I am pretty tight with my money and have a real dislike of people who tell you that you or your horse NEEDS something when they blatantly do not and it is just a way of encouraging you to part with your hard-earned cash. So I feel a bit like that with horse rugs, although I have a whole stack of them and I was going to write my 'take' on the subject. Then a number of people contacted me and asked me the whacky question, "can a horse cope without rugs?"......well.....of course they can.....but....
THEN things got slightly weird when I had a discussion with a fellow hoof nerd and she told me about this research.
Basically some University had done some research which suggested that horses did not need rugs....Hmmmm....interesting. Of course horses don't NEED rugs, we need rugs, so who would be barking mad enough to fund such research? From my experience in research I know that you either need to present a magnificemnt case to a research council who compare your proposal with around ten thousand other deserving cases or a manufacturer seeking to test or promote a product. So I was sceptical from the onset. BUT it would be nice if it was true.
SO I was informed that Colorado State University, one of the top three equine veterinary schools in the had done some research using thermal imaging cameras and found that rugging horses was, "one of the worst things that you can do to a horse in the winter". What the heck. Apparently horses have the ability to loft and lower their coats to 17 different levels (17, really?), so it's like exchanging 17 different thermal weights of blankets off and on them all day and night by means of a'self-blanketing' process that works a little like 'chill bumps' do in our own skin. Hence long-haired horses are fluffier on some days than on others.
Ok, so so far so good. Oh, but then comes the real 'double-whammy' for me. Just when it was looking so good. Apparently three things render the 'self-blanketing' process ineffective: blanketing, clipping, and wind. Hmmmm....apparently a horse MUST have a way to get out of the wind in order for their 'self-blanketing' abilities to function fully. So neither snow or rain render the process ineffective.....but WIND does.
Hmmm.....not sure if I swallow that one. Its all looking rather unscientific to me. Plus unscientific types are generally nowhere near as arm-wavey. Also, unpalettably, I don't like to think about my fluffy friends, who really are very fluffy at the moment, being a tad cold when the north wind blows. Its all rather odd infact, my horses seem to cope quite happily with wind, but hate relentless rain....it is that which flattens their fur and surely ensures that their 'self-blanketing' mechanism - for want of a better terminology - is rendered useless. So I had, on the face of it prepared to disagree. And where was the scientific basis for the 17 different duvets?
Anyhow, following a bit of research on the internet I find that noone is taking responsibility for the study and, in fact, whether there actually was a study is hotly disputed. So we are back where we were before; the question of Do They or Don't tThey need rugs....
Well, not quite.
Because I would assume that our horses are born with the right tools to make it through the winter without the assistance of some fancy rug. Just.....like....horses have always done. My friend in the frozen north believes that her horses actually improved their condition. So....what do I say when people ask, "Can My Horse Survive Without Rugs?"
Well.....
The Rugless Survival Guide
1. If your horse is rugged DON'T be tempted to yank its rugs off in the middle of winter. It really will feel the cold. The coat will be insufficient to keep the poor thing warm and its temperature regulation mechanism is likely to need time to adjust.
2. DO offer lots of ad lib hay. Eating hay is a great way for a horse to keep warm. ALWAYS provide lots of fresh water for your horse to drink - they can drink lots when they eat lots of hay!
3. DO ensure that your horse has some access to shelter. Horses often appreciate shelter but don't get too hung up on perfect wooden field shelters.....natural shelters include hedges, trees and the natural lie of the land.
4. DON'T stable if you want your horse to winter out rugless at some point. Stables tend to reduce coat growth in the same way that rugging does.
5. DON'T clip. Really. This should be obvious. Not even a 'bib' clip. If you do, and you have a 'well 'ard' northern type horse then....well....I won't condone it....
6. DON'T worry if your horse shivers. Feed hay and keep a careful watch on condition.
7. DO appreciate your hairy horse. Care for the oils in his/her coat and avoid deep grooming sessions. Careful mud removal is key.
8. DO warm down carefully after excercise.
9. DO provide a rump rug during excercise if your horse is working hard in heavy rain. Those muscles may still suffer if they are not kept warm during hard work.
10. DON'T be disheartened if things have not worked out for you this year. Keep the rugs off during the summer and allow your horse to adjust gradually. Try again next year.
