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baxter
Gold Member
 England
1123 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 2:17:39 PM
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For those of you that have horses living out, specifically pure bred arabs, are they rugged?
I have a rising 4 year old Regan who is living out, he wore a thin lightweight rug last year as he was up in Cheshire and it got very cold i about Januaury, so that's when he was rugged.
However it's freezing here, hail in London! And i've checked MetCheck and it's going to feel like -7 where he is at 3am!
Should i rug him?
He has a fluffy coat, and is well covered i think fat wise, but am i mean? Aurran his uncle is at Livery down the road, out during the day and in at night and wearing two stable rugs at night already, but he is a wimp.... Am i mean leaving Regan unrugged? A friend has her cob rugged in the same field and it's starting to play on my mind.
Thanks in advance.
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Suelin
Platinum Member
England
2514 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 2:24:27 PM
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| One has to remember that horses were on the planet a long time before rugs. However he will probably keep better condition if you rug him because he won't need to utilise as much food keeping warm. This may or may not be a blessing. If he is a bit of a tubby soul the shiver factor can be advantageous from the point of view regarding laminitis. I feel that we rug horses too much, having said that I am as guilty as anyone of doing it because it helps me sleep well at night knowing that my boys are cosy. It's up to you really, but if he's well and in good nick then why bother really. |
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Icarus
Junior Member
England
40 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 2:49:01 PM
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| My boy who is also rising four is out only in a light weight as i wanted to keep the rain off him, he is also tubby! I was wondering myself if i should now put on his medium? as it is very cold here(Oxfordshire) as now i have condition on him i dont want him to lose it! |
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Deboniks
Platinum Member
England
3776 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 2:55:04 PM
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I think everyone would be different. It would depend on the ammount of shelter and if they had somewhere dry to stand/lay. I've just changed mine to quite an open field with a hedge on just one side so they have rugs and come in at night. But no rugs during the last few days as the weather has been great. I don't have hard and fast rules I go day by day because of lack of shelter. |
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Karon
Gold Member
England
1411 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 2:55:53 PM
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| I've got 3 rugged at night now, two of those are rugged during the day most days too (need to keep weight on them) but the 4th is as hairy as anything and is unrugged. I do feel a bit bad when I see the other 3 tucked up warm in their rugs but she's fine without one and it might shift a few pounds off her, too! |
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Asima
Bronze Member
Wales
176 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 4:10:29 PM
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| My purebred was out last night in a lightweight no fill rug just to keep the worst of the wind and rain off her. She does have shelter though. The temperature has really dropped today though so I'm wondering whether to either put a fleece on under her lightweight or put her mediumweight on. Either way she'll have an extra bit of warmth tonight. |
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themewoman
Silver Member
England
375 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 4:14:53 PM
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| my mare has a fleece and a light weight on all the time now as it's really windy where we are. |
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arabic
Platinum Member
England
4562 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 4:43:59 PM
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There probably is a general rule but I think the main thing is that they are all individuals. It's taken me a few years to realise what works and doesnt work for mine and I still get it wrong (they are very forgiving). I am sure he will be fine whatever you choose to do.
Sandie |
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Baikala
Gold Member
571 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 4:47:52 PM
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Hi Baxter,
My 17 year old purebred mare lives out 24/7, and has probably done so all her life. At the moment she is in a medium weight turnout, when it gets a bit colder I'll give her one with a neck on because she is not a particularly easy keeper.
I take it one day at a time, no hard and fast rules, if a horse looks miserable then I do something about it, whether that is more blankets, upping feed or even bringing in (and stuff what anyone else says or does)
For three months of the year we have feet of snow on the ground and
-7C is pretty warm for us, average temperatures are -15C by day dropping to -25C or less by night. As long as a horse has shelter and ad-lib hay they are fine, arabs are tough old birds, many of the studs around here don't rug at all.
My 5 month old filly has a coat I have to dig through to reach even fluff, she won't be rugged unless it rains a lot, and we don't generally DO much in the way of rain here, so I don't have to contend with mud rash or rain rot which is nice.
nb.I am taking it as said that all horses are individuals and must be treated as such, and only you yourself knows your horse best as to how he is coping day by day)
I meant to add that keeping a horse in my part of this country is a piece of cake, a mere walk in the park, in comparison to coping with the vagaries of a British winter. |
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Edited by - Baikala on 28 Oct 2008 5:20:28 PM |
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NUTTER
Platinum Member
England
2452 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 4:52:21 PM
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Mine have been out 24/7 have only lightweights on.. cob no rug at all.
Tomorrow med weight going on one of ours as she feels the cold.
Will be putting lightweight on cob as from the weekend but only to keep clean for riding as rolls for ever!!
Mine i do stable through the winter when heavy rain with gust of winds but only as no field shelter..
If its dry and winds not to strong will have them out as much as possible.. |
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TC
Gold Member
Scotland
621 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 5:18:01 PM
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Ours all have rugs on stabled at night and during the day in the field.Bo felt cold under his stable rug this morning but it is freezing here...the hose was frozen solid this morning at the yard...BAH |
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gg
Bronze Member
England
202 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 6:26:08 PM
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i think as long as a lightweight keeps the rain off and they are not clipped they will be fine. I rug mine pure bred mare as she shivers in the cold and rain. Med weight will go on when she is clipped soon and use hoods in the winter. Living out is less mind blowing for her and relaxing for me!!!! No shelter just trees and hedges.
julie |
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Kirsty5278
Platinum Member
England
2682 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 6:42:42 PM
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| Raz was clipped today so on with rugs!! Its a shame because i don't think he would have needed a rug - unless it was cold, wet and windy all in one - thats when i worry he'll be cold.... |
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gossy
Platinum Member
England
3639 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 6:47:00 PM
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| yes before rugs horses didnt have them, but they werent domesticated as they are now, my rule of thumb is 6 degrees and lower warrants meduims, if its - whatever and blowing a gale with wind and rain and they have to be out heavy weights. |
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MinHe
Platinum Member
England
2927 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 7:42:16 PM
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The sort of equine native to this here part of the world is built to take our weather ...Ayrabs are not! In my experience, if it's dry and cold, then they are fine without a rug, but need some kind of a windbreak and plenty of hay - the act of eating hay keeps them warm, then apparently digesting hay also generates lots of heat inside  . What I was always told is that Arabs are not good at coping with wet and cold, and my own horses seem to bear this out.
Mind you, they are all different, and while most of mine either like or tolerate turnout rugs, the youngster not only hates, loathes and DESTROYS rugs, he doesn't even like being stabled, so he has a field shelter, and despite having next to no coat (being high-percentage Egyptian) he's as happy as Larry all winter.
The Grange Stud's stallion RIAZ preferred to live all year round in his field - despite being in the fens just outside Boston and with nothing between him and Siberia
Keren |
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Lindsay
Gold Member
Scotland
944 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 7:44:50 PM
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| Both of mine live out 24/7 and are rugged in the bad weather. At the moment we have sleet and snow so they are both in combo rugs. Sylvie (arab) is in a heavy weight and Amber (Welsh) is in a medium. the only reason my wleshie is rugged is that she is now 19 and doesn't grow a winter coat like she used to! |
   
Paidir dóibhsean le fiántas ina gcroíthe acu, atá coinnithe i gcaighin |
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Zenitha
Gold Member
England
1078 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 7:55:05 PM
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| Mine are all rugged. Can't bear to see them standing around looking cold and miserable. They are much much happier when they're warm and dry |
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pat ww
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3459 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 7:56:21 PM
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I've had a couple of older obese mares out all winter unrugged, but we had much drier weather. Th persistent rain we get these days is making them all miserable, now the compromise is field shelters, but do rug most of them as well. Having said that, my home bred 2 year old colt has never been rugged, always had a field shelter and is not only taler than mum at 2 but in good condition and quite mature looking, so it does depend on the individual.
He was weaned late, I have a bought-in filly who is a divil to keep any weight on, and wonder sometimes if it is the start they have that determines their ability to do well or otherwise. |
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GHALEEM
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2028 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 8:07:02 PM
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Mine live out and have a field shelter which they use when there is hay in there. They have heavy weight rugs on in the middle of winter but i am sure they dont need them and i could get away with lightweight rugs. I have just put them in their lightweight rugs.
Michelle |
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Silvern_Scepris
Gold Member
England
1084 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2008 : 9:11:24 PM
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Andre had a rainsheet on - til it turned FREEZING cold this eve  , so I upped it to a medium weight. I'll change it back again when it warms up a bit. I know how you feel though, Andre is also living out still and everytime it gets cold or a bit drizzly, I want to wrap him up warm, give him lots of hay and put him in a stable over night |
  
London/Essex Border |
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PhoenixBoysOtherMummy
Silver Member
England
299 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 08:04:23 AM
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| Comet is an old man but still lives out. He has been rugged at nights for most of the summer as he tends to be very thin. He's now in two rugs at night! Com has a field shelter but if it rains and rains and rains then he'll get fetched in until he's dried off, then given dry rugs and shoved back out. |
  
Pics of Smartie Pants by mattymoo ~~~ Penllyn Pirate ~~~~~Phoenix Boy |
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Karon
Gold Member
England
1411 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 08:22:18 AM
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Well, I spoke to soon as it snowed here yesterday afternoon - I did give in and rugged them all! Back to rugless for the one though, now it's gone back to cold and dry. I did wonder about putting the Wug on my oldest, and decided it would be a good idea - she seemed to think so too. Earliest I've ever had to use my HW rug on any horse though 
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Icarus
Junior Member
England
40 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 08:32:51 AM
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| Yes i popped a fleece under my boys lightweight last night! as it was snowing here (Oxfordshire!) so i knew it was going to get quite chilly for him in the night but i will probably take it off again today. |
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