Fillet strings Vs. Leg straps!

[Doublethyme]

Another that hates leg straps and I won't buy rugs with them. Never had a problem with just a fillet strap and we on top of hills so often windy.

 

[ycbm]

. Never had a problem with just a fillet strap and we on top of hills so often windy.

My friend always said the same until she got three trashed Amigos two years ago. I thought she was lucky she didn't get trashed horses too. On my hillside I would never take the risk of a rug without leg straps.

Why do you hate them, everybody, I've never had any issue with them?

 

[McFluff]

Glad that I'm not the only one who has not noticed leg straps and had an embarrassing scramble to untangle poor horse!

I only use fillet straps. Never had a rug move or get blown up. And it can be very windy here...

 

[Cowpony]

My mare takes her rug off unless it has leg straps! I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

 

[tankgirl1]

After seeing a pony getting tangled up in leg straps I remove them now and replace with a fillet string. Never had any issues and my mare spent last winter on top of a hill in the Peak District (Super windy!)

 

[Mongoose11]

My friend always said the same until she got three trashed Amigos two years ago. I thought she was lucky she didn't get trashed horses too. On my hillside I would never take the risk of a rug without leg straps.

Why do you hate them, everybody, I've never had any issue with them?

I found one of ours on three legs one day, she had her hind leg caught up in a leg strap and may have been like that for hours. I dread to think what could have happened if she'd have been a stupid mare.

 

[Archangel]

I cut fillet strings off and replace with baler twine, also take the clips off as my mare clips herself to anything *sigh*

 

[ycbm]

I found one of ours on three legs one day, she had her hind leg caught up in a leg strap and may have been like that for hours. I dread to think what could have happened if she'd have been a stupid mare.

Were they too long? I've had that happen once and I fit them shorter and tie them to make sure they can't work themselves longer over time. I've have had no problems on multiple horses for 22 years.

 

[almostthere]

Daughter's pony found standing in field first thing in morning with hind fetlock caught in his leg strap to his turnout. Night before, leg strap had been fitted perfectly. 6 weeks off work, injections into soft tissue and £1500 worth of vet and physio bills later, he came back into work and that is why I automatically change all leg straps to fillet strings now. Lesson learned.

 

[xgemmax]

I much prefer a fillet string, probably being lazy but its much quicker and never had any problems with rugs slipping

 

[Mongoose11]

Were they too long? I've had that happen once and I fit them shorter and tie them to make sure they can't work themselves longer over time. I've have had no problems on multiple horses for 22 years.

They were fairly snug to be honest. The only way she could have done it was kicking up while rolling.

 

[ozpoz]

Always a fillet string, much less risk of injury or rubbing.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I put leg straps on if it gets very windy and its not uncommon to get days of very high winds where I am-my own fields don't have much in the way of shelter either although rented fields do.
I used amigos for years with no issue but wasnt anywhere as exposed as I am now. New horse doesnt fit into amigos so we use weatherbeeta. I couldnt tell you if one without leg straps would blow up/off-I'd rather just not spent my night worrying if they are if they are out. I don't like the thought of them and have heard of injuries with them but not had a problem with them personally. Bit annoyed that my expensive PE rug didnt come with the option last year tbh.

 

[JanetGeorge]

I haven't read the whole thread so not sure if anyone made the point BUT - the only real thing that matters is correct adjustment. I've been on 'top' yards and seen leg straps so loose that rolling in them would mean disaster, and surcingles so loose that a fillet string would have NO chance of keeping them straight (and there'd be a real risk of a leg getting caught too.) And of course there are those I've seen with necks so loose that slipping is inevitable.

 

[emmad96]

I swear its a country thing... Here in NZ I don't know anyone that uses fillet strings! I have a bucas cooler that came with one as the only bum end option, but that only goes on for shows/under another rug.

 

[Crackerz]

I HATE fillet strings with a passion - had far too many rugs blow up and over and we aren't even in a windy location!

I have never had leg straps rub or feet stuck in them.

 

[Hallo2012]

prefer leg straps tbh as there is no chance of the rug blowing up, and they seem to keep the rug straighter.

the only one that has to have a fillet string is the stallion, as leg straps and big balls=bad combo lol!

 

[ycbm]

Always a fillet string, much less risk of injury or rubbing.

I'd rather have a rub on the inside of a thigh (not that I ever have) than a broken leg from tripping on a rug round a horse's neck.

I find this very interesting. Loads of us are saying that we have seen rugs come over the front end when using fillet straps. Those who use fillet straps say they don't. I think what you mean is they haven't ....... yet.

I've had a horse leave a rug on the floor with leg straps and every other strap still done up. Now how did he do that!?!?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Loads of us are saying that we have seen rugs come over the front end when using fillet straps. Those who use fillet straps say they don't. I think what you mean is they haven't ....... yet.

The cut and fit of the rug on the horse is crucial. As JG points out up thread, whichever system you use, the rug and straps must be correctly adjusted.

I only use Rambo turnouts, plus a few Rhinos in the past, and have always had the fillet string and belly straps very snug, with just enough play to prevent rubbing. I see some, (actually, a lot of) horses turned out with belly straps festooned in loops underneath them at almost knee and hock height :eek3:.

I'm a stickler for accident prevention and safety, and often revise my practices after reading threads on HHO. I have no qualms about continuing to use my Rambo turnout rugs with three belly straps, a fillet string and tail loop on my horses.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Yet it's Horseware rugs that i have had issues with and they were adjusted correctly - to the point that I had to sew the surcingles shorter to get the correct fit.

When I was on livery it was not unheard of to find horses with legs caught in their baggy surcingles (there were a couple of liveries who really needed their heads banging together). Luckily no major injuries as other owners rescued them, but you have to adjust things correctly and check the fit daily IMO.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I'd rather have a rub on the inside of a thigh (not that I ever have) than a broken leg from tripping on a rug round a horse's neck.

I find this very interesting. Loads of us are saying that we have seen rugs come over the front end when using fillet straps. Those who use fillet straps say they don't. I think what you mean is they haven't ....... yet.

I've had a horse leave a rug on the floor with leg straps and every other strap still done up. Now how did he do that!?!?

His legs luckily came out of the leg straps rather than being broken / stuck in the process of some accident with the rug probably while rolling. So really what you are saying is you haven't had a problem with leg straps.....yet.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Faracat, my horses don't do the tail right up in the air thing even when they're having a snort fest. I've never seen their tails go much over 45 degrees, so that could be a factor, too.

 

[Hallo2012]

this actually beings me to another point-are rug manufacturers making surcingles longer to accommodate the higher % of obese horses?!

as all the *modern* rugs (manufactured in the last 2/3 years) rugs i have bought, ive had to sew the surcingles up? My horse is 16.1hh and a very solid MW, XW saddle, broad chest,well sprung ribs etc...but compact, takes 6.3 rugs and the surcingles are all need 6/9 inches taking out?! if he was very narrow slight TB type i could understand it but we call him the war horse, slight he is not lol!

the ancient rugs we have (some over 18 years old!) fit way better!

 

[SEL]

I knew an old riding school pony who had been retired and was found with her leg caught in her leg straps. Circulation had been cut off for too long and she was PTS (in her 30s so kindest option). She had been a devil for doing it when she was with the riding school - late for work many a morning when I went to feed mine and found her caught up, patiently waiting for me to strip her rug off her. Luckily she was a wise old girl and never panicked when she was on 3 legs.

Loose straps on rugs = pet hate. People who don't check on rugged horses daily = another pet hate.

 

[RunToEarth]

Leg straps for outside, nothing for inside - I religiously remove all fillet strings because I don't like the poo build up. Both have their pros and cons, suppose it's personal preference. The worst bit about leg straps is trying to undo a mud encrusted clip in sub zero temperatures with numb fingers when you are rushing about.

 

[Merrymoles]

Much prefer fillet strings for speed and ease, especially when rugging or unrugging in poor light. However both my current and last horse both had/have incredibly heavy thick tails so that really helps to keep rugs anchored. When I take a rug off current horse, I often have to handle his tail to get the fillet string out from under so chances of it blowing through are miniscule.

The downside is that it takes me around four times as long to wash his tail than it does most people...

 

[FfionWinnie]

I think faracat has something about the tail thing. Utterly none of my natives or cobs would consider lifting their tail up in the air especially when there is a wind blowing up their back sides. They also have very bushy heavy tails which means the tail flap thinger works very well for them too.

As with most things it's horses for courses. Horses have been finding ways to self harm for many years and all we can do is minimise the risks as far as possible. As soon as you put any rug on, you are making it far likely the horse will have some sort of accident compared to it having no rug at all.

 

[criso]

I think faracat has something about the tail thing. Utterly none of my natives or cobs would consider lifting their tail up in the air especially when there is a wind blowing up their back sides.

Maybe there's something in this, the one whose Rhino blew up and let him wriggle out is a tb with an especially skimpy tail, I always do surcingles up tight and this rug appears to fit especially well.

We don't get much wind here so it's possible that another horse grabbed it and pulled it forward when playing and without a big tail there wasn't much to stop him from doing it.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Yet it's Horseware rugs that i have had issues with and they were adjusted correctly - to the point that I had to sew the surcingles shorter to get the correct fit.

When I was on livery it was not unheard of to find horses with legs caught in their baggy surcingles (there were a couple of liveries who really needed their heads banging together). Luckily no major injuries as other owners rescued them, but you have to adjust things correctly and check the fit daily IMO.

I have an amigo turnout with just a fillet string and it always slips on one of my horses so I don't use it very often shame as it's a nice rug, I do find that the surcingles tend to be too far forward on the amigo rugs compared to other rugs so not much to secure them at the back maybe this is the issue? so I do know what you mean.

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

Fillet String for me - but the proper webbing ones, not the shoelace variety. But this is preference from having to change 20+ rugs twice a day, and having the initial 'woah, don't you dare' moments on a new, unknown livery as you're trying to unclip half frozen trigger clips. Always the second clip to cause the most issues!

Never had a problem so far, even with best Arab stallion impressions in high winds - but the rugs fit properly anyway with the surcingles the correct length.

And I am another than thinks surcingles are getting longer - with the exception of fly rugs that seem to be smaller in comparison!