Natural Horse World Articles-Horsecare

Should I rug my horse or not? by Cynthia Cooper

Rugging or blanketing horses is usually something that makes US feel a lot better, especially when its cold, wet and we see our horse shivering.
Keep in mind that horses have survived for millions of years without the need for man made rugs to protect them from weather. They have the wonderful ability to grow a thick coat with hairs that stand up to trap air for warmth and lie flat when its hot.
In keeping horses on small acreages, we have decreased their ability to find a variety of sheltered places during extremely cold or hot weather and to escape insects. In the wild, horses migrate to areas that serve this purpose as they need them.
However, it is possible to simulate a more natural environment in which the horse can happily live without the encumbrances of rugs.

I’ve rugged horses ever since I started washing them and taking them to horse shows as a kid, so I grew up thinking it was all part of the process of keeping horses as many people do. In fact with the aggressive marketing we see from rug manufacturing companies, we are led to believe we are being irresponsible horse owners if we don’t rug our horses.

What we don’t realise is we are actually being irresponsible when we leave rugs on in warm weather, allow rugs to rub causing wounds and be a constant irritation for the horse.
An ill-fitting rug (and not many of them fit well) pressures the wither and chest when the horse grazes, has leg straps that rub especially if the rug slips and a general fit that restricts shoulder and neck movement.

I’m not advocating that we should never put a rug on a horse – what I am asking people to do is be responsible and sympathetic about rugging their horses and to understand what it feels like for the horse.
Imagine if at the first hint of cold weather you put on a heavy coat that you weren’t allowed to take off.
How hot would you get when the sun came out or if you ran around a bit? How uncomfortable would it be for you to move around?
Life would be miserable and is for many horses who’s owners merrily go off to work each day in the cold of the morning and then when the sun comes out and the day warms up, there’s no-one around to remove the rug. The poor horse can’t absorb much vitamin D or have a good roll, itch or run around and feel good. Some can’t even find shade to relieve the heat and one of the saddest things is the horse who has a rug put on at the beginning of winter which is not removed at all until summer. This is not kindness, its outright cruelty.
No wonder some rugged horses stand around looking depressed then get all excited and jumpy or distracted by itches when the rug does come off for a ride.

So, what can we do to give the horse maximum comfort without rugging?
First we need to provide shelter from the elements – mostly the wind and hot sun. That means having a shelter shed for shade and wind protection, large trees or hedges in an inviting position in the pasture which is ideally large enough for plenty of movement.
We can encourage movement to keep warm by placing hay in various parts of the paddock rather than in one pile or have water at the opposite end of the area.
We can also provide herd members to encourage movement as they play and enforce pecking orders.
By providing constant access to hay in wet or cold weather the horse can heat itself internally. With the combination of food and movement, a horse can easily regulate its own temperature and in the process, its keeping its hooves, muscles, tendons and ligaments exercised and healthy.

We can allow our horses to grow a think winter coat, especially our young horses, and if we have started rugging as soon as the nights go cold, we can gradually leave the rug off starting with a nice sunny day and perhaps only using the rug in wet, windy weather when the chill factor is greatest.
Horses cope fine in the cold – I’ve seen horses in snow and minus 20 refuse to come inside out of the cold so long as they have the ability and motivation to move and eat hay.

If you do choose to rug your horse in really wet weather, perhaps after 24 hours of rain and wind which increases the chill factor, then that’s fine but remember to remove it as soon as the weather clears. Your horse will be so much more comfortable without it rubbing and restricting them.

“But what about all the weight they will lose from shivering?” I hear you say.
The answer is to give your horses constant access to hay – I’ve seen a cold, shivering horse stop shivering within 10 minutes of eating hay. The energy produced from digestion is enough to warm a horse from the inside out. We all know for ourselves how much food is a comfort in cold weather.
My 25 and 27 year old mares have never looked better in winter for having constant hay to eat. It is a natural feed and will put on more weight than many high protein and high energy feeds.
Their arthritis has also improved from being able to move around more.

Of course if your horse is sick or unable to move very much through injury or illness then a rug might be necessary for the recovery period. If we initially allow our horse to grow a thick winter coat then we have extra warmth when the horse needs it and we can remove the rug once recovered and leave it off.

“But what about riding when they have a thick coat – how do you cool off a sweaty horse without them catching a cold?”
Giving your horse a more natural lifestyle might mean changing some of your lifestyle habits too in order to work with them and nature.
It might mean riding your horse in the morning so he has the warmer part of the day to roll and rid himself of sweat. It probably means you need to take longer to cool your horse down as part of your ride – walk home the last 2km or sit on your horse and allow some grazing after a workout. If you need to, you can put on a sweat rug that allows gradual cooling while the horse has a feed before turning out again.
It may mean a little extra brushing before and after a ride, but that’s good for us too and for the relationship with our horse.
If there’s a freezing wind blowing and sweat is still a problem, then put a rug on for that day and remove it the next morning.
A friend of mine is an endurance rider who allows her horses a natural lifestyle and doesn’t rug or clip her endurance horse. She uses a rug the night after a competition but otherwise, the horse has a shelter shed and hay for warmth and does extremely well in our Tasmanian winters.

Even if you want to go to a horse show, there’s no rule about having a thick coat and so long as your presentation is good there is no reason to be discriminated against.
You will need to use a rug after washing your horse until the coat replaces its natural oil which can take a few days. A bit more elbow grease can bring up a wonderful shine on a thick coat if the horse is healthy and fed a natural diet supplemented with minerals and some sunflower seeds for extra oils in winter.
I’ve taken horses to shows that have simply been given a good groom and rugged the night before with white socks washed on the morning of the event and they have won breed & ridden classes.

Rugs have a place and a purpose in the artificial environment we give our horses but given the choice, a horse would rather have freedom from rugs providing they have the comfort of shelter and food. I’m sure they send us messages when we find the rug balled up in the rolling patch or ripped on the fence from trying to rub it off. Think of the money you can re-direct to hay and shelter provision when your rugs don’t need annual replacement or repairs.
But most of all, think of your horses and what is more natural for them.

Responsible Rugging Tips

I generally don't recommend to rug a horse. However, there are times when due to lack of shelter, you may need to provide cover for your old or sick horse.
If you do, then there's a new rug available that acts more like a shelter than an oven like most winter horse rugs do.
This is the only rug I'd recommend and here's why:

The Coolheat Blanket has many advantages over the average horse rug:
~ It can be used on horses that have been allowed to grow a winter coat, without risk of them overheating.
~ It can be put on the horse when they are wet from rain or sweaty after exercise.
~ It has superior fit, with shoulder darts that work properly and allow the horse to graze/drink without pressuring the neck.
~ The unique rubber 'fingers' inside the rug stop shoulder rubbing and help keep the rug evenly balanced on the horse - no sideways slipping.

For more information on the Coolheat Blanket go to the Product Review page or to purchase one, visit the Natural Horse World Store

Here are some tips to help keep your horse safe and comfortable if you need to use a rug.

Select the correct sized rug for your horse. A poor fit will result in rubbing and will be very uncomfortable for your horse, expecially when running or reaching down to eat and drink.
Prepare a horse for the first time of wearing a rug by being able to throw a sack all over your horse, rub it down with a towel and use a rope around the hind legs to simulate leg straps.
Do up the leg straps and belly straps first - if the horse takes fright and runs off before the rug is fully fastened, it will fall off behind the horse, rather than trip it up or tear the rug to pieces which is likely if just the chest strap is done up.
When you take the rug off, clip up the leg straps so they don't hit the horse when coming off or going on again. This can make a horse rug shy.
Minimise the use of a rug - most horses would prefer to be free of rugs given the choice. Unless they are old, injured and unable to move well, or have no shelter at all, they will get by perfectly well without a rug.
When you do need to use a rug, take it off again as soon as the weather clears up. In my experience, horses can cope fine with rain and it's natural for them to shiver a little to keep warm. Often an extra feed of hay will warm them up from the inside out. Rain with driving wind for an extended period (12-124 hrs) can be just cause for providing a rug for the elderly.
If you are not able to remove a rug during the day when the weather warms up, choose one such as the CoolHeat which allows air flow and the horse to thermoregulate.
If you need to put a rug on a wet horse, scrape the water off first then towel dry quickly.

Horse Rug Heating Facts by Dave McDonald

When you put your hand under a rug on a horse standing still it should NEVER feel toasty warm. This is a misconception.
It should feel more on the coolish side.
The temperature you are used to feeling under the blanket is too hot for a healthy horse.
Why ? Because a horses body temperature is supposed to be maintained at 38 deg which they can do effectively un-covered but can't with rugs on.

With a traditional rug on the only way this temperature can be maintained is if he stands still all day and this is not healthy for a number of reasons one of which good digestion depends on movement .
If your horse is standing still and feels toasty warm then as soon as he starts to move he overheats.
Muscle movement creates inner core body heat. So when a horse starts to feel cold he starts to move then as a result he warms up.

As an example, lets look at ourselves. If the outside temperature is freezing we put on a jumper and coat to go outside.
We feel nice and toasty warm. But as soon as we walk a short distance up the paddock our muscle movement creates inner core body heat so we start to feel uncomfortable so we have to take our coat off.

This is exactly the same scenario with our horses but unfortunately they cannot take their coat off. So they have to suffer in the paddock because we are doing what we think is right, not what our horse wants.
People who repair rugs are only in business because of two things. One is barbed wire fences and the main one is rubbing horses that are constantly uncomfortable because of what we put on them.

The Cool Heat blanket is not a scientific creation. All it does is shield the horse from the direct wind chill and rain while underneath the horse creates its own comfortable temperature through pilo erection and that is not a toasty warm feel.

With a Cool Heat blanket on, your horse will be as warm as he should be and the benefits are many. For instance horses with Cool Heats on do not get colds.
Why ? Because chilled sweat against the skin causes colds and with the Cool Heat's unique rubber 'fingers' keeping the blanket off the body, sweat is never trapped against the skin to chill the horse, as under the horse the hair movement(pilo erection) lifts the sweat up off the skin and dries it off but with traditional blankets the sweat is trapped against the skin and this is what chills the horse when the outside temperature goes up and down .
The many other advantages are listed on our site www.macsequine.com

Here's another good article on Rugging by Mel Fleming.

Summer Horse Keeping Tips

Before you go away on holidays (and hopefully arrange for someone to look after your horses), here are some things to consider for your horse's comfort and well being during the hotter months.

Access to shade and fresh water at all times:
These are basic necessesities no horse should be deprived of but sadly many are. If your paddock has no natural shade, provide some in the form of a shelter shed, shade cloth structure or make a lane to a place there is shade.
Fresh, cool water is vital so make sure the supply can't fail like automatic waterers do and buckets that can be tipped over. As dams dry up, make sure horses can still reach water without getting stuck in mud.

Watch grass intake: Especially in areas where there is a high rainfall and it stays lush. Sugars are higher in the grass during the day so if you need to restrict intake, let them out on grass during the cool of the night. Be aware that stressed grass can produce toxins that cause laminitis so don't put horses onto a freshly cut hay paddock or on pasture with a green flush after rain following long dry periods.

Protect pink skin on the nose: Horses sunburn too and white markings on the face often result in sore, crusty areas that are painful and can lead to cancer.
Protection with a sunscreen for horses such as 'Filtabac' (available from Horseland or your vet) is one that stays on well and helps heal sores too.
If you need to use a fly mask there are designs with inbuilt nose protectors or if you attatch one to a halter, make sure it will easily break if caught on something. Providing adequate shade also helps.
Filtabac is also an excellent treatment for mud fever/greasy heel if used daily.

Protect them from bothersome flies: Again, shade areas help as flies prefer bright light. Bot flies won't follow horses into sheds or very dark shaded areas.
Find a good fly repellant and wipe it on as often as necessary. (see Product Review Page for a good one)
Remove bot eggs frequently in an area that the horses don't eat from to reduce worm burdens and the spread of bots.

No rugs: Allow your horse to regulate their own body temperature and repel insects by rolling in dust.

Exercise in the cool hours: Horses are like us, they get lethargic when its hot so get up early or ride late to make the most of the cooler hours, expecially for strenuous exercise.

Allow access to salt and minerals: If you have them freely available, your horse will take what it needs to replace those lost in sweat. Lumps of natural rock salt are ideal and a mix of dolomite, seaweed meal and garlic will keep your horse healthy.

Soak hooves before trimming: Either make a footbath or use soaking boots to make the trimming easier and give your horse hoof mositure in very dry times.

Take care when transporting: When its hot, the inside of horse floats and trucks can be stifling. Make sure there is plenty of ventilation and when you stop, open all doors and windows to make up for lost airflow.
If your horse has a long distance to travel, ensure they will drink water by adding molasses at home to train them to drink any water. Molasses is also a natural electrolyte but you may need to give a supplement as well. Don't put rugs on travelling horses unless they need protection from rain.

Drought Strategies To Help Your Horses

Drought is hard on you, your horse and your pocket so its handy to know all we can to make life more comfortable during such a depressing time. There are three main issues to be addressed being 1. Feed, 2. Water and 3. Pasture/Property Management.
Feed is obviously the biggest issue and as it becomes scarce wether on the ground or to purchase, we will have to consider other options to keep our horses healthy.
Firstly, it's important to learn how to condition score your horse so you know what body condition is acceptable and when to increase feed. There are many good diagrams and descriptions available on the web to show the various levels of condition and it will help if you regularly estimate your horse's weight either with a weighband or by calculating weight based on girth and length measurements. Coprice have a handy sliding scale that gives you approximate weight based on these measurements and also has condition scoring info. click here to access their web site.

Next you need to assess what feed is available and how you will manage it - if you still have some grass, then decide if you will better off restricting your horse to easily re-generated paddocks or if you can rotate pastures frequently enough to not permanently kill the pasture.
There is a very good booklet called Drought Feeding and Management for Horses by David Nash that goes into much more detail than I can in this article so click here to download a copy.

You will need to supplement the pasture (or lack of it) with roughage and in most cases, concentrates which will also become more expensive and in short supply so it helps to know what alternatives you can safely use. Again, the booklet mentioned above has some very good charts on the feed value of various alternatives of which there are many. Be sure to consult this information and your vet before starting to feed anything out of the ordinary to your horse and be aware that sudden feed changes or too much can cause colic.
It's a very worthwile exercise identifying all the plants available on your property and in nearby lanes, roads or un-used areas as there may be many plants commonly called weeds that have herbal and nutritional value that can give your horse some variety and green, succulent food.

As an example when I did a stocktake on my own place I found Tree lucerne (or Tasagate), Cleavers (sticky weed), Willow, Black Thistle (like Scotch thistle), Bidgee-Widgee (Buzzies), Slender Thistle, Fennel, Spiny Rushes, Sweet Briar, Common Sow Thistle (milk thistle), Dandelion, Nettles and of course blackberries, all of which are edible and not poisonous to horses. It is helpful to also identify all those plants that are poisonous and know the sypmtoms they produce for if there is a lack of roughage, horses will eat those plants so they should be removed from their pastures. There is an excellent book called a Field Guide to Weeds in Australia by Charles Lamp and Frank Collett that will help you with identification as it has clear photos and thorough descriptions. The drought booklet you have downloaded lists all the poisonous plants and a good herb book will tell you what herbs can be used for or click here for Country Park Herbs web site. Many herbs are classified as weeds so don't be put off by that - just do the research.

In most cases, well fed horses will select only those plants that are safe or helpful for them to eat and these can include some Australian natives. When we go for a trail ride, I always allow my horses to nibble on things they fancy so they have shown me they like 'Dolly bush', various sedges and rushes, native tussock grasses, gorse and thistle flowers. All these plants can provide nutrients the horse needs so taking your horse out for a 'grazing ride' is most helpful. Its also a good way to warm up as you leave (and satisy their urge to eat) then cool them down the last kilometre home.

The third important factor in your drought strategy is to consider water and minerals. Water is vital and it must be a clean, reliable source that is checked regularly. As dams get lower algae can cause a bad smell which could put some horses off drinking enough. As the water lowers, also check that the sides don't become too steep or boggy for the horse to access the water. It may be better to syphon the water into a trough or fence the dam off and provide an alternative trough.
Smelly water caused by algae can by treated by adding gardening lime (Limil) to the water - a few cups per 1,000 litres in a tank or a bag or more for dams, depending on their size.
If you are using bore water it is a good policy to have the water tested as some highly mineralised water may contribute to the development of enteroliths (stones) that cause colic and require surgery to remove them.

Drought weather is usually hot so your horse will sweat more therefore require salt and other minerals. Having a free choice mineral lick or loose minerals and seperate salt block or loose salt is best. If you are exercising your horse to a sweat, then you may also need to supplement with electrolytes. Remember that shelter from the sun is very important in the dry summer months so ensure your horse has access to shade at all times. Watch that dominant horses aren't hogging all the shade, especially when there's only one shelter shed or shade tree.

Be very careful with rugs and if possible, don't use them at all as the horse can then regulate their own temperature far easier. Even cool cotton rugs can elevate a horse's temperature as most are made from poly cotton so the synthetic fibre content can trap heat. To check if your horse is over-heating when rugged, take their temperature first thing in the morning when its cool then again during the hottest part of the day. Compare this with and without rugs on to see if there is a big difference or if the higher reading is outside the normal range. If it is, you are stressing your horse and should remove the rug/blanket.

There are many more things to consider during a drought, including the option of agisting your horse where there is feed or better shelter. You need to weigh up the positives and negatives in doing so, and do what is best for the horse at all times. And if you can help other horses that have been abandoned or neglected by their owners during tough times, please do so for the horse's welfare.

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