Rug or not??

[Travis's Mum]

My two ponies who are 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 have pilled on the weight this summer and Im just wondering if I should rug them at all this winter? Any help appreciated. They are both Shetland x Welshs standing at 11.2 and 11.1 they are slightly overweight so I would like them to loose some. They were rugged last winter but were underweight when I bought them so I didn't have the weight problem last summer and maintained their weight through the winter very well. they live out 24/7 with access to their stables which are left open for them to come and go as they please. They will be fed ad-lib hay but feel I should leave the concentrates out this year. :)

[Esther.D]

I wouldn't - my shetlands are out 24/7 on the moors and have no access to shelter other than behind walls and natural dips and hollows of the ground and they are unrugged, including the eldest who is 25. I have had one of them since 6 months and another since he was 2 and they have never been rugged. Now yours are back to healthy weight I would leave them unrugged and see how they go :)

Mine are only on hay as well and then only when the weather is bad...but they do have 100 acres of moorland to forage over in the winter!

[Holly B]

Native types like yours should cope fine unrugged, especially if they have the shelter of a stable when it gets too cold or windy. I have a Welsh D X and a Fell and they both cope fine. I think you should leave them off and just keep an eye on them. If they seem cold or unhappy, or are losing condition, you can always stick them back on again. :)

[Travis's Mum]

Thanks all! I was thinking that but wanted reassurance and got it thanks again.