# Is it ok to rug a seven month old foal?



## MrsMozart (13 January 2013)

He's out 24/7.

Cob x (probably with cob - breeding unknown as he was a very unexpected bog-off).

Gets wimpy and drops weight when wet/cold.

Fed twice a day on Haygate's stud mix.

Had ad lib hay in the field.

Had him since he was five months old. He's been stabled 24/7 in that time due to the floods, but has been out for a couple of weeks now.

Out with a mixed herd, all much older.


He has a well fitting t/o with neck.

I'm new to foal ownership. Been reding up, but the info is contradictory. I believe in doing what is right for the idividual horse, but am unsure in this case what 'right' is - I think he needs the protection, but I don't want him gettin his legs tied in knots.

Many thanks!


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## hayinamanger (13 January 2013)

I have never rugged my foals, it's too risky.  Mine are always in at night though.


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## Jools1234 (13 January 2013)

personally i never have rugged foals does he get bullied in the field for the hay?

is there plenty of shelter and do the others let him into the sheltered areas?

on ad lib hay i would expect a youngster to be fine to live out unrugged over winter-but i cant see him you can. i think rugged is unatural and its not good for them and of course you have the increased injury risk


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## elumpshie (13 January 2013)

I have my 8 month old foal rugged and stabled at night just take leg straps off and use fillet string and he be fine  x


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## snowstormII (13 January 2013)

Mine is also a 7 month mixed heritage (!) coblet, my first too.  I have really struggled with myself about rugging, but have managed to sit on my hands so far!  Mine is a really woolly boy, out 24/7 but with constant access to stable and I think he is using it to keep out of the wind, judging by the dung in there. He is not dropping weight and is only on ad lib hay when I keep them off the field in a large yard.  Otherwise it is free access to grass, a cup of equilibra balancer plus a handful of chaff and 4 slices hay a day. I was told as long as the base of his ears and his armpits are warm, he should be ok.

Doesn't putting rugs on them flatten down the coat? I think it is the long hairs fluffing up that traps the air to help insulate them.

I think as long as they can get out of the wind and wet if they chose they should be mostly ok, but I will be keeping an eye over this expected cold snap.  Good luck.  Can I see a photo?

(just off to de-louse him for the second time - yuch!)


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## MrsMozart (13 January 2013)

Thank you folks 

He can get to the hay ok. Gets chased away occasionally by one horse, but he chases everyone off. It is only momentarily.

Tried him with a filet string. He somehow managed to get the rug over his back. Was ok with the leg straps. We were experimenting having him loose in the yard area with another horse that he runs and plays with. The straps are done close fitting.

Could be in at night. Will reconsider that one. I'd thought it best he out 24/7, but willing to learn otherwise 

Natural shelter is ok and the others let him shelter under them


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## Archangel (13 January 2013)

I had to rug one of mine as she was a very late foal.  She was fine but i am not sure about the neck cover and probably wouldn't use one.  I always bring my young ones in at night for the first year as it helps with manners and it gives them a chance to rest properly when it is dark and cold.  Plus if they are in they are not likely to be up to mischief!

However, if the established herd all live out and yours is the only one coming or going then I would leave out.


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## whisp&willow (13 January 2013)

My foal was rugged at about a month old!  We are in the north west highlands of Scotland and the weather was horrendous.  

Both my mare and foal were having to be stabled over night and when turned out would stand shivering at the gate wanting to come in.  If you knew my mare you would know how utterly out of character that is for her!

I had absolutely no problems with the foal wearing her rug, nor with feeding from the rugged mare (bear in mind I used a rug with a fillet strap, not leg straps)

I would rather she didn't need a rug-  but then I can't control the weather.

She only needed the rug for a couple of weeks until the pouring gales had left and summer returned!  She was then rugged during the winter as a 6 month old, again no problems what so ever.

The weather with us is designed for hairy highland ponies-  not finer horses.


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## Asha (13 January 2013)

I rug mine. Have had 4 babies, so not massive amounts of experience, but all mine have been fine.

My neighbour has had a few babies too, and she rugs hers without issues.

Its getting a rug that fits, is what i found tricky to start with. But i now have a collection of rugs for different ages.

I would do as your doing, and treat as individuals.


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## Supertrooper (13 January 2013)

Friends struggling with this dilemma ATM for her 7 month old sec D. We havn't got shelter in field apart from hedges but so far he's been fine and has got a really thick coat and he comes in at night xx


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## AMW (13 January 2013)

Our foals are rugged & in at night. If he plays rough make sure the rug & straps are close fitting in case his playmate gets a leg caught.
Have rugged lots of foals with no issues , i have also wintered native foals out unrugged but in good well sheltered fields.


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## Lgd (13 January 2013)

Mine have always been rugged and no problems. Current one is 8 months old and already into pony sized rugs. Living out 24/7. He is buddied with a Welsh Sec D colt the same age and his owner has just bitten the bullet and rugged him as well because he was dropping weight despite adequate feed/roughage. Think it is the almost constant rain we have had up  here.


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## MrsMozart (13 January 2013)

Thank you all 

I've held off today, but if the snow comes heavy then I will put the rug on. It fits pretty well. I'm trying to find Dizz's rug with a neck as at this time of year she's borderline re. weight.

I'm moving to the Bahamas. Then again, then I'd be wittering about flysheets!


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## Alec Swan (13 January 2013)

My foals live out 24/7,  and not one has ever worn a rug.  Over the last 30 odd years,  every single one of my youngsters have been TB based,  with the possible exception of Flynn (ISH x TB-ID).  Every single one of them has grown Nordic style coats,  and not one has ever come to any harm.  I'd also add that they've all reached their full growth potential.  I feed according to the weather,  and the keep upon which they stand,  and without course to hard feed,  every single one of them has looked well,  in themselves,  some will grow faster than others,  but they're not machines,  and there is no such thing as an established or a predictably staged growth rate.  Those who claim that there is,  talk piffle about other things,  too!! 

The horse which was destined to reach 16.2,  and does so by the age of 2,  is running the most awful risk of growth problems,  by the time that it's 5 or 6.  

This has rather wandered away from the question of rugging,  but I can assure the OP that it benefits foals and youngsters to shiver,  and be cold.  Without that we breed horses which are finished by the time that they're in their early teens.

The answer to the question,  from here,  is an emphatic NO,  it isn't OK.

Alec.


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## tikino (13 January 2013)

i have always rugged my babys and never had any problems


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## LilMissy (13 January 2013)

I dont rug and like Alec all my babies are TB crosses - normally WB. This year I have a Trakehner and an Arab cross as well as WB and they are SOOOOO hairy that putting a rug on would frankly be cruel in the temps we have had. They would be far too hot. 

They have access to natural shelter, adlib hay and when its really cold and wet then they get hard feed as well.  The older mares who are out with them tend to lead the way and keep them in shelter when required. 

There is a livery in with my babies from the next door yard as he is only 17 months old. He is pure bred welsh and she has had him in two rugs for months. He is far too hot, the straps keep coming undone as he is playing with my colts and they are quite badly fitted to the point now that Im worried that they will damage his shoulder joints as the under rug is always tight around his shoulders.

I can feel my youngsters ribs under thier fluff, thats normal! Babies should be on the side of light, they will certainly make up for this in the summer! They cope very well with cold!


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## CBFan (13 January 2013)

I haven't rugged my babies in their first winter - I prefer them to grow a decent coat and harden themselves to the elements. Whatever you do with them at this age sets them up for life. I'm really not a fan of rugging....


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## oldywoldy (13 January 2013)

Our foals all live out 24/7 and are all rugged in Rambo Originals so no leg straps.  Most of them are April and May foals.  We then know that they are all warm and dry - they have one hard feed a day, we have a lot of grass and they are out on 40 acres and have hay as and when they need it.  I personally think it is far healthier for them to out exercising and behaving like foals should with their mates!  They all seem as happy as and we keep the colts and fillies together until the spring as long as the colts behave - then decide whether to cut them or run them on.


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## Adina (13 January 2013)

Prefer not to rug, but if you are worried about continued heavy rain, then you could use a rainsheet or 100g turnout.  But you need to put on before the rain starts. Use rug straps attached to small loop of twine, rather than direct to rings.  Belly straps close fiitting. Check rug daily. Remember that he could grow a bit and bellystraps might slip so they become looser.  If you use a normal medium fill, then you are stuck with it all winter once you have decided to use it.


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## MrsMozart (13 January 2013)

An interesting split, with some fairly strong views on both 'sides'.

I'll thank everyone for their input 

And I'll see how he goes .

He really does not have the best of coats, which is a pity as a hardy cob was part of his appeal , and whilst I would prefer that the grows a decent one, I won't leave him in minus temperatures shaking his bits off for days on end . He'll be in at night or he'll be rugged. 

I'll look at the Rambo ones, if they stay put with a filet string then I'll get one of those.

Ta folks


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## Jools1234 (13 January 2013)

i would be more inclined to bring him in for a couple of hrs a day (with some company) if he is really cold and let him eat his fill, warm up and then put him out again.

for what its worth at the tb stud near me (over 40 mares) all mares and youngstock live out 24/7 unrugged, they are fed just once daily in the field in their herds too, they are all in fantastic condition, in fact i took photos the other day but cannot remember my photo bucket password to put them on here


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## magic104 (13 January 2013)

I would be concerned why he is cold & loosing weight, especially as he is a cob.  Mine has not been rugged at all is ex of a TB mare by ISH who had a high percentage TB & has been fine.  I am not a fan of rugging foals, but then neither am I happy to see them with no shelter or means of getting away from wind & rain.  At least my boy has high hedging 3 sides of his paddock.  I think I would rather bring in at night then rug.  The rug flattens the coat anyway so you need to compensate for that.  Natives, traditionals are all bred to cope with some form of shelter.  You wont see ponies on Dartmoor standing on exposed ground with the full force of the wind & rain on them, they will find shelter.  The danger of rugging is getting the fit correct because a lot of damage can be done to their withers & shoulders.  That is without them getting caught up in straps etc.


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## magic104 (13 January 2013)

MrsMozart said:



			An interesting split, with some fairly strong views on both 'sides'.

I'll thank everyone for their input 

And I'll see how he goes .

He really does not have the best of coats, which is a pity as a hardy cob was part of his appeal , and whilst I would prefer that the grows a decent one, I won't leave him in minus temperatures shaking his bits off for days on end . He'll be in at night or he'll be rugged. 

I'll look at the Rambo ones, if they stay put with a filet string then I'll get one of those.

Ta folks 

Click to expand...

He should not be shaking in just cold weather, that is not right because his coat should be enough.  It is the wind & rain that cause the issues, when the wind opens up the coat therefore letting the rain in & soacking the skin.  I have never seen a horse shaking just from the cold even when it has snowed & it is sitting on them!  If he has not grown a decent coat then something could be lacking.


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## Spring Feather (13 January 2013)

I breed numerous foals each year and every winter all of the weanlings wear rugs.  Mine are TBs and WBs.  I never use leg straps on any horse let alone foals; always fillet straps (not fillet strings).   Mine live out 24/7 and have free access to barns should they wish to come inside.


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## DosyMare (13 January 2013)

I think it fine to rug a foal at 7 months but if you start then you need to see it through. I had one foal at a livery yard up the road - I was there am and pm and he was in every night and sometimes if weather bad in during the day. 
He therefore had stable and turnout rugs and as it got colder they changed and as he grew they changed and in 6 months I had used around 10 different rugs. 

So if you do rug then be prepared for that. I'm not one to rug just when it gets chilly and then one hint of sun and they are naked. 

This years two foals and the above yearling are out 24/7 and unrugged. All happy and healthy.


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## Hurricanelady (14 January 2013)

My two youngsters (18 months and 6 months old) have both grown nice thick coats but unfortunately my turnout and/or arena (used when pasture too wet) has no shelter at all.  When they're turned out in the arena they have access to ad-lib forage which keeps them warm from inside.

They are in at night and their weight is just as it should be (on the light side) but if it's going to be raining/snowing during the day they have Amigo rain sheets on (the fully waterproof ones, not the ones only waterproof to the drip strip, the foal is in pony sizes which fit well).  The fillet strings are tied to a small thinned out piece of baler twine or a couple of thick elastic hair bands in case they jump on each other and get their legs caught, and the belly straps are done up tight.  The rug sizes are checked very regularly and (as expected) I've already gone through a number of different sizes, but they're not that expensive, suit my particular breed of horse when young as they are fairly narrow across the chest; and sell well secondhand.  They do not have stable rugs on at night (and don't need them) they have nice warm stables with ad-lib forage and thick EVA mats (and bedding).

This works well for me, but if I was lucky enough to have decent daytime shelter (oh for a covered stock yard in winter!) they would not be rugged at all (assuming no issues with losing weight unexpectedly/rain scald etc).


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## Amymay (14 January 2013)

See no problem with rugging the foal if he needs it.

Fit it properly, and you'll have no problems.


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## MrsMozart (15 January 2013)

Thank you 

Rugged him last night. The snow had got him wet and he was stood looking not dejected, that coupled with the hay being delivered late (by many hours so they'd run out and the field has very little in the way of sustaining grass) and the cold of last night and I wasn't comfortable leaving him. 

LC is still naked as is GM, but they have much better coats. Titch hasn't had to grow a good one this year due to being stabled and the mild weather.

Thank you for all your help and advice


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## Amymay (15 January 2013)

Good call.


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## windand rain (15 January 2013)

I did a simple experiment with two similarly bred welsh d foals Mine was unrugged and fed daily in a 7 acre field of long grass
The other belonged to a friend and came to me for weaning it was rugged but otherwise was the same, same feed, same field and same routine
Both lived out 24/7 field had lots of natural shelter but no field shelter
Both by the same stallion out of different mares both born the same week
Mine was fat and hairy and was clear of mud fever and shone like a diamond 
the rugged one lost a lot of weight, had a dull stary coat and was listless
In a mild spell in february we removed her rug and she gained weight looked better and was much more lively  by May both were fat, sleek, shiny and very well
Only conclusion we could come to was the rug was flattening the coat and she was cold so I dont rug anymore
Everyone will have their own opinion and this was one bad winter and two similar foals so not conclusive as there was only two of them and therefore not a statistically significant number


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## nicbarker (15 January 2013)

Alec Swan said:



			My foals live out 24/7,  and not one has ever worn a rug
		
Click to expand...

FWIW if I lived in Norfolk where the average rainfall is apparently 25 inches a year I wouldn't rug either. Unfortunately the further west and the higher up you go, the wetter the climate (for us last year it was 90 inches of rain) and that is pretty rough on babies (and adults, IME). 

Cold and dry is great - this week our 6 month old foal has been out unrugged and loving it, but in persistent, torrential rain he has a rug (with no leg straps) and has been fine.


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## Posie (15 January 2013)

I don't rug mine, never come to any harm yet.


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## kimberleigh (23 January 2013)

My 6 month old Welsh sec a x freisian is rugged and has been in all but dry weather since birth. She was a July foal and it hasn't really stopped raining since she was born. 
She lives out 24/7 but the field has almost no shelter whatsoever and is on dartmoor so gets pretty cold up there! She gets 2 feeds a day.
She's never had any issues with wearing it and is in an amigo foal rug.
In an ideal world she would have a shelter/stables to get into if she chose, but that's not possible for the moment. I would much rather rug her than her be freezing cold and soaking wet, then drop weight and not flourish.

Kim


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## sport horse (23 January 2013)

I have bred irish draught crosses and more recently warmbloods for 35 years. 

I have never yet rugged anything before it comes into work and is stabled at say 4 years of age. The risk of a bunch of youngsters playing with each others rugs is too great in my opinion.

The foals always winter in for their first winter and then have stayed out 24/7/52. However for the last two years I have changed and now bring everything into barns at night from Dec/Jan until end of March. Reasons?  To protect the land. To keep the youngsters out of the wet and to allow their coats to dry out every day. To save my poor old legs heaving bales of hay across muddy wet fields!!  Benefits? Healthier horses. Better handled youngsters. Probably better checked over youngsters. A much less tired owner!!

I fear once you start rugging the horse's natural coat will not develop as well. With youngsters I am not only worried about the horse I rug but the others in the group chewing and catching teeth in clips, buckles etc. However often you check them there is always a greater lenth of time that they are unseen and the accidents seem to happen the minute after you leave! Should a youngster get caught up it will inevitably panic more than a mature horse.


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