gailt
Well-Known Member
Rain Rain Rain! poor dancers paddock is starting to look like a lake already, with deep mud..and a pool by the gate .yuk! seriously thinking of a lightweight he looks more brown caked than palo...
What lousey weather! Is anyone rugging yet?
- Thread starter gailt
- Start date
Tierra
Well-Known Member
Mines well and truely rugged up already
But as Ive posted before, my horse feels the cold like no other and is basically rugged to some degree all year.
YO asked for his HW t/o today as he was dithering in the field and she had to bring him in early and try and get him warmed up (had been having a MW on).
To make matters worse, when I arrived up there, he'd got his Mark Todd stable rug on and was still chilly
So he's got a full neck under rug on now too
We are in a pretty exposed area though and it was about 8 degrees today so to be fair on him, its dropped quite suddenly
YO asked for his HW t/o today as he was dithering in the field and she had to bring him in early and try and get him warmed up (had been having a MW on).
To make matters worse, when I arrived up there, he'd got his Mark Todd stable rug on and was still chilly
We are in a pretty exposed area though and it was about 8 degrees today so to be fair on him, its dropped quite suddenly
ginniebee
Well-Known Member
Yes both rugged up, but only lightweight rugs for the time being, Its very wet, but still quite mild where we are. Also im a lazy so and so!!!! cant be doing with brushing all that mud off!!!!
JadeWisc
Well-Known Member
I rarely think that a rug is the ans. I live in a bitter winter climate.Putting a blanket on a horse ,as far as I know ,makes them allow body heat to escape. I am keeping in mind, however, that I have no idea about the conditions that you are in,or the breed of your horse.
Tia
Well-Known Member
Yes but we have bitterly cold DRY winters - in England it is not cold but it is wet, wet, wet......yucky! Horses fur and skin get a real battering from the elements there and often blanketting is the only way to truly keep your horse warm and dry.
JadeWisc
Well-Known Member
That is why I said "keeping in mind" I have always been told that the coldest a horse will ever be is A: standing in mud
in a ....B: wet/rainy spot
in...C: a less than freezing temp., but cool climate
anyhow, sometimes the bitter cold days in some places can be more tolerable to them (so I am told)
I am wondering though if the actual rugging (as vs. an easy to get to outdoor optional shelter) could cause more problems in some ways? (once again keeping in mind that I have no horse keeping experience in this region) If so, or if not, explain to me please.
in a ....B: wet/rainy spot
in...C: a less than freezing temp., but cool climate
anyhow, sometimes the bitter cold days in some places can be more tolerable to them (so I am told)
I am wondering though if the actual rugging (as vs. an easy to get to outdoor optional shelter) could cause more problems in some ways? (once again keeping in mind that I have no horse keeping experience in this region) If so, or if not, explain to me please.
Tia
Well-Known Member
Trouble is, the buggers won't go in those man-made shelters when we want them to!
I certainly prefer disgustingly freezing days over here in North America to the incessant wet and damp warm conditions in the UK.
I certainly prefer disgustingly freezing days over here in North America to the incessant wet and damp warm conditions in the UK.
JadeWisc
Well-Known Member
why is that? I have also noticed it being a SNOWSTORM, or other horrible conditions, and the horses stand right out in it! Even given a choice they usually prefer the nasty spot! Are they telling us that they prefer the elements, or are they telling us that they need our judgement?
Tia
Well-Known Member
I think (going off the subject slightly) that it is odd that horse owners will treat their horses with humany-tendancies ...... and yet cattle (similar animal) are left out in all weathers and are certainly not rugged, LOL!!
I think horses know they are animals......some of us humans have trouble understanding that.
I think horses know they are animals......some of us humans have trouble understanding that.
JadeWisc
Well-Known Member
hmmmmm. Tia...I agree here. I live smack next to two prominent beef farms and I have yet to see a beef calf or heifer with a blanket! lol
They do, however, have nice shelters.As a matter of fact, I have yet to see one with a fly sheet! lol....and I am CERTAIN I have not witnessed one shod. In the defense of the cattle owners, lol, I have not ever watched one ridden as of yet. Although I have seen pictures of it being done in Texas!
They do, however, have nice shelters.As a matter of fact, I have yet to see one with a fly sheet! lol....and I am CERTAIN I have not witnessed one shod. In the defense of the cattle owners, lol, I have not ever watched one ridden as of yet. Although I have seen pictures of it being done in Texas!
ginniebee
Well-Known Member
Its not so much as the cold that makes them cold, or the rain or the wind separately, but when you get a combination of wind and rain,especially in the winter it soon goes through their fur and makes them cold, were on top of a hill and the wind cuts right though you!!!! The only horses which dont get rugged in the winter are the shetties, nice thick double coats keep them cosy through the winter. And yes i suppose with all animals you get the "odd" owners that molly coddle them, but cold horses do loose condition especially the oldies, leaving them prone to all sorts. I dont suppose you see many 20 year old cows!!!! wouldnt fancy eating one of those lol!!! x
pottamus
Well-Known Member
I can't speak for the cows...but yes that is an interesting point there! But when I bought my horse in May 3 years ago I did wonder why the owner still had him rugged when he was a native. I thought nothing of it and felt that I could harden him up in time for the next winter to live out during the day without a rug.
I tried this routine for the first winter and would bring him in at night but out during the day without a rug. He had a lovely thick coat but was the most unhappy horse I have ever seen. He completely ploughed a third of an acre of land to knee deep mud by constantly pacing up and down the hedge line and galloping about. I bought him in a few times to find him caked in mud from the shoulder down and his tail was just one mass of wet mud right the way down. I perservered a bit but soon realised he may need a rug. Put a rug on and he was a different horse and settled down to eating happily, no more pacing and no waiting by the gate looking stressed.
My horse is a traditional bred Welsh D but is the biggest wimp I have ever known in all the years of ownership of horses. He is so sensitive to changes in temperature and even in a rug...if out in wind and rain all day, he will be in a foul mood when you bring him in as he hates it.
I try and manage him as best I can to keep him warm, dry and happy...but that means rugging a native! They are all VERY different and you have to treat them as individuals really and do what is best for your horse.
I tried this routine for the first winter and would bring him in at night but out during the day without a rug. He had a lovely thick coat but was the most unhappy horse I have ever seen. He completely ploughed a third of an acre of land to knee deep mud by constantly pacing up and down the hedge line and galloping about. I bought him in a few times to find him caked in mud from the shoulder down and his tail was just one mass of wet mud right the way down. I perservered a bit but soon realised he may need a rug. Put a rug on and he was a different horse and settled down to eating happily, no more pacing and no waiting by the gate looking stressed.
My horse is a traditional bred Welsh D but is the biggest wimp I have ever known in all the years of ownership of horses. He is so sensitive to changes in temperature and even in a rug...if out in wind and rain all day, he will be in a foul mood when you bring him in as he hates it.
I try and manage him as best I can to keep him warm, dry and happy...but that means rugging a native! They are all VERY different and you have to treat them as individuals really and do what is best for your horse.
Chambon
Well-Known Member
Not yet, I've resisted so far because although it is wet, it is just so warm, and I feel that when the cold weather comes in is when they will need their rugs the most.
May lot are still so fat on lush green grazing that even when it is peeing it down they are out in the open stuffing their fat faces, and they are certainly not cold!
May lot are still so fat on lush green grazing that even when it is peeing it down they are out in the open stuffing their fat faces, and they are certainly not cold!
gailt
Well-Known Member
lol...agreed ive never seen a rugged cow....! Dancer has natural shelters in his paddock...trees & natural fenceing, but weve had constant down pours, even though hes been trying to shelter under trees hes saturated, and i think the mud caking stops the coat from being able to trap heat..he is soaked right through to the skin...he is a welsh sec D x gelderlander, i thought hed be able to be rugless...but i dont think he can handle our inclemant weather....lol
sorona
Well-Known Member
Has anybody ever seen a cow ridden or clipped (apart from highland cows!), that may be the reason you dont see them rugged!
I do not rug my native youngsters as i dont ride them yet and they manage fine but it is unfair for a horse to be clipped and worked hard and then turned out without a rug on. Yes, a shelter is a good option and even if rugged, horses like to have good shelter but they do have to come out to graze at some point so will still have to put up with the bad weather!
I do not rug my native youngsters as i dont ride them yet and they manage fine but it is unfair for a horse to be clipped and worked hard and then turned out without a rug on. Yes, a shelter is a good option and even if rugged, horses like to have good shelter but they do have to come out to graze at some point so will still have to put up with the bad weather!
_OC_
Well-Known Member
Depends on the weather ,but, only use light weight and that's to keep the mud off...did put a fleece on last night due to one of his rugs seeping across his back,had a hot cob this morning!!
Super_Kat
Well-Known Member
Mine have been clipped and well rugged for aaaages!
welshcobabe
Well-Known Member
Well its tipping down here and blowing a gale and both my hardy welsh and fresion are out without rugs. Its wet but warm they are both in the middle of the field eating taking no notice whats so ever of the weather. They are in at night and out during the day.
RunToEarth
Well-Known Member
Mine is on his 3rd clip, so it seems abit mean not to rug. Im fed up with the weather today, but I will HAVE to ride, I need to get the poor lad out before he dies of boredom, might just put him on a lunge or something...
sharni
Well-Known Member
yep ! my arabs [ who live out 24/7] were shivering in the downpour of yesterday so its on with lightweights this morning whilst they were dry.
there nice and cosy now.
there nice and cosy now.
MagicMelon
Well-Known Member
Yep, rugging. The 2 clipped ones have their winter ones on! All mine, including the natives have MW rugs on as its so horrid. Although left the lightweight on my woosiest horse last night and kept waking up all through the night worrying that he would be shivering through the rain battering on my window!
pottamus
Well-Known Member
LOL! Wish I could describe my Welsh as 'hardy'!!!!!
Tierra
Well-Known Member
All depends on the horse and Im not sure comparing them to cows is quite the same :/
My horse does feel the cold. We went to the extreme of having blood tests done last year because I was actually rather worried about him. Everything came back clear and the vet said he was perfectly healthy aside from his apparent dislike of the cold.
Do I over pamper him? Probably, but as ive posted in this forum before, I find his apparent intolerence to so much as a breeze very, very annoying! It's also difficult to cope with. If you asked our YO if the horses were pampered she would say no and tell you they are treated as what they are "athletes".
I was warned before I bought him that he suffered with the cold but didnt fully believe the extent they were refering too. I could go the option of not rugging and trying to encourage a thicker coat. However if he feels cold he a) drops condition b) will do *anything* to get out of the field and c) he gets very depressed and very lethargic to try and do anything with. It's all well and good to think that I could battle it out with him... but he goes from refusing to graze in the field if he feels cold, to fence marching to eventually jumping out. It's not a risk I can take with him. He's hard to keep weight on to begin with without all this.
As for shelter.. we're lucky in that our fields do have plenty of shelter and a couple have man made field shelters. We are, however, out in the middle of the peaks and get absolutly battered by the wind and the rain.
So, for me, its a vicious circle. My horse doesnt grow much of a winter coat at all. This is probably because he's rugged most of the year (although Ive heard it said that it has nothing to do with this and coat growth is in response to reduced daylight hours). I dont clip because I think it would be positively cruel for a horse like him! He competes at a high level quite happily with a full coat through winter. Ive even had it suggested by people that his apparent "need" for rugs is in someway psychosomatic, but in my opinion, thats *really* putting a lot of advancement on his conscious thought processes. (Also had it suggested by my vet that he suffers an equine form of SAD which made me giggle.. but seems theres actually a fair amount of research in the area)
Dont know why he feels the cold so much but seemingly he does :/
My horse does feel the cold. We went to the extreme of having blood tests done last year because I was actually rather worried about him. Everything came back clear and the vet said he was perfectly healthy aside from his apparent dislike of the cold.
Do I over pamper him? Probably, but as ive posted in this forum before, I find his apparent intolerence to so much as a breeze very, very annoying! It's also difficult to cope with. If you asked our YO if the horses were pampered she would say no and tell you they are treated as what they are "athletes".
I was warned before I bought him that he suffered with the cold but didnt fully believe the extent they were refering too. I could go the option of not rugging and trying to encourage a thicker coat. However if he feels cold he a) drops condition b) will do *anything* to get out of the field and c) he gets very depressed and very lethargic to try and do anything with. It's all well and good to think that I could battle it out with him... but he goes from refusing to graze in the field if he feels cold, to fence marching to eventually jumping out. It's not a risk I can take with him. He's hard to keep weight on to begin with without all this.
As for shelter.. we're lucky in that our fields do have plenty of shelter and a couple have man made field shelters. We are, however, out in the middle of the peaks and get absolutly battered by the wind and the rain.
So, for me, its a vicious circle. My horse doesnt grow much of a winter coat at all. This is probably because he's rugged most of the year (although Ive heard it said that it has nothing to do with this and coat growth is in response to reduced daylight hours). I dont clip because I think it would be positively cruel for a horse like him! He competes at a high level quite happily with a full coat through winter. Ive even had it suggested by people that his apparent "need" for rugs is in someway psychosomatic, but in my opinion, thats *really* putting a lot of advancement on his conscious thought processes. (Also had it suggested by my vet that he suffers an equine form of SAD which made me giggle.. but seems theres actually a fair amount of research in the area)
Dont know why he feels the cold so much but seemingly he does :/
Christmas_Kate
Well-Known Member
Nope, and I don't intend to. I have just bought him a lightweight 'just in case', the yard is pretty exposed and we get the cold east wind straight down the valley. I have never been at such a cold yard! But he has a thick wooly coat which he seems to even keep in the summer, and in the winter it's like double layer, so i seriously don't think he'll need it. Though I may get soft if it snows....
Sparklet
Well-Known Member
Both mine in MW turnout and stable rugs. Both fine breeds with very little coat.
Perhaps instead of comparing horse with cows we should look at dogs. My friends labrador never feels the cold, even soaking wet in the middle of winter. My little daxie shivers if it rains in summer. They are designed for different conditions: labrador - thick downy coat, daxie fine and bald under his body.
Perhaps instead of comparing horse with cows we should look at dogs. My friends labrador never feels the cold, even soaking wet in the middle of winter. My little daxie shivers if it rains in summer. They are designed for different conditions: labrador - thick downy coat, daxie fine and bald under his body.
the watcher
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
It is odd that horse owners will treat their horses with humany-tendancies ...... and yet cattle (similar animal) are left out in all weathers and are certainly not rugged,
[/ QUOTE ]
But young lambs in this country certainly are, in their little raincoats! There is a mental picture for Jade!
It is odd that horse owners will treat their horses with humany-tendancies ...... and yet cattle (similar animal) are left out in all weathers and are certainly not rugged,
[/ QUOTE ]
But young lambs in this country certainly are, in their little raincoats! There is a mental picture for Jade!
Tierra
Well-Known Member
I always wanted my own Shaun the Sheep personally
JadeWisc
Well-Known Member
Awww...a baby lamb in a rug would be just darling!!!!!!!
Sorry about the cow thing btw....I was pretty much joking around about that. I realsie that each owner does what they feel is best for their horses. I also (after reading the posts) realise what a difference climate makes. If you are clipping your horses It would be a must I imagine.
Sorry about the cow thing btw....I was pretty much joking around about that. I realsie that each owner does what they feel is best for their horses. I also (after reading the posts) realise what a difference climate makes. If you are clipping your horses It would be a must I imagine.
eventingdiva
Well-Known Member
oh yes! started rugging at beginning of sept
(dont shout at me!) x
Leg_end
Well-Known Member
Yep but only in a LW. When hes clipped hell go into his MW.