When the weather starts to turn cold and wet the question of when should I rug my horse in winter may arise. There are many arguments for and against rugging, but each horse should be treated as an individual and rugged according to their environment, workload, and weight.
A horse’s thermoneutral zone is normally between 0°c and 25°c. This is the temperature range in which your healthy horse will be comfortable unrugged. Unclipped horses rarely need rugs in all but the most atrocious weather, but those who are clipped, elderly, or have difficulty maintaining weight may need some extra help.
You may be wondering whether to rug your horse, and when. The answer isn’t always straightforward, but keep reading to find out more about which rug to use, and when.
Why do you need to rug a horse?
Why do you need to rug a horse? There is not one simple answer to this. There are many reasons that people rug their horses; the main reason however is to keep their horse comfortable and healthy when the weather turns cold and wet. Rugging also keeps your horse dry and clean for riding. It’s no fun for the horse if you try and put a saddle on a wet horse; the chances of causing skin sores and painful rubbing increases.
A horse’s thermoneutral zone is normally between 0°c and 25°c. This is the temperature range in which your horse will normally feel quite comfortable. Like people though, some horses feel the cold more than others. As such each horse needs treating as an individual and owners should not simply rely on rugging charts to make their decisions.
If your horse is elderly, has trouble maintaining weight, or is clipped, it will most likely be necessary to rug earlier and using heavier weight rugs than if your horse is a good doer, unclipped, and in the prime of their life.
Forage such as hay and grass given ad lib is the easiest way to ensure that your horse is able to keep warm naturally. Horses in the wild/at liberty graze for around 19 hours a day, and the very act of eating and digesting the forage heats your horse from the inside out.
Should I rug my horse?
If you’re asking yourself should I rug my horse, then you’re showing that you’re a compassionate owner. The answer though will vary depending upon your horse and how it is kept, and its workload. If your horse is fully clipped and is a fine breed, then it is likely that it will need rugging during poor weather.
When the days get shorter most horses start to grow a much thicker coat so that when the cold weather comes, they can trap air under the hair layers. Longer hair on top is waterproof and allows rainwater to slide off the coat without penetrating to the base hair, clipping your horse means than you have removed the natural way that a horse keeps warm. The hair that you have removed would normally trap warm air underneath, standing up to produce a snug thermal layer against the skin.
If your horse is a hairy traditional type that is a good-doer and in low or no work, it is unlikely that they will need a rug at all. This is assuming that the horse has access to plenty of forage and shelter from the worst of the weather.
When should I rug my horse?
You might be asking when should I rug my horse? If it’s getting colder and the wind chill is further reducing the temperature it may be a good idea to start rugging before the wet weather comes in and makes life more difficult. If you have access to a stable to dry off your horse then your options are widened.
If your horse is prone to feeling the cold, then rugging earlier in the season may be necessary. Also, if the forecast is for ongoing heavy rain and your horse is out without easy access to good shelter, then rugging may keep them comfortable during the worst of the weather.
If you have a thin-skinned horse or one that loses weight easily then rugging will help keep them warm and dry. Conversely, if you have a horse that is overweight winter is the best time to help them lose the extra pounds by using a lighter-weight rug. If you take this approach, make sure that your horse has access to plenty of hay so that they are able to keep their temperature regulated internally.
What rugs are available?
There are many different types and weights of rug on the market for winter. What rugs are available can broadly be put into 3 categories: lightweight, mediumweight, and heavyweight.
Lightweight
A lightweight rug or rainsheet can be used when the temperature starts to drop. A lightweight rug is generally considered to be one that is up to 100gm fill. Be careful when using a rainsheet though, it may protect from the rain, but it can flatten a horse’s hair meaning that your horse is unable to raise the hair to keep the warm air in. In your kindness, you may have inadvertently kept your horse colder than it would have been without being rugged at all!
If you’re in doubt as to whether your horse needs a heavier rug, put your hand underneath the rug and feel the temperature at your horses elbow. If this area is warm then your horse is fine. If the area is wet, it could be sweat and you may be over rugging so it’s time to reduce the rug weight.
Mediumweight
A mediumweight rug is around 200gm fill and is useful for when winter has really set in. If your horse is clipped be prepared to use a heavyweight rug sooner.
Heavyweight
A heavyweight rug is 300gm + and is used in the very cold and wet weather. This is normally when the temperature dips below 0°c and/or is continually raining heavily. If your horse is unclipped this rug will very rarely be necessary unless the temperature falls to under -5°c, but, as horses are individuals, check your horse under the rug to determine which rug is needed.
Don’t use the ears or legs as a guide to the temperature of your horse as when your horse gets cold its body will divert the blood flow to the core organs and you’ll believe that your horse is colder than s/he is and will over-rug which can cause a host of problems as your horse will struggle to keep cool.
When should you rug your horse for winter?
When should you rug your horse for winter is very dependent upon your horse and what you wish to do over the darker months. If you want to ride regularly and/or your horse is clipped, then rugging before the poor weather sets in will make your life easier (it’s difficult and inadvisable to rug a wet and muddy horse but sometimes needs must). If your horse is clipped to help cool off more quickly after exercise, then rugging will be necessary sooner than if your horse is unclipped and not in work.
Is it ok to put rugs on a wet horse?
There may come a time when you’ve left your horse out with no rug and the weather suddenly takes a turn for the worse. This is the time that you’ll be asking yourself is it ok to put rugs on a wet horse. In an ideal world you’d be able to bring in your horse in to dry and brush off before rugging and turning out with a rug.
Many of us though don’t have the facilities or the time to do this. The old saying about not rugging a wet horse is seated in the past however, when rugs weren’t breathable, and the likelihood of chilling your horse or causing skin infections was high.
Nowadays, rug are more breathable, and whilst it isn’t ideal to rug a wet horse, it is surely better to do this than leave your horse soaking and shivering in the field.
There are ways to speed up the drying process. Many years ago, thatching was popular and very effective. This is where you put a layer of straw (thatch) under the turnout rug to soak up the moisture and take it away from the skin. If you don’t have straw, using a fleece rug underneath the turnout will have a similar effect. Make sure that you remove the straw/fleece after a couple of hours to reduce the risks of a skin infection.
What happens if you put a rug on a horse too soon?
You can see many horses rugged in the field at the slightest hint of rain. This may not be the best for the horses in the long-run. Rugging too early means that the horse isn’t able to grow the coat it may later need. More importantly, your horse may sweat under the rug which could cause all manner of skin complaints and mean that your horse can’t lose heat effectively meaning it could overheat. It is easier for a horse to keep itself warm than to cool down.
Furthermore, a rug reduces the horse’s ability to live naturally. Horses cannot groom each other successfully, it’s more difficult to roll or scratch an itch with a rug on.
Remember, if you do rug, the rugs need to fit well so they don’t rub, and be fastened so that they don’t catch on anything and potentially cause injury.
Conclusion
If possible, leave it as long as possible before rugging your horse, and make certain that you are not over-rugging your horse. Remember that they do not feel the cold as we do and eating provides fuel for their internal boiler to keep them warm. If you do rug, remove the rug regularly and check for sore spots and rubbing. Check at the shoulder under the rug to decide if you need to change your horse’s rug weight. Enjoy winter!
