Would you rug if......

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Claude

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......a horse has lived in all winter un rugged and is then turned out to living out 24/7. Would you rug if it was down to 3/4 degrees at night or leave un rugged still? Field is huge open field with no shelter at all at the top of a hill.
 
Presumably the horse is unclipped, in which case I wouldn't bother rugging, unless it turns wet and windy. Horses regulate their own temperature better than we can with rugs.
 
If unclipped I'd leave it, maybe a no fill if v wet. If recently clipped then yes, overnight & a no fill in day. Depends on what condition its in, age, breed etc really.
 
Ours have been in at night from the end of September until 2 weeks ago. They are unclipped. One is a retired 30 yr old, who has worn a rug very occasionally in the very worst weather over the winter. We, too, are on an exposed hillside.
None of them has worn a rug since they went out. We said when they went out that if the weather turned very wet/windy and wet, we would rug. The weather has been dry, even though some nights have been cold. Every horse is fine.
 
I would rug if it is cold and windy particularly as the horses have been used to a warm,dry stable and need aclimatising.But then i am a soft sotherner.If they are cold and shivery rug up.
 
Only if you can take it off in the morning, though I would not rug anyway if it stays dry. Horses don't feel it the same as us, and eating will keep them warm anyway. If you can't get there to take the rug off in the morning in this heat it would be unfair. (20s here!)
 
touchstone said:
Presumably the horse is unclipped, in which case I wouldn't bother rugging, unless it turns wet and windy. Horses regulate their own temperature better than we can with rugs.
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+1, if you go too thin a rug onto a thicker unclipped coat you will actually cause them to be colder than unrugged.

My youngsters were unrugged all winter. The oldies were rugged for about two weeks when it dropped more. Liveries were 50/50 some un, some lightly, some heavy. Not many rugged now and only overnight or if raining.
Easiest thing is to turn out without and then have a feel on their temp during the night if possible. I panicked once that it was too cold for mine.. felt her temperature and she was nice and toasty.

Also agree with miss l toe. If I can go out (all be it in a jumper as they have a coat) without shivering then the oldies are fine... if my teeth are chattering with woolies on then they get checked. Mostly they are still toasty anyway!

Pan
 
mines clipped and now naked.

if shes cold she will lie down imo.... stable is very sheltered (in at night).... lots of bedding :)

out during the day :)
 
Claude said:
......a horse has lived in all winter un rugged and is then turned out to living out 24/7. Would you rug if it was down to 3/4 degrees at night or leave un rugged still? Field is huge open field with no shelter at all at the top of a hill.
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I would rug if a horse was cold or dropping condition regardless of any other circumstances, or what other people said or thought. If it is looking happy enough, keeping weight on then no. I play it by ear, no hard and fast rules about temperature or anything else. 3-4C is not cold :)

Our temps dropped from 18C yesterday to -8C this morning, up to -2C now, I didn't rush out and sling blankets on everything. (Although I wimped out and went thermal ;))
 
I would go by horse as the main guide and not just by the weather. My horse cannot get cold otherwise he looses weight and doesnt carry much excess so can look ok one minute and like a hat rack the next just for lack of a rug even for just one day/night. If horse is in good condition and is happy without then no i wouldnt put a rug on it.
 
Well my tb is out at night now he is naked in day as its so lovely at mo. 2nights ago i am still putting mw combo on at night and adlib hay again as he has lost condition since going out 2weeks ago. He is never hot and rug off first thing. He would be a hat rack in no rug or less than he is now. We had heavy frost last night and same forcast tonight. Go by ur horse no one else!
 
Mines out hunter clipped (summer coat growing through) 24/7, she may be a bit chilly at night but i found her overheated in a rain sheet the other day lying in the field so I choose to let her get a bit cold at night and be comfortable in the day- shes got a layer of blubber on her anyway! I cant get down to change it in the morning due to college commitments

eta it gets to about 7 at night, if it was to get colder at night then I would certainly sacrifice registration to change/remove the rug!
 
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