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.
The hair erector muscles need exercising like any muscle in order to work efficiently.
The horse s muscles can also develop cramps if hot muscles get cold too quickly.
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.
Take your horse s rug off everyday to check for sweat marks as this is an indicator you are over rugging him.
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.
They only get the chance to get rugged if its windy wet and cold.
They have a field shelter and some drystone walls but exposed to the north.
Rainsheet to 50g max no neck covers.
If they walk off twice don t put it on.
Rugging at this time of year is particularly difficult as the weather changes from day to day and often hour to hour.
The science of rugging horses what to use when.
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.
Before putting a rug or a heavier one on your horse consider all the many variables.
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.
Mine are natives with bib clips and live out at 1000 feet.
Every horse is different and should be treated as an individual case.
Rugging a horse may affect the natural stimuli to trigger thermoregulation mechanisms.
A basic guide to rugging horses.
But you don t have to dread clipping your horse.
First the science bit.
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.
You can put a mediumweight on him on a chilly morning and then the sun comes out and he is too hot.
