As we head into October - where has the time gone?! - we can thank our lucky stars for a beautiful summer that has allowed most of us to really enjoy our riding, with lots of balmy hacking and events. But just weeks away now is the start of Autumn, and of course the impending clipping and rugging plans for many working horses. The end of September heralds around three months of the Autumn season - think the first colourful tinting of oak or beech trees and the appearance of ripe sloes or elderberries. For many of us, it is a favourite season - beautiful colours, mild days and the tail end of the competition season.
One downside of Autumn is the changeability of the temperatures - particularly tricky if you’re trying to plan for rugging your horse! We also do the first clip in the Autumn months, which means that choosing when to rug (if at all!) and what rug to use, can be a challenge.
In the UK, the average Autumn temperatures are 9-15 celcius, which of course is fairly mild. However many of us get caught out at the end of October and in November, when temperatures often sharply drop, and rain-fall is prevalent. When combined with a clipped horse, this means we are often unprepared for the colder temperatures.
It is important to note that here at The Saddlery Shop, we don’t advocate over-rugging! Whatever the weather, in an ideal world, I believe that we would not need to rug our horses. This ideal world includes suitable shelter, not just a hedge, that provides proper protection from the elements and is a safe haven for your horse. My ideal world scenario also includes suitable quantities of forage (whether that’s good quality grazing or ad lib hay, as this forage acts as an internal heating system to provide warmth via digestion); and turn out that encourages movement.
Autumn Turnout Rugs
But many horses wear turnout rugs in Autumn. A good example of a horse needing a turnout rug is the sensitive, thin skinned Thoroughbred that may feel the cold if rain is persistent, the temperature has dropped, or the equine is clipped. Fortunately, the many lightweight versions available offer us great choices for cheap turnout rugs!
Of course, an equine with reduced immunity, that is suffering from pain in any way, or that has lost weight and is in poor condition, will certainly welcome a turnout rug in wet, inclement Autumn weather. It isn’t necessarily about the fact it is raining - but also the combination of the available shelter, the ambient temperature, and how long the rain persists for, along with the horse or pony’s access to forage.
A tenuous guide in terms of whether to use a turnout rug is to see how you as the owner are feeling - are you happy in a lightweight raincoat or are you laden with jumpers and a hat? It is best not to use a too-heavyweight turnout rug if it isn’t required for the horse or pony.
Having made the comparison to human warmth, of course, we know that equines feel the cold completely differently to us. In general, if the temperature is between 5-25 degrees celcius, the horse or pony can comfortably maintain their body temperature without feeling hot or cold. However, persistent rain can quickly leave a horse feeling cold and miserable. A wet horse in a cold wind will lose heat quickly, and will find it harder to stay warm. Although widely advocated as a means of testing equine warmth, feeling the horse or pony’s ears is not a terribly scientific or accurate way to ascertain body temperature.
Here’s a quick guide to our favourite items - some are cheap turnout rugs, while others are mid-priced.
Check out the above links to see a great range of rugs, from cheap turnout rugs to the more luxurious models, at The Saddlery Shop.
For articles and info on equestrian matters please visit our friends at pegasus-magazine.co.uk . Visit the site to find out more and read horsey articles.
