To rug or not to rug.

[Sefroniaau]

I just got a 14.3hh 9yo horse. He has never had a rug before but he had also never really been ridden before. I ride 3-4times per week and we event and go to ponyclub. He dose not have a very thick coat and i sometimes notice him looking cold and misrabul in the paddock. I also have the choce of a stable at my adgistment place and i was wondering why you would keep a horse in a stable eg. Benifits and disadvantages.
Please reply soon.

[Shiny McShine]

In the australian climate I would avoid keeping a horse in the stable unless I was competing at a very high level or had many horses that needed working.
The value of the stable in australia is mainly for convieniance and for keeping condition on performance horses.
Horses kept in a stable are not living in their natural environment and can easily become bored, lonely or develop an excess of energy.

As for rugging as long as your horse is not clipped or in very poor condition it shouldn't need a rug, even fine haired horses will develop a coat to protect them from the cold, at least for australian conditions. Rugs tend to cause a lot of work. If they get wet they have to be taken off, they can get grass and thorns caught in them, they can slip and cut into the horse, they often get caught on fences. I have seen all these things happen to horses at my agistment paddocks. I wouldn't advise one.

[ros]

When you say your horse looks "cold and miserable" is he actually shivering, or do you think there could be some other reason why he isn't too happy? He isn't just drooping because he's resting, for example? Does he have company?

[squid_is_ace]

i don't rug my horses!! zoe ( my teacher ) said they are more healthy with out them

is that true or not?!?!?!?!?!!??

[RingLass]

Horses are not really more healthy without rugs, but they *can* do without them. If the horse has a very thin coat or is in a very wet/cold/harsh climate, then I would recommend a durable, lightweight rug (Rhino brand is my personal favorite.) If the horse has a thick winter coat, it should be fine, unless it is unusually wet or cold, then a rug would, again, be beneficial. Does your horse have shelter it it's pasture ? (A stand of trees, a run in shed, etc.)
I show 2 of my 3 horses, so it's to both of our advantage that they are kept stabled, inside, with rugs and 12-hour lights from the end of September until April (this keeps them looking sleek and prevents them growing a super-long coat that will get soaked when they are worked for long periods of time and take hours to dry.) But in a normal riding horse situation, they don't need to be stabled unless the weather is at an extreme. In fact, it's healthy for them to be outside as much as possible (like I do with my mare.)

Bottom line: If the horse is clipped, thin-coated, or the weather is overly cold/wet, provide a rug. Otherwise, he/she will be fine without one :)