Second Chance Horse Rescue Discussion Boards

SecondChance · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:12 am Post subject: How do you rug?

How do you rug your horses? Because I have all TBs here, I rug everyone in winter. To me it is more convenient and cheaper because rugging the gang means I am not having to feed quite so much to keep the weight on and it also means my horse is always dry and clean when I want to go for a ride!

I have a pretty strict regime though, and a chart to help decide on whether to rug or not according to the weather - and what to rug with! All the horses have a cotton sheet they always wear (its easier to wash a cotton than a big heavy rug) underneith, then they all have an unlined waterproof shell for when its wet but not really cold, and they all have a lined rug for when it is cold.

Levi runs really warm so he doesn't need a thick heavy rug (he isn't clipped this year) but Topaz needs all the help he can get particularly with him still putting on weight so he has a nice thick cozy Doona for the coldest/wettest weather.

When I have had rescues here that haven't worn rugs in their past I have only rugged in the VERY worst weather - more to get them used to it than anything else - and left them carefree and nekkid the rest of the time.

How about you?
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Diva_gal · Joined: 09 Nov 2008 Posts: 77 Location: merredin

in winter my big horses get a big thick heavy comboexcept my preggy tb she was getting rugged but she has a stable now so iam not to worried about her not in a rug... My new horse was looking like a fluffy teddy bear so she gets a big combo a cotton or a fleece so i can get her nice and shiny... 2 of my minis get a canva and one gets 1-2 big heavy combos on( last year she had 3 on at one stage but coz she might be pregnate she only has one on in freezing cold weather...) and i have a mini in a dog rug coz thats all that fits her...
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Diva_gal · Joined: 09 Nov 2008 Posts: 77 Location: merredin

oh an in summer none of them get a rug... except my new one... she might have a cotton or a fly rug on the colder days/nights....
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supersezabell · Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 433

Mine only really get rugged over autumn and winter.

As soon as the temperature drops below 18 at night my pony starts getting rugged as he is the type to grow a 5inch winter coat even if rugged in a doona so I have to start rugging him like a clipped horse very early to keep his coat level to a minimum. He starts with a cotton sheet at night and as it progressively gets cooler during the day and night it continues to a fleece over the cotton and cotton during the day with more rugs added overnight and during the day.

He is currently in (at night) 2 fleece body rugs, fleece neckrug, 2 doona body rugs and a doona neckrug. His coat is about 1cm longer then his summer coat and he doesnt get hot at all. Whilst it was still warmish both doonas came off during the day which progressed to one coming off though if its a terrible windy cold day he stays the same.

My big mare is a hot horse though loves her rugs so usually gets cottoned at night whilst it starts to get cold which progresses to being swapped with a fleece and then becomes both and then when it is really cold she is then in fleece and doona set at night and fleece during the day. If it is raining during the day her top doona set gets swapped for her waterproof shell combo. So currently at night she is in fleece body rug, doona body rug and doona neck rug.

At home I rug Tim and Monty out the back and they are in a waterproof doona combo and if its warm during the day they go naked otherwise they stay in them as its super windy and cooler down our way cos of the trees and we sit at the bottom of the hills.
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odessa stud · Joined: 25 Jun 2009 Posts: 10 Location: Qld

All my horses are rugged except the pony shes got her own wool coat and hates rugs. I find the biggest problem with rugging is on days when its cool the wind has a bite to it but the sun comes out as well is it rugs on or off? then like today Ill be out at the usual 4.30 pm rug and feed routine so what now? Im leaving a 2pm wont be home until after dark, thats the only thing that drives me nuts about rugging.Ill feed up before I leave at 2pm but even thats a bit early for my likeing.Hense everyone has rugs on today Sad

. Sorry got off topic a bit in summer they all have cotton rugs and in winter they all have wool blanket lined 24 oz canvas rugs.Ive made my own bibs to go under their rugs out of a lambs wool underlay they fit much better than the bought ones and give them extra warmth around the neck.
Odie
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candi · Joined: 06 Apr 2007 Posts: 81

my horsie gets lots of rugs as he coat is naturally very short all winter, and i try to keep it that way as she is a bucskin and i really dont want to clip her. during the day she will either have a cotton on with a thin fleece but if its raining she will just have the cotton with her canvas. At night time depending on how cold it is she will either have; cotton+fleece+wool+light waterproof or canvas. Then she wears a hood 24/7 as she rubs her mane out otherwise. And she rarely gets too hot as her coat is just sooooooo short, which i am very pleased with =P