Drying out rugs - never ending battle!!!

[Charbolts1]

I really struggled to keep my rugs dry during the wet weather. Hanging them up in and around the stables didn't make much difference as they were still cold and damp the next morning, I know that some people leave them on their horses but I didn't want to leave my horse in a wet rug all night, besides that often didn't dry them out fully either when I did try it. In the end I brought the rugs into the house to dry out in the warm. This was NOT popular as the smell was pretty bad - horse got dry rugs though! I am looking at ways to deal with this next winter and am looking at getting a heated rug dryer (DriMee), I wondered what people's thoughts were on using rug dryers?

 

[Oscar]

I would be wary of leaving any electrical device on that's near water, overnight in a barn stable near my horses. I turn all electrical things off, radio, radiator etc, you can't be too careful.

I'd buy spare rugs so they have 24hrs to dry or leave the rugs on, better that than a BBQ'd horse.

 

[Pilib]

I just leave them on the horse. Providing the rugs are not leaking they should be warm and dry under them, mine are always dry by the morning.

 

[Garnet]

I know that some people leave them on their horses but I didn't want to leave my horse in a wet rug all night, besides that often didn't dry them out fully either when I did try it.

If your horse is warm underneath the wet rug, then what is the harm in leaving the rug on the horse overnight? If the rug is doing its job and is dry on the inside and the horse is warm, then it doesn't matter if the rug is wet on the outside. I did this on my old boy and as long as he was snug and warm underneath, he never minded being a rug-drier!
I agree with the above poster who suggests having a spare rug, so that if one rug gets wet through to the inside (which would make the horse cold) then you have a dry spare rug to use instead. A heated rug-drier would be the perfect solution for drying out a soaked through rug, but for the reasons mentioned above, I would have it in a building well away from the stables.
Hopefully today you are having a bit of sunshine which should help?

 

[maxine1985]

I just leave them on the horse. Providing the rugs are not leaking they should be warm and dry under them, mine are always dry by the morning.

Same, any decent rug should be completely dry in the morning when left on the horse, alot cheaper and safer than any rug drier!

 

[WelshD]

I have a shed in my garden with various heat sources as I show chickens which need bathing regularly. Anything that needs to be dried goes in there. Its a simple 6 x 4 shed with a safe power source, very cheap to set up and run. I am another that wouldn't leave anything plugged in near stables

I get what people are saying about wet rugs staying on horses but I also will not leave a wet rug on my ponies if I can possibly avoid it

 

[L&M]

As long as the horse is dry on the inside I never worry about the outside!!!

 

[AmyMay]

As long as the horse is dry on the inside I never worry about the outside!!!

This Exactly.

 

[Suechoccy]

Rugs should not leak. Even if wet on outside, the inside should be dry. Leave them on the horse to dry and air.

 

[SadKen]

I really do understand the disinclination to leave a wet rug on. In my case it comes from years of the old New Zealands, which were incredibly heavy when wet, and frequently did let water in!

I've embraced leaving my girl in her turnout and now rather regret buying the stable rug. It seems a real shame to take her out of her nice warm TO and put on a cold stable rug, so I don't do it any more. It has taken a real effort on my part to let go and do this, but she's perfectly happy and dry and much warmer than she would be if I changed the rug, due to the retained heat.

Perhaps try leaving them in a wet TO now until the end of the spring and see how you get on - if ned is happy enough, perhaps you'll reach the same conclusion I did! If he's shivering or upset in any way, I will be the first to say I was wrong.

If you're really determined to dry them you could do with somewhere undercover but still outside, like a carport - the wind will wick away the moisture and the roof will keep the rain off. I'd be very wary of any heat source near a stable.

 

[Fransurrey]

If you're worried about leaving a wet rug on, is it feasible to get a cooler rug/string vest type rug and put that underneath? I must confess, when mine had to be stabled, I left them on. Even with 24 hours and spares, they didn't dry. The yard was on a hill and soooo damp everywhere!

 

[xgemmax]

I always leave wet rugs on my horse, it's only wet on the outside so they don;t know the difference

 

[yaffsimone1]

As long as they aren't soaked through and they are dry underneath I leave the rugs on. The horses don't care plus they are already warm for turnout in the morning, they don't have to warm up a cold rug

 

[*sprinkles*]

I don't really like leaving wet rugs on the horses either as I feel they are very heavy to be standing in day and night. I solved the problem by having LOTS of rugs!! I have about three heavy weights, four medium weights and three light weights for each of my horses and rotate them so there's always a dry rug and one or two hanging up to dry each day. It's expensive to buy all these to begin with but if you look after your rugs they last for ages. And if you buy them now, winter rugs are always on sale. I just make sure they're all repaired and cleaned and reproofed and stored properly over the summer and then regularly have repairs etc done through the winter months.

 

[stencilface]

Ugh, I could never leave his outdoor rug on inside. He delights in lying in poo, and I like him to spend at least half a day in a rug that isn't entirely stinking!

 

[Abacus]

I find the rain washes the poo off the outdoor rugs nicely... better than having stinking stable rugs that can't be washed often enough!

 

[EmmaC78]

I also leave the turnout rug on overnight. They dry quickly and it seems much nicer than putting a soaking wet and cold rug on the next morning. I don't find they get dirty at all. In fact they stay much cleaner and less smelly than the stable rugs. I have loads of stable rugs and hardly ever use them.

 

[mon]

I have a two bar DriMee very pleased with it, am still awaiting the basket to go with it, customer service could be improved, as dislike wet rugs boots or our coats and got old stone stables and find things take ages to dry without it.

 

[dominobrown]

When you leave a wet rug on the horse, what dries the rug so effectively?
The horses body heat.....?

 

[foraday]

I have a little shed and I bought a dupoint panel heater that is just warm enough and only costs 1p an hour to run. So rugs come home and clean dry ones are left for the morning.

The horses are both arthritic so leaving wet/damp heavy rugs on for days on end as we have had are not an option and certainly I CANNOT wait to get my wet and damp coats off when I get home!!!

It is PERSONAL choice but I have seen a yard that never seemed to check horses left in rugs for what seemed months on end and 5 horses had sores of varying degrees caused by not checking daily and moving the rugs about as they do slip back.

 

[LittleRooketRider]

I get what people are saying about wet rugs staying on horses but I also will not leave a wet rug on my ponies if I can possibly avoid it[/QUOTE]

same here..put it this way when you go indoors you take of your raincoat/coat especially if it is wet and you piut a dressing gown/jumper on
I am also trying to find a solution to drying rugs....I have noticed that newer rugs ten to dry much quicker/better

 

[Meowy Catkin]

When you leave a wet rug on the horse, what dries the rug so effectively?
The horses body heat.....?

Yes.