It has been in my cabinetIt has already been opened but has been in its closed container of course.
Actually, contradictory to what everyone else wroteIt depends ENTIRELY on what she was rugged with BEFORE you bought her 2 weeks agoIf she is used to only light weight rugsThen putting a heavy weight rug on her all of a sudden will make her over heat (which is a far more serious problem than being too cold)Also be careful, if she has never worn a rugSome horses can panic the first time one is usedI would have asked all these questions, prior to collecting the horse, so that you could have things ready when you took her homePerhaps ring her old owner, ask her if she was ruggedAsk what weight the rug was, and what size and style fitted her wellI am sure they will be only too happy to advise youOtherwise, I would start with a light weight rug (as it is early in the season - Autumn where you are I am guessing?) Then as things get colder, change over to a heavier rug, if you feel she needs itI always begin rugging my horses with their light rugs in autumn, then as the seasons progressI move to heavier rugs in winterIf you start with heavy rugs first up, what do you move to as it gets colder? The many varied synthetic rugs available these days, are often so warm, there is little reason to double rug anymoreI start with a light weight synthetic or canvas rugMoving to a heavier grade synthetic, as it gets colderThen possibly adding a neck rug or 'combo synthetic' if clipped or need beThen I drop the neck rug as spring comes around, and then as the nights warm up, I switch back to the original light weight or canvas againNote: Just read Ang's postAgreed - TUAs we both said - Light one, then heavier one as it gets colder(depending what she is used to).
if she has no coat your going to want a heavier blanketwhen your fitting it make sure you can have it done up and she can put her head all the way down to the ground with comfort and that it covers her bumyou also want to starps to be loose but not so loose she gets her feet caught upa good rule is about 1 and a half fists between her and the strapsthe front starps shouldnt be tight but not so loose that the blanket doesnt fully cover her chestthe back straps should be a bit looser then the middle ones and should go around each leg and cross in the middle|O()O| kind of a crappy diagram but its the best i could do :P
TB's being hot bloods catch the cold VERY quickly, in that kind of weather id be inclined to have them in a medium on the good winter days, heavy on the bad winter days and real cold days as in a few degrees below zero i would have her in an underblanket also just to be sure, dont forget their nighties-something nice and thick :o)
Perfectly fineIt is simply guar gum, a source of soluble fiberDrink up!
If she's a local horse (already was living in your area, which I guess to be Pennsylvania or Ohio) then she should wear what she wore last winter, or what your neighbours' similar horses wearDid you buy her from an Amishman or from an auction? Perhaps some local Amish could advise you on what her previous care might have been.
