Unrugged natives who live out 24/7 with shelter

[Cocorules]

Is there a cut off point that you would rug? I am in the New Forest and so my field kept ponies are right next to semi-feral forest ponies that are not rugged. Even at -5.9 earlier this week mine were still warm to the touch.

It is forecast to be -7 tonight and that is colder than I can remember it being since I have been living here. Every single field kept horse and pony near me have at least one rug on. I am actually wavering on whether to rug, but think that as they are used to being unrugged, albeit not used to -7, it would be worse to flatten their coats. Thoughts?

 

[ihatework]

Do not rug!
Their coats are designed for this, the cold isn’t the issue.
The only time I might remotely consider it is wet and cold but to be honest I’d be more inclined to bring in than rug!

 

[Peter7917]

Absolutely not.
We have a 25yo welsh cob and a 23yo nf naked. They don't need a rug.

 

[The Trooper]

If you're cold they're cold. (I'm joking, we don't have insulating fur covering our whole body!)

As with all rugging questions, it's different from horse to horse. I have 2 mares and need to manage them very differently.

Belle (Comtois x Belgian Draft) is a really good doer and an extremely warm horse. She has a blanket clip and is out unrugged and will remain unrugged until she feels cold. She has ad-lib hay to keep her going and keep her warm. She gets a token feed of nuts and chaff basically when she is ridden as a wee token of appreciation. She lives out 24/7 with no field shelter and minimal natural cover along with 5 other mares.

Bonnie (Shire) is an absolute flower of a horse. She is also clipped but is rugged all the time through winter, this is my first winter with her. I tried to keep her out 24/7 rugged but it wasn't working and she was downright miserable, didn't want to be ridden, always wanted to be brought in, regularly seen lying sleeping at the gate etc. She has a 200g weatherbeeta with neck and this is her go to rug, I have others that I am ready to use if needed. At the start of the winter months (When it was still mild) she was dropping alot of weight so i've had to bring her in, feed her haylage and hardfeed her twice a day to try and maintain condition.

Belle is regularly alot warmer than Bonnie even after Bonnie has spent the night in with a stable rug.

In short, depends on the horse. Don't listen to what everyone else is saying or doing. I check Belle twice a day (morning and night) and if she starts to feel cold I will act accordingly. Although to be fair she could do with dropping the weight.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I wouldn't rug!

I have 4 natives, one is clipped and therefore rugged (as also a weight loser quickly).
The other 3 are furry tubs, all cheerful out 24/7. They were delighted to get a smidgen of hay yesterday morning and again this morning. They didnt really need it but they are near the lane/byway so its my way of showing walkers etc that the fuzzies are cared for.

Cold is ok for them as long as they can drink and have something to pick on to eat even if its just hedgerows.

 

[Cortez]

I have kept horses out unrugged in Colorado winters where it can easily get down to -20C+ and never rugged. I had a couple of TB broodmares who grew impressive coats (and were not rugged either), BUT it was very, very dry. Wet, windy and cold are far worse than dry, still and cold.

 

[Cahill]

as long as they are dry,mine are fine without.
remember rugs flatten the natural coat.

 

[Dave's Mam]

During the Beast from the East. Ok, he was in at night, but you can see his coat doing its job.

 

[tda]

Same as everyone else, it's not wet just cold, we have ages 2 - 26 all out un rugged, I do waver over the 26yr old, but she is warm, and seems happy.

 

[Berpisc]

Another do not rug here, just ensure plenty of forage, as I am sure you are doing.

 

[pippixox]

My new forest had no rugs living out in minus 6. Just gave them more hay.

 

[J&S]

Yes, just give some more hay, that will work the inner fire!

 

[HashRouge]

Nope! Our Welsh never seems bothered by the cold, though I will chuck them more hay tonight. We don't have a field shelter, but excellent natural shelter. The Arab is wearing a medium weight with neck cover, but she is 26 next week and isn't as hardy!

 

[Mule]

If you're cold they're cold. (I'm joking, we don't have insulating fur covering our whole body!)

As with all rugging questions, it's different from horse to horse. I have 2 mares and need to manage them very differently.

Belle (Comtois x Belgian Draft) is a really good doer and an extremely warm horse. She has a blanket clip and is out unrugged and will remain unrugged until she feels cold. She has ad-lib hay to keep her going and keep her warm. She gets a token feed of nuts and chaff basically when she is ridden as a wee token of appreciation. She lives out 24/7 with no field shelter and minimal natural cover along with 5 other mares.

Bonnie (Shire) is an absolute flower of a horse. She is also clipped but is rugged all the time through winter, this is my first winter with her. I tried to keep her out 24/7 rugged but it wasn't working and she was downright miserable, didn't want to be ridden, always wanted to be brought in, regularly seen lying sleeping at the gate etc. She has a 200g weatherbeeta with neck and this is her go to rug, I have others that I am ready to use if needed. At the start of the winter months (When it was still mild) she was dropping alot of weight so i've had to bring her in, feed her haylage and hardfeed her twice a day to try and maintain condition.

Belle is regularly alot warmer than Bonnie even after Bonnie has spent the night in with a stable rug.

In short, depends on the horse. Don't listen to what everyone else is saying or doing. I check Belle twice a day (morning and night) and if she starts to feel cold I will act accordingly. Although to be fair she could do with dropping the weight.

I agree. Guidelines are helpful but we have to take individual differences in to account.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I personally would not rug; in this dry cold weather horses have the ability to "fluff out" their coats to keep warm.

Natives should be absolutely fine.

 

[Mule]

I think constant, really heavy rain in conjunction with cold weather is the worst. The rain can soak them right through and make them genuinely cold. At least they are dry in the snow.

 

[SEL]

Forecasted to be minus 10 here tonight which is ridiculous for the south east! My 2 are in but I was having a bit of a dither over rugging M because he can't move in a stable. Just given myself a kick. He's got a polar bear coat and enough hay for 20 horses.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I have 3 in from the forest atm, all unrugged and happy. 1 4yo and a 26yo also unrugged. They are all having extra hay.

Their fur coats do a great job in winter. I do keep an eye on the oldie but as he prefers to destroy rugs and put designer rips in them, I leave him au naturel!

If is gets cold, wet and windy that is different as that sort of weather will drag a horse down in condition.

 

[HorseyTee]

I don't rug unless there is lots of heavy rain.
My 2 have actually somehow miraculously gained weight lol, they live out and never use their shelter, although it's only gotten to about -2 here. But some days the 1 even has sweaty pits.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Forecasted to be minus 10 here tonight which is ridiculous for the south east! My 2 are in but I was having a bit of a dither over rugging M because he can't move in a stable. Just given myself a kick. He's got a polar bear coat and enough hay for 20 horses.

He'll be grand. He's woolly.

 

[SEL]

He'll be grand. He's woolly.

Very very woolly!! I keep sticking my cold hands under his mane in the morning - it's toasty in there.

 

[Leam_Carrie]

My mini Shelton’s definitely doesn’t need a rug. He’s been plenty warm enough. My Arab on the other hand is in a heavy weight with added liner!!

 

[TheMule]

I have a warmblood 2yr old and a a mule out unrugged, 1 fat mare in a 50g and my ridden horse in 200g combo. Cold but dry is fine, it's cold and wet that they don't do so well with.

 

[DabDab]

If yours is anything like mine then no, I wouldn't bother rugging. I don't think I could physically get enough clothing on me that would give the equivalent warmth of her dense one inch coat

 

[Blazingsaddles]

My native has a what-nature-intended coat like a yeti & it does its job. No need for supplementary rugging imo.

 

[meleeka]

I think constant, really heavy rain in conjunction with cold weather is the worst. The rain can soak them right through and make them genuinely cold. At least they are dry in the snow.

The only time mine have ever been cold it was around 5 degrees and raining hard. They do have stables open 24/7 so I’ve no idea why they stood out and got wet!

OP I’m not far from you and I’m not rugging two of mine. It hadn’t even occurred to me but they have started eating the perfectly good hay that was rejected last week so that’s a bonus.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

In Iceland, the only stock that winters out are the horses so I was told-cattle and sheep are brought in. Hairy healthy natives in the prime of life can cope with a cold snap in the UK.

The only time I've seen one of my Exmoors shiver was actually in the summer -we had three days of rain and him in his summer coat. I have never seen the Fell shiver, he has an even more impressive coat than the Exmoor.

 

[Jellymoon]

A timely post as I was wondering if I ought to stick a lightweight on my 20 yr old 12.2 gypsy pony. Changed my mind now though. She is fully hairy, stocky good doer, plenty of grass in field, shelter, and hedges.
She looks very content. She’s fine.

 

[Nudibranch]

Mine generally have a good coating of frost on their backs and whiskers every morning so I certainly don't have to worry about them. They are not even fed hay atm as there's just too much grass and I can't feel the Dales' ribs, which I'm not happy about. The only time I will rug is when it's wet and windy and very cold all at the same time, as the Fell gets a bit shivery. So far this winter that hasn't happened.

Next winter the Dales will be clipped in some format as she will be backed, so she may wear a rug, if it's more than a bib and belly.

 

[Pc2003]

I don’t even have a rug for my native 2, year old. Due a -10 tonight 😬