Should I rug/blanket my horse or not?

horse cant absorb much vitamin D or have a good roll itch or run around and feel good. Some cant even find shade to relieve the heat and one of the saddest things is the horse who has a rug put on at the beginning of winter which is not removed at all until summer. This is not kindness its outright cruelty.
No wonder some rugged horses stand around looking depressed then get all excited and jumpy or distracted by itches when the rug does come off for a ride.
So what can we do to give the horse maximum comfort without rugging?
Horses warm up quickly when fed loose hay.
First we need to provide shelter from the elements mostly the wind and hot sun. That means having a shelter shed for shade and wind protection large trees or hedges in an inviting position in the pasture which is ideally large enough for plenty of movement.
We can encourage movement to keep warm by placing hay in various parts of the paddock rather than in one pile or have water at the opposite end of the area.
We can also provide herd members to encourage movement as they play and enforce pecking orders.
By providing constant access to hay in wet or cold weather the horse can heat itself internally. With the combination of food and movement a horse can easily regulate its own temperature and in the process keep its hooves muscles tendons and ligaments exercised and healthy.
We can allow our horses to grow a thick winter coat especially our young horses and if we have started rugging as soon as the nights get cold we can gradually leave the rug off starting with a nice sunny day and perhaps only using the rug in wet windy weather when the chill factor is greatest.
Horses cope fine in the cold Ive seen horses in snow and minus 20 refuse to come inside out of the cold so long as they have the ability and motivation to move and eat hay.
If you do choose to rug your horse in really wet weather perhaps after 24 hours of rain and wind which increases the chill factor then thats fine but remember to remove it as soon as the weather clears.
Your horse will be so much more comfortable without it rubbing and restricting them.
But what about all the weight they will lose from shivering? I hear you say.
The answer