# Do you rug your foals?



## Ilovefoals (4 July 2010)

Sorry for all the questions today!

Do any of you rug your foals when they are going out in the rain?  It probably sounds pathetic but I hate to think of them getting soaked if it pours down, but at the same time, I don't want them standing in their stables.

Is it ok to rug them?  What do you guys do?


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## eventrider23 (4 July 2010)

It depends I would say on many things:
a) how old is the foal?
b) what natural field shelter is there?
c) is it just a warm daytime rain that will clear later on?
d) how many fials have you got? - if a big stud not gonna rug 20+ foals

If they are VERY young then yes I will rug in BAD weather.  Now I wouldnt dream of it as she is big and tough and got a decent layer of grease to her coat.  If it were raining for days without break then yes I would but not in normal rain.


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## cm2581 (4 July 2010)

The fact that it's a foal is irrelevant. If the animal is feeling the effects of the cold and wet by shivering and/or looking hunched up or miserable it should be rugged. If its happy without then leave naked!!


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## holiday (4 July 2010)

We dont rug foals, however we have big hedges they can get under, however I will bring them in if it looks like raining constantly for a long time over night so they can have somewhere dry to rest and sleep.  The only foal I have ever rugged is our orphan and thats only at night as he felt cold in a morning and felt he needed to be!!!!!


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## milo'n'molly (4 July 2010)

ive never had my own foal from being tiny, have had some from weanlings and have not rugged any of them but they have 24hr access to the barn


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## Holly831 (4 July 2010)

Up until this year..No... as I always felt they were just more trouble! If foalie was cold then I would bring them in for a dry and a bit of warmth..

However since having Louie I now have a lovely selection of foal rugs and have used them when needed!! Louie felt the cold a lot in his forst few weeks and is still more prone to it than my younger foal Rocky.

As with all my horses they are only rugged if they are actually getting cold (bring them in to dry off first!) 

If you are going to rug them I would just make sure they are happy having the rug on in the stable for a good few hours first though


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## Laafet (4 July 2010)

Nope, unless they are really sick. Our first foal was born early February and when it snowed after he was born he just stayed in and went out in the pen for an hour or so. I only deal with TB's so we don't tend to rug anything unless absolutely necessary and we rugged nothing last winter, the broodies were all out 24/7 unrugged but with plenty of hay and shelter.


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## Enfys (4 July 2010)

Ilovefoals said:



			Sorry for all the questions today!

Do any of you rug your foals when they are going out in the rain?  It probably sounds pathetic but I hate to think of them getting soaked if it pours down, but at the same time, I don't want them standing in their stables.

Is it ok to rug them?  What do you guys do? 

Click to expand...

I bring my foals in at night for the first two weeks because April/May can still be pretty cold/stormy/even snowy still, and I can't rely on the mares to take the foals to shelter.

After that, unless it is very cold the foals stay out and can decide for themselves whether to use the sheds or not.

If a foal is weak or cold, then I would have no hesitation about blanketting if I thought it would help.

Cm2581 The fact that it's a foal is irrelevant. If the animal is feeling the effects of the cold and wet by shivering and/or looking hunched up or miserable it should be rugged. If its happy without then leave naked!!   Spot on.


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## burtonse (5 July 2010)

i just rugged my foal last year when it was really cold with that long snowy period, but only when the temp was minus something. though im sure he would have been fine naked, i couldnt stand the thought of him being cold!


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