older pony, leaving un-rugged?

juliecwuk

juliecwuk

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Mar 2, 2006
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just wondering what your thoughts are regarding leaving an older pony (prob older than 18, not sure exact age) un-rugged this winter?

She has been rugged every winter for at least 8 years....the owner is really not going to be able to look after her fully this winter so unless she is loaned out again she will be out 24/7 in a 15 acre field away from the yard in a herd. I am wondering if it would be better leaving her un-rugged to grow a thick winter coat rather than wearing rugs which could get soaked through/caught on things etc....

whats your thoughts? personally i think try leaving her naked to see how well/not well her coat grows? But then again i am pretty used to leaving a horse un-rugged....her owner 'worries' and 'fusses' about her (and yet doesn't check her for a week - doesn't make sense?!)
 
I leave my old boy (exact age unknown but mid 20's) out as much as poss unrugged and only rug for prolonged wet and windy weather but not the odd day of it.
 
Yes, I would leave her naked now, with the intention of her going rugless all winter. You can always start rugging if she shows signs of struggling to cope. As long as the field has some decent shelter allowing her to get out of driving wind & rain, I should think she would be fine. As an aside I don't consider 18(ish) to be "old" anyway, if she's in good health she's not really less likely to cope than a horse half her age.

Last winter we had a 26-year-old, 27-year-old, 22-year-old and 24-year-old out naked 24/7 and they will be this winter as well - they are starting to fluff up already!
 
If you are talking about Tara she did NOT cope well with the cold last winter. I would go down at 7pm ish to rug overnight and she'd be literally shivering. I ended up rugging her far more then Thyme ever needed.
 
Thanks Thyme&Me, glad you replied as L wouldn't have a clue, she doesn't check on her for weeks at a time. I am very concerned about T. I'm so concerned I sewed that pink rug last night and she's not even mine!? I'm glad you replied but dont know whether that's going to help T, as L wouldn't know if she's even alive at the moment, let alone cold. Thanks for saying she didn't cope, I'll push L to get her act together and find another loan home for her.

Since replying I checked my emails, have had a reply to an advert I placed (with L's permission), so fingers crossed this will lead to a permanent loan home.
 
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I feel so guilty giving her back. But the girls just have no interest anymore :( :((Hence Thyme's imminent departure). Tara is a sweet pony. She needs to be a little girl's special friend. BTW she had been clipped earlier in the year before I got her, so she may cope better with a thik coat. But she really did struggle sometimes and had t come in overnight. :cold::cold: And I'm NOT the type who bringds them in at the frst snowflake. All have mine have normally lived out 24/7/365
 
dont be daft, you shouldn't feel guilty! Yes we clipped her and she def wont be clipped this winter. Though i saw her yesterday and she's not even getting fluffy like mine yet!
 
juliecwuk said:
She has been rugged every winter for at least 8 years....the owner is really not going to be able to look after her fully this winter so unless she is loaned out again she will be out 24/7 in a 15 acre field away from the yard in a herd. I am wondering if it would be better leaving her un-rugged to grow a thick winter coat rather than wearing rugs which could get soaked through/caught on things etc....

whats your thoughts? personally i think try leaving her naked to see how well/not well her coat grows? But then again i am pretty used to leaving a horse un-rugged....her owner 'worries' and 'fusses' about her (and yet doesn't check her for a week - doesn't make sense?!)
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She should be checked daily - there shouldn't be a problem then with rugs getting snagged / caught on stuff. Is there any shelter in the field? If so then she could probably go without rug, however I think it is not kind to expect them to do without if there is nothing at all.
 
yes T there is a massive open barn in the field and lots of trees.

That was my worry, since the owner isn't able to check her everyday (my horses are not kept in that field so i cant help really), i was worried about her getting the rugs caught/soaked through etc.

I am hopeful she will find a loan home for her, now that she has agreed to put an advert out, advert has only been up overnight, already had one message....fingers crossed.
 
People are dreadful not checking horses - not of course in anyway your fault, but it really is bad of them.

I check mine twice a day even when out 24/7 and I live 10 miles away from yard.

But then, with mines track record he would be cut and infected and probably dead!
 
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