Fillet strings on turnout rugs - injuries. Help please

[sonjafoers]

Last winter my horse had a new turnout rug which fits her reasonably well, and she got caught in the fillet string one day when standing up and skinned part of her back leg. It was quite nasty and warranted the vet, and between us the fillet string was the only conclusion we could come to.

It is a webbing type strap which can be altered in length, so immediately I stitched it at the correct length for her so that it couldn't become lengthened with movement and happen again.

She has just started wearing the rug again overnight & this morning she came in with a large triangle shaped scuff on one back leg, the hair has been taken clean off and the skin looks very sore and red. I have checked the strap and it is still stitched together but it's such an odd injury I think it must have been caused by the string again.

Can anyone give me any tips to ensure this doesn't happen again please. It's nowhere near as bad this time but I do need to do something and I really don't like the straps that cross between the legs. I was wondering about buying the soft fillet strings but they have to be tied on so I know she will be forever losing them, and I'm also not sure whether they would cause less damage if she got stuck again.

Phew, that's long. Sorry

 

[nativetyponies]

cut them off and replace with green garden twine...its durable but very "snappable" (is that a word? LOL)

 

[Ted's mum]

I have never heard of injuries from fillet string only leg straps....strange! sorry no helpful/informative advice! x

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I had a friend who always took of the supplied fillet strings and replaced them with baler twine treaded through some flexable plastic tubing (thinner in diameter than hosepipe and cut to length). I always thought that she did this as it was easier to clean but it would also be safer too.

 

[brucea]

Plastic tubing - a couple of quid from B&Q - I have a length of it and I have it on all fillet strings.

Make sure you cut it right to the clip

Also make sure that you cross the straps under the legs if you are using them.

 

[RuthnMeg]

I have had the same problem.
My answer, that works for me, I tie BOTH ends of the very short fillet string to a shoe lace, which in turn is tied to the rug. It breaks if needed.
I don't know what they do with their rugs!!!

 

[ThoroughbredStar]

Are you crossing two between the back legs?? If so take off and use just one under tail and round rump??? Mine did that once when the straps went through legs, not happened since

 

[Dizzle]

If it doesn’t happen with the string on any other rugs then swap it? If it’s a stable rug I would say get rid of it all together, IMO the fillet string/leg straps are there to stop the rug lifting in the wind, possibly it it has a tail flap then you can get rid of it all together?

I turn all my leg straps into fillet strings, when I was experimenting with feed last year they didn’t effect my horse behaviour, they just made him a pig on the ground (you’d get kicked if you tried to do the leg straps!), pleased to say he has gone back to his saintly self now but the leg straps aren’t coming back! Plus if he ever destroys a rug, it will slide off the back of him and less chance of getting caught round the legs.

Oooh I love the pipe idea! The number of times in the last few weeks I have touched a pooey fillet string isn’t funny!

 

[sonjafoers]

Thanks everyone, it isn't leg straps it's actually a fillet string that just goes under the tail. I hate the cross over leg straps - think she would have even more accidents with those!

The fillet string ( or strap as it actually is on this rug ) isn't too long as I have stitched it as short as it can be, I just don't know how she gets her leg stuck in it when she tries to get up.

The pipe idea is a great one, as is the shoelace/garden string so I will try both at the same time I think. She is the most accident prone horse I have ever met so anything is worth a try!