What weight turnout rug for nights?

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kirstyhoneyb

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My horse is out 24/7 and has been having a lightweight rug on during the day if cooler. I need to buy another rug but should I get lightweight or medium weight for Night Time. Its been around 9 or 10 degrees over night here this week.
 
Depends on type of horse, his condition, is he clipped etc.

Mine only needs LW on cooler nights but then she is a cob cross and isn't clipped yet.
 
i would go for a MW if he underweight. The whole time hes trying to keep himself warm he will be burning of the food your pumping in to him
 
my horse lives out 24/7 365 - she's unclipped so far but due to be done soon - although her coat has shedded she's not got her winter one through yet
she's currently in MW half neck over night and LW with fill during day - did have LW no fill and she got a chill on the wet days we've been having! poor girl
but we are getting frosts up here already
frown.gif
 
I think I might start putting a lw on overnight soon. I refuse to bring her in yet so rugs it is. She's an arab and already has quite a nice thick winter coat, it's about 11/12 degrees overnight here so not as cold as your way. Though I'm hanging on as it's windy at the moment and I'd prefer her not to have a rug flapping about in the wind as it spookes her and I'd hate to think of her getting a fright and running across the field, it might slip off!
 
None of mine are rugged yet, I have had them cleaned though. My littlies stay nakie all year round, one is getting fuzzy already. The two biggies are rugged more for convienience rather than need. They will have MW when it is very cold and lightweights once we start having cold wet weather, so probably Beginning of Nov.

I was always taught it is better to under rug than over rug. If a horse gets too hot and sweaty under a rug he is going to loose condition, also he will be damp when the temp drops in the evening. Its fine if you are around to check and adjust rugs, but at this time of the year it can go from cold first thing in the morning to the 20's by mid morning so I am erring on the side of caution.
 
As mine is out overnight mine is in a LW/MW turnout rug and is naked during the day. If it gets as cold as it did last night he'll go onto a MW, but for now he'll stay like that!

However I can't let a winter coat grow as he is a nightmare (and I mean nightmare to clip!!!)
 
Blue is full clipped, and in a LW with no fill, just to keep the wind/breeze off him... its still over 10*C here at night and up to 20*C during the day!
 
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