Temperature regulation
A healthy horse generally feels most comfortable at temperatures ranging between -5 and +15 degrees Celsius, which is considerably lower than humans. All body processes work best within this comfort zone and therefore the horse loses as little energy as possible. Hair growth is genetic and, contrary to popular belief, hormonally driven. This is a process that takes weeks to months. In addition, environmental factors such as temperature, amount of daylight, breed and age play a role in the production of the coat. Only by clipping the coat, we can regulate the thickness of the coat.
Protection with the right rug
A clipped horse needs more energy to keep itself warm. This is due to the fact that we have affected the comfort zone. A clipped horse generally feels most comfortable at temperatures ranging from +10 to +20 degrees Celsius. Therefore, in the colder months, you will have to give your horse a helping hand by using a blanket. A blanket protects the horse from all external influences and therefore no precious energy is lost.
Good to know: if you are going to clip your horse, it is advisable to do this regularly in the autumn and in the winter. If you wait too long to clip, the transition is too great, both with and without blanket use. If you clip late in the season, you take off a thick coat and have to compensate for this with a blanket. Regular clipping has the advantage that the difference is minimal and then you don't have to compensate so quickly.
Bucas has a schedule with temperature ranges for each (outdoor) rug. This helps you choose the right rug. If you choose the
Bucas Power Turnout Rain rug, your horse is protected at temperatures between -5 and +16 degrees Celsius. If you add a liner (let's say you only clip once in the season when you take off the thick coat), there is extra insulation because of the combination of an outdoor rug and a liner. If you combine the Power Turnout Rain with the
Bucas Quilt 150 SD under rug (with stay dry lining) you protect your horse in temperatures up to -20 degrees Celsius. With the liner, you can temporarily help your horse with an extra rug after clipping.
The temperature ranges are an advice and help you to make the right choice of blanket. There are a number of factors that may cause the advice to vary, namely; clipping, humidity, condition, age and extreme weather conditions. Please take this into account when purchasing a Bucas rug.
Curious about the range of Bucas rugs? Check them all out
here!