UNBELIEVABLE!!! RE- people who don't wrap their horses up 'cosy warm'

TigerTail said:
Dear god what an over reaction!

Some horses do not need layers of rugs, clipped or unclipped. Some have a very dense coat which keeps them plenty warm. If the sun is out NO horse needs a damn rug on anyway.

Also they could be trying to get the horse to lose weight so that it is not obese and at risk of lami come spring etc

It is far worse to over rug, which to be frank sounds like you are doing, than to under rug.

Theyre animals, born and bred to live outside etc etc - not to be trussed up in blankets like replacement children.
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I have to admitt - I worry like anything when I go outside and feel how cold it is in the evenings and think 'is she warm enough? Should I have put an under rug on?' .... but then I remember that in the last cold snap we had just after new year,...I had her midweight rug on her (with neck peice), it got to about -3 over night, got to her about 10am next day and she was wet with sweat. I felt AWEFUL. And at that moment I made myself take a step back and think, right,....she is a horse, a field animal, she has a massivly thick coat, she has lived out with the previous owner for 3 years and ONLY when it got very very cold did she have any rug at all. I agree, logic says, at the end of the day, it is a horse. I for one dont worry about the cows on my yard being cold in the same conditions,.....with no rugs!

Each horse is different and each horse, like each person feels the cold to varrying degrees. I learnt my hardy little mare is just that, and her midweight is more than suitable, she is not clipped either. Although, if the MetOffice is correct and Friday night is going to be -9'C here, then I will be pulling out the under rug for the first time, and for one night only (if it gets warmer into Saturday night of course!).

My main point - it is horrid to see a horse, in your view, not being cared for as you would with yours. BUT, someone may look at you and think it is over kill. You cant put your views of horse care onto other people....unless of course the horses are litrally ice-pops or have icicles from their tummies and nose,...then it becomes neglect. But be careful if you approach anyone, as someone else said, there may be a number of reasons why their horses are not rugged. You may think my mare is not rugged adiquatley, but I know from experience of her personally, that she is. You dont intimatley know their horses, as we dont know yours who may need to be rugged to within an inch of their lives!

Take a step back, take a breathe, and look at it from other views. Chances are it'll calm you down and make you realise it isn't that bad.
 
Just gonna say, this is the first year for many that my horse has NOT worn his heavyweight full neck rug as it's just been too warm for it! He is fully clipped - well, this year he has a hight blanket clip as he's 21 now and after the last two winters when we didn't ride for 5 weeks due to snow I thought not worth clipping too much!

I have to be careful with him though as he gets too hot (I have to clip him in summer) so hence I try not to over-rug as he is very miserable and stands twitching if I do. my 26 yo pony has a neck and belly clip to prevent him sweating up on the occasional hack he goes on and he has been out naked some days as, even if cold, when the sun's out and there's no wind it actually is pretty warm - you only have to touch their coats. Even when he is rugged at the moment it's a light/medium amigo as anything else would make him too hot.

You can't just judge on temperature as horses feel it differently than we do. You should account for wind, rain, sun etc. However, if a horse is underweight and pretty much fully clipped then I would put a rug on it. Pointless it using energy to keep itself warm so pointless paying out on feed in that case!
 
Did we find out what clip? Can't be bothered to read every page.

Mine is fully clipped and wrapped up in a heavy weight tonight despite being a cob. Due to lack of rugging, he dropped far too much weight a few years ago and took months to be a decent weight again. Better safe than sorry, imo.
 
cinammontoast said:
Did we find out what clip? Can't be bothered to read every page.QUOTE]

mine both have their heavy weights on, both have trace clips she lives out and is ancient but actually thinking may have cut her feed down as she's looking very well he is in at night and is a wimp, both seem fine but they won't be having any more rugs on.
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cinammontoast said:
Did we find out what clip? Can't be bothered to read every page.

Mine is fully clipped and wrapped up in a heavy weight tonight despite being a cob. Due to lack of rugging, he dropped far too much weight a few years ago and took months to be a decent weight again. Better safe than sorry, imo.
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...from what I can gather, as it got very boring reading the insults etc so I gave up....this was a 'spoof' thread, therefore, a trolling/spamming thread, call it what you will.

Of course, I might be completely barking up the wrong tree, if I am, I'll gladly be verbally slapped down.

:D
 
Well yes TT they are animals, and are born equipped to deal with cold weather. That means they grow thick dense coats from living outside, have fields with shelter including dips where they can get out of the wind, and adequate food.
This horse was clipped out and in these temperatures that's totally unnaceptable unless for a quick hoon round then brough in or rugged. I disagree, if the sun is out they still need a rug.
Do me a favour will you?
Just strip off tomorrow if the sun is shining and stand naked in your field tomorrow for just ten mins. Then tell me if you need anything to keep you comfortable or not.
Honestly, sometimes the degree of ignorance shown on this forum takes my breath away...
 
My tb went out all last winter in a lightweight no neck....she is clipped and 17 yes old....she doesn't go out if wet....(this winter...she jumps the fence to come in) but she us clipped and in a little fleece if it's really cold s lightweight cooler if not. If she goes out lightweight no neck....she is moulting like hell. I don't believe in cotton wool. Last year we had -20 but it was dry and sunny...i was in a long sleeve top, no coat, I didn't die! She is a hardy old trout!
 
Winklepoker said:
I over rug my horse because it makes me happy to know that he is roasting! JEEZ!

I clip him out fully when he doesnt really need it ;)

I also have had him in a set of draw reins and he NEVER EVER hacks out!

People do things differently, other people rant freely about all sorts of things - I just chose this one today :D nice to see HHO still have a good ole' fire burning in its belly though!
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So basically your bored and just posting crap then. Good one :rolleyes:
 
touchstone said:
In my experience many horses with a partial clip are fine turned out in the cold, it cold/wind/wet that does the damage.

The owners are probably trying to boost the horses metabolism to avoid it being overweight or laminitic, and it may well just be a 'hot' horse that doesn't particularly need rugs.

Best to know the individual horse and the reasoning behind management practices before condemning them I think.
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100%

Horses aren't like people for **** sake.
 
While I concede some bits of this thread have been whacky, can we please face one simple fact: there are indeed some of us who have great internal debates with ourselves as to whether to rug up or not. Clearly MANY of us need guidance in this area, and need to be able to ask advice of our more experienced members or express our worries etc.

How about a SERIOUS and helpful thread for those who genuinely seek advice on what is clearly a divisive topic? I'd start one myself but with about half a dozen posts to my name I'd probably be written off as a half-witted troll :mad:
 
This thread shows me why I am no longer on a yard! Each horse is an individual. However, I would say that in freezing conditions a horse is unlikely to be able to keep itself warm enough if its fully clipped out with no rug. After all they don't tend to run about as much when the ground is frozen solid, and slippery.
 
I think whats worse tbh is people rugging unclipped fat very very hairy cobs! Now that is animal abuse.

None of mine are clipped/rugged but they are all wooly and have a big field with lots of hedges/trees to get out of the wind. If it were cold/wet and windy then I might put a rainsheet on the two older ones.

Anyhow people will always do what they want with their horses
 
Well I am going to put my tuppence-worth in just for the sheer hell of it - I have a welsh A - hunter clipped for showing reasons - he has 2 rugs on at the moment 24/7 they are 1 x full neck 100g stable rug and 1 x 200g Amigo with neck turnout - underneath he also has a Lycra hood with head. He is not sweating and not cold - he is just lovely and toasty. I do not change his rugs at night when he comes in.

However, when I lunged him at 5am this morning and it was -2.5 I left a wool witney striped rug on, wrapped front back under surcingle because there is no way I was getting his poor naked body out.

However, that is my pony - I do not know this other horse/pony, if it is not shivering then leave it alone - if it is tell YO and get her to have a word.
 
OK I bought mine a wonderful double field shelter with an old 36 year old companion. In this cold weather driving rain etc ...GUESS what??

Standing with bums against a hedge at bottom of field every time. Tend to use it more in summer due to flies!

I go to see mine yesterday bitterly cold and its outside with bum against hedge and happy to see me.
Woolley mamouth...........vet was well impressed with his coat.

Hate hate rugs on most horses! It does stop their coats growing and if the horses the poster has mentioned are stripped bare and suffering etc but I do wonder why new forests ponies etc are not all rugged up then?

When sweaty covered in straw and put back in field good roll mud is best natural barrier and he is as happy as larry!

DONT HUMANISE ANIMALS!!! she provokes a response no doubt!!
 
Horse on our yard was fully clipped out last year,infact i lie he had his legs and face on still. To look at you'd think he was just your average cobby. Started going a bit lame,got the vet out this was december-january last year and the vet said to leave him unrugged on a night to get him to loose some weight and use some of his own fat to keep him warm as he was at risk of making himself really poorly and getting athritis from having to support his weight. He never looked sick or sorry for himself just put his fat to good use :)
 
debsg said:
My OH could do with clipping and turning out naked :D
My hamster is in full work and has a chaser clip atm, but I'm finding it really difficult to source turnout rugs for him. He is a Siberian hamster, so you'd think he was used to sub zero temperatures. The poor little bugger is shivering as he runs around on his wheel and I could really use some advice. Should I up his hard feed? Am a little concerned about ham-initis.
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Is your hamster called Basil? If he does succumb you can always put him in the RATatouille;)

I think it's really helpful when people selling cobs put their rugs tog rating in the adverts; h/w, m/w, l/w...
 
Surely this is a joke? Well if not it's as cruel to over rug IMO if not more cruel as the horse can move around to keep warm but can't remove the extra rugs
 
Mine are ....UNRUGGED......... (with the exception of old boy aged 21 and part clipped)

They are happy & healthy - I HATE rugs on youngsters, IMO they restrict their movement - & their coats grow to the conditions :-) AND they are out 24/7 - they have a huge new field shelter but can be seen grazing happily come snow or rain and tend to hide behind it in the wind :cool:

My old boy (part clipped) is also out today minus his rug......but it is sunny and he is enjoying having a good roll (more work for me when I bring him in later to re rug him)

I have even been known to turn him out in the ....(wait for it) SNOW minus his rug so he can have a good roll and he loves it!!

Have some lovely photos of young horses out with about 4 inches of snow on their backs :D:D
 
BonneMaman said:
Well I am going to put my tuppence-worth in just for the sheer hell of it - I have a welsh A - hunter clipped for showing reasons - he has 2 rugs on at the moment 24/7 they are 1 x full neck 100g stable rug and 1 x 200g Amigo with neck turnout - underneath he also has a Lycra hood with head. He is not sweating and not cold - he is just lovely and toasty. I do not change his rugs at night when he comes in.

However, when I lunged him at 5am this morning and it was -2.5 I left a wool witney striped rug on, wrapped front back under surcingle because there is no way I was getting his poor naked body out.

However, that is my pony - I do not know this other horse/pony, if it is not shivering then leave it alone - if it is tell YO and get her to have a word.
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'Toasty' is TOO hot. Horses /ponies should not be toasty. Poor pony, sounds like torture to me:(
 
update...bad mother here..my TB mare, 16 very fine coated & used to being in medium or heavy weight with neck when out in day..its -3 here & been rugged all winter..and has a semi grown out chase clip...she was out as usual with her son and for some reason he wasn't happy to eat as he was too busy trying to get her pregnant...nipped that in the bud..whipped her rug & hood straight off...popped her back out & now if he does mount her, no worries about legs getting caught in back straps or mouth injuries when investigating around her buckles..have to say clever lad, tried pulling her rug off..then walked round her & started nosing the buckles & playing with them..front, side & back!Just been out to check them & despite being rug free & grass too frozen..they are happily munching their hay & are warm & happy..no staring coats...nice bit of sun on their backs...oh & he seems to have stopped pestering her as she'd obviously squirted on her back straps....job done and she actually looks really happy after having a really good roll!:eek::eek::eek:(should I don my bullet proofs???):D oh yes and my polar bear in my avatar LOVES wearing his(my) hat -he brings me his lead..his harness..and then two hats & my gloves! if I don't put his on, he cries & cries & cries!..when he's warmed up a little he paws it off...and when his ears are chilly again, he brings it to me & sits holding his head out!! I am pure evil!
 
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Shoot me now, my UNCLIPPED, yes your read that right, both are unclipped, idxtb has 3 rugs on and my Sec A has 1 MW with neck on. I know my horses and I know whats right for them, on dry days they both have their rugs off for an hour or 2, Jay will lose a rug or gain it back depending on him, Fizz will stay in her MW unless weather and her body temp get to a point I feel its time to up to a HW or drop to a LW.
 
All this cuffuffle over what is common sense. Rug or dont rug according to horse/pony and weather conditions. Some horses live quite happily without rugs, others need them to maintain condition. My TB who is blanket clipped needs to be warm as well as being stuffed with hay and feed to maintain weight so is well rugged. We have other horses on the yard with varying clips/unclipped, rugged/without rugs and they are all fine.
 
BonneMaman said:
Well I am going to put my tuppence-worth in just for the sheer hell of it - I have a welsh A - hunter clipped for showing reasons - he has 2 rugs on at the moment 24/7 they are 1 x full neck 100g stable rug and 1 x 200g Amigo with neck turnout - underneath he also has a Lycra hood with head. He is not sweating and not cold - he is just lovely and toasty. I do not change his rugs at night when he comes in.

However, when I lunged him at 5am this morning and it was -2.5 I left a wool witney striped rug on, wrapped front back under surcingle because there is no way I was getting his poor naked body out.

However, that is my pony - I do not know this other horse/pony, if it is not shivering then leave it alone - if it is tell YO and get her to have a word.
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Your pony is a WELSH PONY!!! Good grief what on earth would he have done on the mountains?!!! I understand he is hunter clipped but even so I think you are overkilling the rugging!! Bearing in mind that the weather is so changeable at the moment and some days it has been rising to about 13 degrees!!! Now I would imagine your pony is sweltering to say the least if he has been rugged up to that extent in those conditions?????
 
My pony is happy,livng out and naked tonght, she stays far warmer without a rug than she does with a rug flattening down her hair, if she is cold she fluffs up as nature intended.
I have seen some very sore withers on over rugs horses/ponies that have taken months to clear up and resulting in long term problems.
 
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I dont see an issue with chucking a full clipped horse out unrugged for an hour or two? Lets them have a bit of freedom from rugs for a bit. Yes I would agree it were cruel if it were raining or really windy but if its just because its a chilly day then I dont see the issue.
 
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