21/10/2025
Now that all the annual nonsense charts of weather and rug style are appearing again, something more useful: ASK your horse! It doesn't need to be touching a button. Personally I just hold up the rug (with the breast straps closed) and Rosie will either put her head in or not. I'm always amazed how cold it needs to get (from my perspective) until she wants it on.
DOES YOUR HORSE WANT TO WEAR A RUG? ASK THEM!
Owners and riders often worry about whether to rug their horses, and over-rugging is increasingly flagged as a welfare concern. Constant or heavy rug use can compromise natural behaviour and thermoregulation: horses rely on piloerection — the process where tiny muscles in the skin contract and raise the hair, trapping air within the coat, which is then warmed by the horse’s body and acts as an insulator. Rugs also make mutual grooming less likely.
In 2016 researchers in Norway decided to investigate whether horses prefer to be rugged or not — by asking the horses themselves.
Twenty-three horses — warmbloods and coldbloods — were taught to touch symbols representing ‘blanket on’, ‘blanket off’ or ‘no change’ to indicate their preference. Using positive reinforcement, they learned to tap the corresponding symbol with their muzzle if they wanted their rug removed or to have one put on.
Within about two weeks, every horse learned the task. Choices were recorded in sunshine, wind, rain, snow, and temperatures from −15 to +20°C.
What happened when they could choose? On warm, sunny days (≈20–23°C), horses wearing rugs asked for rugs off, while those already bare chose ‘no change’. On wet, windy, chilly days (≈5–9°C with rain), most bare horses asked for rugs on and those already rugged stayed rugged. Trainers controlled for human cueing and even used ‘sham’ handling so a horse who chose ‘no change’ still received the same fuss, reducing bias. Some horses became notably eager to speak up — and a few who asked to remove rugs were found to be sweaty underneath.
Generally, the coldblooded horses preferred to stay rug-less compared to the warmbloods.
Why this matters: giving a horse a say in whether they wear a rug respects their agency and helps prevent over-rugging, improving welfare.
Practical takeaways: match decisions to weather, coat, and comfort; check fit and freedom of movement; and build choice into daily care — present the rug, pause, read approach/avoidance, and be ready to change your plan.
This is an older study, but it’s especially pertinent at this time of year.
Study details: Mejdell et al., (2016) Horses can learn to use symbols to communicate their preferences for wearing a blanket. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 184, 66–73.
