Sarah-Jane White Looking to keep your horse as comfortable and well-protected as possible?
No matter how much experience you have with horses, knowing exactly when and how to rug your horse can be difficult to figure out. There are lots of different factors to consider, so there isn’t a one size fits all answer for every horse and owner. Plus, as the weather changes throughout the seasons, it can become even more tricky to know what’s best. To help you find the right solution for your horse, read on to discover all the essentials you need to know about rugging depending on the weather.
In this article I asked Katie Allen-Clarke from the equine experts at Horse & Country to share her advice on rugging your horse, from when to do it to finding the perfect rug.
When to rug your horse: Factors to consider
One of the main questions horse owners ask themselves daily is when to rug their horse. Of course, the temperature has a big impact on your decision and as a general rule of thumb, healthy adult horses may require a rug when the temperature starts dipping below 10°C. Other weather conditions that may require your horse to wear a rug include when they need protection from the rain with a waterproof rug, and bug prevention in the spring and summer months with a fly rug.
However, when it comes to deciding when to start rugging in winter, it isn’t just the temperature that determines your choice. Other factors include:
- Age: Older horses will need more protection from the elements than young, healthy horses, as their immune system tends to be weaker and their muscle tone reduced. They may also be prone to arthritic flare-ups and be less able to regulate their own temperature, especially if they suffer from Cushing’s Disease (PPID).
- Breed: Horses with more fat and hair on their body, such as native breeds, won’t need as much protection from the cold as thinner, foreign breeds who aren’t naturally conformed to withstand cold British weather.
- Health: Unwell horses can become worse if impacted by the cold weather, so you may want to rug them more readily.
- Turnout or stabling: Horses who are turned out in the winter will need more protection from the elements than those in a stable. However, due to their increased movement, horses at grass will be able to generate more heat naturally than a horse who’s standing still in a stable all night. It’s especially important to give turned-out horses waterproof rugs, but they’ll require some form of shelter from the elements, too.
- Clipped or unclipped: Clipped horses cannot produce an insulating winter coat, so will usually need winter rugging earlier than unclipped horses.
Choosing the right rug for your horse
Once you’ve decided on the right time to rug your horse, the next step is to choose the right type of rug. There is a variety to choose from, which can make finding the perfect one a bit overwhelming.
When it comes to weight, the three main choices are lightweight, mediumweight, and heavyweight, which usually weigh around 100g, 200g, and 300g respectively.
For particularly cold conditions, or for horses more susceptible to the cold (such as older or clipped horses), the heavyweight option will be best, while young, healthy, and unclipped horses may only ever need lightweight rugs. As the season progresses, you may want to change the rug your horse wears to a lighter one, or even take it off them completely if it gets to around 10°C. You’ll need to assess the temperature and weather conditions on a daily basis to make the correct choice for your horse.
You’ll find these three rug weights, among others, available in both stable and turnout rugs, so you should be able to find the right one for you no matter where you keep your horse. Pretty much all turnout rugs are water-resistant for protection against the elements, but research different brands to decide which one will be best for your horse.
It’s good to have a wardrobe of different options so you can choose the correct weight and style of rug to suit the day, but if you don’t want to collect lots of rugs, you could opt for a liner system. This is where you purchase a high-quality lightweight outer rug, and then use a selection of liners of different weights underneath by swapping them out as needed.
If you have an old rug which is still in good condition but isn’t great at keeping your horse dry, you can re-waterproof it yourself relatively easily and save yourself money from buying a completely new one.
Measuring your horse for a rug
Whether you’re buying a new rug or looking to use one you already have, finding the right size is crucial for your horse’s comfort and protection. So enlist the help of a friend and measure your horse to find its rug size. You should do this without them wearing a rug to get the most accurate results.
All you need to do is use a measuring tape and start measuring horizontally from the centre of their chest to the centre of their rump. Once you have this measurement in feet and inches, you should easily be able to find the right size rug.
Signs of under and over rugging
If you have rugged your horse but something doesn’t seem quite right, there may be a chance that they are too hot from over-rugging. Signs and symptoms to look out for include:
- A high heart rate and rapid breathing
- Loss of appetite and low energy
- Dehydration
- Sweating
- Stress
- Itching
While it may be tempting to keep your horse as warm as possible, especially if they’re turned out, this can actually do them more harm than good. Horses are natural thermoregulators so may not need as much rugging as you think. If you spot the signs above, remove the rug and cool them down. If these symptoms persist, contact a vet as soon as possible.
However, there could also be a chance that their current rug isn’t warm enough and they are still too cold. Signs of under rugging a horse include:
- Shivering
- Increased appetite
- Tucked in tail
- Cold to the touch on the chest and around the base of the ears
How to keep your horse warm in the colder months
Rugging is a great way to keep horses warm in the winter, but there are a number of other ways you can protect them from the cold. One of the best ways is to make sure they are well fed . Horses often lose weight in the winter months, so keep an eye on them and regularly check that they aren’t losing too much, topping up their feed with extra fibre if needed. Of course, you should be mindful to avoid overfeeding them to prevent weight gain, as some weight loss is natural over the winter months.
You should also take extra time to cool down after exercise by walking them with an exercise sheet on so their body can gradually adapt to the change in temperature. To keep them hydrated while still protecting them from the cold, you should also make sure to regularly check their water for ice. If you stable your horse, make sure to check the building for damage which may affect the temperature of your horse, such as leaks in the roof.
Using the tips in this article, you should feel more confident in rugging your horse, whether they’re stabled or turned out. For more advice on looking after your pets year-round, make sure to check out the rest of the articles we have about horse care.
