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Post by anastasia55555 on Dec 27, 2010 0:20:31 GMT 1
www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=416605Please slap me now for making Toffee wear a HW rug. Consider me well and truely told off, and feeling very bad for poor ponio MW with no neck it is tomorrow, also her bib she has to wear to stop her rug from rubbing withers, im going to buy her a new one, as i think the one she has atm is a sweaty material, rather than than a breathable absorbant one.
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Post by jennyb on Dec 27, 2010 8:41:22 GMT 1
It's a good thread. IMHO lots of people do over-rug, they think that the horse should feel warm under it's rug. That's too hot in my book! I like my horse to feel just luke warm under his rug. I know he's exceptionally hardy, but Gazdag has lived out in this cold, the coldest since records began we are told, and he's been absolutely fine in a 40g rug. He's been naked some days, and probably will today as it's above zero already.
My "check points" are base of ears (next to skull), armpits and between back legs. If they feel warm, that's fine for me, I don't care if other bits feel cold. Must be doing something right, Gazdag isn't itchy, is maintaining weight well, and is a happy little soul! He *hates* being too hot, it makes him utterly miserable, but he doesn't seem to mind being a bit on the cold side.
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Post by jill on Dec 27, 2010 8:49:38 GMT 1
While I have been so busy over the ast two days I have left daytime layers on Sabria and Tiny Tim overnight - and they have eaten less and been quite grumpy. Last night they were back to top layer removed, and The Old Lady Sabria has had her leg warmers back on, seems much more comfortable. If they are not quite warm enough they can warm up by moving or eating, if they are too warm (by THEIR standards, not ours!!) they can't do anything about it. I do suspect over rugging has something to do with horses that are very itchy too.
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Post by gordo on Dec 27, 2010 9:02:06 GMT 1
Good thread as I do believe we over-rug at times. G has a medium with a neck cover and I keep checking him to top him up but he feels fine. He hates being rugged and is well covered so, even if he is a bit chilly, a shiver isn't going to hurt him!
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Post by ellibell on Dec 27, 2010 9:02:33 GMT 1
My Fells, 2 out of 3 are clipped but nearly grown out. Shetland has a high blanket clip (sweats too much in his winter woolies) yet even in the minus double figures he only had a thin stable rug on over night, none during the day, not lost weight and in as happy as a pony on box rest can be. The Fells have been too warm in a fleece in individual stables in a 300 yrs old barn! Naked out each day in sub zero temps, but happy to come in for tea an da sleep overnight. Shows how well their own coats work.
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Bay Mare
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Post by Bay Mare on Dec 27, 2010 9:48:53 GMT 1
I have to agree with JenB etc, lots of people do over rug. Our herd has been nekkid throughout this winter and are all looking in good condition. Their coat behaves like it should to keep them warm and we've upped the hay and feed. Some would say that we're cruel but they're all warm enough, ignore the field shelters, even enjoy rolling in the snow and are happy and healthy.
I have rugged in the past and wouldn't say no to rugging if appropriate but I've given all my heavy and medium weights away so only have lightweights now.
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Post by Dragonmaster on Dec 27, 2010 10:10:56 GMT 1
This is why Rosie is not rugged for sweet itch in the summer, I'm sure the rug makes her worse. I just use loads of fly repellent and regular shampoos. She is rugged at the moment but only in the worst weather, if it brightens up I take it off.
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Post by julz on Dec 27, 2010 11:27:05 GMT 1
Let us know how you get on with taking some layers off.
I was told last year that Jay (gypsy cob) has a HW rug.... I told owner she could keep it and bought him a MW... he's fine in that... when the weather gets warmer he'll go back to his rain sheet.. Im not overly well off.... (not remotely well off, lol) so the only rugs he has are two rainsheets and a MW.,... he only gets the MW on when the weather is really bad....
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Post by mandal on Dec 27, 2010 11:41:26 GMT 1
We've had temperatures to rival Scotland this year -20 at night average -17 and -10's during the day. Not one of mine has been cold without any rug whatsoever even Sophie TB has been fine. I've been observing for shivering especially and none have shivered that I have noticed. None are clipped though btw. Surely there have been studies done on this? If not it's time there was imo. I'm sure working horses with a clip need some sort of protection but I read about peeps using quilts and all sorts to keep their horses warm. When we feel too hot in our layers of clothes we can take them off but horses are stuck with what we decide to put on them. I'm personally not a bit surprised horses get itchy, my head itches something awful when I've been too hot in my hats. Mta. I'm not gonna slap you Annastasia. It is more difficult with older horses to decide what is best.
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naria
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Post by naria on Dec 27, 2010 13:12:33 GMT 1
I'll never understand why people get so judgemental about this. Mine are rugged to their individual likes which are very different. On the same night one person criticized me for having J too heaily rugged & LU too lightly! Both were happy, neither would have been if I'd listened to her. All it takes is common sense & a knowledge of that horse, it ain't rocket science!
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Post by Furiey on Dec 27, 2010 13:27:25 GMT 1
Bailey (warmblood, unclipped out 24/7 only natural shelter) is nice and warm in his rainsheet (no neck cover). If I'd had something slightly warmer I'd have been tempted to put it on when it was -14 here, but I know from experience that he gets too hot very quickly and the last 40g fill rug I got him lasted under a week in weather similar to what we have now before he rubbed it to pieces and his tail with it. He seems happy in his rainsheet, warm enough with the rug just keeping the wind and wet off and not at all itchy.
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Post by jill on Dec 27, 2010 13:32:35 GMT 1
My Fells, 2 out of 3 are clipped but nearly grown out. Shetland has a high blanket clip (sweats too much in his winter woolies) yet even in the minus double figures he only had a thin stable rug on over night, none during the day, not lost weight and in as happy as a pony on box rest can be. The Fells have been too warm in a fleece in individual stables in a 300 yrs old barn! Naked out each day in sub zero temps, but happy to come in for tea an da sleep overnight. Shows how well their own coats work. Hey Ellibel, nice to see you back on here again.
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Post by Yann on Dec 27, 2010 13:46:16 GMT 1
Me neither, these threads have a tendency to turn in to a contest to see whose horse is the naturalest I am unapologetic about rugging my horses, heavily if necessary, because I know them best and what they need through long experience. Other people should do as they see fit with theirs.
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Post by mandal on Dec 27, 2010 14:08:42 GMT 1
Me neither, these threads have a tendency to turn in to a contest to see whose horse is the naturalest I am unapologetic about rugging my horses, heavily if necessary, because I know them best and what they need through long experience. Other people should do as they see fit with theirs. Lol Yann! I think that's a little unfair, I'm not 'competing' with anyone just saying what I do and the effects I've observed. If I find I need to buy a rug for any of mine in the future I will. I'm all for 'natural' so long as it's in that horses best interests but I'm happy to be unnatural if a situation calls for it. Off to work out if I am 'competing'. Food for thought there I think about my motives for posting.
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Post by jennyb on Dec 27, 2010 14:11:39 GMT 1
Well, from my point of view, these threads tend to degenerate with posts from people who rug saying that those who don't are being judgemental.... No-one is saying that it is wrong to rug, or wrong to use heavy weight rugs. My friend's pony is out in MW rugs most of the time, but he's a lot older than my horse and so feels the cold more. You do what you feel best for your own horse, I think that goes without saying. All people are trying to get across is that horses don't necessarily need heavy rugs because WE feel the cold. I'm sure we all know owners who rug according to their own perception of the temperature, without stopping to see how their horse is coping with the temperatures! I can think of LOTS of owners like that. So there is no need to get defensive if people rug their horses because they need it, or are ill, or elderly, or feel the cold. You do what you think right, but please don't unfairly accuse others of being judgemental when in fact that has not happened here.
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