Winter rugs

[starmoonsun]

Our pony is going to be living out all winter.
Are they're any particular rugs better suited to wearing for longer periods ?
Would like option of a neck cover, would a detachable one better but do they flap around more?
Won't need really thick ones, probably looking for. 0g and 100g at the moment.

I find that the Amigo Bravo 0g fill with assorted lineer and plus minus neck extremely good

I really love the bright pink and orange rugs from Swish, because you can see your horse from far away, even if they are tucked up in a hedge. They also have reflective strips, so you can locate with a torch :D

If they are going to be wearing them for a long time the fit needs to be really good or they’ll rub. Personally I like shires and they fit my TBs well but it depends on your horse.

I'd get a rug with a neck cover for a horse out all the time otherwise in heavy rain it runs in at the front of the rug and the horse gets damp. I've got 2 shires rugs 0g and 100g with attached necks which have been very good for keeping my horse dry in recent torrential rain, he's a lightly built warmblood. In dry weather I'd prefer not to have a neck to try to preserve the mane.

I like 50g/100g with detachable necks. When it's dry I think it's nice for them not to be completely covered up all the time. Also the neck covers can rub their manes out. When it's wet/windy you can just stick the neck cover on. I don't find they flap around more but some of them can leave a gap where the rain gets in. I find the velcro attached ones better than the clips.
Shires have been good for me as mid price option and Gallop are pretty good on a budget.
Not a fan of 0g rugs in the winter as they flatten the coat without providing any replacement insulation & never found one that stays waterproof for long.

Hadn't though of that point about 0 g although we'd only use it on very wet days when it's still warm.
Seems like a mix might be the best way to go then.
Might get a 100g and a liner as don't think she'd need a thick one apart from very cold days.

I like the idea of being able to spot her easily, will check these ones out.

My horses live out on a hillside and we have a lot of rain.

Go for a denier that is over 600d.

For example, Rambos are 1000d ballistic nylon, and I have never had one leak. I have also used other brands such as Shires, Weatherbeeta, Amigo and Bucas. If they are polyester, I look for the 1200d version.

I also like a silky lining.

I choose the brand by what fits the specific horse. Some brands do come up smaller (Horseware Amigo, for example) than other brands in the same size, so bear that in mind.

I agree that a 50g rug is more useful than a 0g.

I swear by amigo rugs. Mine lives out and is fully clipped. A couple of good quality 50g and 100g rugs see us through. I also have a 100g liner and a snuggy hoods turnout rug for extra cold days . Can chuck one over the other wit the rugs at night then remove one for the day time very simply or change one out if it gets saturated. Agree 0g rugs only have a very limited job as they also have no filling to keep the top layer off the lining so can soak through earlier. Also a zero with liners also leaves the neck cold. Atm pony is wearing 50g or 100g in day time with another 50 on top at night. Although last week didn’t need the top layer for a few mild nights

Why do you feel the need to rug? Most horses are perfectly capable of living out unrugged all year. Unless they are in heavy work and fully clipped most should be fine. There is a terrible bad habit in this country of over rugging horses for our convenience at the expense of the horses welfare.
Lightweight rain sheets are of no benefit at all apart from keeping them dry in the summer months. In the cool wet weather the rug prevents the horses coat from fluffing up and trapping air in to keep warm. So horses wearing no fill turnout rugs get colder than if you left them without and let their coats do the work.

'Why do you feel the need to rug?'

I know this wasn't aimed at me, but I rug my horses because they need it. It is not for my 'convenience'.

Usually, mine are out naked all year round. I rug when its cold AND wet, because I have a 28 year old pony who just needs a bit of extra protection when the weather is bad, and a 4 year old pony who, despite being an Irish cob, doesn't seem to grow a very thick coat.

Why though? I haven’t met a horse in 30 years that NEEDS a rug except for those that are old or ill and are actually getting cold.
Any other reason is for your needs or convenience! That’s not necessarily a criticism just fact. Own it. Be aware of it and make sure that you are only rugging for the horses actual requirements. And those requirements change daily. So the question why do I feel the need to rug this horse? Should be a question you ask yourself every time you rug them.

OK, so I can rug horses with your permission if they are old, ill or cold.

Fantastic. They are cold unrugged in this wind and rain, so I'll carry on as before then.

I usually avoid rugs with necks as they just rub their mane out if they have necks on full time - I have detachable ones and only put the neck on if it's absolutely horrid and try not to leave it on for too long! Premier Equine are my favourites but they are very spenny!

As my daughter said to her friend (on receiving criticism of her 7 year old New Forest not being rugged, despite having a field shelter in his field)

"So who goes round all the ponies in the New Forest rugging them?

What's wrong rugging for convenience as long as the rug fits well and is the right rug for the situation? Nothing at all. i own it. i work full time so dont have hours to wait for mud to dry, i also compete and need my horses ready to go and easy to manage (quick to cool down after sweating etc)
I have two fully clipped native ponies in work, out with 0g Prem Equine rugs with neck covers on.
I am perfectly capable of checking twice daily that they are not overly hot or cold and making changes where needed.

we have a rug attacker on our yard and her horses have all their ribs showing, fairly elderly. They look like absolute crap and their coat quality is shocking and clearly not as weather proof as they were in their youth, but of course, she's better than us because her unhappy looking horses are "natural" and "naked"

All my ponies are foresters. the ones on the forest arent ridden ;)

If you buy decent 0g rugs they don’t leak, i really like the horseware ones, and am not a fan of pe rugs so there is a lot of personal preference around. Agree that fit for your own horse is really important.
And I rug 2 of mine because they are thin skinned TBs, they most certainly cannot cope with a British winter unrugged.

I’m not asking you to tell me why you rug your horse. And why do you feel the need to ask my permission? You’re looking for an argument where there isn’t one.

The first question anyone should ask when asked for advice on rugging, is surely why do you want to rug the horse?

They might not leak but they will make the horse colder. They are only really useful in the summer to keep them dry. There no good at all in the winter.

Apologies, I should have added a '/sarcasm' or a '🙄' to the end of my post so that you knew that I wasn't actually asking for your permission to rug my horses.

Mine would look like a bag of bones if she wasn't rugged, even when she's unclipped. Her coat is fine and doesn't keep her very warm or dry and she's a poor doer who takes a lot of feeding in winter. She's always been like this, even as a youngster.

In any event I hate to see horses in work get sweaty and then get chilled because they are wet. So I clip and rug, for welfare reasons, she can be washed or hot clothed if she does sweat up or get filthy and she'll dry in no time and stays warm. I've seen horses at pleasure rides with full coats shivering because they are sweaty in winter.

I don't feel the need to rug but it's a requirement of the yard manager that they're rugged as they're isn't a great amount of shelter in the field.
And before you say no we can't and don't want to move yards.

That’s not a good enough reason to rug and I would seriously reconsider leaving any animal in the care of someone who isn’t interested in their welfare. Over rugging a horse is just as if not more detrimental than under rugging.