Warmbloods in work living out 24/7/365?

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Herpesas

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Just moved my horse on to grass livery whilst I am waiting for a stable to come up on the yard but this may not happen before winter arrives. I was just wondering if any of you have experience of keeping your warmbloods out all year round whilst in full work? Also, if you have any tips, they're most welcome.

I would have to clip him as he gets very hot when he's worked - he normally gets a full clip but not keen on the idea of this if he's living out. Was thinking of a high trace or blanket clip with 2 heavyweight rugs on? The field is in a valley, with trees on two sides for shelter. He would be on adlib hay and two hard feeds a day.

Also, how do you cope with the mud? Mine loves a good roll in the muddiest part of the field! :rolleyes:
 
My DWB lived out all last winter :D

Rugged.

Shelter.

Ad lib hay.

Daily hard feed.

Worked as and when D1 could (I wasn't allowed to ride due to wonky back).

Would have happily had her clipped out (Hunter clip) with the same regime. Had Grey Mare (IDxTB) full body clipped; left legs and half head on. She was worked most days.

It works fine so long as you give yourself time to cool the horse off properly, make sure you don't turn out when still wet/sweaty.

Re. rugs - we varied through rain sheet with full neck, through medium and heavyweight rugs (with necks). We didn't need any more than that.
 
Faracat said:
Beware the temptation to over-rug. :D ;)
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Trust me, he's such a baby I don't think he'd consider himself over-rugged with 5 heavyweights on!

Sorry, I should have explained better. Year before last he was fully clipped with a m/w underneath a h/w during the day (-2 to +2 degrees), I was thinking the 2 heavyweights for the -6 or -7 nights?
 
My beautiful cob hunts twice a week and is out 24/7 365 days a year he has a shelter never uses it I have 2 snuggy hoods with ears a heavyweight and a lightweight rug on top then I wash the top rug to keep clean so he just comes in on the morning wash legs off sometimes not as my fields are good and off we go people can' beleive my smart looking gleaming cob lives out, he do's have a lovely big stable but prefers to live out when we get back from hunting he is put out to walk of the day better than standing in a stable all night but also my fields are very sheltered.
 
Herpesas said:
Trust me, he's such a baby I don't think he'd consider himself over-rugged with 5 heavyweights on!

Sorry, I should have explained better. Year before last he was fully clipped with a m/w underneath a h/w during the day (-2 to +2 degrees), I was thinking the 2 heavyweights for the -6 or -7 nights?
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I'd rather up the hay/feed if needed that pile too many rugs on. A good h/w rug weight 350/400 grms tog I doubt any horse needs to be smuthered under 800 grms of rug!

Left without rugs most horses cope very very well providing they have adequate fibre to eat.
 
My wb has lived out last three winters. Her "best" winter yet was last years regime of ad lib hay, two heavyweights in that really cold spell and two feeds of p mix, alpha a and s beet. Had previously been on haylage and didn't do as well. I clip to minimum but she is worked four - five times a week, medium to lightly depending on weather. We may hunt this winter in which case she may get a bit more hard feed but she will stay out with her sec a friend. They have also got access to a stable/shelter but rarely use it.
 
My dutch warmblood is living out 24/7/365, as with his previous owner.
Last winter he had a medium weight rug with adlib hay and a shelter, no problem at all and was always snuggly warm even on the -15 days and was always outside in the heavy snow, never actually saw him in his shelter. :/
 
TicTac said:
I'd rather up the hay/feed if needed that pile too many rugs on. A good h/w rug weight 350/400 grms tog I doubt any horse needs to be smuthered under 800 grms of rug!

Left without rugs most horses cope very very well providing they have adequate fibre to eat.
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As I said, ad lib hay will be fed. I can't increase his feed as he already has quite a lot, split over several feeds throughout the day (chaff, fast fibre or sugar beet, grass nuts, balancer and conditioning cubes).

My h/w rugs are 300grams each, the m/w is 200g; so the max he would have would on be 600grams. I would agree two 400 gram rugs would be excessive.
 
I think 99% of horses do well living out 24/7, no matter what their work schedule, provided that they have adequate shelter and food. Even when clipped I don't think I would rug with more than 400g worth of rug but that's just my opinion (and none of ours are too delicate and I don't live anywhere extreme!). Maybe 500g max. I think it got down to -10 or so last winter and mine lived out 24/7 with 2 feeds a day and adlib hay. The two biggest horses wore 350g rugs with necks when it was at it's coldest but spent most time in m/w rugs (they were unclipped but with fairly fine coats).

The last vet who came to ours said he thought that keeping horses out all the time was by far the best. Having said that, I appreciate that some horses do need/suit living in for a variety of reasons.
 
Rugs these days breath and are very lightweight and stay straight also I get the necks that dont have stiching at the necks so much more comfy I use horseward rugs they are so easy.
 
Didn't realise warmbloods were different to other horses.

I did rug mine up but more for protection from the idiot horse he lives with who is a bit slap-happy with his hooves.
 
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