Winter Rug, help??

TwoDaysTooLate

TwoDaysTooLate

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Mar 12, 2017
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Hi,
As many of you can understand, wintering with horses is horrible in terms of deciding what rugs to use etc. I have recently bought a horse who is used to living out, and hasn't actually had any proper owners before me - he was used in a film yard and lived out. This year, because I've bought him, he'll be stabled at night. I don't have much experience with stabled horses in winter, and i have a dilemma. I don't know what kind of stable rug to invest in for him!

He's used to living out, and is an irish sports horse X mix, has quite a few extra pounds, and will probably wind up trace clipped. Is there anything anyone would recommend?

Thanks,

Jules
 
Just because he's lived out doesn't mean they aren't 'proper owners'! I would highly recommend waiting and seeing what he needs, rather than guessing, if he's lived out rugless all his life and isn't skinny he obviously copes with cooler weather quite well, perhaps having 1 lighter rug on standby initially is a good plan but I wouldn't go and buy a full wardrobe until you know what he actually needs. Horses thermoregulate differently to people so even if you are feeling the cold they generally aren't.
 
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Echo everything Jessey says. Id have a fleece and a light weight 100/150g stable rug at hand and a lightweight and 100/150g turnout at most then see how you get on.
 
Jessey said:
Just because he's lived out doesn't mean they aren't 'proper owners'! I would highly recommend waiting and seeing what he needs, rather than guessing, if he's lived out rugless all his life and isn't skinny he obviously copes with cooler weather quite well, perhaps having 1 lighter rug on standby initially is a good plan but I wouldn't go and buy a full wardrobe until you know what he actually needs. Horses thermoregulate differently to people so even if you are feeling the cold they generally aren't.
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ahh thank you so much!!! I should've explained better - by the 'proper owners' I meant that he had been passed around riding schools etc so hadn't had a 1-1 private owner!!! I'll definitely look into getting him a lighter stable rug and a fleece, and layer / regulate them as needed!
 
My horse doesn't as a rule get a rug during the winter, he is stabled at night and out during the day. He does just fine, they are a lot hardier than you think plus if he has lived out in Ireland then he will be well toughened up to the elements
 
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Some RSs rug their horses and other RSs just dont. I have lessons at both types. Like joelie says. I dont think Maisie ever wore a rug. But my share at another yard had three different rugs.
 
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There may be a very good reason why he/she has previously been kept out 24/7 but if you are going to stable him now it will soon become apparent if that is the case. Mine live out 24/7 in Ireland without any issue and my mare is only rugged because she has sweet itch and unfortunately we do get some very mild muggy days all year round that necessitate covering her 24/7 - my donkeys have rain sheets purely because they do not have waterproof coats but also stay out all year round (with access to natural shelter) and so far all of them seem fit and well. and when I live in the Uk my horses always lived out 24/7, they were usually rugged but only lightly as they were mostly clipped and I don't like over rugging to be honest. I think you need to just get yourself a basic rain sheet and perhaps one liner for turnout and if unclipped just a lightweight stable rug for the very worst nights. However if fully clipped the recent thing seems to be wrap them in a huge duvet - I don't much like that either to be honest.
 
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newforest said:
You really mean that he had been a working horse and is now going to be a leisure horse.
Is this the same horse you were getting on loan?
Does he need to be stabled?
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Yes, he is now going to be a leisure horse. This is the same horse I was getting on loan - his laminitis turned out to be a scare - it was diagnosed by someone inexperienced and turned out to be him just getting ill off a grass parasite. My yard doesn't offer 24/7 turnout, so yes, he would be stabled overnight.
 
Cortrasna said:
There may be a very good reason why he/she has previously been kept out 24/7 but if you are going to stable him now it will soon become apparent if that is the case. Mine live out 24/7 in Ireland without any issue and my mare is only rugged because she has sweet itch and unfortunately we do get some very mild muggy days all year round that necessitate covering her 24/7 - my donkeys have rain sheets purely because they do not have waterproof coats but also stay out all year round (with access to natural shelter) and so far all of them seem fit and well. and when I live in the Uk my horses always lived out 24/7, they were usually rugged but only lightly as they were mostly clipped and I don't like over rugging to be honest. I think you need to just get yourself a basic rain sheet and perhaps one liner for turnout and if unclipped just a lightweight stable rug for the very worst nights. However if fully clipped the recent thing seems to be wrap them in a huge duvet - I don't much like that either to be honest.
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Thank you!
I plan to keep him with a lighter stable rug as if I over rug him i think he'll hate me forever...
Many liveries at my yard over rug and due to that I was just curious....
 
Yes you can get grass parasites and fungus that damages grass, though I've only heard of it being an issue for lawns, rather than grazing land. My grandma can often be found inspecting her lawn with a magnifying glass to make sure it looks healthy :rolleyes:
As for the rugs OP, he may well not need anything at all, unless his stable / barn is drafty. A fleece rug would probably suffice a lot of the time, and maybe a lightweight stable rug when the temperature drops. I'd play it by ear rather than shelling out on winter rugs you probably won't need!
 
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joosie said:
Yes you can get grass parasites and fungus that damages grass, though I've only heard of it being an issue for lawns, rather than grazing land. My grandma can often be found inspecting her lawn with a magnifying glass to make sure it looks healthy :rolleyes:
As for the rugs OP, he may well not need anything at all, unless his stable / barn is drafty. A fleece rug would probably suffice a lot of the time, and maybe a lightweight stable rug when the temperature drops. I'd play it by ear rather than shelling out on winter rugs you probably won't need!
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Yep - it was something like that caused by someone planting their roses nearby the grazing land and transmitting the parasite. As for the rugs, I've just bought a fleece and a lightweight and I hope that will suffice for him!
 
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