Weight of rugs

[ATD]

I have a cob who I plan to fully clip, but I have no idea what weight of turn out rugs I will need. Any ideas? Previously when they were in work I did not have winter turnout, so never been an issue I now have day time turnout.
Thanks

 

[milliepops]

It will depend on several things - how warm your horse stays generally, what kind of shelter your turnout has, what kind of winter we have...
my Welshie was clipped out last year and their field is not that exposed, plus it wasn't particularly cold last year so she never wore more than 200g all winter as she's quite a warm person. I've been on other yards where the fields are super windy and with a colder horse I've needed much heavier rugs.

i find the best solution is to buy a top quality outer that can be used with liners, that way you have lots of flexibility. the liners wash well too so you can keep the layer closest to the horse clean.

 

[sportsmansB]

I agree with MP
I have a bit of a precious type who absolutely would not stand for being cold (though TBH if he thinks its too unpleasant he will also refuse to stay out!)
I have a PE 50g and a PE 0g both of which can take liners and optional neck covers. I don't find I need the warmest liners even on the prince, as the 2 layers do seem to keep him warm, even with a 200g liner. Also the necks don't rub.
They are a bit of an investment but worth it long term, watch out for them in the sale and the liners on ebay

 

[eggs]

It really does depend on the horse. Mine and fully clipped in winter and out during the day and in at night. One of them never seems to need more than 100g whereas another can be in a 300g. Like the others have said, I used a good outer and then have different weight liners to mix and match as needed.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I have Arab's that are clipped in winter I have 50g and 100g rugs with detachable necks and use liners with them but they don't really feel the cold in general, I do have 350g turnouts but only really use them in really bad freezing weather.

 

[NinjaPony]

I think a decent outer with liners is the way to go tbh, gives you much more flexibility and that’s what I’ll do if I get another horse and need new rugs.

 

[EmmaC78]

I am another convert to the liner system. It is all I use now. I went for the Rambo and although it is a big outlay they do last and it is really easy just to put the liners in the washing machine.

 

[atropa]

As a general rule (I understand this would not be applicable to all horses) for a cob I probably would go for a 0g outer with 50g and 100g liners.
I have a WB and ISH, they very rarely get above 200g on in winter when clipped. My clipped Native either has a rain sheet or if the weather is extremely bad I relent and put a 100g on her, but I do like her to lose weight in winter so I tend to err on the lighter side of rugging.

 

[jnb]

As I have a chunky show cob, Liner systems don't really work that well as getting rugs big enough on the chest is bad enough, if if crammed in layers/liners I'd never get anything to fit, plus I hate seeing horses swaddled up in layers, they need to be able to move freely.
Mine was hunter clipped last year & lives out with a big shelter that he does use, and wore a 100g combo for 80-90% of the time, he has a 220g he wore for a few days here and there when it was wet and windy. For that reason, I keep two 100g combos as I can switch them round when I want to (neither have ever leaked in the slightest I just don't like heavy rugs on him without removing/checking underneath)
I use Weatherbeeta Comfitec Dynamic Plus Combos, really tough and waterproof and fit big fronted types well and they have the memory foam wither pad which I like as hogged cob has no protection from his mane there.
I buy on sale for about £70ish, keep them a year or two and replace, for no other reason than I like to have new rugs every year or 2.

 

[blitznbobs]

I hate liners so have a range of rugs from 0 g to 350g generally tho i use the 0 and 200g the most on my fully clipped heavy weight cob. I use almost exclusively horseware rugs as i find they fit well and last for ever even in horses that are rug wreckers

 

[Nudibranch]

I don't like liners either, not so good on a chunkster Dales. I have a no fill, 100g and 200g for winter and mine is hunter clipped. She probably wears the 100g and 200g most, with the 200g just for the depths of winter. I confess to leaving her neck bare as Dales manes don't like covers.

 

[Loubidy]

At least a decent 50g for the rain.

If you can afford it get the rambo duo - pretty much invincible, I got mine second hand 6 years ago and the rug itself is about 50g? then you can add liners if they're feeling the cold.

 

[Annagain]

I'm another who's fond of a mix and match liner system. It's even better with two horses the same size. Mine have 4 rugs and 2 liners between them and I can make 4 different weights of rug from 0-300g for each of them at the same time for each of them at the same time with what I have. I could make one 400g too if I needed it. There are 3 of them now but Arch is retired so unclipped and naked these days.

None of mine have ever been in more than 200g routinely. There was one prolonged very cold spell about 8 years ago when they were in 300g for about 10 days but that's the only time they've needed it. 200g is the norm for them even when fully clipped and Charlie only had 100g last winter with a trace clip. We're in South Wales near the coast so while it can be very windy, it's rarely very cold and they have plenty of decent shelter in the fields. They come in overnight and I leave their turnout rugs on them.

 

[GoldenWillow]

So much depends on your particular cob and what the field is like. I've fully clipped out my cobs, one never needed above a 200 and the other, especially in wet, cold and windy weather in a well sheltered field, has needed a 350 with a 100 on top to stop him shivering. I've never used liners as already had a range of turnout rugs but tend to put a 100 on top of 200 etc and use them this way. The most used rugs are 100 and 200 but find I do need to use a no fill in spring when it's wet and a little chilly and their summer coat has not started coming through.

 

[ATD]

Thank for all the replies.

Well after all that she wouldn't let me near her with the clippers so she is a wholly mammoth with nothing this winter ?

 

[Widgeon]

Well after all that she wouldn't let me near her with the clippers so she is a wholly mammoth with nothing this winter ?

Oh dear! Could you use the winter to work on desensitizing her to the clippers? Maybe you could find a small pair of battery powered ones to start with, just to get her used to the noise and feel of them (without actually clipping her)? If you started working on it now you'd have the option of clipping her next winter.

 

[ATD]

Oh definitely, we have got to turning them on and off without her jumping out of her skin I just have to give her a que, I can touch her with the handle end so sound and vibration okay, just need the blades to touch her now. They are big clippers so will try with this for a little while and see how we go.

Oh dear! Could you use the winter to work on desensitizing her to the clippers? Maybe you could find a small pair of battery powered ones to start with, just to get her used to the noise and feel of them (without actually clipping her)? If you started working on it now you'd have the option of clipping her next winter.