Rugging advice please.

We have had a real cold spell, frost's for the past couple of morning's and when I went to the field Monday morning, Columbe seem hunched and cold to the touch so I decided to pop a rug on her. I've put her a rain sheet with a light weight linning. Firstly I was so proud she stood like a star, I rescued Columbe last year with the help of Jann, and she was very hard to handle and would not accept us trying to get a rug on her, in fact she became quite aggressive. So for her to stand and snuzzle up to my hubby while I put the rug on brought tears to my eye's, as she is so relaxed and trusting with us. Any way, back to the advice bit, I have left the rug on, it's very cold on a night time, but sunny and warmish during the day. Should I keep the rug on? or take it off during the day? I go to the field around 9.30 ish and it is still white over with frost, but by around 11 ish warm and frost has gone, but Im at work then and so is hubby. She was a bit sweaty at 6.30 tonight, but obviously I've left rug on for this evening.
Columbe is a pur sang 20 years old, and has been hard to get weight on, she has a nice covering of fat, but I know from last winter she dropped weight quickly and I struggled to get her to gain it back.She came into the open barn on an evening last year. Please any advice would be most welcome.

That's always a difficult one. Eventually their coats adapt to wearing the rugs, sometimes they do get a little hot at first while adapting. Doesn't help , I agree when you get a lovely warm day . I tend to leave mine on them unless you know it's going to be exceptionally warm and dry.
I also start with a rain sheet , like you, with no filling and then gradually as the weather progresses I step up to warmer rugs.
I don't think think you can always get it right as the weather is so unpredictable anyway! I bet she is grateful for the rug though especially as she's fine coated.

i agree it is so hard to know what the day will bring weather-wise.
i tend to put either a waffle or a sweat rug under the main rug, this tends to minimise sweaty bits.
fortunantly now i have quite a few rugs in varying thicknesses etc (thankyou Ebay!)
but in the past and in exceptionally cold snaps, bouts of illness etc i have added old bed quilts over the sweat rug and under the main rug,

i find you can buy the smaller quilts for a kids or single bed quite cheap here, they are a good size for an under rug as they are not sticking out below the rug, i sew a tape to the front & back corners to tie the rug on better,

2 winters ago when saltie 1st got sick she ended up looking like a bed on legs, her original old new-zealand rug was just too heavy for her, so i had a waffle + 1 or 2 quilts & a lightweight showerproof rug on instead, she did not go out in rain, it meant i could adjust her rug warmness easier with several layers,

the last factor is, when & if to clip? that equals another layer of 'rugs' into the equasion too! i tended to clip Saltie because of her cushings, if not her coat got sticky and yukky whereas clipped out she was easier to keep clean & less prone to post sweaty chills.

it is harder to maintain an older horse than some people think, once they start to slip in any way it can be a real battle to get them back, they need constant attention and monitoring, i think you are taking a good line being worried that she is needing help with maintaining her warmth etc, best of luck
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Thanks Guy's for your imput. I have just returned from the field and Colombe look's happy and content. I took my friend Joe with me (owns four horses/pony's all over 20 years) we had a good look and reajusted Colombe's rug, she stood as good as gold again untill Joe's undid the breast strap's, and then Colombe's ears went back an whipped her head round as if to say, you are not having it back, it's mine. Lol. Colombe was warm but not sweaty. So I've decided to leave alone as we had a frost again last night, and I have been told we are in for some rain. I no what you mean Salee, last year was hard, as Colombe was not rugged I was over feeding to try and keep some weight on her and the amount of hay she went through. I also intend using her stable rug under this weatherbeta rain sheet, when the temp. drop's. I have in the past 4 winters we have been here recorded temp. of minus 15/18 during the day and minus 22 on an night. We are now in the luck prossision of having a warm snug barn, with internal stableing, so when we get to that point she will be coming in. Thanks again for your comment's. Sue.

That rug looks ideal for this time of year and she looks happy and content, pretty mare!

She does seem to be a very happy girlie, the rug is a weatherbeta light/medium turn-out rug. It was clean last monday when we rugged her. She is a very sweet girlie and very loving, and an absolute stunner. People carnt belive she was destained for the meat market,I saved her with only hour's to go. I will try and video her galloping round the field, she may be 20, but she still has it. She won quite a lot of races before she was used as a brood mare. Her great-great grandfather is Nijinsky. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]