How do you dry your turnout rugs?

Birker2020

Birker2020

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I alternate between Lari's rainsheet as he only has two left that he's not destroyed 🙄 so if one gets wet overnight I put the other one on.

I tend to drape them over other rugs but open them up to let the air get to them or leave them outside over the wall in the sun when there's chance, but have at times forgotten to bring it back in and with dismay woken in the night to the sound of heavy rain 🌧

I can't get a rug drier because it's not my yard so can't help myself to electricity randomly. I used to drape over my air vents in my car but I'm not prepared to do that with my new car!

Any tips on how do you dry yours in unpredictable weather?.
 
AShetlandBitMeOnce said:
As long as the horse is dry under it then leave it on them, it will be dry by morning
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Yes but what about when they are out overnight as in the summer, and it rains heavily and they are stabled during the day.

It then gets too warm during the day to leave it on in the stable.
 
When I was on a livery yard I used to sling mine (outside facing out) over the half height partition wall. Before doing that I'd undo all the straps so horse and his neighbour couldn't get their legs caught. They were both sensible though and didn't really mess with them. One of the other liveries set up a very high rope across one end wall of her stable and used to hang hers on there. It gave me the heebie jeebies a bit, having a rope in the stable like that, but it was very high and very taut, and her horse never tried to reach it. I've seen it done like that on quite a lot of riding schools too.

Now I'm on a rented property I hang it over the slip rails dividing the barn. Sometimes the baby will pull the wet one down and stomp on it but he's only little so he thankfully doesn't do any damage!
 
I have a set of hooks high up, under the stable overhang, not near a stable door. The breeze dries them overnight as they are hanging free, not leaning on anything.
 
Baler twine between beams in the stables against the wall and air them on there

ETA wait are we talking about wet outside only or inside & out?
 
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ihatework said:
I have rugs that are good enough not to get wet inside. They stay on the horse for an hour or so and have usually dried by then.
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TBF, my waterproof ones don't get wet inside and I do that, leave them on for a few hours, then hang them to air. However, it is currently the fly rugs that are sodden, but it is too warm for waterproof ones!
 
Red-1 said:
it is currently the fly rugs that are sodden, but it is too warm for waterproof ones!
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I'm a horrible meanie and I just leave wet fly rugs on until they're not wet any more. Mine don't have sweet itch etc though so none of my fly rugs are particularly heavy - I guess the proper midge rugs would take longer to dry.
 
I'll leave on or hung over things round the farm. I suppose I'm lucky to be able to do that. There is a machinery shed which is a useful undercover area.
I do have a proper rug dryer but it costs a fortune to run so tend to use it as a good shaped hanger but not turn it on very often!
 
My guys are currently in by day and out by night - I do the following :

If they caught in a downpour with their rugs on, I leave them wearing them in the stable if it's not going to get particularly warm during the day.

However, if it's going to warm up good and proper, I take the rugs off them and hang up high in my shared storage area - I'm lucky that I have a large 5 shelf racking system where I can hang the rugs from the top and let them dry, without getting in people's way.

My younger lad runs slightly on the warmer side, but he's never been uncomfortable wearing his rug in the stable on the odd warm day where I've forgotten to remove it 🤣

My friend's horse however does run on the hot side by quite a bit, so she dare not leave any rug on him for fear he'll overheat, so she uses one of those handy hanger things, neatly tidies all the straps etc so there is no risk of her horse getting caught, and hangs the rug on the hanger outside her stable.
 
My usual is to leave on the horse to dry ;) but I can also either hang from a long rope/washing line I have outside the front of my stable (under cover) or pop it on my hay (inside facing up).
 
Red-1 said:
I have a set of hooks high up, under the stable overhang, not near a stable door. The breeze dries them overnight as they are hanging free, not leaning on anything.
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This is your best bet, hang vertically under cover, in a breeze. Or hang similar, with an electric oil fin heater nearby (cats love this arrangement, but watch the meter going round)
I occasionally bring one in the kitchen over a couple of chairs, but creates a lot of aggro....
If they’re wet inside, relegate to breathable stable rug status, and buy new waterproof turnouts.
The midge rugs, like Boetts, can dry out whilst still on the horse. Look a bit saggy, but fine.
 
Generally mine don't get wet through as decent makes & re-waterproofed each year.

But if they do, I either leave it on if just a bit damp or put over straw/hay bales to dry.
 
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ihatework said:
I have rugs that are good enough not to get wet inside. They stay on the horse for an hour or so and have usually dried by then.
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This! I have naked natives 99% of the year now but back in the day wet rugs stayed on until they dried.

If it’s warm and only a rain sheet they’ll dry quickly while you’re doing your jobs. If it’s a heavy rug in winter leave it on, I’ve not used stable rugs in decades.
 
Widgeon said:
I'm a horrible meanie and I just leave wet fly rugs on until they're not wet any more. Mine don't have sweet itch etc though so none of my fly rugs are particularly heavy - I guess the proper midge rugs would take longer to dry.
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Lari won't wear fly rugs, have no idea why!
I do love this photo as it makes me smile, anyone that knows Lari, knows what a character he is! This was the next morning after I'd put his new fly rug on. He'd worn it for about 13 hours and it cost £45.

Although I was annoyed with him at the time, the petulant look on his face says it all! I TOLD YOU I WASN'T GOING TO WEAR IT!!! 🤣🤣
 

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