First, lets talk about thermoneutral zones. A thermoneutral zone is the range where the body temperature can be maintained with little to no energy expenditure. Humans have a narrow range of 21 - 28 °C, but horses' thermoregulatory zone is 5 - 25°C. This means it’s important not to rug our horses based on how cold we are but actually based on the each individual horse.
A few things to consider when choosing to rug your horse are:
Is your horse in a herd? Horses instinctively turn their backs to the wind and rain to shield themselves in bad weather. When in a group, they also huddle together to share body warmth. Horses living together are less likely to need a rug to keep warm
Does your horse have shelter? Thick hedges and tree lines provide excellent natural shelter. Horses are more likely to feel the cold from persistent wind and rain. In such conditions, having a reliable source of shelter is crucial for protection and warmth. If your horse has no shelter available then a rug may be needed in bad weather
How thick is their coat? Horses lose very little body heat to the air because their coat hairs stand on end, trapping heat and creating an insulating layer. You might have seen horses with unmelted frost or snow on their backs; this remains because their winter coat insulates them so effectively that heat doesn't escape to melt the frost or snow. If your horse is clipped, they will require a warmer rug as they are unable to regulate their own heat with their coat
How much forage does your horse have access to? A horse needs 1-2% of their body weight daily for optimal gut health and warmth. Consistently eating forage throughout the day helps keep a horse warm and the breakdown of fiber in the digestive system generates heat, acting as an internal heating system. If your horse has access to plenty of hay and/or grass, they shouldn't need rugging as often
Is your horse in good condition? This is a big one, and one of the most important reasons to rug or not. Horses will use more energy to keep themselves warm. This is a natural process throughout winter and allows any excess weight gained through the summer months to drop off as nature intended. If your horse is overweight in summer, the best way to manage their weight is to allow them to lose weight naturally in winter.
Conclusion: If your horse is overweight, has a decent coat, has access to some shelter and has 1-2% of their body weight of forage available to them daily, they won't need a rug most of the time. To make ourselves feel better, we can use a lighter fill, around a 50g on rainy days.
If your horse is clipped, has a thin coat, and/or is under weight, then a rug will be needed depending on your climate, anywhere from a 50g to a 200g would be the ideal
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