ASKHQ: CLIPPING CONUNDRUM

Q: I’ve heard you should only rug a horse if they’re clipped. Is that true? A: Not necessarily. Rugging decisions should be based on the individual horse’s condition, environment, and management, not just whether they're clipped. Clipped horses do lose their natural insulation and generally need rugs in colder weather, but some fine-coated, older, or…

BylizzieAugust 26, 20250Comments

Ask HQ

ASKHQ: RUGS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Q: Should I rug my horse during South Africa’s mild winter nights? A: Not necessarily. Horses are far more cold-tolerant than humans and can comfortably withstand temperatures as low as 5°C if they are unclipped, have adequate forage, and shelter from wind and rain. Rugging unnecessarily can disrupt thermoregulation, flatten coat hairs, and even contribute…

BylizzieJune 16, 20250Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel

ASKHQ: FITTING A RUG

Q: How do you check if a rug fits your horse? A: Having a rug that fits your horse is important to keep your horse comfortable and avoiding rubbing. To check that a rug fits, you must make sure of the following: The front of the rug over the chest should have an overlap of fabric.…

BylizzieMay 25, 20210Comments

Horse Channel

ASKHQ: TO CLIP OR NOT TO CLIP

Q: Should I clip my horse this winter or not? A: As winter approaches, many riders choose to clip their horses, but do you really need to and is it the best option for all horses? The winter coat The emergence of a full winter coat is triggered by the reduced number of daylight hours. In early…

BylizzieApril 8, 20210Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Health

ASKHQ: LIVING OUT

Q: Can my horse live out? Answered by Charlotte Bastiaanse A: Before domestication, horses used to live out throughout the day and night. Nowadays, horses are generally, at least in South Africa, turned out during the morning and brought back into their stables in the late afternoon. Some yards, however, still only turn horses out for a…

BylizzieJune 15, 20200Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Health

ASKHQ: WHAT IS AN UNDER RUG?

Q: What is an under-rug? A: Under-rugs (also called rug liners) are used to layer under rugs for additional warmth if required. They are often a more cost-effective way of providing warmth to your horse when required, as opposed to buying a very thick stable rug that you only use once or twice. They come in…

BylizzieFebruary 27, 20200Comments

Horse Health Know How

Snug in a rug

There are many types of horse blankets available on the market, namely day sheets, fleece sheets, medium duvets, heavy duvets, coolers, sweat sheets, fly sheets, neck rugs, exercise sheets, rain sheets and turnout rugs. Horse blankets can also be used to keep a horse’s coat short. If horses are blanketed in early autumn before it…

BylizzieJune 8, 20170Comments

ASKHQ: CLIPPING CONUNDRUM

ASKHQ: RUGS IN SOUTH AFRICA

ASKHQ: FITTING A RUG

ASKHQ: TO CLIP OR NOT TO CLIP

ASKHQ: LIVING OUT

ASKHQ: WHAT IS AN UNDER RUG?

Snug in a rug

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