Over Rugging Horses

Sweating causes the skin to become hyper hydrated the effect you.

Over rugging horses.

1 rubbing especially if causing horse to sweat. The horse uses a considerable. Dick vet equine highlighted the issue on facebook after the practice saw an increasing number of horses being rugged unnecessarily this time of year. Ms fordham said over rugging can have serious consequences.

We as owners have been warned of the serious consequences of over rugging their horses. Excessive overheating can cause horses to show signs of colic as well as increasing their chances of developing laminitis a life threatening issue in itself. We are called out to horses displaying signs of colic but actually. Over rugging may also mean the horse warms up under the rug but not in other exposed areas.

People seem to be more and more keen on putting rugs on vet tess fordham. Risks of rugging or over rugging rubbing especially if causing the horse to sweat. Risks of rugging or over rugging. We mustn t forget that horses are designed to use fat reserves over winter to keep warm.

What happens when my horse becomes too hot. If he is hot under his rug his ability to cool down naturally is lost too. Tuck your hand into a horses rug and feel behind the wither. Check a horse is warm enough not too warm if the rug has slipped very regularly check if a horse s coat is standing up this is a good indicator that the horse is feeling chilly and its natural.

Horses should gain weight during the summer and lose weight during the winter by over rugging we mess with their hormone levels which as already mentioned can lead to laminitis and other problems. 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. Over rugging can not only lead to difficulty in managing the weight of your horse or pony with risks of metabolic disorders and laminitis but can also lead to the horse overheating. Rugs and stabling prevent sunlight from reaching the skin which is necessary for the generation of vitamin d.

When horses over heat they divert blood to the skin surface so that they can lose body heat by sweating. Over rugging or putting a rug on too soon can compromise a horse s ability to do this. Over rugging issues actually go beyond the simplicity of the horse getting warmer.