Over Rugging Horses Australia

If horses have access to shade they will utilise it in the heat of the day.

Over rugging horses australia.

Over rugging can also affect the appetite causing a horse to eat less as well as the body s ability to control its metabolism. This is especially important for horses that have white skin over areas such as the nostrils and therefore get sunburned easily. Horses have a very different thermoneutral zone tnz to humans. Horses have a wonderful capacity of self care of which their internal thermostat is included.

Rugs and stabling prevent sunlight from reaching the skin which is necessary for the generation of vitamin d. As detailed in pony club australia s revised syllabus of instruction c certificate manual every living creature has a tnz. The owner may think the horse is losing weight because it is feeling the cold and so they put another rug on making the situation worse. Horses actually handle the cold better than heat and a common misconception amongst horse owners is that horses needs to be rugged at night as soon as it is getting a bit cooler at nights.

Rugging over heating and other considerations. A basic guide to rugging horses. Horse owners have different opinions when it comes to rugging your horse correctly for temperature rain humidity sun and protection from insects. All too often are horses over rugged as their owner is feeling a bit nippy.

Overheating in rugs has got to be terribly unbearable for horses. Risks of rugging or over rugging rubbing especially if causing the horse to sweat. One of the horses i saw in winter rugs during my ride on that warm winters day standing in the shade to try and cool down. So some horses will lose weight when they are too hot all the time.

Sweating causes the skin to become hyper hydrated the effect you get when you stay in the bath too long and more prone to damage and infection. With the arrival of winter your horse may appreciate an extra layer of insulation to keep them warm in cold temperatures wind and rain. First the science bit. Just like us every horse is an individual so changing your horse s rugs.

This is a temperature range at which the body can maintain normal body temperature without expending too much energy. If this is an issue for you confine your horse to shade through the day in hot weather with access to hay and turn them out at night. Are you over rugging your horse this winter. Over rugging actually causes many more problems than those associated with a cold horse and many manmade issues can be avoided with correct usage of rugs.