(Baby horse proof) Rug hanging

Jessey

Well-Known Member
Dec 20, 2004
28,300
18,001
113
43
Suffolk, UK
I have always hung my rugs over the gate and rails in the barn, but Niko is a turd for pulling them down, then standing pawing them which damages them. I want somewhere easy to hang them between uses so they can air and/or dry. Any ideas on how to Niko proof them?

I don't have much in the way of floor space, and nowhere the horses can't access really.
 
I'd suggest strong dowels hung from the ceiling with (eg) sash cord, and a string of baler twine tied over the rug lengthways to stop Niko pulling them off!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
Ive got several shop clothes rails on wheels in my tack room.

I even resorted to bringing one down to the house the other week so i could dry all the washing as we dont have a washing line. Currently drying all the mats and carpet bits from the utility room courtesy of Abbey.

A rug fits over nicely and doesnt touch the floor.
20211007_101058.jpg

How not to use them to store rugs. I got a bit lazy. Thankfully i now have the wardrobe for all my clean dry ones. I just use them for the wet ones.

IMG_20191012_164537.jpg
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: Trewsers and Jessey
Ive got several shop clothes rails on wheels in my tack room.

I even resorted to bringing one down to the house the other week so i could dry all the washing as we dont have a washing line. Currently drying all the mats and carpet bits from the utility room courtesy of Abbey.

A rug fits over nicely and doesnt touch the floor.
View attachment 108778

How not to use them to store rugs. I got a bit lazy. Thankfully i now have the wardrobe for all my clean dry ones. I just use them for the wet ones.

View attachment 108780
Haha yes thats how my rugs end up in a huge heap, I have an old metal feeed bin to stash the ones not in use in. I suspect he would just pull the whole thing over sadly, anything that isn't bolted down he believes is fair game for him 🤦‍♀️
 
Think your going to have to rearrange your shed. Either a bale string hanging from the ceiling far enough back.
Or a rail on a pulley you can hire and lower to the ceiling.
Or get a timber and chookes and bolt something to the back wall. But if its close to the wall it wont be freestanding enough for the rugs to dry.
 
Think your going to have to rearrange your shed. Either a bale string hanging from the ceiling far enough back.
Or a rail on a pulley you can hire and lower to the ceiling.
Or get a timber and chookes and bolt something to the back wall. But if its close to the wall it wont be freestanding enough for the rugs to dry.
There is no back wall in the barn, and the back half is so full to the brim with hay at the moment that I can barely walk to the side wall to turn the electric off, I can't get to the other side or back without climbing over the hay. A pulley might work, will have to have a look if it will get them high enough up to be out of reach.
 
I am lucky as we have the concrete dividers in the byre. They are super for itching posts for the girls and rug dryers. But luckily ours don't get pulled off! Norty Niko lol they just love being curious and cheeky don't they !!!! Sorry not much help there. I am sure you will think of something.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
I have some wall mounted racks for rugs, but they still need to be kept away from equines. They have multiple hanging racks and swing - do you want me to take a picture of them as i may have some spare
 
Last edited:
Thanks @Jane&Ziggy i was thinking of this but couldnt for life of me remember what they were called. I know someone who has one in there kitchen and another who has one in the utility room. There not long enough to hang the full length of the rug the ones ive seen but folded over would be.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
Thanks @Jane&Ziggy i was thinking of this but couldnt for life of me remember what they were called. I know someone who has one in there kitchen and another who has one in the utility room. There not long enough to hang the full length of the rug the ones ive seen but folded over would be.
It's true, but @Jessey is so handy I thought she might make her own!
 
I hang the rugs up to dry with the chest straps on the rug rail and once they are dry I fold them over the rug rail and put the chest straps through the fillet string or the leg straps. Faran can’t pull them down so he leaves them alone. I Hang my rug rails high up on the wall so a rug doesn’t touch the ground then hun by the chest straps 😃
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
I hang the rugs up to dry with the chest straps on the rug rail and once they are dry I fold them over the rug rail and put the chest straps through the fillet string or the leg straps. Faran can’t pull them down so he leaves them alone. I Hang my rug rails high up on the wall so a rug doesn’t touch the ground then hun by the chest straps 😃
I’ll give this a try to start, I wonder if it will deter Niko or he’ll just stand chewing them 🤔
 
I’ll give this a try to start, I wonder if it will deter Niko or he’ll just stand chewing them 🤔

Faran has the odd pull at them but they hold no interest as he can’t get them off to throw them about and pee on them 😅 he has his bizzy bites to play with as well hanging nearby and he’d rather get summat from that once he realises the rugs aren’t coming off the rack 🤣
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
Well you could always set him up to fail. Theres always the temp electric wire option.

You did it down the post didnt you to stop someone bottom rubbing. Did that one actually work long term.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
Well you could always set him up to fail. Theres always the temp electric wire option.

You did it down the post didnt you to stop someone bottom rubbing. Did that one actually work long term.
I never put it on the posts in the end, though it would have stopped Dan rubbing, if Jess got stung by it once she’d probably never use the shelter again (she doesn’t generally like being inside so any excuse).

I have put an unpowered bit above the rails dividing the horse and hay parts of the barn as Niko kept pulling the slip rails down, and **touches wood frantically** he hasn’t broken in since, so even unpowered might work to protect the rugs until I use some of the hay and can put them back there again.

5 minutes I turned my back for earlier, just to see someone out, and he’d brought himself in from the grass, tipped a watering can everywhere, knocked my chair over and trampled it and my jacket and coffee cup into the dirt! He just can’t help himself 😂
 
5 minutes I turned my back for earlier, just to see someone out, and he’d brought himself in from the grass, tipped a watering can everywhere, knocked my chair over and trampled it and my jacket and coffee cup into the dirt! He just can’t help himself 😂

I know what you mean this is Billy too. I never have any of this behaviour with Chunky. Its just who they are. We curse them, but love them, but it makes our life hard.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
newrider.com