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The tack room
What does your live out pony wear in this weather?
seeker · 18/12/2009 10:11
Dd's Arab went out last night wearing two turn out rugs - one medium weight, one heavyweight. I worry about her - she's lightly built, but she so hates living in. What do your ponies wear?
MitchyInge · 18/12/2009 10:16
the one that lives out has a 300gm rug (full neck)
am v worried actually, he has dropped a little weight but not sure increased feeds will cut it
he came with a lighter rug which apparently lived out in all year round but am
have got £££££££ vouchers to spend at saddlery and might get emergency under-fleece for him if can unfreeze land rover
other one HATES living in but really has no choice, can't be rugged for long without developing back problems (is rugged today tho obviously) and would be skeletal if not stabled and on biiiig feeds
seeker · 18/12/2009 10:38
I think we might go and buy a fleece for her. I wasn't happy about the two rugs - worried they might rub, but no choice last night. She's lived out, apparently, for the past 4 years, but it goes against all my instincts. She looks so slight next to her 'native' field mates!
seeker · 18/12/2009 10:39
Might ask about upping her feeds a bit too - she doesn't seem to have much for this cold weather.
MitchyInge · 18/12/2009 10:50
could she come in for a few of these very cold nights?
prob not an option for us as yard a bit overstocked at the moment anyway
seeker · 18/12/2009 11:08
She could - she's got a box there waiting for her. It's just that she's so obviously desperate to get out, and she's a bit of a weaver. Oh, decisions,decisions!
MitchyInge · 18/12/2009 11:11
ah you people with your highly strung tiny-boned beasts who go lame if they so much as LOOK at a stone!
mummydoc · 18/12/2009 12:28
well noddy is wearing a full neck mid weight turnout rug, and will have a fleece undeneath when temps below 2 degrees and then a stable duvert type aswell when below 0 degrees, during day he comes in has feed and haynet and then goes out with just lightweight tunout on. THEY ARE ANIMALS .... please do not get me wrong i love the ponies very much but they are not genetically designed to be wrapped up in jammies in a box. noddy has been so much more settled and happy living out.with your arab i would have a day turnout rug and then a heavier weight turnout + fleece for night time.
seeker · 18/12/2009 13:36
I know- but you have to remember she is a PFP! We've just bought her a fleece so she'll go back out soon in her heavyweight rug with a fleece underneath. I only know about natives so 'choosy bits of fancywork' are new to me! She does so love being out with the herd- she's a different pony when she's out.
MitchyInge · 18/12/2009 15:17
awww it's sweet, am same, just risked life and limb to deliver spare rugs to yard
Barney so excited about the snow he had to roll in it before he got to the field this morning, wish had seen it myself
will keep the NZ on overnight in stable I think, won't hurt?
think Joey will cope, he is pretty hairy, apparently he was the only one not shivering this morning and in no great hurry to come in
Pixel · 18/12/2009 16:26
Ours only have medium rugs on and my sister reports they are lovely and warm underneath. I wanted to see them in the snow today and take lots of pics with my new camera but fate was against me. I was over-ruled due to me being snowed-in on top of a hill with an autistic child who didn't even want to go out in the back garden, plus the fact that my sister has a day off work and access to a fancy four-wheel drive.
They will be fine though. They have shelters with shavings beds, have each had an enormous feed and were left with a large bale of hay between the two and a half three of them.
lubblyjubblies · 18/12/2009 21:00
nothing! bare naked here.
All others are rugged but pony (very plump welsh x)naked. He can come into a lovely dry, draught free stable with all you can eat hay, or stand in a frozen wind swept field chewing grass roots. The choice is his, and if he started spending anytime indoors I would rug him.This morning he was layed asleep in the snow whilst all the others were huddled round the hayrack inside.
Wonder if its because I bought him a pink turnout rug last year in the sale
frostyfingers · 21/12/2009 09:30
My TB is out with an Amigo h'weight, with neck cover, plus a medium weight underneath and is as warm as toast. His heating is so efficient the snow is only just melting from his back atm.
My Welshie is out naked, he has a perfectly good built in duvet, all fluffed up and white for a change - normally he is a fetching clay colour.
They're both out all the time - they gallop about when they're cold - the TB has breakfast and hay, the welshie nothing except what he can find left over and grass and is as fat as butter - my farrier called him "lardy" which I thought was a bit personal! If the snow gets thicker and they can't get to the grass then I'll put a bale out for them overnight.
The TB thrives on being outside, he was stabled and so neurotic when I got him and the Welshie is after all designed to live out on top of mountains! Generally, they're tougher than you think....
MitchyInge · 21/12/2009 14:16
argh our live out pony has horrible cut on his face - hay rack? fighting?
poor lamb
at least he has extra fleecey thing under his rug now
Nowtheres4 · 21/12/2009 14:38
Only the shetlands live out and they have fleece rugs that we brought the other week. quite thick and seem very warm, they do have a shelter that they can retreat to though if they want to.
I feel sorry for them but they hate being stabled and seem to love being in the field.
MitchyInge · 21/12/2009 17:50
vet told me off for 'pampering' the pony, so feel happier now as his idea of pampering is fairly minimal care really
luckily is not life-threatening cut and no stitches, just a shot of penicillin - phew
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