For those of you who haven't rugged their horses today...

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Sarah1

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...I was just wondering what you all do about riding when your horses are wet & muddy?
I don't usually rug but have popped a sheet on today so I can ride later (otherwise he'd be caked in lovely wet mud & it would be impossible to tack up in that state!).
I do think he may be a tad on the warm side but if not who knows how many days off he'll have this week!?!
 
im the same, never know whether to rug or not, its a real pain. Got horsie in yesterday and he was covered in mud from head to hoof. Took ages to get it all off before i could ride and what a dirty job to do, i was covered !! Horsie has rug on today, pouring with rain 6 am this morning and I thought it was supposed to be in for the day.
 
I tried that but 45 mins later he was still wet thro!!!!!! It's not really possible for me to bring in in enough time to still have plenty of light to ride due to working hours - during the week anyway!
 
I very rarely ride straight off grass - so my horse would always be in for at least an hour prior to exercising anyway, so would be dry.
 
God I'm so shattered from getting her in she'd be in for an hour + before I ride
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so dried off quite a bit by then and can take the mud off her. I do dry her face lovingly with my fleece/jumper when she comes in though much to her annoyance
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I dont wait for them to dry, they get wet when I ride in rain, or once he sweats and when i ride through the various rivers and its never caused him a bit of bother.
 
If he is clean in the saddle area, even if wet i tack up and ride.I really dont want to start rugging in the summer aswell as winter.
 
My horse doesn't like mud too much so am lucky in that respect - in fact there's not alot of mud in the field anyway at the mo.

IF I decided to ride tonight - don't think I shall unless it's stops raining! - I'd bring him in, pick his feet out, tack him up and off we'd go!

He doesn't have a rug on and he's fully clipped out as otherwise he gets too warm competing. So far he has not melted and mostly they don't even bother going in their field shelter!
 
I will also 'waffle' mine till dry. She is very thin skinned. Hopefully will stop raining so I can ride (dont want to get new saddle wet yet
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) otherwise will rug up and turn back out for the night.
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If saddle and bridle areas are muddy I wash off the mud, otherwise I'll ride the horse wet. I'll make sure I'll warm down thoroughly before turning out again.
 
i make sure the saddle/bridle area isn't muddy and simply tack up and ride!

i have had no problems riding a wet horse- if they are absolutely soaked i might towel their back off a bit but otherwise saddle goes straight on.

it is no different to riding a sweaty horse.
 
Not usually (only very rarely since March!) but as my boy is part hippo I thought I'd pop a sheet on him this morning so he's dry/clean (ish) to ride later!
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I never understand people who won't ride a wet horse - do your horses not sweat then?!! It is also much better for them to have some fibre in their stomachs before work, so mine gets a quarter scoop of alfalfa chaff to eat as I am grooming/tacking up.

If tack area clean I tack up and go, if not I hose off, sweat scraper, tack up and go!
 
I know what you're saying but it's something I've never done - I'm not sure why it's any different to them sweating but I just can't bring myself to do it for some reason!!!!!!
 
I'm not one for riding in the rain unless I have to so if it's still raining I wouldn't bother. If the rain has stopped but he's still wet he gets a quick towel off (I find it's the best thing for dealing with wet mud). I make sure the areas where the saddle & bridle go are clean and get on with it, especially if i'm just going in ther school. He's way too much of a hippo to worry about being clean all the time. I'd never get anywhere as I'd be cleaning him up for hours. If I'm going out and might be seen though I make a bit more of an effort.

He's lame at the moment and on field rest so I'm probably the only one who's not too bothered by the rain!

I have a friend who couldn't ride her old horse if he was wet as he would roll no matter where he was - even on the road. She couldn't even ride him if rain was forecast as even a few spots on him would trigger it
 
if there wet and i want to ride and can not be bothered to wait until dry i just dont ride there are others days when i can!
 
I brought one of mine in today and put rug on the other only because one of my fields is totally saturated and the other horse is quite poor and recovering from being mistreated (by previous owners) and just worried about rain scold
 
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