02/10/2023
🐎 IS IT TIME TO STOP TALKING ABOUT RUGGING HORSES? 🐎
Every year, at this time, we start talking about when to rug, what type of rug to use, what weight of rug, off day on night, age, health, wind, rain, temperature, etc, etc.
So a recent social media "rant" by an equine vet got me thinking. A little bit of self-reflection and reappraisal never hurts! I thought it would be good to start with a few facts.
🐎Many owners over-rug their horses and ponies at this time of year. Either putting on rugs when they aren't needed or putting on rugs that are too “heavy" (insulating).
🐎Many owners judge how to rug their horse/pony by how they feel. Horses are 7-10 times heavier than most people and covered in hair with only 2.5 times more surface (not 7-10x). They don't lose heat as easily as we do.
🐎The horses comfortable external temperature range (thermoneutral range or zone) is ~5-25°C (41-77°F). Ours is ~21-30°C (70-86°) [depending on which source you use]
🐎Over-rugging can make horses uncomforatble and "unhappy", it can lead to horses exhibiting signs similar to colic, it can be a factor in obesity, lead to pressure sores, increased risk of skin disease.
🐎At ~6-8°C, clipped mature stabled horses began to show signs of sweating with a fly rug and 1 or 2 fleeces.
🐎We all do it, but putting your hand under the rug or feeling your horses/ponies ears is not a reliable way to judge "comfort"
It's not time to stop talking about rugging. It's not just me talking about rugging. , , , and all regularly highlight the problem of over-rugging horses and ponies.
And in my role as President of the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC), I have a responsiblity to keep raising this issue.
NO ONE IS SAYING DON'T EVER PUT A RUG ON A HORSE OR PONY! All we are saying is that there is a tendency to put on rugs sooner than they are required and/or to put on a heavier rug than is required.
Of course there are potentially a lot of considerations when deciding to rug and with what, including, the weather, size, age, body condition, fitness, diet, breed, coat (length, clipped/unclipped), shelter, health and indiviudal variation.
BOTTOM LINE - We still need to keep talking about rugging. If it upsets anyone the solution is very simple. They can use the under-used technique of "just scrolling on" 🙂
POSTSCRIPT: Thought it may be worth adding this after reading some of the comments.
POSSIBLE REASONS FOR USING RUGS ON HORSES....
1) Keep off flies
2) Protect exposed pink skin from UV
3) To hold water for keeping cool (evaporative cooling rugs)
4) To keep horse clean
5) To keep horse warm
ILLUSTRATION:
The wonderfully talented Erin at Chestnuts created this brilliant illustration, and we are very grateful that she has allowed us to use it. Thank you Erin Chestnuts!
https://www.facebook.com/CustomChestnuts/
