when to rug foalies?

[_daisy_]

after reading a post the other day it got me thinking. (yes bad i know)
When should i start rugging Willow? Shes going to be living out all winter 24/7 and she hasnt got a big fluffy coat (shes nearly 4months old)
Id really like to start rugging Ebi as i dont think shell cope without a rug, but will have to hang fire and see how things go as Willows staying with her this winter.any thoughts?

so you guys with foals, when will you start rugging?

 

[S_N]

H is NOT wearing a rug if I still have him! If it's that bad, then he'll come in at night! As for rugging mares, well I admit to toying with the idea, but I'd me waaay too worried about H getting strung up in it!!

 

[tigers_eye]

Rugging foals? Marketing scam.

I won't be rugging my broodmare either - she is a thin-skinned anglo-arab and suffered more from wearing one last year - it rubbed her everywhere (had always been a problem when in work) and it had to come off mid-Jan so she got rain-scald etc....

 

[Zebedee]

I've rugged mares & foals whilst still together. When my 6yr old was a foal I left him on the mare (TB) over the winter (long story as to why, but it didn't hurt either of them). What I did was remove the leg straps from a well fitting rug of the mares & replace with a fillet string. The foal just had a normal foalie type turnout rug.
I never had any problems, other than when I first put the rugs on the foal went ballistic, as from his point of view his Mummy had disappeared! This was quickly resolved by catching them both & holding them nose to nose for about 30secs & from then on it was all plain sailing.

 

[AmyMay]

Don't rug unless you genuinly feel that he needs it. I.e starts loosing weight, weatherbeat etc.

Where Amy is they never, ever rug foals - preferring to get them in to the barn if the weather turns very nasty (i.e wet, wet, wet). They are all WB/TB crosses, so not your hardy native types - but all do very well. They all have good grazing and adlib haylage and come out of the winter looking wonderful.

 

[Maesfen]

Please don't rug foals unless they need it by being poor or are unwell; they just don't need it. Here's Joey playing in the snow at 7 months old and a month later. As long as they have good food and shelter they will be fine; they will put up a good coat, just don't be tempted to groom them properly so the grease can stay in them.

 

[sleepingdragon10]

Cheers Pat,you've just made my mind up with that......and saved me some money in the process

 

[_daisy_]

SN,
unfortunately they wont have access to a stable but have been told to rug them both up.
Im sure Ebi will be fine (i hope she will), however the rain scold will be a problem for her.
Suppose ill just see how she gets on

 

[_daisy_]

Willow doesnt seem phazed by rugs on Ebi. Ebi had a thermatex on a few times and Willow hasnt bothered about it either time. Different thing if its on permanently though i assume

 

[_daisy_]

Cheers amymay. I wish i had a barn that i could turn them into. thats my worry if they get that wet i wont be able to bring them in to dry off so surely a rug would be better in the long run when the weather gets especially bad?

 

[_daisy_]

thanks ever so mych MFH. i really value your reply.
The only reason im querying when to rug is because Ebis breeder has been in touch and said that if thery were both to winter out 24/7 then they should be rugged up well???

thinking back to when Chantin was a foal, she was stabled on a night and out in the day without a rug unless it was blowing a gale and hammering it down. My predicament is that because i have nowhere to bring them into due to no stables for them what will happen if they both get very very wet? will they get a chill?