Who rugs their dark horse in summer against the heat?

[Peanut]

I didn't rug my mare last year but wonder if I should this year. I would only do so for her own comfort because she isn't shown so I'm not bothered about the sun bleached look (originally she was black, is now dark brown verging on dark bay, but goes chestnutty in the summer :rolleyes: ).

I love to see her naked in the field with just a fly mask (she isn't bothered by flies anymore than the average horse) but maybe she would be cooler if I did.

For those who do, rug recommendations please.

[bevy]

We put full neck fly rugs on our dark bay and our black-liver chestnut sect D. actually to be honest all of them have them on. Think they might be weatherbeeta ones( they are light green and quite soft), I got them end of season last year in Robinsons' sale. We used to have some white-with-burgundy-trim ones but they were stiff and rubbed a bit.

[becs]

Never have, but sounds a good idea - I'm amazed how scorching our dark bay's bum gets in the heat! When I cuddle him, I have to take my hand away, I'm sure you could fry an egg on him...

[Peanut]

I know these rugs are supposed to reflect the heat but if they can't feel any breeze because of being covered up, are they really cooler?

[Jessey]

Mine have fly rugs, mesh do let the air through and reflect the sun off as they are a very light grey colour. I have the Mark Todd combos and they are very good and wash well etc. I did find they help with keeping them cool but when it got really hot last summer I ended up bringing them in as there was no shade and they even got hot in those.

[iloveshearer]

I've got a full neck fly rug for Shearer for this year (He's piebald) because last year the sun bleached his black parts brown and i like him as a piebald :p

[Lgd]

I use KoolCoats on all of mine - they are a light cotton heat reflective and protective rug, so sorts out flies and heat..

[martini55]

My mare suffers from sweet itch and I have to say that I did worry about her overheating in her fly rug last summer. However, it was the complete opposite. I guess it is better to be white than dark bay!

[Forever Fern]

Mine is in this rug all summer

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/l3u3c3y3/P4100389.jpg
xXx

[Rips]

Nope, I much prefer to have my horse out naked... she can stand in the shade if its too hot.

In fact the more I think about it, the more I dislike the idea!

[Sammii]

Mine is in this rug all summer

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/l3u3c3y3/P4100389.jpg
xXx

Same :)

[Wally]

Chance would be a fine thing!

[eventerbabe]

Toby just sucks up the heat as he's so dark. I did think about rugging him but he'd boil in a fly rug. We have ours in during the day (massive, airy stables) and out at night to keep him out of the worst of the heat.

[Wally]

What is this heat you all speak of?

[Peanut]

Wally, I'm in the south and it certainly gets scorching hot down here in the summer! :D

[Widget]

I was considering it with my black mare for this summer. Our fields have no shelter and our stables have tin roofs so each is as bad as the other! Mind you, now she has started to rub her tail for the first time so I might have to get a boett rug instead. They are dark so I cant help but wonder if a white rug would really help. If it did wouldnt boett make theirs white not brown?(Maybe they do white too, not looked!) I hate the way Jasmine goes ginger in the sun!:mad:

[Nayds]

I rug all my horses!!! Otherwise the chestnut ones go yellow and so do the bays lol ew....yuk sunbleached ponies hahaha

[millie n pride]

Pride wore a fly rug for one night last year and ennded up sweating loads, so i decided he was probably more comfy naked lol.
I would rather he stayed black and didnt go bay though :rolleyes:

[bevy]

What is this heat you all speak of?

Well I suppose we could send them all to you for the summer!!!!!! Even this last week it has got to 20-22 and with little shelter, they looked a bit sorry for themselves.

[tuesdaybeau]

My horse has his neck and belly clipped and has been wearing a m/weight rug at night and going out field with l/weight turnout. Now I am wondering what rugs to use, if any. He will be out most of day and in overnight in an enclosed barn in a stable. I have an extra lite jasper rug which i was going to use overnight from now on and a weatherbeeta fly rug for turnout. but my YO doesn't think he needs any rugs on now.

I am on full livery so YO turns out etc and although i asked YO to start putting fly rug on a few days ago it still has not been removed from its' packaging so he's been going out without it.. The thing is he is mainly white coat and pink nose/skin and aren't light skins prone to sun burn? I have never owned a light coloured horse before so not 100% about that. Also i don't know if he's ever had sweet itch but isn't it better to prevent by wearing a fly rug than cure and he did have some bumps on neck when i bought him (looked like h/fly bites). He is on holiday at minute and i would hate to start riding him again to find he has a sunburnt back from being out without rug! Our temps are max 22degrees at min so could that burn him (no shade in field)?

And then what about night time- does he need a rug? temps now about 5 degrees but can be ground frost. YO says barn is warm enough not to need rug. But other experts have stated the contrary. So confusing! Please advise me on what to do as I just want wants best for my horse and don't want to undermine YO as she does know alot about different types of horses (has 50 of them).

[Rips]

My horse has his neck and belly clipped and has been wearing a m/weight rug at night and going out field with l/weight turnout. Now I am wondering what rugs to use, if any. He will be out most of day and in overnight in an enclosed barn in a stable. I have an extra lite jasper rug which i was going to use overnight from now on and a weatherbeeta fly rug for turnout. but my YO doesn't think he needs any rugs on now.

I am on full livery so YO turns out etc and although i asked YO to start putting fly rug on a few days ago it still has not been removed from its' packaging so he's been going out without it.. The thing is he is mainly white coat and pink nose/skin and aren't light skins prone to sun burn? I have never owned a light coloured horse before so not 100% about that. Also i don't know if he's ever had sweet itch but isn't it better to prevent by wearing a fly rug than cure and he did have some bumps on neck when i bought him (looked like h/fly bites). He is on holiday at minute and i would hate to start riding him again to find he has a sunburnt back from being out without rug! Our temps are max 22degrees at min so could that burn him (no shade in field)?

And then what about night time- does he need a rug? temps now about 5 degrees but can be ground frost. YO says barn is warm enough not to need rug. But other experts have stated the contrary. So confusing! Please advise me on what to do as I just want wants best for my horse and don't want to undermine YO as she does know alot about different types of horses (has 50 of them).

Only the areas that are not covered with hair will get sunburnt, you can buy masks and visors to stop their noses/around their eyes burning.
I think your YO is right, he doesn't need rugging - there are also flycollars and sprays, and things you can feed to stop the flys.

Sometimes rugs bug the horses as much as the flys I think!