Put my guilty mind at rest please

LittleD

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Jan 3, 2003
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My horse has been living out since May, but just lately I am feeling soooo guilty because of the amount of rain we've been having, I've a 17.2 Shire x, unclipped, very good doer who's now well covered due to the good grass over the summer, to be honest could do with a weight watchers class, this weekend I went to check in the field and the rain came down like I've never seen it before, my horse was standing with bum to the gale, in the middle of the field not under any shelter and to be honest looked half asleep, I always bring in for half hour in the evening to give a little chaff in order to get the hoof supplment and GP supplement eaten up and a dry off a bit, then back out in the field, all the horses will be coming in at the end of Sept for overnight stabling, but what I'm worried about is this constant rain, there is shelter in the form of boundary hedges and a couple of big oak trees if they want. Thanks.
 
He sounds like he should be fine, horses are often tougher than we give them credit for. Later in the year when the temperature drops and if it is still wet then I'd consider a rug for him. All mine live out (tb and arabs) sometimes they stand in the field, bum to the wind, sometimes under the hedge. I've only got rugs on them because it is so wet, normally this time of year I wouldn't be rugging yet.
 
My TB is out in the rain :) He is on grass livery and winters out, and I don't have an ounce of guilt over it because I know he is far happier than if he were stabled :D He is even out naked if it's wet but not very cold, because he maintains his body heat better if he can fluff his coat up and make use of the natural defenses that nature has given him. It's only if it's cold and wet that I am rugging right now (unless I'm trying to keep him dry so I can ride, but I quite happily accept that is for my own benefit), and he won't be rugged regularly until the temperature really drops off later in the year.

If there is natural shelter and his weight isn't falling off drastically, then I'm sure he is fine :)
 
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