Over Rugging Horses Uk

To be honest i ve been getting rather sick of all the holier than thou rugging posts that have been appearing all over fb recently.

Over rugging horses uk.

We are called out to horses displaying signs of colic but. We mustn t forget that horses are designed to use fat reserves over winter to keep warm. If you would like more information on our mobile field shelters or a quote please contact the sales team on 01233 611123 or enquiries chartstables co uk. Not every horse needs to wear a rug.

During the winter months or any other time when grass is limited additional forage such as hay or haylage may need to be provided. We recently had a new livery who stated she does rug up well etc etc but putting 2 lightweights on to me is not over rugging but she said the other people at her yard thought she over rugged so it does depend on the yard also. In the short term it can lead to overheated horses she said. To help with the decision of what rug to put on ruby daily i use this chart which helps me to decide when i should be using certain rugs on her.

Don t miss the latest issue of your horse magazine jam packed with training and veterinary advice horse care tips and the latest equestrian products available on shop shelves on sale now. This range is 5 25 degrees celsius. To read more about over rugging and how keeping your horse more naturally could make them healthier read the full article in issue 457. Overheating doesn t only cause unnecessary discomfort but reduces movement and can cause skin complaints.

Horses have adapted to maintain their body temperature within this range and specifically when temperatures are below 5 degrees these adaptations include. Unfortunately rugs create their own set of problems and now charities even issue advice against over rugging. Allowing your horse to self regulate his temperature and keep out of driving rain without the risk of over rugging. Ms fordham said over rugging can have serious consequences.

Many horses will thrive on a grass only diet but it is vital that tethered horses are moved regularly to ensure a constant supply of fresh food. It s sadly commonplace to see heavily rugged horses looking miserable on warm days. Over rugging may also mean the horse warms up under the rug but not in other exposed areas. As gs says some people over do it whether because they don t realise horses aren t humans or are under peer pressure or just buy all the new rugs in all the new fancy designs and some people overdo it and end up with cold skinny sick horses.

Dangers of over rugging horses like humans have a temperature range with which they don t have to expend energy to lose or gain body heat. If he is hot under his rug his ability to cool down naturally is lost too.