which rugs shall I be using?

tanyajade

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Hi! I've had my horse for 5 months. She's 10, 15.2 sec D. I'm always worrying about putting the right rug on her. She was clipped around 5 weeks ago. I worry she'll be too hot or too cold. It's getting s bit chilly now (for us). It's around 10 degrees in the day, and can drop to 3 degrees at night. I tend to leave a turn out on her through the night so she has it on in the morning (I pay someone to turn her out). Which rugs are suitable in this weather?
Thanks
 
Depends entirely on your horse. For the temperatures you've said I would choose a rainsheet or something no more than 200gms. If she's fully clipped then a combo type too.
 
I have MW combos on at the moment and they both have trace clips. Its really chilly at night and they don't get to warm in the day either :)
 
My girl is a fairly hardy 15.3 polish warmblood. She has a blanket clip and sounds a similar type to yours

If I was rugging my girl for the temperatures described I would leave her 150g turnout (without neck) on her.

Hope this helps
 
Well i have my Welsh D (Unclipped but for some reason no winter coat!) In a medium without neck, also same as you being about 5 degrees in the morning! The cob is in a medium with neck (I get the choice over my D, But my mother refuses to just let the cob have a lightweight on even though he's got a full winter coat, only because he's 26!) the Welsh Cob is 7 by the way.
 
My TB who has a pathetic winter coat wears a lightweight (100grams) day and night at the mo, it is chilly but he's fine. He was only in a rain sheet during the day and a fleece at night last week. Better to under rug than over rug IMO.
 
It really depends on your horse. Do they feel too hot? Are they shivering?

I've got two Welsh Ds, same age as yours. Not clipped yet but not got much winter coat. They are out in the day in a lightweight (no fill) and in at night in a 100g stable rug. Not moving up a weight just yet, when it gets to 0 a night and in single figures in the day (depending on wind/sun etc) I'll consider warmer rugs.
 
i worry too ! i dont think there is a correct answer. I have a wlesh x pony who until this week grew no winter coat at all so I bought 2 x 200g rugs. this week he has turned into a yeti and was sweaty under a no fill but hates getting wet and gets really cold and shivery if he does. so will now buy another no fill, then will worry he is cold or hot or a mixture of the 2 ! am actually tempted to take rug off and leave him to it. he has access to stable at all times.
 
Of my 5 (All Arabs) 1 has a medium ,she is 24 and losses weight easily , 1 has a Rambo with a 100grm inner, he has a fine coat. The other 3 are all in LW's , they can get into the stables and the large field shelter.

Until the temperature drops ( on a regular basis ) they will stay like that. My big lad will not get clipped until he comes into proper work when he will be in a HW with a neck.
 
My ISH was fully clipped again yesterday. He had 100g outer, 100g liner plus a neck on last night and was toasty warm (he lives out). This morning at 8am he had his liner taken out and neck taken off, by 10am, now the sun's come out, he was sweating so hes naked! Its entirely down to the horse
 
My horse is fully clipped and is in a medium stable with heavyweight turnout on top - and he's just warm enough! He is poorly and need to keep his kidneys warm...

Each horse is very different!
 
My welsh d has good conformation, so have had him on a LW turnout. However this morning I put him on a MW - first frost made me! He does not have a HW as has never needed one the 10 years I've had him. I also have a welsh D x arab who is on a MW at the moment - although only just had him and doesn't have a HW - but a fleece so apparently in snowy conditions he wears that underneath MW, so will be doing this later on in winter. :)
 
I have a welsh x type, he's blanket clipped and has a fleece and a mw on through the day and then a lw stablerug and the mw on through the night. this keeps him nice and warm but it really depends upon the horse!
 
Thank you everyone for your helpful replies.
She's currently just in a light weight with no fill. Do you think she'd be too hot with a fleece underneath that?
 
Would the fleece be for in the stable or field?

I know lots of people use fleeces under turnouts but I always think if that horse laid down in a puddle, the fleece would soak up all the water and create a freezing under layer. I'd even prefer two no fill turnout rugs instead of a fleece, but each to their own and I'm sure many people never have any problems using a fleece as an extra layer.

And to answer your question, I'd see how she is with just the no fill for now.
 
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