I feel the cold really easily so it is tempting to wrap my precious equines up in winter, however.
All of my horses are of a healthy weight for their size any underweight horse would be more likely to need a rug and especially if a horse is clipped.
Horses should always have access to constant forage which helps them maintain their internal heating system and a turned out and exercised.
Although horses still need grooming all year round it’s important not to groom too much in winter as their coats and oils are produced to protect them.
The Youngsters
Biscuit is a hardy breed Dartmoor Hill and in the wild in winter he would be in the snow completely naked! He has grown a super fluffy coat this winter and probably makes him look twice his size so I have to hold back and consider rugging carefully. He is an adequate weight and young, so only really needs a rug in extreme rain (lightweight turnout) or if it falls below freezing.
Blue again is a Dartmoor cross Connemara. The Connemara pony originates from the County Galway on Ireland’s west coast, a wild area of peatbogs, lakes, mountains, and rugged coastline so again is hardy to wild weather.
The Veterans
Harley is a British Riding Pony which originated from Thoroughbred and Arabs which would suggest she has a thinner coat, however this year she is like a teddy bear!
She has been left unclipped so again does not necessarily need a rug, she is very expressive and will shiver if she is cold particularly in the rain so I check on a day to day basis what the weather and temperatures are. She is mostly in a lightweight turnout unless it drops below freezing.
Galaxy is an unknown breed, last year he was in a heavy weight turn out as he was clipped, but even so, tended to sweat a lot in it so this year again assessing daily he wears a lightweight if needed as again he is unclipped this year.
For more information visit Beta 