Clipping is one of those jobs that many horse owners despise it s messy time consuming and too often can be stressful for both horse and owner.
Rugging a clipped horse.
Horses that are regularly stabled or clipped will be more vulnerable to chills than those that are used to living out and may easily overheat if wearing too many clothes.
Rugging at this time of year is particularly difficult as the weather changes from day to day and often hour to hour.
Horses that are clipped under the weather or elderly for example will require more rugging through the colder winter months than good doers native breeds and those that are unclipped.
Don t tie them up to rug if they sidle up to you when the rug appears put it on.
The hair erector muscles need exercising like any muscle in order to work efficiently.
Before putting a rug or a heavier one on your horse consider all the many variables.
Older horses young horses thin horses and clipped horses will need rugs first for most horses unless clipped and living out 24 7 rugs should not be considered before temperatures overnight begin dipping towards 5 10 c.
The horse s muscles can also develop cramps if hot muscles get cold too quickly.
Rugging a horse may affect the natural stimuli to trigger thermoregulation mechanisms.
Horses are mammals and they maintain their internal body temperature at around 38 c through a well developed mechanism known as thermoregulation which has developed through evolution so that the body temperature is maintained within a narrow range.
The science of rugging horses what to use when.
But you don t have to dread clipping your horse.
Over rugging or putting a rug on too soon can compromise a horse s ability to do this.
However it is also important that the horse does not get chilled by not rugging soon enough especially if clipped or by being damp from sweat and exposed to drafts or cold winds.
Rugging a horse just like us our horses feel the cold differently.
Every horse is different and should be treated as an individual case.
If you know how to use the clippers correctly and keep the horse calm and relaxed throughout the experience you can end up with a horse that looks like he s been to the groomers rather than.
They have a field shelter and some drystone walls but exposed to the north.
A basic guide to rugging horses.
You can put a mediumweight on him on a chilly morning and then the sun comes out and he is too hot.
Rainsheet to 50g max no neck covers.
They only get the chance to get rugged if its windy wet and cold.
Mine are natives with bib clips and live out at 1000 feet.
