Bryn

Our native type ponies are never rugged in winter, but this year we've got a warmblood too... He is out during the day in a sheltered field (trees and thick hedges on 3 sides) and stabled at night. He isn't clipped (and isn't likely to be) and is doing around 4 - 6 hours hacking work a week. He's 20, but acts a lot younger. The weather has been unseasonably warm at around 9 - 15 degrees C and dry, and his ears have been warm, or at least neutral. The thing is every other fine horse in the area is rugged, though they are mostly in more exposed fields.

What criteria do people use in rugging this sort of horse for the British winter? Should I be rugging yet, or is he just going to get too hot?

I have two cats, one 14 year old female and one male, approx 16 who is blind. Both are neutered and they have lived together for about 2 years. They don't like each other much! If the male gets a bit too close to the female - mildly violates her personal space - she will often snort down her nose at him. She seems to use this as a 'proto-hiss', as in the situation requires some warning be issued but doesn't yet warrant a proper hiss. She's done it to me on occasions as well. She does have health issues, but nothing to do with respiration.

My question is has anyone else observed this behaviour in their cat, or is it unique to Phoebe? I've had 6 other cats over the years and never come across it before.