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.

Horsewear are best - Rambo if you can afford it, but they’re not cheap.

We cannot judge if the yard manager is correct (or not) about insisting that the horses are rugged. We cannot see the location, shelter (or lack of), horses involved, etc. to make that assertion that the YM 'isn’t interested in their welfare'. It is entirely possible that they have had previous cases of owners not rugging when needed. Therefore, it is the horses' welfare that caused the YM to bring in this rule. One thing that really strips the warmth out of horses is when they are wet, the wind is cold, and they have no shelter.

The YM might be the best YM in the world, or the worst - how can we tell from the scant information on this thread?

Ok, over-rugging is your pet peeve. Maybe you can start a thread on this topic? It would be far more suitable than all the leaping to conclusions that you are doing on this one.

Any yard manager who has a blanket policy on things like rugging is not treating the horse as an individual and therefore isn’t concentrating on their welfare or best interests. It isn’t rocket science 🤷🏻‍♀️

We need to do better

I am not going to condemn a YM due to the little bit of information on this thread. The only person who has any chance of knowing if the YM is good at putting the horses' welfare at the forefront of their mind is the OP.

It's funny because treating horses as individuals is exactly what my own position is, but your earlier posts came across as someone who doesn't do that and is fairly dogmatic in their views about not rugging (most horses in most circumstances).

Ahh, well, that's the joy of the internet. It's so easy to misunderstand people.

@FuzzyFetlocksim not at all against rugging - when it is done correctly and for the right reasons. I have 3 of mine out rugged now. But the rest are not because they don’t need to be. But it seems increasingly that rugs are seen as a fashion statement and aesthetic choice rather than because they are needed.
And having had to deal with a friends horse who had broken his leg after catching it in the belly strap of another horses rug - I don’t underestimate how dangerous they can be. I’ve seen far too many injuries from rugs over the years.

Whereas I have never seen a rugging caused injury.
@businessflop25 you are doing a pretty good job of appearing antirugging, and whilst of course over rugging is a welfare issue, so is not rugging/ riding unclipped horses for more than a short occasional walk ( the subsequent weight loss, difficulty in drying them off etc is very problematic).
Your dogmatic insistence is not helpful to the OP who has reached out for specific help.

For example you talk about horses coats fluffing up, sure natives and cross breds do, I have had plenty over the years where you could shove your hand into a wet coat and they were as dry as a bone underneath, but I also have an retired ex racer atm who has less coat ( unclipped) than my ISH who was only clipped a month ago. It also has been very mild and very wet here, despite it basically being winter, no need for a filled rug in 18oC, but the waterproof rug is much needed.

We bring the poorer ones back to the farm over the winter to feed & rug if needed but alot of commoners (Forest stock owners) just shoot them when they can no longer winter out on the forest.

This winter we have some older mares (30 +) come off the forest & will be fed & rugged then back out on the forest in the spring.

I swear by Horseware rugs. They fit well, last forever and have lots of different weights etc.

The OP has asked for help but given absolutely no info on the horse in question. Hence my question why do you need (or think you need) to rug.
There is a big difference between rugging a hairy native and an elderly TB. Without knowing the age of the horse, breed, how good a doer, if it’s working, clipped etc how can anyone advise?

And if you really haven’t seen any rug related injuries then frankly you are bloody lucky. It’s the same with leaving headcollars on. Once you have seen the devastating consequences when it does go wrong you do see things differently.

The most devastating consequences in horse welfare come from owners who are so stuck on their black & white opinions that they leave their horse without the care they need.

Rugs are not evil. Many horses will need rugs. Many horses suffer because they are not rugged or clipped or fed or restricted because the owner black & white disagrees with clipping, rugging, hard feed, strip grazing, muzzling or whatever

Every horse has unique needs & that's the owners role - to do what's best for their horse, within their own constraints - time, money, available facilities.

We don't need keyboard warriors like you bashing others on social media because choosing to clip & rug has 'devastating consequences'

Nothing with a horse will ever be risk free, my family have forest run stock on the new forest. They live a 'natural' life. They still injure themselves & die at a greater rate than the ones kept in on the farm.

Do the best you can for your own horses & never knock anyone else down for trying to do the same

You don’t need info on the OP’s individual horse. She hasn’t asked for advice on whether to rug her horse or how heavily. She has asked for advice on durable rugs that are comfortable long term. Cheaper lower denier rugs seem ok at first but aren’t as well made and likely to cause rubs or leak after a time and tear easily. Brands such as horsware have nicer linings for long term wear and use technology that keeps them more weather and tear resistant. The type of horse is irrelevant to the question. Id assume if the horse was particularly heavily built/huge shouldered that made regular rugs an issue then OP would have said

Excuse me!!! Try actually reading and comprehending what I have put. I haven’t said rugs are evil at all. I have also said that at this very moment in time 3 of mine are out in rugs.
They are not evil. But they should be used only when necessary and not because that’s what everyone else does. And I am in full agreement that the most important thing is treating the horse as an individual. That is my entire point.

So perhaps take a pause before being so critical?

Also to add op is only looking for very lightweight rugs so clearly isn’t in the over rugging camp. Many people need to rug just so they are dry to ride. If she was layering up 450g rugs then I’d understand

I think i'm in love with you 😍 haha!

Thanks for the responses. Yes want asking opinion on wether to rug or not just which ones are best for long term wear and best weather resistance.
Have ordered the horse wear Amigo ones as they seemed to gov ethe best options in terms of liners and neck covers.

I’ve just bought a new amigo 100g as pony had grown out of one of his current 100g and it’s handy to have 2 to switch on very wet days or to layer on top of another for very cold nights. The lining is so nice and he’s gleaming when it comes off as it polishes him. That anti rugging pp will be horrified to hear that ours was in a 250g last night with a full body and neck snuggy hood turnout rug underneath. It was -7 over night