Underweight tb rugging guide!

Rambo82

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Have a new ex racer that is underweight and very fussy poor doer.
We've finally found a feed he likes and eats (instead of kicking over and trampling...) but are not sure what weight of rugs he should have??

Are used to having natives/good doers so they are often left naked or with rain sheets more than anything else!

He's on 24/7 turnout with a huge amount of grazing and adlib hay.
Is currently in a rug liner to prevent rubbing, 50g stable rug, a full fleece and a 100g full rug on top

Am just wondering what the rugging guide is for horses like him that are underweight??
 

twiggy2

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The weight will come if he has no underlying health issues, settles where he is and is given time, many are not underweight at the end of racing (they would not perform at their best if they were) they just need to let down. I would be careful not to over rug and would let the constant access to forage provide a lot of his warmth. I would remove the fleece.
 

milliepops

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I think generally keep him generally warm (but not hot) and with as light and comfortable rugs as you can get away with... if yours is anything like mine - he's prone to getting rubs on bony areas so I prefer to use one rug rather than layers where possible to keep the weight and friction down to a minimum.

Don't know about the weather where you are but mine is currently in 200g combo outside in the rain, and a 150g combo indoors, not yet clipped.
 

Pinkvboots

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I prefer not to layer rugs especially if under weight as they can rub and feel heavy, I would buy decent turnouts I tend to have a 50g 100g 200g and a 350g some have detachable necks although they are only used in really vile weather like today! Mine are Arabs and live out most if the time and are clipped out in winter, you couldn't also buy rugs that have a liner system so on really cold you can double up on a liner they are quite light weight but warm, a few of my shires rugs have the liner system and it's quite handy to have the choice.
 
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Pinkvboots

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Mine are actually in there heavy weights with necks today as it's consistent rain and wind which they hate and one has already been clipped. And the other one has no coat to speak of
 

criso

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My tb that can drop weight easily is out in a no fill turnout and a 100g stable rug at night. When i got him in yesterday, the exposed bits were wet but he wasn't cold.
 

Rambo82

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Thank you everyone for your replies! Was really really helpful and will go make some changes to his rugs.
Unfortunately he did arrive with some dental, stress and ulcer problems that we're now fixing but did mean he dropped extra weight ?
But we're working hard to get it back!
 

Meowy Catkin

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My anglo is in a 100g Amigo (no neck cover) and it is 11 degrees C and raining.

When I had my TB she had standard neck Amigo rugs in 200g and 350g, a standard neck lightweight Shires and a medium weight Rhino Wug. She got through some very cold and wet Welsh winters with those. In the photo the TB is on the right.
 

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Rambo82

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I'd agree with twiggy that the forage should keep them warm but compared to all my other horses, my TB just can't be bothered to eat half of the time :p

Haha yep thats half the problem. All the forage on its own would be plenty for most horses but sometimes he just cant be bothered to eat ?
 

Meowy Catkin

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Thank you everyone for your replies! Was really really helpful and will go make some changes to his rugs.
Unfortunately he did arrive with some dental, stress and ulcer problems that we're now fixing but did mean he dropped extra weight ?
But we're working hard to get it back!

Fixing the teeth and treating the ulcers will make a huge difference. :)
 
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TPO

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I found that feeding pink mash helped increase my current ex racers appetite for hay. He's always had adlib forage too but was never much fussed initially. Pink Mash (keyflow) isdesigned for gut/hind gut health

Now hes also getting Baileys no. 21 ease & excel mix after doing so well on it at the tail end of last winter. It's designed for gut health too.

I dont layer rugs either. Hes not clipped and still out 21/7. They come in for a few hours to get bucket feed, snooze, hay and ridden. Theyve only had the odd night in when the weather had been really awful.

Generally hes naked during the day and the most hes had on is 200gm overnight when we were getting frosts this past week. Depending on weather it's a mix of rain sheet, 50gm and 200gm rugs. Hes naked when hes in
 

Rambo82

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I found that feeding pink mash helped increase my current ex racers appetite for hay. He's always had adlib forage too but was never much fussed initially. Pink Mash (keyflow) isdesigned for gut/hind gut health

Now hes also getting Baileys no. 21 ease & excel mix after doing so well on it at the tail end of last winter. It's designed for gut health too.

I dont layer rugs either. Hes not clipped and still out 21/7. They come in for a few hours to get bucket feed, snooze, hay and ridden. Theyve only had the odd night in when the weather had been really awful.

Generally hes naked during the day and the most hes had on is 200gm overnight when we were getting frosts this past week. Depending on weather it's a mix of rain sheet, 50gm and 200gm rugs. Hes naked when hes in

Thank youu! Will have a look at the pink mash. He loves his feed but is still pretty indifferent to haylage and grazing
 
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