Rugs...

[Jay.o]

I know that you dont have to rg shetlands but i have had some problems with timmy and one with blacky as well.

Blacky is the other shetland in the field with timmy.

There is one shelter in the field, that is big enough for both.

Blacky is [sort of chasing] him out of the shelter, hes a bit greedy and 'the boss'.

The other problem is, that, when i am at the tack room and feed room and with all the tools and stuff [you know what i mean, just every thing horsey really down there] he stands at the fence and waits for me to take him out and when i do and then put him back after his walk, he stands again and watches. He gets soaked.

I know shetlands have two coats and the inner one keeps bone dry but i cant help but feel sorry for him.

I was thinking about getting him a rug.

I have seen some rugs, they were £26 and £28.
I was wondering about what thickness and denier and things like that. I havent had a rug on him or bow befor unless it its really bad [but only bow has had one].

[Showjumper]

Both the Shetlands on my yard are wearing Weatherbeeta Foal Rugs, which seem to fit them well, but Sooty especially isn't fond of hers as she overheats.

[Steve.R]

My four are living out on Hadrian's Wall with no rugs and even the 22 year old is thriving. Our vet claims that it is actively cruel to rug a Shetland that has a good thick coat and is not ancient/underweight, while I wouldn't go as far as that
I would be surprised if Timmy does need one - but if there is no available shelter other than the field shelter and he seems to be feeling the coldhe may do. I would suggest just a lightweight one, as for sizes I don't know, although if he is as heavily built as mine a foal rug would not be deep enough for him.

The only other thing I would say is that if he is anything like the Shetlands I have known they are amazingly good at getting out of rugs - So I would choose one that is fairly tricky to get out of..

Good luck, you know your own pony best!
Esther

[Sharon H]

My Shetland is 25 now and I have rugged him for the first time this year. The field that they're in doesn't have much shelter and he lost quite a lot of weight last winter. I bought him a pony Rhino, just the lightweight version and it fits him really well. It's just enough to keep him dry and protect him a bit from the wind. If I could guarantee that it would be just cold, not wet all the time, I'm sure he would be fine but the thing horses find the worst is the wet and the wind together.

[Steve.R]

Yes, I think the main thing to worry about is the wet - they never seem to feel the cold but cold+wet does seem to get to them, Bobby who is only 5 was looking a bit cold yesterday (in the sleet!) but he is fine today. I have heard good reports of the Rhino rugs, our bigger two are in Rambos (also by Horseware) and they are certainly really good and a nice deep fit.

Good luck sorting it out

Esther

[Jay.o]

its just he stands up there in the rain and wind at the gate looking at me for me to take him out !
he must be stood there for umm... 11am til 4pm ummm... 5 hours.
one of those is actually me taking him out and another with just me sitting in the paddock with his head on my shoulder [gets very heavy when he goes to sleep [well half asleep] very relaxed anyway] and about half an hour with hay nets !!
and the rest is watching and waiting ! :p

and when he does go in the shelter blacky either 'tells' him to get out or doesnt even let him near it !

i am thinking about keeping him in next year in the nights and out during the day [with a rug, because he wont have as much of a winter coat if hes in]. then blacky will have his shelter and timmy his stable.
he would be turned out from 7:30 am [before school] and back in at 5 pm [go up after school take for a walk and then muck out stable then back in then go home] david would feed him as usual at 8pm as he does all the others and he stays up there until 12 midnight as usual !

what about this plan, this is only a plan through my head but may happen but may not !
lol :D

[Steve.R]

At least you know he likes coming out with you :D ! I have found that it is not unusual for young Shelties to stand for ages watching after/for you as they enjoy the excitement/attention of going out.

Blackie does sound as if he is being a bit mean though...maybe in during the night and out during the day in the winter might be the solution - give him a toy if he is in the stable, one of the horse balls or just an old football or something to mess around with if he gets bored during the night.

as I said before - good luck I'm sure you'll find a solution
Esther

[Wally]

Don't rug him up for goodness sake, unless he is terribly old or ill.

Fivla is our 34 inch Shetland, she's tiny and tough as old boots. When she comes into the indoor school she starts to sweat just standing eating her feed. Imagine how hot and bothered he'd get.

There are some days here when you cannot stand up in the force 12+ gales we get, I'm not joking, we sometimes go out and wonder if the horses want to come into the indorr school for a bit of peace. So we go out and there they are playing or grazing taking no notice of the weather.

He might look wet on the outside, but he will be as dry as a bone on the inside, dont forget he has a huge digestive system generating heat from within too, so as long as he has some hay he'll be as warm as toast.

[Mossy]

I'm with Wally on this one.
I might consider rugging a Shetland if clipped and in regular work, and also living on our more exposed climates, otherwise no. Highlands and Shetlands have similar coats. Moss, Highland, is rugged as he is blanket clipped so he can work without sweating excessively. We are also on the edge of Dartmoor! Assuming you are in more amenable climes if he is not clipped has plenty of hay and no hard feed he should be just fine. Save your money.

[H & Bailey]

Hi I have rugged my mini shetland sooty.He is quite old and was soaked through this morning and mainly because there isnt much shelter in the field apart from the stable/shelters. Bailey wont let him in the shelter/stable when he is in and sooty will not go in by himself.I managed to get a NZ foal rug of a friend whos foal had outgrown it,but as someone has said he has managed to get out of it with all the buckles etc. still fastened.
He didnt look amused this morning when I put a elasticated surcingle on in.Fingers crossed it will be still on in the morning and not used as a bed!Or worse still a toilet!

[Esther.D]

Normally I would agree emphatically with Wally and everyone else who said don't rug Shetlands, but I have had to rug my youngest this year (for the first time) since moving onto Hadrian's Wall (he has only been rugged since the worst snow and sleet came in). If anyone has any alternative suggestions I would welcome them as I don't like to rug a 5 year old Shetland and never have rugged any Shetland in my 15 years of Shetland owning. But Bobby is getting cold and shivery despite having free access to hay and feed and shelter..........he is a good weight, has a thick coat and is fine in himself, he is eating well and his teeth are fine and his droppings are normal so I assume everything is getting digested okay. But he feels a bit cold and is acting cold (hunched and slightly shivery) - we monitored him for a couple of days before getting the rug in case it was just a one off...The other Shetlands are 100% well and happy and warm (if a bit wet!) even Mac, who is 22 and normally is hard to keep weight on over winter, is thriving. He has no symptoms of illness and is happy once warmed up by encouraging him to move around. Within 20 minutes of having the rug on he was cheering up and his ears (which had been really quite cold - compared to all the others) were warming up.

Suggestions welcomed :)

[Mossy]

Places like the borders/North york moors are what I meant when I referred to chilly climes! I have been told off for rugging a Highland but if thet are hayed to the eyeballs and still cold then rug. You know your own horse and your own climate best.. I would not turn a sparrow out without it's wooly vest at the moment! Conn has her stable rud with a fleece underneath at the mo and no she is not clipped. just cold blooded!