A warning, clips on leg straps

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MyBoyChe

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Got to the field this morning to find my friends little pony cast against the fence. He is over 40 years old so he wears a light rug at night when it is rainy. Not sure whether he slipped, or got pinned against the fence but the spring clip on his leg strap had sprung round the fence line and he was attached to the fence. He had obviously panicked and slipped down and two of his hooves were wedged through the fence and he was completely stuck fast. he was exhausted and for a while I really thought he was too tired to make it up. I sat with him to try and keep him calm and stop him struggling, I rang my friend to tell her to leave her little daughter at home and be quick, meanwhile the neighbouring farmer who was driving round his fields stock checking saw me and came over to see if he could help. I think we must have sat with him for about an hour and had already called the vet to do the deed when he made one last effort to stand and with everyone supporting him, he got to his feet, wandered off to the water trough and then came back for some polos!! He has a lot of cuts and grazes, is very stiff but we left him in a little paddock with the sun on his back looking reasonably OK. Vet was going to call in later today to make sure he hasnt done anything awful to himself and to check his heart. This little chap means the world to his owner so fingers crossed he pulls through. His rug is completely ripped where I had to cut it free from him so if anyone knows of any sales on at the moment for 5'3 rugs without leg straps please let me know and please everyone, be aware of the potential risk of these spring clips.
 
Goodness I hope he is ok, poor old chap.

I once threw a rug over my horse and one of those clips caught itself on the haynet. Pandemonium and a ripped rug followed. But he was fine, unlike your poor boy.
 
aww, glad to hear he's okay, poor thing.

Those spring clips can be a pain, I remember at the yard I used to work at two of the ponies managed to get clipped together in the night - goodness knows how they managed it?! So that was new rugs for both of them because they pulled apart and the rugs were both ripped right down the sides when we went to get them in in the morning!
 
I am always really careful with legstraps and always make sure I clip them so that the bit that opens is towards the horse (if that makes sense?). I used to do them the other way around as I thought they might pinch the horse but a friend told me about the danger of them getting clipped onto something else and now I am extra careful and tell everyone else too!
 
Poor pony. Pleased he seems ok now.

Same warning applies for the trigger clips at the front af Rambo and similar rigs. Always clip them toward the horse so the horse can't clip itself to haynets or fences.
 
teach said:
So glad he is ok! I always cut the leg straps off rugs that come with them, and use one as a fillet strap, and have one as a spare...
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I do the same. Seem too many accidents with leg straps plus it is more time consuming. When I did use them I always used to clip them back up before taking a rug off.
 
Amigo rugs have fillet strings rather than leg straps and you should be able to pick one up for not too much money. Try Throstle Nest Saddlery at Barnsley on the internet, their prices are very good. Hope the little chap is ok, poor boy. x
 
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