Do you Change rugs and Pick out feet?

No i leave turnout on my retired mare in stable and out. I only remove to groom, but not daily. Rug is a premier equine and fits well. I dont pick feet out daily either. Only shod in front and doesnt leave the farm. Her feet are better now than theyve ever been. I bag her tail up in october and dont remove until april either :)
 
Oh god it makes my teeth itch to think of not changing rugs. My husband is new to horses and owning one and when he said oh but I was told we don't have to change rugs I soon put him straight!!! :D we have 4 horses two are rugged two unrugged, the two rugged get their rugs changed every night when they come in and wet rugs put on rug hangers, dry by morning. My husbands horse is prone to mud fever so picking his feet out daily let's us check that every day. I pick out the exmoors feet every day, just loose in the field, even the baby one knows to stand quietly until done, IMO it's made him easier for the farrier.
 
Ours have separate rugs for turnout and stable. They wear a heavier gram out in the field (no shelter on the winter side of fields, but stables fairly enclosed), and it's a good opportunity to give them the once over too. Especially in terms of weight management which is as important for both the poor doers and the fatty retired one.

With regards to feet, they're picked out when they come in from the field and after being worked. Again, allows you to spot anything suspect (mudfever for example) before it gets out of hand.

Since Fig trod on this:

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I'm a bit paranoid about checking all their feet.
 
ihatework said:
The rugs and feet picking aren't biggies to me. I do generally change rugs, but if they come in sopping wet they stay in their outdoor rugs - the reason being they are good quality rugs (so not wet underneath) and leaving them on the horse dries the rug off better (if you take the rug off they generally get damp/clammy and you end up putting a cold/wet rug on the horse the next morning).
Feet picking - again frequently, but if it gets missed/forgotten every now and again it's not a handling offense.

The hunting/jumping an unfit horse is to me the the significant offense ;)
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I agree with this!
 
Rugs changed every night, unless wet through and then left on to dry. Feet picked out/checked at least every other day, he's only young and has been quite funny with his feet in the past so the more often the better.
 
vanrim said:
I'm glad I'm not the only one whose horses live in their turnouts and don't get their feet picked out every day! Mine aren't dead yet either!
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To be fair, I think a large amount depends on circumstances.

If you had to stable a horse over winter, its a given you check rugs and change them if necessary and check hooves for any misnomers morn and night. That's what I do in any case.

Come the summer, depending on circumstances a lot changes.

A competition horse has different needs to those of the non-comp variety.

A stabled horse has needs different to that of the non-stabled variety.

It's about being adaptable to the needs as a rider and as a horse person.

As an example... ours have had in the past almost 80 acres of roaming in woods, valleys and rocky outcrops. Very lucky I know. It would be dangerous and irresponsible to rug in that kind of turnout, or even leave a headcollar on. Most were unshod. The shod ones were checked regularly when ridden and the rest checked once a day. This particular herd have lived this lovely life concerned they were youngsters and all are in their 30's now.

So, it does depend largely on your keeping and management of your friends.

Stabling requires much care and attention as it is not natural. You are there to be guardians and such attention is mandatory in my eyes in those circumstances.
 
I have 2x 20yr olds who are rugged, my mare has arthritis and my TB is a wuss, who drops weight easily, both are bf, the TB is recently bf, he gets his feet checked daily, both have their rugs off through the day (weather permitting) so they can roll in the mud, my other 2 are much younger, don't need rugs, the 3yr old has rock crunching feet, which are self cleaning, the only one shod (for now) gets his feet picked out every day, as he collects crap in his feet like I collect horses, I have an idea that he creates potholes in our roads by bringing half the road home in his feet, normally wedged in his shoes.
Last year I was lucky enough to get a rider, despite being told my horses have been happy hacks and therefore unfit, she can't resist speed, causing lameness problems, while bemoaning about the horses being lame again, I asked her why she thought they were lame, then explained (again) you wouldn't run a marathon without training, so why expect a horse to do it, yet she still see's open spaces and wants to go, I'm now riding out with her to save wear and tear on my horses, who are loving getting out and about
 
tallyho! said:
To be fair, I think a large amount depends on circumstances.

If you had to stable a horse over winter, its a given you check rugs and change them if necessary and check hooves for any misnomers morn and night. That's what I do in any case.

Come the summer, depending on circumstances a lot changes.

A competition horse has different needs to those of the non-comp variety.

A stabled horse has needs different to that of the non-stabled variety.

It's about being adaptable to the needs as a rider and as a horse person.

As an example... ours have had in the past almost 80 acres of roaming in woods, valleys and rocky outcrops. Very lucky I know. It would be dangerous and irresponsible to rug in that kind of turnout, or even leave a headcollar on. Most were unshod. The shod ones were checked regularly when ridden and the rest checked once a day. This particular herd have lived this lovely life concerned they were youngsters and all are in their 30's now.

So, it does depend largely on your keeping and management of your friends.

Stabling requires much care and attention as it is not natural. You are there to be guardians and such attention is mandatory in my eyes in those circumstances.
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This is very true. Mine lives out 24/7 in a large, hilly field - I change his rugs only depending on temperature (although they come off every day for riding and grooming) and very rarely pick out his feet, but we do a lot of roadwork so its not that necessary. I do however do a good feel for mud fever/cuts/lumps as I'm grooming. However if my lad were stabled, I'd probably do things differently... most of the stabled horses at our yard need much thicker rugs than he does, despite being a clipped out TB!
 
Wow, what a response! I can see there is really no right or wrong answer and for that I am grateful to hear about. I would like to know the horses are being checked even if rugs stay on as they do slip as well. As for feet, its true in the wild they dont get picked out, but these horses are in our care so I will continue to check before I ride.

When I had my horses I spent a lot of time getting them fit for what I wanted to do. Having had a break I can honestly say I found muscles I had forgotten about after riding (especially canter work) so hunting or jumping must have a similar effect on horses surely.

Thank you everyone for your time. I wonder if anyone has changed their minds about what they do?
 
no i dont change them from a turnout to stable - well at least not very often - rio is in a stable rug at the moment as he was cold in his medium so i changed him into a heavy stable but all of the others stay in the same rug / arent rugged at all... they are all checked over daily but i dont pick their feet out unless im riding but as i ride all 3 of them 6 days a week i dont have that issue. they havent died yet even when they havent had their feet picked out... on the rug side of things i dont see the point in taking off a warm rug, which may be wet on the outside but dry on the inside, only to change them into another rug and then put the cold wet one back on in the morning when it would have dried on them it it had been left on... each to their own.
 
OCD here! Hooves picked out before and after turnout and before riding. Stable rugs when in stable and turnout rugs when turned out. I like to air the rugs when they aren't being worn by draping then over straw / hay bales with the inside upwards. It is also far easier to wash stable rugs and mine get washed a couple of times a month. I hate the slimy greasy feeling on the inside of rugs when they have been worn for a while without washing. I usually wash the saddle cloth and head collar at the same time. As I said OCD!
 
Mine are all out 24/7 so obviously no stable rugs but feel very reassured to hear that people don't pick feet out every day. I used to when I was on livery, but nowadays, as I don't ride any of them, they live a life of less intervention. Have been putting field paste on my ponies as they have thrush and it seems to work as a cure and prevention. I do feet at weekends only. Phew - feel like I've confessed a sin!
 
char3479 said:
Mine are all out 24/7 so obviously no stable rugs but feel very reassured to hear that people don't pick feet out every day. I used to when I was on livery, but nowadays, as I don't ride any of them, they live a life of less intervention. Have been putting field paste on my ponies as they have thrush and it seems to work as a cure and prevention. I do feet at weekends only. Phew - feel like I've confessed a sin!
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Personally, I've never had a horse with thrush, and I don't pick out very often at all. I do regularly check for mud fever etc, but have never had a thrush problem. However mine does live out, which I think helps.
 
I wasn't going to reply to this thread until I took off my retired mares rug this evening prior to giving her a brush and putting her stable rug on and found a large sore dripping pus on her side no idea what caused it but if I hadn't changed rugs it may have gone unseen for days
 
I always pick out feet before riding, I have always thought that was a must?! Used to change rugs but he has open access between field and stable 24/7 so I leave it on and readjust most days. It comes off for a bit when it's nice enough to to give him a breather!
 
and re. working an unfit horse like that, just plain stupid. Someone did similar to my poor boy and he had to be off work for a year and will never be up to much now as a result. Stupid thing to do.
 
Mine wear outdoor rugs inside. They get groomed daily.
hooves cleaned once a day and after hacks
fitness, I am very particular. Id not take mine hunting and they do 6 days a week. The hunting of 2x weekly walk exercised horses is a disaster waiting imho
 
My horses are shod and I pick their feet out every day and always before I ride incase any stones or debri lodged and when stabled.

I used to change from outdoor to stable rug but find on livery it is easier to sometimes leave my horses in day rugs overnight although off for a breather and a scratch even if not riding or for a groom.
 
My horses have there feet picked out before and after turnout/riding
Rugs are changed into stable rugs, as are the turnout hoods/stable hoods!
 
Jeepers this thread is still going. Time and money play a big part, people who do horses before work find it saves time changing.

My horse comes in with sodden wet rug, he is dry and toasty under, do i take it off and put a cold rug on?
no I leave it on check him later around 9pm and his rug is dry, he is still warm under. The next morning he goes out keeping the toasty warm air with him.

Versus

A livery who we change hang rug on rug rack put a stable rug on. Am finds rug still soaking, dampness come through to lining but we still have to put cold damp rug back on??????

Most rugs these days are multipurpose I have 1 stable rug only for each of my horses and that is when their Fal Pro Goliaths are on as I don't want them wrecked with poo as they are irreplaceable and cost £ 369, these rugs are used in the coldest icy est, snowy days. They are 450 grms and my boys looks like new never been proofed. The rest of the year 355 they live in the cheaper rugs 24/7, no rubs no dead horse through doing it.
 
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If I could get near my horse I would pick feet and pull rugs about a bit but he's having none of it right now and hes just fine :) on the rare occasion he wants to come in if his rugs are wet on the surface I often find that they dry much more efficiantly kept on then hanging in a cold shed, unless you are lucky enough to have a warm rug dry area.
 
Got into the habit of leaving turnout rug on (or sticking back on after riding), saved time and effort never had an issue as long as I made sure rug was waterproofed every so often and the horses were warm underneath.

Always picked out feet after bringing in or after hacking whether horses were barefoot or shod.
 
Horses live out, one rugged one unrugged (*****land)

I only pick hooves out when riding, and this winter it has been very little. I rode on saturday for first time in about 3 weeks so she hadn't had them picked out since then. They have hardstanding in and around the stables tho, and luckily the field is not very stoney.
 
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