I am wondering as a general question how many rugs would you need im talking about bare minimal if you do not intend to show your horse but clip it so that it does not sweat alot while exercising. please list the rugs you feel are essential to have in the climate of south east england thanks so much for your time xx
None is the bare minimum, if it's a good doer and you didn't get it clipped (or maybe with just a trace clip) but most horses need one or two. A lightweight turnout and a med-heavy turnout will do most horses fine.
For turn out you could probably get away with one lightweight summer rug, one middleweight rug and I would say at least two heavyweight turnouts, preferably with necks. If your lightweight gets soaked you can temporarily use the middleweight but in the height of the winter you would need at least two heavyweights coz they take ages to dry and its not nice to put a wet rug back onto a dry horse. I don't really bother with stable rugs during the summer but in the winter I have one light weight one and one heavyyweight one and I find that an under rug is also useful if you need that little bit extra under either.
It depends on your horses breed, how warm the stable is and the amount of hair you clip off. I kept an Irish hunter type with: One stable rug, quilted with neck cover. 2 fleece under rugs for cold weather, travelling and drying off and two turnout rugs, that could be used with the fleece or quilted under rug. Of your horse is fully clipped, you'll also need an exercise rug. This gives you a back up if rugs need cleaning or repair, and in really cold weather, look out for second hand blankets or duvets in charity shops. You don't really need a separate stable rug, as the outside rug will do both jobs, but changing rugs helps prevent rubbing and sores..
My minimum rug for North England is: Heavy weight, full necked (or detachable neck) turnout Medium weight turnout Lightweight rainsheet (no fill) Bug rug (my mare has sweet itch) Cooler Light weight stable Medium weight stable full necked heavy weight stable standard neck heavy weight stable is good but not absoultly essential Waterproof exercise sheet if you intend to work the horse regardless of weather, if you don't have access to an indoor school. This is my minimum for my cob mare, clipped (ranging from a full clip to a trace depending on work load). She's stabled at night and out every day. I'll often have 3 stable rugs on at night in the winter and I'd say our minimum temps are similar to South East as I'm in a pretty sheltered area and low. You could get away without the medium weight turnout but you do then need to use a stable rug under your rain sheet as there are a few months where they need some padding but not the full heavy weight.
In winter my pony is fully clipped and wears: -An under rug with full neck (Masta) -A stable rug (fairly heavy, not sure on brand - fairly old) -If it is very cold, he'll have a Masta fleece on under both rugs Before he comes in during the winter he wears: -Heavyweight or middleweight turnout depending on the weather In the summer: -Lightweight turnout rug if raining -Fly sheet if flies are bad and it's not overly warm - a couple of years ago they were sweating buckets in fly rugs, so it was decided they would wear them if and when needed. His turnout rugs are Masta and I think he has a Horseware Ireland one too. Fly sheets are Masta and either Rambo or Horseware Ireland (I forget which) If it's cold and we're travelling him to a show, he has a Royston fleece.
