Would you ever use a heavyweight combo rug on an unclipped horse?

[ecrozier]

As the title really, just brosing ebay for rugs for new horse, as he is young and won't be in very much work this winter we probably won't clip him, so wondering whether to go for MW or HW? He is ID x WB by the way, will be out on a fairly exposed hillside during the day and in at night.

 

[scotsmare]

I live right on the edge of the north sea - we get horrific weather here in winter - as a minimum we use heavyweight rugs and often the clipped horses don't go out for days

 

[ForeverBroke_]

Darcys never clipped through the winter, and this winter he had a heavy weight rug, with a fleece under

 

[Bens_Mum]

I did all through the snow and cold weather last year on my ID. TBH I rugged him up well all winter so his coat on his body was minimal in the end!

 

[ecrozier]

Hmm, ok, maybe we would get some use out of it then!! Good excuse to buy both a MW and a HW then

I do use a HW on my mare but she lives out 24/7 and doesn't get particularly hairy - and has a bib-and-belly clip. In worst of weather she has a fleece or blanket underneath, but she is pretty hardy really. My arab however is a wuss - but he gets clipped and comes in at night so still rarely more than a HW with something under for awful days.

 

[Shilasdair]

My Tb mare wears a HW combo (unclipped) in the winter, usually a 360g one, but even up to 450g with an underrug in extreme weather.
She is 20, though, lives out all year, has never been able to grow a decent winter coat and hates being cold, so I just go along with what she wants.
I think it would depend if your horse was a 'hot' horse, or a 'cold' horse, if you see what I mean.
Maybe it would be better to buy a MW rug, and an underrug...I use Amigo 150g stable rugs as underrugs.
S

 

[Damnation]

My TB, unclipped, was in over 700g worth of rugs this winter in the frost and she is out 4 days a week..

 

[kellyeaton]

all depends on if the hoirse feels the cold or not!

 

[sleepingdragon10]

Maybe an HW with detachable neck would be a good option to consider?

 

[lexiedhb]

Definately depends on the horse......... i cant believe some of your horses are so cold!! My TB used to have a HW in winter on a welsh hillside, but none of the horses at the yard I am at now (W.Sussex) wore one last year........ MW with a thin liner and neck was the max....

 

[Theresa_F]

Only on my old TBs - I now have a full clipped gypsy cob and chaser clipped and then full clipped in January clydesdale and they only have MW rugs with no necks. If it is really really cold, they may have a fleece on underneath, but they are only out during the day in winter.