Does your naked horse...

[hammie]

...sweat? I mean, just standing in the field? No rug, and he has a bib clip.

2 degrees this afternoon at the yard, frosty everywhere and ground really hard. He wasn't running round or anything, just standing eating. And when I brought him in and brushed him I realised he was a bit sweaty behind the ears, and a little on his lower chest and behind his front legs. The other day it was a whole 5C, and his chest and shoulders were really sweaty - and all he had been doing was dozing in the field.

He does have *loads* of grass to eat at the moment mind you, and has actually put on weight in the past couple of weeks. Maybe that contributes? Here he is fuelling up today...

[Mellymoo]

Mine does, so he is chaser clipped to keep him comfortable!

[bertie666]

Sweating can be an indicator of pain - anything possibly causing that?

Do you feed salt?

[jen1]

yes ive had many here that can sweat just stood in the stable,

[hammie]

I don't know of any pain... He has a salt lick sometimes - not often lately but I gave it him yesterday instead of a haynet as he's so fat. I've been thinking it's the blubber, he is getting lots of grass and I can't exercise him much with this weather.

I've been wondering about getting a chaser clip next time, but am a bit worried about him getting cold at night.

At least Mr Fatty has no urgent need of the rug he's grown out of!

[troop]

Troopa will sweat sometimes he has a very thick woolly coat.

[mandal]

No, none and none are clipped at all.

[clara81]

Not when it's that cold, they would if it got up to 12 ish. Have you considered cushings?

[hammie]

Hadn't thought of Cushings

But he's 6 and his coat is normal, so unlikely I think.

[Deleted]

Coat changes are one of the last signs of cushings so I wouldn't rule it out on that basis.

Similarly though, I'm guessing from the pics he's a highland so would be quite capable of living out unrugged in far worse conditions with little food. So if he's fat and stuffing his face with lush grass he'll be producing a lot of heat from digestion, so I although I'd ask your vet about a cushings test I wouldn't worry too much just yet.

[clara81]

Oh I can't see the pictures at work. Our Fell pony used to sweat a lot, maybe not at 2 degrees but not much warmer. My Exmoor was sweating last week but not now, maybe your boy is just prepared for much worse weather than we've been getting lol!

[jen1]

have you taken him temperature when he is sweating and is it normal, ive had hairy cobs never rugged in there lives, sweat when the sun comes out regardless of how cold it is,

[hammie]

Never taken his temperature at all! Will have to try that...

He's not a Highland, he's an Irish mongrel . He does have some Highlands in his field though, and one of them (unrugged, no clip, bit hairier than Snowstorm I think) was sweaty last week.