What size rug for my foal??

[lucyrostance]

I want to get my foal a lightweight turn out for the winter as I'm hoping to winter her out but as she is only a month old and likely to grow a lot before she needs it how do I know what size to buy? Any ideas?

[CBFan]

wait till nearer the time and measure her... but to be honest, they're tough little things that grow like weeds so you'll be best waiting until the absolute worst of the weather before you put anything on her or you'll be buying a new rug every couple of weeks!

[Toast]

I made the terrible mistake of rugging my youngster, and now ive started i cant stop because he's a soft little ******. And its costing me so much to keep buying them because he grows exactly like CBFan said, a weed!! My advice is pretty much the same, if your going to rug, wait til its absolutely necessary or else you'll be bankrupt before spring!!!
x

[PapaFrita]

Now I know this is hypocritical of me (I was only last night asking for reassurance that my 6-month old foal wouldn't suffer in the rain) but in the UK I wintered my 2 foals out with no rugs. They got incredibly fluffy, and even when they looked soaking wet, had dry 'roots'.
I've also toughened up since last night. Today it snowed and I only checked on the Little Cigar twice. Ok, maybe 3 times

[CBFan]

yep! It's amazing how robust they are!

On the flip side, it is easier to teach a young foal to wear a rug than a fully grown adult so It is worth practicing with a blanket and sircingle in the stable (leave on for half hour or so at a time) and then practice with a (borrowed) light weight t/o a couple of times. Lesson learnt. Job done!

[Enfys]

Don't buy a rug until you have measured the foal that very morning because she will have grown over night! A rather wimpy filly (half sister to below) I had last year started winter in a 56" blanket and ended up in a 64" one over four months.

Rugging depends on the individual as always, and weather, in the UK I would be more inclined to rug than I am here, just because of the incessant rain.



That was a 6mth old arab x QH foal, she had a coat that was 3" thick and never, ever, looked, or felt, cold or miserable through 4 months of snow and silly minus C temperatures. She was never rugged and came out of winter very well.

[tikino]

my foal was born in april and we had very wet weather so being a wimp myself i went and bought her a rug it was 3ft3 and lasted 2 weeks. i would wait until you need it and then buy her a rug because you will be amazeds at how quickly they grow. i take pictures of ellie every 2 weeks and the difference is unbelieveable