Aother dilemma .... help please

[daisysp8]

Ok, so last year when i first got Lottie (January) she was painfully thin .... I bought her a 6` Shires Combo turn-out, 200g fill, and an anti-rub vest. I also had Mark Todd lightweight (no fill) and a Jasper stable rug (200g) that i could use as a combo to let the Shires one dry out .... The Mark Todd is great for warmer wetter weather on its own, but i now have a dilemma.

Last week in the minus figures and snow i put Lotties Shires rug on (200g) ..... and she was too hot ... She`s sweated and has now got little scabby bumps all over her (rainscald i`d guess from sweating?) ....... I put a fleece under her lightweight rug instead to try that, but the fleeces (i have 2 different ones) just pull back and dig into her chest and withers ... She is currently just in a lightweight and has been for the last couple of days but i`m worried this isn`t enough She has adlib hay ... and i have to say she looks fine body wise ... But i`m really worried she`ll start to drop the weight.

What other rug would be best ? ? A 40g or a 100g ? ? I got a bit of xmas money, and have seen a lovely Fal rug 40g ? Do we think that would be enough ?

This is a pic of her last week:








**Sigh**


These neds really do worry us don`t they .... Dixie had a lightweight on, but she was itching herself even more with it on, so i`ve taken it off her and she`s nekkid again .... and Ruby`s rugs don`t fit her properly now, she`s outgrowing them rapidly .... Guess where my xmas money is going this year ? ? ?

[Bella]

mmmmmm.......thats a tough one. She looks in lovely condition by the way, you've done well.

I know exactly what you mean about the fleece's my mare's fleece pulls back if I put it on under a turnout. I think buying a 40g is a good option, I've always meant to buy one as my rugs jump from a lightweight to a 200g. I have 2 Fal rugs, have had them 5 years and they still look great.

This year I bought a mark todd under rug only 4oz which I put on her under her turnout before the 200g went on.

Hopefully others will help x

[Deleted]

i took serens turnout rug off today and it's rubbed her shoulders. she's so woolly I'm beginning to wonder if I should just leave her rugless

seren is in a mediumweight rug mainly to keep the wet off, if your mare is in a lightweight I'd be tempted to leave the rug off and just make sure she has access to loads of hay and monitor her condition. they can actually be colder in lightweight rugs because they can't fluff their coat up. if that makes sense

[ba]

i usually put 2 lightweight rugs on as a step before the 200g rug comes out. the air trapped between the rugs keeps them a bit warmer and no spending all my pennies on more rugs as I always have 2 lightweights for use in autumn/spring when my pony is out 24/7, I like to alternate his rugs so he doesn't get any rubs and also its handy to have a spare in case one gets soaked or trashed.

[Furiey]

Bailey (Hannovarian), out 24/7 with only natural shelter is unclipped and in a no fill rainsheet (weatherbeater landa lite). Even in this horrible weather he has been nice and warm. I tried a 40g fill rug on him in last year's snowy weather and he got so hot he tore a brand new rug apart in less than a week. After that I don't worry so much and as he's still growing too I'm having to buy a new rug a year with last year's as an emergency back up. At least I don't have to splash out on a full range of different weights! The thing I've found with the lightweight is that it keeps the rain and wind off him, so even though his hair lays flat rather than fluffed he stays warmer than without it. So if she's warm enough in the light rug (or no rug even) stick with it, make sure she has enough food and only put warmer rugs on if she is cold when you check her. You may find that as she has more condition on her this year she is feeling the cold less. She definitely looks better than those first pictures you posted of her.

[daisysp8]

Thanks for that Furiey ..... It does make sense that keeping the wind/rain off their bodys will kepp them warmer.

For those who can`t remember her or how thin she was:

[Azrael]

I've got 110g GFS turnouts for Roxy and Mia and they're the rugs that get most use out of any I have, Mia is quite warm and never wears anything else all winter just the 110g rug when its really cold. Best rugs ever IMO for horses that need a rug in cold weather but a normal mw is too warm.