Turning out for the winter - rugging help please!

[little_flea]

My gelding is being turned away over the winter due to injury. I have never had a horse live out over winter before, and I am really unsure what to do about rugging.

Do you think I will need to rug him, or will he develop a thick enough coat to go without? Horse lives in Essex so it doesn't usually get really cold. He is young, a Selle Francais, and will be on good grazing in field with shelter and additional hay if necessary.

He is sensitive and prone to getting rubs so it really would be good if he didn't have to be rugged, but I just don't know if he'd withstand the cold and the rain! Any advice from you experienced people MUCH appreciated.

 

[Cdehaast]

We have 14 polo ponies who all go out over the Winter and we avoid rugging if possible. They grow such nice thick oily coats and putting a rug on just tends to mess with their natural defences. Especially with a field shelter I think he'll be fine!

 

[Stoxx]

Can you just take it as it comes? Certainly don't rug him at all to begin with so that he starts growing a good coat and from then on just check to make sure he's warm enough when he is checked over. If he is chilly when the real winter sets in then you can always put a rug on him then.

 

[Cuffey]

Cold is not the problem really, with plenty of grazing and hay offered as winter grazing low in feed value
Rain and potential mud rash/rain scald are the more likely worries with finer skinned type.
You need to visit at least once a day, check him over, pick feet, dont groom, check fences and water, pooh pick--maybe weekends etc
Put weigh tape on once a month
If he does start to lose condition you may need to rug--I always have more than one so can change regularly, and give hard feed this can be fibre based as digesting fibre creates heat and dont forget to worm
I dont like the lightweight rugs (put your hand inside when it is wet they feel cold) so go for medium for unclipped horses--many of the newer rugs are an excellent fit and dont rub

 

[vallin]

I have a selle francais mare, who I ruig as little as possible, and usually ends up with a fairly thick coat. However she usually ends up with a light/medium weight rug on just to help her keep condition. Also at our yard we had 3 horses turned away over winter last year (all chubby cob types) and they also had medium weights on just to keep out the worst of it.

 

[Kallibear]

All of mine live out 24'7 all winter, mostly without a rug. They grow their own incredibilty thick winter coats. Some breeds can be suprising too - a friend has a TB who grows a coat a shetland pony would be proud of! And I have a welsh X who's grows such a pathetic coat the TB's laugh at him!

Horses rarely ever get cold if they are dry. Even the most pansy of mine is perfectly happy in temps below -10 when it's dry. They fluff up like teddy bears and keep themselves much warmer than a rug ever could. Plus they can thermoregulate much better.

The only problems occur when it's wet. It prevents them fluffing up and keeping warm. Putting a rug on them keeps them dry but flattens the coat, so they still can't fluff up so a thick rug is needed.

The only time I ever put rugs on is if they soaking wet through and it's still pouring and they're cold (which not all of them are). They get full neck medium-weight rugs on (keeps them dry all over but with only just enough filling to keep them warm) until its a bit drier.


If your horse has the common sense to keep himself as dry as possible with the field shelter than he should be just fine unrugged. Make sure he has plenty of hay in it so he WANTS to stand there.

And talking of hay, correct feeding is essential to keep warm. Hay and other long fibre (chaff) is disgested to produce a HUGE amount of heat, so adlib hay is essential. If more condition is required than suagrbeet is also high fibre and great for keeping them warm - they can have huge amounts of it too.