Winter rugging advice :)

[Nakita]

Emma was one in June & has never had a rug on before so was out all last winter in that terrible snow etc in her own natural winter woolies
Come winter she will be out during the day and in at night, I would like to leave her without a rug for as long as possible.
Was just wondering who doesn't rug there horses at all?
My last horse was a complete woos and had the heaviest turnout rug with neck included so I'm a bit new to this! Lol.
Am I right in saying when they are stabled in the cold weather they will need a rug because they can't walk around to heat themselves up?
Oh for those who don't know she is a friesian ...

 

[Enfys]

Impossible to say absolutely, rug or not to rug, you know your horse best.

Simple rule of thumb, if your horse is looking cold/miserable/tucked up (at any time) rug it up. Plenty of forage all the time helps keep them warm too.

Mine are out full time. Some are rugged, some see me coming and make it quite clear they don't want one, some would put the rugs on themselves.

 

[kerilli]

i'd leave her unrugged. don't forget there's no wind chill factor in stables (well, unless it is very draughty, in which case that needs sorting out) so a dry, healthy horse will not get cold standing in a stable even if it's -20 degrees. lots of forage is the answer, then they have their own personal furnace...
someone on here found an excellent essay about how well horses are designed for coping with cold weather, i'll try to find it. things like: feet that cannot get frostbite, for e.g. huge body mass loses heat far less (because smaller surface area compared to, say, us).
i think we anthropomorphise them too much. they can cope with vile weather. i've looked up the fields in the horriblest weather to see my lot happily standing out in it, with the empty shelter right beside them (durr)... they stand in the shelter for the shade in summer all the time though.
the other thing about youngsters is that a rug will never fit them as well as their own personal fur coat, it might rub, and they might hook it up on something, being inquisitive, daft, etc.