Best way to rug a horse...

Mandaloo77

New Member
Sep 2, 2008
73
0
0
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Hello :)
I'm just looking for some advice on the best way to rug and unrug a horse. (I'm fine with the fastening, its just the getting it up there bit!!!) The horse I look after is about 16.1hh, so its a fair way up to get his rug on for me, and the rugs hes wearing at the moment are quite heavy!
Also when you take them off, is there a way to do this/fold them so that it makes putting them back on easier??:confused:
Hope that makes sense!!

Thankyoouuu!
xxx
 
put your rug on a fence or soemthinf, as if it was on the horses back. Fold the back to the front so youve got half a rug, and then go to you horses left shoulder and slide it up the shoulder and reach for the sky, hoping to get it abit up his neck, then do up the front buckles and pull it down to sit properley, this way all the fur will be laying the right way, and then do up as normal, but, if all fails, get on a box :p

And to take off, fold the back up to the front again and then it will be the right way for putting back on
 
Ah thats excellent, thankyou! His rugs are kept on washing line type things (!) so I will fold it up on them! It has been taking me ages to find the front and back each time so the folding will also save me time!!! There is also a mounting stool near his stable so I may just steal that each time, hehe!!
xxx
 
What not to do: approach pony (who is completely bombproof), fling rug over his back, adjust quickly, do up front, fillet string and cross surcingles. Ask pony to walk off and realise you have surcingled him to a (switched off) electric fence...
 
What not to do: approach pony (who is completely bombproof), fling rug over his back, adjust quickly, do up front, fillet string and cross surcingles. Ask pony to walk off and realise you have surcingled him to a (switched off) electric fence...


:D

I thought you were describing my rugging tecnique until that last bit :D :D :D
 
I thought you were describing my rugging tecnique until that last bit

I have to admit I haven't changed my technique, I just stand the pony a bit further away from the fence now... :eek:

We do have two who aren't sure they like rugs, so do the whole fold in half, slide on, adjust backwards, softly softly thing. But the others just get rugs flung at them (and if the wind's in the right direction, the rug often ends up back over my head...)
 
What not to do: approach pony (who is completely bombproof), fling rug over his back, adjust quickly, do up front, fillet string and cross surcingles. Ask pony to walk off and realise you have surcingled him to a (switched off) electric fence...

Sorry but that's hillarious! Sounds like my attempts of unrugging, unclip front , surcingles and leg straps pull from back end and realise that either a) haven't unbuckled front properly or b) haven't unclipped one leg. Pony looks on in dispair, glad I don't have a spooky mare.
 
What not to do: approach pony (who is completely bombproof), fling rug over his back, adjust quickly, do up front, fillet string and cross surcingles. Ask pony to walk off and realise you have surcingled him to a (switched off) electric fence...

Haha ok: mental note, don't do as capalldubh does!!!
I do have to admit I too have forgotten to undo the surcingles and tugged at the rug for a good few seconds before I realised :eek:

xxx
 
I have a real bug bear about people putting on rugs too far back then dragging them forwards!!! Leaving hair facing wrong way! So thats my only tip, make sure you put it on forwards, do buckles up, then slide back until in right position.
You will probably find it easier after a few goes. We have a 17.2hh and growing shire on our yard who I had to rug the other day. First attempt did end up on my head much to others amusement! Didn't realise 4 inches would make such a difference!
You will soon build the right muscles to chuck it up there effortlessly!
 
put your rug on a fence or soemthinf, as if it was on the horses back. Fold the back to the front so youve got half a rug, and then go to you horses left shoulder and slide it up the shoulder and reach for the sky, hoping to get it abit up his neck, then do up the front buckles and pull it down to sit properley, this way all the fur will be laying the right way, and then do up as normal, but, if all fails, get on a box :p

And to take off, fold the back up to the front again and then it will be the right way for putting back on

Disagree with the last bit. To take off, if you're going to fold at all, then fold back from the withers towards the bum and slide off the bum - so you're going in the direction of the hair growth. I never leave mine inside out (i.e the way they are when you fold them to take them off) in between uses as they might get damp/wet/dirty/just chilled on the inside that way. My horses' rugs are filthy on the outside but the inside is the bit that matters.

Actually, wouldn't put them on a fence the way it's described above either as you could pick up splinters etc on the inside of the rug that way.
Just fold them inside-out fillet string end to withers end without putting them on anything, just using your arms.
 
newrider.com