Fillet strings Vs. Leg straps!

[Meowy Catkin]

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.

I'm sure it does make an impact, I do have silly prancy horses!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

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

I have also wondered this.

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.

Yes, my gelding in particular has a very light tail (it's long, but not thick) and he has a very flexible dock that he can curl right over so it almost touches his back.

I agree, we can only do our best to make sensible choices for our specific circumstances to minimise risks.

 

[ycbm]

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.

No I not, I'm saying I had one problem with leg straps and started fitting them shorter and tied off so that they could not extend in use, and that I have seen many, many rugs with fillet strings, my own and on friends horses, blown or pulled up over their bums on windy hillsides and even some on flat paddocks.

 

[AstonishedTrowel]

Hi all!
Thanks for so many great replies and good discussion I'm going to turn him out with just the fillet string and see how it goes. If it's fine, then there's no point in making more work for myself! Otherwise I have an old rug I can strip the leg straps off and attach to the new rug.
I agree with the person who mentioned poorly fitted rugs and loose surcingles - MASSIVE pet peeve of mine! My horse never wrecked a single rug in 6 years when others in the field were trashing theirs, and I think that it has a lot to do with the fact I do my straps up snug!
Whilst I prefer leg straps (again, old horse was TB, not much tail to hold down the rug) I'm happy to give fillet strings a go - they must work if there are so many rugs sold with them on! New horse is a Sec D with a thicker, bushier tail, so hopefully we won't have any problems!
Only thing I don't like is how poopy fillet strings get, someone mentioned a brand had started doing plastic coated fillet strings which sounds ideal to me!
Fingers crossed for a snug and happy horse! xxx

 

[pootler]

I'd seen the loop on the bump flap, assumed it was for hanging the rug up somehow.... Feeling very sheepish now you've clarified its use! I guess you learn a new thing every day with horses 😁

 

[ihatework]

So really what you are saying is you haven't had a problem with leg straps.....yet.

Touche!

I'm most definitely in the fillet string camp.
No leg straps coming anywhere near any of mine thank you!

 

[JanetGeorge]

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.

lol, my Cleveland Bay x (long done) rolled with his legs tucked up to his naval. He managed to break a leg strap. Fillet string didn't help. I tracked him around the farm by the rug shreds left. He jumped two wire fences, went up and down a steep bank and along the creek bed several times, jumped another fence and got to the far field. I picked up more than 50 pieces of rug before I found him (and I didn't bother about the teensy bits.) I found him with the neck strap still done up but no rug getting past his shoulder - and completely unharmed! He was in a muck sweat and was a bit silly the next time I rugged him. After that he had surcingles AND leg straps AND a fillet string.

 

[ycbm]

lol, my Cleveland Bay x (long done) rolled with his legs tucked up to his naval. He managed to break a leg strap. Fillet string didn't help. I tracked him around the farm by the rug shreds left. He jumped two wire fences, went up and down a steep bank and along the creek bed several times, jumped another fence and got to the far field. I picked up more than 50 pieces of rug before I found him (and I didn't bother about the teensy bits.) I found him with the neck strap still done up but no rug getting past his shoulder - and completely unharmed! He was in a muck sweat and was a bit silly the next time I rugged him. After that he had surcingles AND leg straps AND a fillet string.

Did you get the rug mended ?

Still have no idea how mine got out of one with all straps in place and not a mark on him or it ???

 

[Crackerz]

I'd seen the loop on the bump flap, assumed it was for hanging the rug up somehow.... Feeling very sheepish now you've clarified its use! I guess you learn a new thing every day with horses ��

Haha!

None of mine keep their tails in them though, so they are useless ime

 

[JanetGeorge]

Still have no idea how mine got out of one with all straps in place and not a mark on him or it ???

Either he is a skilled contortionist - or you have a friend with access and a WICKED sense of humour. Theoretically, they can get out of one if the sraps are a bit loose - roll, it slides up their body (fillet strings don't help much unless VERY firm), and then drop head and buck.

 

[Cowpony]

Mine took hers off by wiggling the rug up her body, then grabbing the chest part with her teeth and pulling. I had my heart in my mouth when it was over her head because she can panic a bit, but she just repositioned her mouth and pulled again. All very neat!