[AnnaLouise2012]

 

Hello. I'm getting a youngster at the weekend and at his current owners he is not rugged. I am going to rug him simply because its so wet here and the field he'll be in is very muddy!  Really want to attempt to keep him slightly warmer and cleaner. Anyway, has anyone local to Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells (Kent) got any old rugs I can buy cheaply off them ? I need an outdoor and possibly a fleece for stable. I don't care if its old or worn, it will do for now!! please say there is someone out there! he is going to make 15.2 so at the moment i imagine he is somewhere around 13 hh - so any rugs around this size please!
Thanks, Anna x

[ppd]

  Hi Anna
Just be aware the an old and torn rug which is not waterproof will become waterlogged and actually make him feel colder and it will become heavy which will be uncomfortable. Perhaps look for a good quality second hand or try somewhere like Equestrian clearance and find a cheapish new one
Pauline

[lachlanandmarcus]

If he isnt rugged at his current place he will probably be warmer if he isnt rugged (seriously, I know it sounds mad but his coat will have developed to be waterproof and this wont work for him if you now rug him?)
Also horses get vast majority of warmth from the grass and forage they eat, and only a minority from any rugs.
However I understand he will be less work to keep clean with a rug on....:-)
Equestrian clearance would be the cheapest place for new rugs. Kingshead are good value, Masta are nice and deep cut for bigger bodied/chested horses.
My feed place sells peoples second hand tack and rugs for them worth checking that locally. Also local horsey internet sites/facebook pages.

[AnnaLouise2012]

Thanks everyone! Will keep him unrugged until I get paid, then I'll buy him a proper rug. Thanks for your help, nice to know he will be warmer with just his fluff!  

[Mel Rice]

I got my rugs from a factory (seconds?) sale in Nottingham. They hold the sales twice a year I think and they are VERY popular....cause they are cheap!

[Sylvia]

I would say that unless a horse is clipped, ill, or a thin-skinned thoroughbred they are certainly better off without rugs. I see native ponies around me, in full coat, dressed up to the nines!!

[ppd]

Agree with actually not rugging too - none of mine are and all have cracking wolly beards, scarves belly warmers and bloomers
...and also when they are cold, like us their hair stands up to trap warmth and with a rug on you take away the ability for this to happen
Pauline

[AnnaLouise2012]

Will have to look into the factory thing! And yes my two miniature horses have amazing fluffy coats too and they aren't rugged they are so hardy it's lovely I was just a bit worried because this youngster will be an Anglo Arab x spotted so thought he should be rugged but he's obviously hardy as he isn't currently rugged thanks everyone x

[sabrina]

If he has the skin of the Anglo Arab then I would rug him. A youngster that does not have a thick coat uses up energy to keep warm rather than growing. Toto is 7 months old and stands 13 hands at the moment. he is wearing a 4ft 6in rug from Derby House but I expect him to need 4ft 9ins by the end of the winter if not before.

[lachlanandmarcus]

As I understand it horses get 3/4 of their warmth from the forage they eat (internal radiator), and growing too fast is much more harmful to a youngsters joints than at a slow steady rate. So while rugging might speed growth, I would still say dont rug unless the horse is showing signs of being uncomfortable or it for eg you have weeks of rain (if that happens and they dont have anywhere to dry off they might be prone to developing rain scald). The other thing to bear in mind is that however safely fitted, rugs can present a hazard and while all horses should be regularly checked anyway, a youngster with a rug on might need checking more often than is practical - wee monkeys they are! But do start to get them used to wearing a rug, having feet picked up etc while they are youngish so it doesnt become an issue later. 

[sabrina]

Rugging a youngster does not speed growth. But a cold wet one will use up their energy trying to keep warm. it all depends on the breed. An Anglo Arab is thin skinned and would benefit from a rug if your youngster is more like that side of its breeding.. There is no point wasting money feeding a youngster for it to stand shivering in the field. All depends on what sort of coat the animal has. natives do very well without rugs. .Most rugs are made nowadays with safety in mind.

[AnnaLouise2012]

Thankyou everyone, I have him now! (very exciting!) Seems a bit touchy about his legs being touched but he hasnt been handled at all apart from me today so that is to be expected and he is doing surprisingly well! He is coping very well unrugged, as this has what he has been used to at his old home. He loves his miniature companions and I am very pleased with him. If it gets wet, I will rug him but he seems fine at the moment - as you all said he would be. Thank for your advice! Best to keep it natural right now. Thanks everyone! x

[ppd]

  Great news Anna.

[lachlanandmarcus]

We need piccies!! Lots of them    Nudie pony porn!

[ppd]

We need piccies!! Lots of them    Nudie pony porn!