When you don't rug are you made to feel mean.......

el_Snowflakes said:
No, quite frankly I couldn't care less what anyone thought!
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I can't understand why anybody does!

And as for feeling guilty about doing what you think is best for your own horse, well words fail me.

And on the subject of horses with no rugs, very close to me, there is a Standardbred stud, where mares and youngsters live out 24/7/365, in fields with very little natural shelter and less man made shelter. They have permanent access to ring feeders of haylage and many carrots daily. They are out tonight in sleet and wind at 2 degrees on the top of a Pennine hill . They certainly don't wear rugs and they are all fine.
Unclipped, healthy horses, with enough to eat, don't need rugs.
 
Pearlsacarolsinger said:
I can't understand why anybody does!

And as for feeling guilty about doing what you think is best for your own horse, well words fail me.

And on the subject of horses with no rugs, very close to me, there is a Standardbred stud, where mares and youngsters live out 24/7/365, in fields with very little natural shelter and less man made shelter. They have permanent access to ring feeders of haylage and many carrots daily. They are out tonight in sleet and wind at 2 degrees on the top of a Pennine hill . They certainly don't wear rugs and they are all fine.
Unclipped, healthy horses, with enough to eat, don't need rugs.
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Completely agree :)
 
My forester is rugged but he is clipped so that is different, but to be honest even if he was not clipped he would still be rugged as he is prone to rain scald if he get very wet.

I think it is prolonged wet weather rather than cold that tends to cause problems.
 
I drove past a field where all the horses, including the fluffy native ones, had a rug on. Next door were cattle mooching about looking content with coats that looked shorter. Wondered if the horse owners would start protesting and rugging the cattle...
 
It's far 'meaner' to over rug in my opinion.

I got a shock the other day when it was about 7 degrees, i left my bad do'er of a TB's MW turn out on over night as it was a bit wet anyway and i wanted it to dry. Another woman at the yard asked what rug i was using at the moment as she liked to go by what i was rugging as her little pony was 'thin skinned' like him. She clearly didnt listen as she then went on to tell me she was going to put a fleece on and a heavyweight stable rug that night! I was shocked! That poor little pony must have been so hot, he has an indoor stable too, that to me is mean.
 
I had a bit of a fight to leave mine unrugged... hes a new forest and closley resembles a bear with the amount of fluff hes sprouted. As he is on part livery they do rugs in a morning and I have had to ask repeatedly for him to be left naked! when i spoke to the yard girl (groom? what do you call them these days...), she had a look of horror on her face as she exclaimed 'but he will be MUDDY?!!'... Hes a pony, they are meant to be muddy at this time of year lol
 
Sod em. You do what you feel is right for your pony! I have a welsh a (unclipped) and I have to say that I put a non-fill on him just to keep him clean and dry for riding! I know some people think this messes with their natural ability to keep warm but I don't think so. He is absolutely fine and clean!!
 
I actually feel more judged and criticized for rugging . . . not that I give it a second thought. Yes, thousands of horses all over the country live out, unrugged and thrive. But that isn't the only way to effectively manage horses and clipping/stabling/rugging them, if done appropriately, isn't the height of cruelty.

Horses, as they say, for courses . . . and all that :).

P
 
You'd probably be more mean putting a rug on over his coat to be honest.
I used to have a TB on a yard and was constantly made to feel bad because he only had one rug on!!! He was chaser clipped and a fat warm horse who would have sweated profusely if rugged any more than a medium weight but no I was actually called cruel ;)
 
I can't win when mine was unclipped he was unrugged and that was mean (according to one livery) and now he is clipped and rugged I am freezing the poor darling (according to the same livery) I just laugh it off my horse is happy and warm and that is all that matters to me :)
 
I always try and leave mine as late as I can before I feel guilty enough to rug her up! She's always kept weight on well so I've never had any issues with that but I do usually throw a light weight on her around November. If i'm honest she could easily go without it, I'm just too soft on her! She isn't clipped so even if I do plan on putting a light one on her, I try and let her get fluffy first :)
 
Bib and belly and out naked - his coat is super thick and he's holding weight extremely well (lives off fresh air anyway) so no rug for him !
 
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