17/08/2024
Time to assess your rugging choices for Spring thru Autum - less really is best. Read on ....
🌿 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗙𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗗𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗗𝗔𝗬: 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 – 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 🌿
As spring approaches and the days start getting longer and warmer, it’s time to think about how we care for our horses in this transitional season. One of the key areas to consider is rugging—particularly, the risk of over-rugging as the temperature rises.
🌡️ 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲’𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Horses are incredibly efficient at regulating their body temperature. While we might reach for a jumper as soon as the temperature drops, our horses are quite comfortable in conditions that would make us shiver. The key to this is understanding a horse’s thermoneutral zone (TNZ), which is the temperature range within which they can maintain their body temperature without expending extra energy.
For humans, the TNZ is around 25-30°C, but for horses, it’s significantly lower—between 5-25°C. This means that what feels chilly to us might be perfectly comfortable for them. It’s essential to remember this difference as the weather warms up in spring, particularly when deciding whether to rug your horse.
🌡️ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲
During the cooler months, we often rug our horses to protect them from cold, wet, and windy weather. However, as the temperatures rise in spring, it’s easy to fall into the trap of continuing to rug our horses too heavily, which can lead to overheating.
Here are some key points to keep in mind:
▪️ 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗺𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀: The best place to check if your horse is too warm is just behind their withers. If this area feels hot or damp, your horse is likely overheating under their rug. Avoid using their ears or legs to gauge temperature, as these areas don’t give an accurate indication of their core warmth.
▪️ 𝗕𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝘂𝗴𝘀: It’s tempting to think a light rug is harmless, but even these can block the natural cooling process. Horses cool down by sweating, but this only works if air can reach their skin. A light summer rug can trap heat and actually increase your horse’s core body temperature.
▪️ 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁: Just as overweight humans find it harder to cope with hot weather, overweight horses can also struggle. As the days warm up, consider reducing or eliminating rugs for these horses to help them stay cool.
▪️ 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸: Horses generate heat from the inside out as they digest their food, particularly roughage. On cooler days, providing some extra hay can help keep them warm naturally, without the need for additional rugs.
▪️ 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗢𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗻𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀: Horses that are older or have health issues may struggle to maintain their body temperature at both ends of the TNZ. For these horses, consider adjusting their rugging based on their specific needs—lighter rugs or no rugs during warmer days, and ensuring they have adequate warmth during cooler periods.
🌡️ 𝗥𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀
As we welcome spring and the warmth it brings, it’s crucial to adjust our rugging practices to avoid overheating our horses. Always keep in mind that your horse might be feeling much warmer than you think, and when in doubt, opt for less rugging rather than more.
Let’s help our horses stay comfortable and healthy by being mindful of their needs as the seasons change.
