cold weather and no rugs on foals am i a bad mam

vikkig

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Jul 26, 2007
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my 6 month old filly is cross section d and is the fluffiest foal in the world, i had planned on rugging her for the winter but was advised not to, i am being really hard and trying my hardest not to wrap her up super warm, my yearling is shetland cross and she has a rainsheet (not on yet) mainly because she is palomino. some of the foal in the field have rugs on (middleweights) and i am starting to feel like a bad mam but i really dont want her turning into a softy.

where i am the metcheck.com says its going to feel like -6 to -8 in the wind but belle is fine and never feels cold, on top of her coat she does but if you dig under her coat she is warm, what do i do rug her or not?
 
Ditto the above :)
I'm always stunned by how many hairy native horses are rugged in heavy rugs with necks in September and early October and my TB goes out in a light weight until the temperatures plummet. Every year I get comments about "what a bad mother you are!" and "Poor Salsa is freezing", when actually he's warm as toast and I'd rather keep his heavier rugs for very low temperatures when he'll actually feel the benefit of it, rather than getting hot, sweaty and uncomfortable.

I was once told by a very reliable lady who bred horses for many years that she never rugs over the first winter as babies are designed to be out in cold conditions and it can apparently have an impact on how their adult coats grow through. No personal experience, I'm afraid, but all her horses grew up to be lovely horses who only required a rug in the most bitter of conditions. :)
 
dont worry, theres two mares and foals down the road, one of which looks tb and i think its quite expensive from what ive heard and theyre all still out unrugged 24/7!

sounds like shes doing great i shes still toasty when you burry down
 
Ditto the above :)


I was once told by a very reliable lady who bred horses for many years that she never rugs over the first winter as babies are designed to be out in cold conditions and it can apparently have an impact on how their adult coats grow through. No personal experience, I'm afraid, but all her horses grew up to be lovely horses who only required a rug in the most bitter of conditions. :)

Interesting, a friend has heavily rugged her coloured cob all her life and she never grows a very thick coat and yet her parents who have never had such mollycoddling have very thick coats. My filly never gets rugged except when we have a spell of heavy rain and then its just a rainsheet to keep her from getting waterlogged. She's always warm and toasty and unhindered by straps when she plays in the field.
 
I never rug any of my native foals - the 2 NFs are out in their second winter naked and my little 5 month old Welsh is turning into a lovely fluffy thing and is happy as larry, just ask the rabbits she keeps chasing:D

I always think it is easier for a horse to warm up than cool down eg. under too many heavy rugs. Just because it is cold for us doesn't mean it is cold for an animal designed to live outdoors.

You will know if yours is in need of a rug as she will tell you that she is not happy - my appoloosa is miserable so is having a nice rug on at night because he can't cope but the others are fine
 
In my oppinion, you are a GOOD mum!
All too often people start "mollycoddling" their horses, and then they learn form an early age to rely on extra help from rugs/stables/feed etc fro the rest of their lives! The earlier you rug them/stable them/feed them , then the less they will learn to develop coats etc for themselves and will be more vulnerable in the long run.

I rug mine only when I really have to (havent done it yet) - it really does help them!
Obviously, if I had a little pathetic Tb that had been rugged/stabled and over fed all its life, then I would have to carry on with the tradition becuase it wouldnt cope well otherwise....but if it were a horse (even a TB) that had never been rugged, then it'd be used to it the conditions, and it will have developed a much thicker coat, and a much higher tolerance to the weather!

You are in no way a bad mum......I think you are very sensible! In my oppinion, you are doing the best for your horses in the long run!

hehe, my grey is rather hairy atm - hes an IDxTB.....I was trying to do his noseband up yesturday, but struggled because of all the hair! If it were to really bother me....then I could always clip him and stick a rug on him later :D

ETA - I would, however, step in if I saw the foals were losing too much condition....otherwise Id just leave them too it:D
 
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If she's warm, don't rug her. You'll only make her uncomfortable. She's built for these kinds of temperatures, so don't worry, you're not a bad mum!

I agree with above.

Both of mine are still unrugged and yes I do feel like I should be rugging just because........but then I go down to see them and I stick my hands in their coats to warm my hands up...what does that tell you! (apart from I should wear gloves)
 
I have a 6 month old shire foal and the breeder who I bought her from and also my Vet said don't rug her! She looks great got a thick shiny coat and is a lovely weight. However she does come in when its wet and windy:)
 
I haven't got mine rugged even though it makes me feel physically sick thinking about him nekked in this weather! My 'young horse guru' has told me that if I saw some of the accidents she'd seen over the years with youngsters wearing rugs and getting tangled in them then I'd feel physically sick at the thought of him wearing one lol! :p I know how you feel though - I wear ear plugs at night now so I can't hear the hail on the windows!
 
you are not a bad mum

My retired TB has spent winters stabled, then lived out in HW rugs and is currently living out unrugged, she has a nice thick coat and is happy enough - she has shelter
She gets a warm feed every night and is happy with that
 
well when i left the farm tonight they are both super fluffy, i have put a rainsheet on each as it is due to snow and feel - 8 in the rain but this is the only time they will get them, mac my big horse is out in a heavyweight and he is fully clipped out and he is fine, my wimp of a standardbred who is underweight has a middleweight with lightweight ontop but i can not risk her losing any weight trying to keep warm.

i like the fluffy coats, shannons is great this year, i will have to take some pics, she looks like a goat :)
 
No don't rug - when my friend and I got our foals a few months ago a lady we know who runs a stud advised that rugging a foal in its first year prevents it from using its coat effectively which could adversely affect it in later life.

We are soft though and don't want them shivering their weight off so bring them in at night to a nice feed and plenty of hay which they love :)
 
I very much agree, although contradicted what I am saying last night :eek:

I have a homebred 3/4 welsh cob 1/4 arab colt who is the same age as your filly. He had a bath the other day - evil mum, in november, I know :rolleyes: so I was damned if he was gonna go out and get covered in mud so he's now out with a rug with no filling, purely to try and keep him a bit cleaner, not to keep him warm.
His mum who is arab x welsh is also rugged now as she has a trace clip, but my arab x welsh pony, and 2 welsh x brick out houses, including one in his mid 20's are very fluffy, very warm and won't be rugged unless they need to be. I may rug the white-grey eventually but purely because of the mud. He looks like a panda at the moment :rolleyes:
 
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