At Ferne, we make our decision on each individual horse’s need.
In this photo, we have Bob and Ollie sporting lightweight rugs as they are elderly thoroughbreds who drop condition easily. In the nude, we have Dixie, also aged but a native type who is prone to carry excess weight. Beau the Warmblood is also an old boy but he also keeps weight on. Gordon, in the middle, is 8 years old and a good doer so he won’t have a rug unless absolutely necessary.
In nature horses like many animals would put on weight in the warmer months and drop it off again in Winter. Allowing this to happen is good for horses metabolism, it is what they have evolved to do. They are very good at regulating their own body temperature as they have an efficient internal combustion system (their gut). Most of ours don’t get clipped so should cope with the weather at the moment with their own fur coats.