He will adapt won't he?

[dcp]

Yes me again with another thread on rugging :o So last night predicted temp 14 horse out with no rug and on Sunday night (Sunday btw was the hottest day ever) he was out with no rug and I checked him in the morning and he was warm.

What I want to do is not rug him up too early because he is going to need the protection from rugs in real winter time. I will rug him if it's going to be a bit chilly or wet though. Am I wrong in thinking that it's good for my horse to be out without a rug so his winter coat can have a chance to grow? Sometimes he may look a bit cold am I being too hard? Many people tell me how cold my horse is and how because of his TB breed he needs rugs, more feed etc. These people are always rugging their horses up like big cob 2 rugs at night! but to be fair they live a stones throw from the yard I'm over 12 miles. I just don't want people to think I'm being too hard wish I could move to the countryside where things are more relaxed.

Anyway sorry for blabbing on again. :D

[Sunshine*]

As I jsut stated in another thread.... horses survived for centuries without the help of humans... I'm sure he'll be fine... is he sick or something? if so, a rug is a GREAT idea... if it'll help him them I'm for it... if it really wouldn't help him in any way I don't see a point.....

[dcp]

Thanks Sunshine. It just seems where I am horses are treated like humans. You know a owner thinks it's a bit chilly they shove on a m/w but they forget a horse has hair as well. I just get worried the other liveries will think I'm being irresponsible and as I'm a first time owner I'd be stupid for not taking their advice.

[Sunshine*]

No problem Laurenc...!! I guess I'm just a little harder around the edges.. I don't care at all what others say unless it is obvious or a trained professional has confirmed that one of my animals is in danger....


I just wouldn't care what the ppl at your yard say... You know your horse... and you know that you have your horses best interest in mind...

From personal experience... you baby your horse too much and it gets sick more often... LMAO...

[Jessey]

I would agree, they manage, so long as its dry (even if there is snow on the ground) I don't tend to rug, if its really wet and warm I don't rug if its wet and under 5 degrees out then I might rug and mines an arab x Tb and he is fine :D

I know what you mean about other people voicing their opinions though, at one yard one of the other liverys complained to the YO about my horse not being rugged at night (he was in a barn in an internal stable with 8 other horses - it got REALLY warm in their at night) and it was still 10 degrees out, Luckily I got on well with the YO and he just told her to butt out!

Don't worry about what other people do or say, so long as your horse is warm and happy thats fine.

J x

[Foxfold]

If it's any help, we live on the Pennines next to Saddleworth Moor and none of ours gets rugged until Xmas, unless it really rains cold and hard.
On our yard there is a mix of TBs Cobs and Sect A's.
The 'old' man of the herd (32yrs) gets rugged a little earlier perhaps because of his age.
I agree with 'Sunshine' the more you baby them the sicker they can get.

They don't feel the 'cold' the same as we do I don't think. Ours can be seen on the side of the hill in allsorts of what we would call 'bad' weather, yet there's a perfectly good, dry, warm shelter for them. Sometimes I wish they'd use the shelter, then they wouldn't come in wet through and covered in mud.
:eek: :eek: :eek:

[Sunshine*]

Just as a side note... the temp here (Canada) in the winter can hover around 40 below.... and there are TONS of horses who don't get rugged... The stock breeds especially...

[dcp]

Wow temps here are about 13 degrees at night and I'm getting pushed into rugging up.

PS do you agree that it's good for your horse to grow a little of a thicker coat before putting on a rug?

[atillathefun]

My horse is a real baby when it comes to the cold and I havent even rugged him yet. I start off with a very light weight then move on to Medium and Heavy weight as it gets colder and back again as it gets warmer.
I am sure horses prefer not having rugs on and its always so nice to put them out for the first time without it so I try to keep them off as long as poss.