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Wyllow
Platinum Member
 United Kingdom
2885 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 11:23:14 PM
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Ok, who has got a case of the "furries" yet?
Is your horse wearing his "hairies"? or does your pony have her "woolly pully" on already?
How fluffy does YOUR'S get or do you manage to minimise that fuzz under rugs ?
Maybe, like one of mine, Chlio, your's only ever grows a light velvet wrap.....or is your equine hidden under a "bear skin" in the winter or trotting around loosely disguised as a yak??????????????
I ask as Milly is growing her winter fuzzies quite early for her and I suppose it's a case of a little less "upholstery" and a little more fur as insulation now the padding has dispersed! on her strict diet. She wasn't exactly fat to start with, but the vet said ANY excess would have to go if the laminitis was to have the best chance of going with minimised risk of return. Consequently, the poor little thing has felt the autumn nip a little more keenly!
Chlio is slightly fuzzy but as usual it just feels like foal fuzz!
Jasper hasn't bothered and we won't discuss his waistline dispite the fact he's been on a diet since May and back in work since July!!!!!!!!
Here in Jersey, it's relatively mild but it seems that the light has an effect too! You can guarantee that around three weeks after the longest day, the Shetlands start to "bulk out" in the coat dept and they just keep fuzzing up until the Spring.
So, do you have coats like musk oxen to deal with in the winter or are yours miraculously like satin ?
Do you clip the ones in work or leave nature to do it's shaggy worst?
Just wondering as the nights are definitely getting chilly and I've actually put two of mine in their light "nighties" this evening!
I suppose this heralds the start of the "hair bear bunch " season !!!!!!!!!!!!! ???????????????
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Zoe Tyzack
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4047 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 09:29:21 AM
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Hi
My Veteran Esmera has got fluffy-itis,bless her.
the rest of the gang are just starting to go a bit fuzzy. |
     
Zoe.x |
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Judith S
Platinum Member
Wales
15686 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 09:44:10 AM
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Ours have been fluffy for several weeks now - must be the WElsh mountain air! Amigo the Saddlebred grows the thickest coat!! |
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Brego
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
217 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 10:44:44 AM
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| My boy has been rugged up for a couple of weeks now as still got a couple of shows to do and also winter dressage coming up so don't like him too hairy. Unfortunately, neck is getting very woolly but hate rugs with neck covers as they pull out his mane. Also growing lovely leg warmers. |
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madmare
Platinum Member
England
2129 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 12:50:02 PM
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Crystal looks like a walking hearth rug...she is that fuzzy!!! She is still out 24/7, but has free access too a massive field shelter...used to be a dormitory for girls at a campsite..so it's huge!!! and is very reluctant too come in,she gets wound up, and then she gets hard to ride...I can barely stay on her, she gets that bad!
Mind you they will be in for the winter shortly, probably the end of next week, or the week after...nights are getting chilly now...a couple of years ago, they were out until the end if novenber...daft sods refused to be caught! Do any of you also have to play "hunt the black shetlands, in the dark, with no torch" or is it just us??? |
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GHALEEM
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2028 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 4:05:35 PM
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Not yet But one of them is wearing a lycra hoody plus Boet rug so the hair might just be lying flat. When i take it off after the midges have gone i will probably get a shock
Michelle |
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Judi
Silver Member
England
494 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 4:19:43 PM
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My lot are in full fluff mode and have been for weeks, in fact one mare has been growing her winter ears since July!
They are in at night and rugged already, in fact as I type they are huddled at the gate crying to come in despite middle weights wugs on in the wind and rain.... |
Judi
judirhodes1@yahoo.co.uk |
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Grey Girl
Platinum Member
England
1554 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 4:36:14 PM
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Amelia's coat started to thicken ages ago - now it's lovely and thick and furry! Mmmm, I love digging my fingers into it!
Having said that I've just put a rug on her as it's raining hard here and looks set to stay that way for some days yet. It's not cold, but she's thin and her summer paddock hasn't got a lot of shelter from driving rain.
Grey Girl
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 Said the little eohippus, "I´m going to be a HORSE"  |
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Arachnid
Platinum Member
England
1872 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 7:46:14 PM
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Fluffy but not too much coat yet, but he doesnt grow much of a coat. Will have him clipped just down his neck and girth (dont know what you call that) cant see the point of clipping bits unless he sweats there if you know what I mean. Glad to hear other horses are rugged too. We are in the balmy south and he was rugged and brought in at night from the beginning of September. He seems to lose weight in a strong wind! Still yesterday was just gorgeous so we took all of their rugs off for a good old roll. Ghaleem, are you in Scotland? When do midges disappear as thinking of going there for half term?
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West Sussex |
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suneagle
Gold Member
England
727 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 7:57:21 PM
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yeah freddie started looking like a dartmoor pony about a month ago but is now nicley clipped and looking GOOOOOOD! 
and ive had to out his medium weight stable and turnout rugs also hes hooded up in and out. |
clare xxxx |
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bam-bam
Bronze Member
England
83 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 9:03:44 PM
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Interesting questions Wyllow and I've a few more maybe people can answer.
How do horses keep themselves warm?
Different breeds and even different horses within a breed have vastly different coats yet all have survived over centuries in all weathers.
Are some more efficient than others?
Some have long but relatively sparse hairs, others have short but closely laid hairs. Most I think augment what they have got with mud to create a sort of wet-suit effect. They all stand bottoms to the weather and seek the lowest/most sheltered part of a field and stand together. Interestingly I havn't seen or heard of them running around to keep warm as we are told to do. Perhaps they avoid this to conserve energy as keeping warm probably uses a fair amount of fuel.
Also how can you tell when a horse is cold? I was always told it was if the ears were cold? Is that right do you think? Are we cold when our hands are cold? Isn't that just an indication that our/their bodies are working as they should do to maintain core temperature? Wouldn't it be the same argument for cold coat and shivering? How do you know when their core body temperature is getting too low?
I wonder what physiological or would it be psychological difference is made when they become used to coming in at night and or wearing rugs?
Also I was told that only the changing levels in light caused animals to moult - does this mean on the equator there are no winter coats?
Just wondering
Sue
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Lori
Platinum Member
England
1829 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 9:55:36 PM
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Mine are all getting hairy. The clippers will be full steam ahead soon on the part breds but the three pures i will leave to get woolly and goatlike
Isn't winter a loonnng time Roll on spring |
     
Lancashire |
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Nuttybabez
Gold Member
England
522 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 10:28:35 PM
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lmao madmare, I have to play find the black horses hiding under the trees in the dark with no torch too! Bought the youngster a black and bright orange rug last year and this year its bright pink so as soon as rugs go on, I will be able to find her and they are usually all together! Sorted!
Shetland, Arab X and yearling are all getting quite hairy and are not being rugged until its really cold. TB is already rugged and coming in at night - she never grows much of a coat, just stands and shivers if it threatens rain!
I was always told that if the base of the ears is cold, the horse is cold but I find this method a little unreliable. I tend to stick my fingers through the fluff on the neck/shoulder area and then between the back legs where there is less hair to see if mine are warm or not. Also if horses are cold, they tend to 'tuck up' and their hair stands on end. If you know your horses, you soon learn if they are cold or not - mine soon let me know if they are uncomfortable!! |
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egzotyka
Gold Member
England
1427 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 11:23:16 PM
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| Well Kouros is getting fluffy, funny you should mention this as i hadnt really noticed how fluffy Kouros really was untill this evening...clippers will be out soon!! Not quite enough fluff for me to justify taking it all off yet!! Musette on the other hand hasnt really grown much of a coat yet, she has gone darker and lost her summer coat seen but no real fluff!! I am hoping she wont grow much like last year... |
   
*I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok. They know me here
*When life gets you down - just put on your big girl panties and deal with
it. |
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Arabmare
Gold Member
United Kingdom
628 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 08:08:33 AM
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Jasmine my part bred is fluffy and the black Shetland ( I have to hunt too!) is very fluffy but Shantih is just starting to grow a coat now! I hate winter  |
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sazzlepants71
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3536 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 09:53:28 AM
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yup , clipping nashy over the weekend ..just a blanket though this time..nashy is really , really thick coat coz he's PB WELSH as well you can REALLY see the welshee come through this time of yr , he's getting really hot and its not fair so visit to the salon me thinks
ramaks coat isnt to bad..yet so may leave him a bit longer
weather is so funny - it was really cold last 2 days no muggy again yuk |
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jools
Bronze Member
England
192 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 7:59:23 PM
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| my older mare has grown her wooly pooly, hat and gloves in this last two weeks and she is in a light weight turn out!!!!! my colt has never lost his baby fluff, so he is wooly too, but my two year old is still sleek at the moment,she doesnt seem to grow much of a coat anyway, and she is so fat, that she has plenty of insulation, lol..... they all live out, but they are all different |
ju xx |
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Judith S
Platinum Member
Wales
15686 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 8:11:23 PM
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The most hairy here so far on the hills of mid Wales is Amigo my American Saddlebred - he does grow a hugh very thick coat & by the look of him its going to be a real polar bear affair this year!!! the Arabs are also shaping up well for thick coats!! Rufus & Ginger (Rue's 64% Arab & PB ASB & Ginger is 56.25% ASB x PBA) don't grow much in the way of coats - so they will be rugged soon. Will be interested to see what coat the new mare Poly the quarter horse grows - it looks quite thick already.
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Esther
Gold Member
United Kingdom
866 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2006 : 07:19:41 AM
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| Ours all end up with coats that you can lose your hands in these days, even Spider. They're not there yet, just a bit fluffy. |
paranoid horsemother
 
Photo on far right thanks to West End Photography
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Wyllow
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2885 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2006 : 3:51:21 PM
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Awwwww.....don't you love that cuddly fluffy look it seems most of yours are sporting!
There was a BRILLIANT pic of Desert Orchid in the H&H looking adorably like a shaggy native pony last week !
Yes. that's an interesting point about the different types of coat and how a horse keeps warm.
No, mine don't appear to keep moving to keep warm and if left out, huddle up and stand stubbornly rigid in the field until taken pity on!
The worst of ours for hating winter are the Shetland x's with coats like BEARS but HATE to get cold or wet....although they ARE waterproof! They run up and down the fence and whinny to be brought in if it get's nasty on the weather front!
Milly will get VERY thick coated and wonderfully attired in the leg~warmer dept.....and she likes to WATCH the bad weather, especially thunderstorms. I have seen her watching lightning with immense fascination and not wanting to be caught to be brought in!
On the other hand, Jasper HATES the cold and wet, although he grows quite a nice coat and mud guards. I swear he's hiding TB blood in there somewhere!
The Arab, Chlio, grows VELVET ! Honestly, her coat is just like a thick luxuriant PLUSH all winter, but is woefully lacking in waterproofing, despite the oil that seems to come off it, and she is VERY well catered for in terms of turnout rugs otherwise she'd be soaked to the bone.....although cold never seems to be an issue.
Daylight DOES have a part to play and the Shetties have been growing their winter garb since July ~ honestly, as sson as the longest day is about three weeks passed, thecoats start to fuzz up....and again, they start to shed in January.....mind you, they have an ENORMOUS amount of coat to grow and then shed, so no wonder it takes 'em so long!
Pity.....they only ever seem to have a truly sleek summer coat for around 4 weeks a year.....and we're in JERSEY!!!!! |
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