Another rather daft rugging/stabling question!

[Esther.D]

Sorry, keep asking daft (obvious) questions but not used to having stabled horses!

When turned out 24/7 ours are not normally rugged until late Nov or December.

However now they will be being brought in at night from probably late October.

So what do you do?


Do you leave them naked and then risk bringing them in wet to stand in a stable all night (not able to move about and keep warm like they can in the field)?

Do you put a stable rug on overnight from the start...but then what do you do if they come in from the field wet? Do you rug a wet horse or not?

Do you put a lightweight turn out rug on them to keep them dry....if so do you then use a light stable rug overnight?


Or any other alternatives!

None are clipped and all are rather on the plump side!

Plus it has been suggested to use decent breathable turnouts overnight as well rather than changing for stable rugs. Would you do this with light weight turnouts as well or just with the heavier ones come winter? Or would you swop for stable rugs at night? Their turnouts are all Rambos and Rhinos.

 

[Stella2]

Mmmm ...!

Flora isn't rugged at all yet, but then you are in colder wetter climes (albeit the same region) I would probably go with a light weight, waterproof, breathable outside, so they come in dry. I wouldn't introduce a stable rug on an unclipped horse yet. I would only rug a wet horse in a thermatex or equivalent wicking multipurpose rug, not a stable or turnout (even the ones that are wicking are only designed to deal with a bit of sweat).

If yours are to remain unclipped and are used to being out in the winter without rugs, you may only need to introduce a lightweight stable when the frost comes!

 

[Esther.D]

Ours wouldn't be rugged until they start coming in at night, everything round us is rugged already but it is not cold/wet enough for that yet in my opinion. As I mentioned when out 24/7 they are not rugged until late November but just concerned about damp horses standing in stables.

So you reckon their lightweight t/o rugs on initially and then stable rugs once the frost comes in (mind you by late October we should be starting to get frost anyway..).

My feeling was the same as yours about rugging a wet horse - didn't like the idea of horse standing in a wet rug all night.

 

[Stella2]

Yeah lightweight turnout when its wet saves the wet horse in the stable situation. Then I'd just rug as you usually would, adding a stable rug of a weight consistent with your turnout (since of course they can become colder in than out because they move less).

I think some people rug too early, but if I'd clipped now, I would be rugging.

 

[Lgd]

Mine are rugged in some way or another all year round. Fly sheets while out in summer and a light summer sheet at night unless it is fairly warm (mine are in at night all year round).

I clipped Peri on Sunday - irish chaser rather than her usual full clip though. She is wearing a weatherbeeta 300 at night and her mw t/O by day.
Tavia isn't clipped yet but she is real cold a**e so she is wearing similar weight rugs to Peri - except her field rug is a combo to keep her mane clean.

Easiest (and cheapest) way really is to use your turnout as the overnight stable rug as well, just have a stable rug standing by in case the turnout is really wet.

 

[MelanieD]

Fatty is out without rugs at the moment and if the weather is really wet and nasty then she comes in for a bit to dry off. She's fine stood in her stable wet as our stables are quite warm but she does have a fleece to wear if she's really cold or could use if she was in a draughty stable. I'm probably going to put a lw on soonish just to keep her dry and make life easier for me when I want to ride but she's not likely to be wearing anything in her stable for a while, if our stables weren't as warm she'd have a fleece or light rug on indoors.

I have left turnouts on in the stable before but 'cos the yard is halfway up a mountain and we have nice warm stables I found that she needed different weight rugs in and out so couldn't just leave the same one on all the time.

 

[Esther.D]

Our stables are not particularly draughty, but I wouldn't say they were particularly warm and cosy either...

 

[nuttymanxmare]

My mare is stabled now at night with a lightweight rug and out in during the day with a MW rug on. She has really thin fur and drops weight easily.

At least I dont have the problem of clipping!!!

 

[artemis]

I would go with what Stella2 says. Mine are still out, but one has a very lightweight t/o on at night only at the moment.
What I do if they come in wet is to put a thin old fleece type rug under ther stable rug for about 1/2 an hour & then whip it off as she drys out - saves the stable rug & body heat will do the rest.

 

[fair~filly]

I'd go along with Stella2 too .
In a similar situation I used a lightweight (cotton lined no padding) turnout & a very thin polar fleece stable rug.
Keeping them dry is the main thing as has previously been said they don't want to be damp in a stable overnight.
The light weight turnout also allows them to not get too warm with their wintercoats. (otherwise you'll need to clip )

F~F xxx

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