Is it too early to take rugs off?

MaisieMoo

MaisieMoo

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2007
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Question in the title really.

Caspers clip has almost grown back an don't know if I want to re clip as he's stabled at night now so if he's sweaty I'm just leaving a cooler on under his stable rug.

Also, I've never done a clip before and not sure if he'll tolerate me fumbling around with a set of clippers (he's only been clipped once in his life and he did not like it one bit!!!)

Still want to get the weight off him so was thinking that if I don't clip I'll leave him unrugged 3/4 times a week i.e. the day's I'm not planning to ride!

Is it still too cold?
 
BabyBear said:
Is it still too cold?
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its still only january hun;) We usually get the worst weather between now and end of feb ive found? (feel free to correct me folks)

what about a lighterweight rug ?
 
I think I saw a photo of him earlier today, and I wouldn't hesitate to put him out without one! Especially as he is in at night so it would only be during the day? Our vet said that our Welsh D who isn't generally a good doer could take -30 degrees with her apron clip.
How much is he clipped? It's very mild here, apart from constant rain which is really what makes them miserable, they don't mind dry cold :)
 
i have reduced my rugs down as my horse was too hot but i would not take them away altogether. i leave him unrugged through the day if i am on the yard all day. if he is hot under his rugs and he has a few on i would remove one and see how he goes
 
StormyJ said:
I think I saw a photo of him earlier today, and I wouldn't hesitate to put him out without one! Especially as he is in at night so it would only be during the day? Our vet said that our Welsh D who isn't generally a good doer could take -30 degrees with her apron clip.
How much is he clipped? It's very mild here, apart from constant rain which is really what makes them miserable, they don't mind dry cold :)
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Here's an up to date photo - you can't even see the clip - he has turned into a fuzzy bear!

He is only out for about 7/8 hours a day. I started rugging him in November and he's never worn anything accept a lightweight - I tried to get a rainsheet but couldn't find one!

Heres a pic of how he currently looks.

clip1.jpg


If he stands to get clipped then I'll just clip as much as I can and keep him rugged but really not sure how he'll react and don't want to ask anyone else to do it as he can be very bargy so don't want anyone getting hurt.

Is there a sedative you can get from the vet that you administer yourself when clipping?
 
The weather has really warmed up the last couple of days, Alps has had no rugs on at all and I whipped the TB's rugs off as well this morning as they were sweating up under them! I rug according to the weather rather than the time of year, there's no hard and fast rules - if he's getting too warm then take his rugs off, if the weathers turns cold again then chuck them back on :)
 
You could try asking your vet for sedalin, or try twitching if he's not too bad. Neither would have as strong an effect as injected sedative. Or if you have your own clippers you might be able to get him used to them over a few days before doing the actual clip. Start by getting him used to the noise, then when ok wiht that get closer until touching him with clippers running in your hand and work up to touching with clippers. Always take them away again while he's standing and being good and try to not let him get rid of you by barging etc.

If you don't clip then he should need less rugs after growing the fluff back. If he needs rugging at all depends on how bad the weather is and how much of a wimp he is. You don't have to rug every day, you could leave it off when weather isn't too bad and rug only when needed.
 
i changed jerry from a 350g to a 220g today as he's fat and only out during the day where temps arent as severe as they are at night when he's tucked up in bed anyway.

i wouldnt take a rug off completely if he's clipped. my mare only has a tiny bit exposed (her face - 1/2 face clip) and she's got bad rainscald. it doesnt look completely grown in so i wouldnt risk it with all teh rain we've been having although i think he'll cope temp wise:)
 
I don't know, all these wussy ponies! :p :D

Daffy was rugged for the first time about two weeks ago when I wizzed his hair off. Heavyweight was too warm, so left him in a medium weight. Decided he was too warm in that, so put a lightweight on. Now we've decided that he wants to lose some weight so he's in a cotton sheet at night, nothing during the day (may change today as new stable is a little more open to the elements!) and he's lovely and warm. When he gets to go out I'll see how he fares in a lightweight, although he may want the MW or rainsheet.

You know your horse, so play it by ear. Try reducing rugs, and if it doesn't work, simply put them back on. :)
 
Adjust your rugging to how hot your horse is ;) J had been dropping weight in just his lightweight, but wasn't particularly cold so i put another lightweight underneath. Yesterday it was quite warm and he was sweaty, so while its still relatively warm he's in just the one lightweight. If it goes colder again, i'll change it. If you're wanting to get weight off, you need to rug him as lightly as possible.

Its not a massive clip so i wouldn't lose any sleep over trying him out unrugged. I wouldn't go straight from a full-neck 400g snuggly blanket to nothing though ;)
 
i couldnt find a rainsheet either hun... only he ones you throw over your hose tacked up at a show - not the turnout kind:confused: I ended up with just a lightweight (no fill) combo too. If you come across one, let me know:p

I have been checking the temp everyday with the car thermometer - and 2 deg or less tally had medium weight on. The likes of yesterday and today (7degrees tropical!:D) She'd have been back in her lightweight.

What weight are you putting on him at night?
 
Now until recently I would of said he'd be fine BUT my very very hairy exmoor mare who is fat and wears a MW rug caught a chill a week ago and that was rugged up. She has had to spend the last week in her stable on bute and anti-biotics. Vet has said that a lot of horses are getting chills etc at the moment as the weather keeps changing so thier bodies are unable to adjust. Plus with all the wet weather we are having makes a horse more likely to get a chill.
If we were having heavy frosts etc he'd be fine but wet weather takes a lot out of horses.
Personally I'd keep him rugged for now
 
PatchyPony said:
What weight are you putting on him at night?
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He's in an extra light stable rug or a fleece and believe me he is toasty hot!!

Would never leave unrugged at night though as he can't move around as much.

I'm going to get the vet to bring some sedalin when he's out onthe 30th and borrow Y/O's clippers and just try and shave off as much as I can!:D
 
Red has been naked in stable overnight for the past week or so, and today has gone out naked! I dread to think what colour he's going to come in tonight, but aslong as he's had fun! :D

I love seeing horses out without rugs on, nice and dirty!
 
i cant understand why you feel the need to rug a big cob like that anyway, and if you need to clip, he obviously has a thick coat!:confused:
A horse can easily find ways to warm up, ie keeping on the move, eating, but cannot cool down or regulate their temperature with a rug on.
if you just want to keep him clean before riding, a simple lightweight with no filling should be suffice.
To get my youngsters used to the clippers, from an early age i turn them on while they are eating, being groomed etc so the noise doesnt become a problem for them.
 
I don't know if Bay Mare still has that link to an article about horses keeping warm, but would be worth asking, or doing a search for it on here.

Basically it said that horses are better equipped to deal with cold, so that has me considering whether I actually want Daffy to be toasty warm under a rug? I don't think I do, I look for him to be luke warm now, but then he has a decent amount of blubber.
 
If they have been rugged all winter so far then i personally think its to early to take rugs off, leave it till March time when spring is approaching :)
 
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