Yes, I'm an interfering bag...

FoxTrotx

FoxTrotx

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...but would you honestly keep a horse turned out in a no fill rain sheet in this weather (its been down to -4 here).

I'm not slagging anyone off as I don't know the circumstances of the horse or owner, I am fond of said horse, it's very sweet and enjoys a scratch over the fence (much to my mare's disgust).

Would anyone here turn out in this type if rug, if so for what reason? I am genuinley interested.
 
Well. I have read studies suggesting native ponies (and cobs i guess) are perfectly comfortable down to -8. So if it's the weight of rug you're worried about, i would say no problem!

However, I do have a massive problem wiht lightweight rugs, because they flatten the coat but don't trap a layer of warmth, so when I used to put them on my unclipped cob i used to find (in cold conditions) that he was colder with than without.
 
Quite happily. But then mine is an unclipped purebred Connie, too good a doer and certainly not thin(!), who is naturally a warm one anyway. He's out these days in a 50g fill with no neck and frankly only to cater to my human need to offset some of the dirt he attracts. Have got a no-fill which he sees sometimes but prefer the tiniest bit to stop flattening, as Morgan123 describes.
 
No, because I think no-fills do more harm than good in cold weather, as they flatten the hair which stands up to keep the horse warm. Unless the horse is cold, I'd leave it unrugged, with plenty to eat it will keep itself warm naturally.
 
I wouldn't be to amused if someone questioned my horse care, unless I was a beginner.

Agree with others though, no fill rugs are a waste of time if it rains, they do more harm than good (in my experience)

What type of horse was it?
 
Its fieldmates are also unrugged which is why I assume there may be a reason for the rug, I just find a no fill rainsheet an odd choice for this weather, it has been wearing it since about September.
 
Yes, I do.

I also have the 40g and 70g rugs. Horse is usually unrugged. He is not a native, he's an ISH. He is well covered, and unclipped.

He has been warm and happy unrugged down to -15. However, when we get the horizontal sleet and rain, he gets grumpy. He doesn't shiver, he just gets cross. Put a 40g rug on, and he gets even grumpier and overheats under it.

Put a no fill rug on, and he's happy. I have also taken the no fill off on a frosty morning and found his whole coat fluffed up, bar a panel across his withers and his rump, so to say they can't fluff up under one of these isn't true.

As with all rugging, it is how the horse responds that's important, not beliefs about what rug does what.
 
Guido, not sure on the breed, I'd guess at tb crossed with something heavier, maybe a Welsh D as it has pretty hefty legs.

As for questioning horse care, I'd be more than happy to answer any questions about my horses and wouldn't take offence, especially if someone had genuine concerns.
 
I stand by one statement.

Overrugging is more dangerous than underrugging.
Horses can warm themselves up much easier than cooling themselves down.

It's -10 here and I have removed an underrug from my big 17.2HH. He is a big jessy but having just checked him, he was far to warm and the HW with neck should suffice. I will check him in an hour or so when it will no doubt be about -12.

However, there is no wind or rain or snow so actually, despite the temperature, it's quite nice weather for them. Rain with wind is far worse
 
I have a no fill rain sheet on my Dartmoor hill pony as with all of this horrible rain he has devloped rain scald. Anything thicker will make him too hot!
 
I agree with you Guido, I whipped my kwpn's rug off for a couple of hours yesterday, its was cold but sunny and she had a whale of a time rolling about in the show :rolleyes:, oh and she's still alive today. I'd much rather put more hay out before upping the rug 'strength'.

Like I said, it was more the no fill flattening the coat thing I was concerned about with this other horse, but maybe this isn't fact as another poster has suggested.
 
Oh, fotgot to say we have had no rain here, its very cold and dry, everywhere looks like a very beautiful christmas card ;)
 
FoxTrotx said:
...but would you honestly keep a horse turned out in a no fill rain sheet in this weather (its been down to -4 here).

I'm not slagging anyone off as I don't know the circumstances of the horse or owner, I am fond of said horse, it's very sweet and enjoys a scratch over the fence (much to my mare's disgust).

Would anyone here turn out in this type if rug, if so for what reason? I am genuinley interested.
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No I wouldnt. either rug with a med wt or heavy wt rug or dont rug at all! the horse cannot keep itself warm with a rain sheet on as it cannoty raise the hairs in its coat.
 
I use a rain sheet for my Welsh D if the rain is heavy, he is unrugged even in the coldest of weather. He just can't cope with heavy rain but gets too hot in a heavier rug.
 
It's not what I'd personally choose to do - they would either be naked or rugged properly - but at the same time I hardly think it's horse care crime of the century, so I'd advise you to step back and shut up and leave the owner to do what they feel is best for their horse!
 
scewal said:
I have a no fill rain sheet on my Dartmoor hill pony as with all of this horrible rain he has devloped rain scald. Anything thicker will make him too hot!
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I was thinking of rainscald as a reason - even in cold sunny weather the skin is delicate and will get sunburn where the coat is missing...

foxy1 said:
In what way do you think over rugging is dangerous?
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As they said, a cold horse can run round and warm up, an over rugged horse will sweat and be uncomfortable. I don't know if I'd use the word dangerous, but over rugging is not good. Horses and ponies are designed to have to use their fat to heat/energise them throughout the winter.
 
In extremes I think it can be dangerous to over rug. Daughters is a mega warm pony (fully clipped & in a lw standard neck stable rug, by comparison mine is in a fleece & a hw combo). One winter before she was clipped an interfering numpty took it upon herself to put a mw stable rug on after I'd gone. Next morning pony was soaked through with sweat & shivering. Luckily she's very healthy & had a huge straw bed she nestles into, or it could have been a lot worse. Interfering numpty also put hw combo on over my mares thermatex same night, she too was sweaty but luckily thermatex absorbed the majority.
 
My little section a has enough coat for three ponies but she wears a no fill turnout because if she didn't she'd be solid with mud. I refuse to bath my horses in cold weather and if she was caked head to foot in our lovely industrial strength sticky clay mud she'd need to be completely bathed every time she was ridden. Imo that's just not acceptable (I'm frequently found rolling my eyes at the amount of washing that goes on on our yard and the volume of fairy liquid consumed) and would be far more likely to result in a chilly pony than her wearing her cagoule.
 
My boy has been living in a rain sheet most of autumn and winter and is still alive (shock).

He wears it as he has a thick fluffy coat and needs no extra insulation but shivers, to the point of convulsing as soon as it rains or snows.
 
I really don't get this idea that a no fill rug is worse than no rug. There will be a layer of air trapped between rug and body unless rug is too small and fits like a second skin. The sheet will keep horse dry and offer some protection from cold winds without overheating it. A naked horse will have trouble raising it's hair to trap air for warmth when that hair is soaking wet after the relentless rain we've been having.
I have heard this theory of sheets being colder than naked a lot lately and it makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. How the heck can a soaking wet horse be warmer than a dry one.
 
my welsh cob and irish draught are in lw's and are warm. they are very hairy. i keep the lw's on in case it snows and also to keep them clean for riding. if it was going to be dry for days i would just take them off but this rarely happens!
 
No, it's pointless here as just cold so would do a rug if needed not rain sheet. Mine are all naked though. They have been continuously out 24/7 and have got decent coats... Even the tb ;) If wet then I would if necessary (not been yet)
 
EquiGirl1 said:
My boy has been living in a rain sheet most of autumn and winter and is still alive (shock).

He wears it as he has a thick fluffy coat and needs no extra insulation but shivers, to the point of convulsing as soon as it rains or snows.
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my mini is the same.She has had a no fill sheet to keep her back dry but doesnt need the weight.gets shivery and cold if not but i have just put a medium weight on due to the temp drop.
 
I've heard the theory of no fill rugs making a horse colder than wearing no rug, but in practice, it isn't true.

The no fill stops prolonged heavy rain when combined with a cold wind from chilling the horse.
Stopping the chill factor from bitter winds will help a horse maintain body heat.

My cob was fully clipped and the clip has grown out but is not as dense as his winter coat would be. He doesn't have the water proofing that his full coat would provide and he only needs protection from cold, heavy rain or sleet.

In the stable he's not rugged at all as he has ad lib forage and a thick straw bed.
 
My horse is warmer in a no fill than nothing, I understand the fluffing up coat theory, but if it does apply then it doesn't apply to her (maybe because she has a very thick coat and rug is quite roomy). She is a very warm horse but miserable when wet and I really wouldn't want her to be sopping wet and then in minus temps all night. She would cope fine as she is hairy but I think she is more comfortable like this.

I find your outrage at this situation fairly ridiculous!
 
Aah, where did you get the otrage idea? I was genuinley asking and have had many sensible answers. I was under the impression that no fills prevent the coat from working. This may or may not be the case, I honestly don't know :)
 
FoxTrotx said:
Aah, where did you get the otrage idea? I was genuinley asking and have had many sensible answers. I was under the impression that no fills prevent the coat from working. This may or may not be the case, I honestly don't know :)
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From what I've read a rain sheet flattens the coat so that there isn't the chance for air to be trapped and act as an insulator, however my mare has a very thick coat and is normally warm enough unrugged but if it is VERY windy or VERY wet I will put a rain sheet on her as it helps stop the wind chill and keeps her dry, she is normally warmer with a rug in those condtions than without.
Tonight she is rugless, there is very little wind and only very light snow forecast.
 
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