Anyone seen a horse get out off a turnout rug:-

ameeyal

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With the buckles still done up, my horse came up the field without his rug on, so I went to fetch it and all the buckles were still done up { no leg strapps} how is it done??? My husband is curious so I said I would ask on here.
 
Never seen him do it, but like you, I've found the evidence! I took the hint, and he wears much lighter weight rugs now (and I haven't bought any more red ones ;) ).
 
Yes, she was wearing a Rhino Wug and stood with her bum to the wind. A gust of wind lifted the back of the rug right up and the fillet strap went over her tail. The Next gust of wind resulted in the rug being all scrunched up over her withers/neck and she luckily stepped calmly backwards out of it without panicking. So one naked horse and one rug with all the straps done up - it wasn't the horse's fault at all.

I know that many people use fillet string rugs and never have them come off in wind, but I've seen it more than once on this hillside, so I now only use rugs with leg straps when it's windy.
 
Never seen it happen but there was an elderly arab at our previous yard who managed to get out of a fullneck turnout rug with leg straps, crossed sircingles, the lot. Never discovered how, but rug was fully done up and completely undamaged!!
 
One of mine grabs his rug one side then the other on the shoulder. Bit by bit then wriggles out slowly. I know as my friend sat watching him one day. She couldn't believe how elegant he did it.
 
With the buckles still done up, my horse came up the field without his rug on, so I went to fetch it and all the buckles were still done up { no leg strapps} how is it done??? My husband is curious so I said I would ask on here.

not seen it but many times found rugs done up on the ground
 
Faracat that is interesting about the wind as ive just moved houses to a farm that is on a hill and it is very windy here. But I don't know how they can lift their legs high enough to get the belly strapps free.
 
I've seen it but I dont think it was intentional. Wind blew fillet string up, because horses bum was towards the wind it continued to blow up the back. Horse grazing so neck down, and when its all bunched around the shoulders he humped his back a few times and the whole rug slid down his neck. It hasnt happened again in years though. I keep fillet strings tight now

ETA as the head was near the front hooves and it was a roomey rug, the straps stayed closed, just slid down the legs, horse just stepped out of it at the end
 
ETA as the head was near the front hooves and it was a roomey rug, the straps stayed closed, just slid down the legs, horse just stepped out of it at the end
Ameeyal - it was as MB said above, although the rug in question on my mare wasn't too big and had correctly shortened x-surcingles as I don't like them baggy.
 
Yeah... I thought my new 2 year old was the only one.... Was expecting 'rug carnage' but it was all in one piece but just not on the horse...???
 
Yes, barrel shaped, short legged cob with a tail as thick as a tree trunk lost a cotton sheet complete with crossed over back leg straps.

Found in the field, completely in tact and buckles and clips still done up.
 
Ameeyal - it was as MB said above, although the rug in question on my mare wasn't too big and had correctly shortened x-surcingles as I don't like them baggy.

I wouldn't be one for baggy cross straps either, I hate seeing them. The wasn't huge but also wasn't a snug fit. It happened a few times with different rugs and different horses. But sometimes the fillet string was broken.
 
Never seen it, but I was feeding yesterday morning and found that one of the geldings I look after had somehow wriggled out of his top (stable) rug, yet all the buckles and straps were still fastened and it wasn't torn. No idea how he managed it!
 
Another one with a houdini horse . . . came down to yard one morning recently to find Kal's stable rug (neck cover, surcingles, leg straps all done up) in a heap on his stable floor.

P
 
Me too, my arab got out of a fal pro bulldog with neck, rug unbroken and done up, thought someone had done it as a joke, but no-one ever owned up to it!
Would love to see how its done as it seems impossible..
 
I had a 16.2 TB gelding who did it quite frequently but then stood and shivered so he wasn't too bright. One day my OH put him in field and was walking back to yard when someone coming out to the field said to him 'he's out of it' and he turned round and there he was without the rug. It only took him seconds to do it.
 
Our connie has done this.He managed to remove a full neck rug with the straps done up tightly.Unfortunately knobberpony thought it looked a good idea and tried it too.She ripped her rug along the lower edge and managed to wrap the binding twice around her back leg.The poor old thing was so stiff and achey that she had to have 10 days off work.
 
Yep, my boy managed it a few months ago - leg straps, surcingles, front clips and a hood! Everything was intact, undamaged and he had a smirk written all over his face! It had been fairly windy overnight, so I'm guessing the wind done most of the work and he just finished the job off ;)
 
I have no idea but I think my lad was trying to give it a try hahaha ... I came up to the yard to this the other day! it was when that Storm hit so goodness knows what scared him!
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Mine does it immediately if the rug doesn't have leg straps. He twists his neck around, grabs hold of the front of the rug and pulls it over his head. Once he got out of a rug with leg straps without breaking or undoing any of the straps - that I don't know how he did!
 
I haven't seen one actually doing it - but I have seen the evidence. There was a horse on my old yard who used to do it regularly... Then go and roll in the muddiest patch he could find. His owner was understandably delighted with him as he was grey...
 
Now I'm in a quandary. Would I prefer my 3 year old to do this, or carry on with his current antics?

He's been rugged at night for 3 weeks or so this winter whilst living out 24/7, up until last week no probs. Then:

Weds: Rug in place but top front clip broken off and missing, only the narrow bar actually on the strap still in place. Replace with a spare.
Thurs: As above but bottom front clip broken off and completely missing from strap. Go shopping for another.
Fri: pulled clip off 1 leg strap, also missing. Replace with a spare strap and clip.
Sat: Pulled one of the straps from under his belly, but still in place. Repair using sewing machine.
Sun: He's fine but he's ripped the tail guard off the companion mare's rug. Cut made neater.

What confuses us his how come the material straps are fine and it's the metal stuff he's shearing? Logically it should be the material.
Rug only goes on as dark approaches and have never seen anybody else any where near the paddocks, which all have electric fencing and the one tree is but a sapling still.
 
One of the school horses divested himself of two rugs last week, both fully done up, still inside one another. On the same day (the stormy one) mine was wearing a borrowed rug with a tail fillet and was discovered nekkid galloping round the field. It was a light ish rug so I doubt it was deliberate plus both surcingles were undone! He refused to be caught by the groom. :D
 
Mine is a horse who feels the cold so is well rugged, but if he is then too hot he will take his outdoor rug off. Seen him do it, as others, he grabs his left shoulder and bit by bit works it up his neck until the fillet string is pulled over his tail and he gently wriggles out.
Dratted horse has now found that if he wants to come in he can start his wriggle act and someone will come and bring him in, he is turned out in winter in his arena which is outside our living room window.
Dratted horse has us trained well.......
 
Mine's done it a couple of times, and all her turnouts have leg straps and crossed surcingles.

The most mysterious escape was when she managed to get a fleece off without disturbing her turnout rug...

That's easy not mysterious, I've seen mine do it with underrugs and bibs. All he needs to do is grab the underrug with his teeth rather then the top rug and pull. It then just slides under the top rug and over the head. Mine's as talented as yours!!!!
 
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