool breeze so lightweight went back on. However, I think I’ll chuck him out naked for the rest of the week. It’s given nice and dry so he can roll and get some of his coat out and enjoy himself. Although I’ll possibly regret it later...he’s a grey ?
 
One of mine is partially clipped the other is 25yes old. They’ve had a couple of days with no rugs on earlier this week but they’ve had no fills on for the last few days. Today there was a really cold wind. They’ve got lightweight stable rugs on tonight but my oldie I like to keep warmer. They may be out tomorrow with no rugs if the wind drops.
 
Well mine have got tummy/chest clips, both of them, but they're hairy cobs and have enough mammoth-coat to keep them warm.

I hardened my heart at the beginning of last week and chucked them "out without" in the only bit of field I have that is not a quagmire.

Yes there IS a cold east wind at the moment, and am keeping the situation under review. But at least it isn't wet with it, for now........
 
My fatty (Irish clip, has been in a 50g) was naked last night and is fine this morning
My skinny (unclipped) is still in his 200g; it does come off on warm days
It depends so much on the horse
 
Mine are all out naked including the ones that were fully clipped about 6 weeks ago. It’s dry and sunny although the wind is chilly. They are also staying out from tonight as the fields are now dry. I will be putting rugs on overnight as it’s going to be -1.
 
What do you count as medium weight? If it’s 150+ g then I wouldn’t chuck out naked straight away. Could you try a 50g or 0g and see how they do? And if they’re not cold in a 0g then take rugs off.
Mine won’t be going out naked for a while, with his current coat not until it’s 13-15 and sunny. Currently he has a 100g, he’s got a new 0g for when it’s warmer. But he’s fully clipped, the hair is still very short and he gets cold easily in wind and rain. So, see what your horse copes with.
 
Mine is clipped out and has been naked at night for a couple of weeks in the stable.

As of today he'll be going out naked. He's a healthy native looking slightly too well.

I also think it's so important for them to feel the sun on their backs and get some vitamin D.

I'd much rather he be slightly cool than sweating in the mid day sun under a rug.
 
Mine is rugged when turned out in the morning so she is nice and warm when I ride around 11am. Then she is naked when she comes back and is turned back out again.

Rugged overnight in 300g, as she hates to be cold!
 
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