How long do you leave your rugs on for???

[Nativelover]

Hairy pony is now very hairy, he's now on winter turnout which means going out only 2 x a week.
He's ridden most days, but despite regular brushing he's still filthy and gets warm and sweaty if ridden anything more than walk and anything more than a short hack.
Problem is that I live too far from the yard to feasibly visit twice a day, he could do with clipping but the YO refuses to change rugs.
I hate this, he should be in a lighter or no rug during the day and rugged or heavier rugged overnight, on turnout days he ends up staying in the same rug from the night before until the night of the second turnout day.
How often do you all change your rugs????

 

[Shay]

At least daily I'm afraid. All my boys are in at night so we change night to day.

But with modern rugs once a day can be adequate. If you are riding most days then it should be possible to clip and still have him sufficiently rugged? Modern turnouts with stay dry liners should be good enough. As he is struggling to work this does rather become a welfare issue. If you can't clip out fully what about at least a belly and bib clip so he has a patch to sweat through?

In the longer term it might be worth changing yards. Rugs should be checked at least once a day even on field kept horses as they can snag, slip or get caught up. I would worry about them not being seen for what sounds like 48 hours or more on their turnout days. Or have I read that wrong?

 

[impresario08]

apologies if this is a silly question but can you move yards?

 

[Nativelover]

No you've read that right! I am on the hunt for another yard, but that is a whole other thread. The rug thing is just one small part of why I desperately need to leave, the YO will just refuse to change/check a rug. I've come back up after 3 days full livery to find a ripped rug as she let the gate shut on him, and straps hanging down by his legs, caked in mud so she couldn't even be bothered to clip it back up. Also in the same rug as I left him in!!!!

 

[Shay]

Good grief OP - you do need to change yards as soon as you can! Until then - sorry. I withdraw my previous comment. You may well be best leaving him hairy and not riding so he has reasonable protection.

I hope YO has decent insurance. If a horse left like that was injured they would be liable.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

pay someone to change his rug at night, bib clip and put a light rug on him, he should be ok. I mean if you are on assisted livery the YO is presumably skipping out and haying, just give her more money.

 

[Nativelover]

She won't, I've offered the money but she just refuses. I've pleaded the case of welfare but she just outright refuses and says every other horse is fine in the same rug so why shouldn't mine!!
As for skipping out!! She won't even do that!! I could throw money at her but she won't do it.
She literally chucks a net and a bucket in and walks away!

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

She won't, I've offered the money but she just refuses. I've pleaded the case of welfare but she just outright refuses and says every other horse is fine in the same rug so why shouldn't mine!!
As for skipping out!! She won't even do that!! I could throw money at her but she won't do it.
She literally chucks a net and a bucket in and walks away!

move: the horse needs to be checked twice a day, and have a clean bed. In the end, you are responsible for the welfare of your horse.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hairy pony is now very hairy, he's now on winter turnout which means going out only 2 x a week.
He's ridden most days, but despite regular brushing he's still filthy and gets warm and sweaty if ridden anything more than walk and anything more than a short hack.
Problem is that I live too far from the yard to feasibly visit twice a day, he could do with clipping but the YO refuses to change rugs.
I hate this, he should be in a lighter or no rug during the day and rugged or heavier rugged overnight, on turnout days he ends up staying in the same rug from the night before until the night of the second turnout day.
How often do you all change your rugs????

No as often as some - mine live in their turnouts and if they are not working that day I don't remove them. They are Fall rugs and fit them well so I never have a problem with rubbing. I do fold their necks back if not raining or pull up if it is.


I think the YO is not acting out the best interest of the liveries and should charge extra for any rug changes. £ 1 - £1.50 a time if you are diy but if your part then this should be done x1 within the service ie stable to field and field back to stable.


I rarely groom mine so their rugs only come off if working or removing on warm day or changing up or down in weight.

After reading the above comments I think this YO ought to be a livery as she has no right being a YO with attitude like this. So what if the other horses are ok in the same rugs YOU are not them and are one of her livery owners and have a right to change your rug if you want.
This yard should have it clearly written that she wont change rugs

I think all yards should have optional extras for their livery owners. My yard is part livery with 3 diy, they come in every day and if any of the diy ask me to cover them, despite me working solo with no staff and having 3 of my own and having 5 part liveries to look after and cats protection cats to care for and the yard in general I will always help my diy horse owners out always.

I would get out of there ASAP even to another as a temp until you find the right one.

 

[huskydamage]

Mine lives out and has a cross between a chaser\blanket clip. It is mild here so she has only a thin rainsheet on day and night. I ride every other day where she gets good groom and rainsheet back on and out after riding. I thought she might be cold at night recently and added an extra liner she sweated in it so back to rainsheet lol Personally I would not leave a rug on for more than 3 days without getting it off for a good groom. The coat gets gross otherwise.
I would def move if my horse was in and not being skipped out though- can't stand the thought of standing in your own **** all day!

 

[Nativelover]

Thankyou everyone, I feel like I'm in a surreal world and that I've got unreasonable expectations!!!
If I'm truly honest with myself, I'm worried about how many times I've moved yards. I've owned my boy for 6 years, we've moved yards 3 times in that time. Each one promised the help and turnout we needed and each one has let us down. I don't want to get a reputation but at the same time I totally agree that welfare must be my main concern. It astounds me the number of yards around me who have no turnout for up to 9 months of the year!!!! (Yes I was on that yard and swiftly moved!!) and these yards are often full!! I've come from an upbringing of leaving horses out as much as possible so keeping in over winter is cruel IMO. Therefore I'm left with a dilemma of where do I move to!? I did create another thread on this but I'm still no closer to moving.
I feel like I want him as close as possible to me, but the yards that say they offer what I need are a good 30-40 min drive away. This, combined with my shift pattern would mean I would only see him for a max of 4 times a week, much less when I'm on nights.
Why on earth did I move here!!??

 

[webble]

Mine is in the same rug 24/7. Currently a lightweight anorak and is fully clipped. He is out in the day in at night and checked twice a day but rug isn't changed

 

[Kezzabell2]

sounds like a hell hole and not at all like you had your horse on full livery!

I'd be moving ASAP, I hope you manage to find somewhere!

My horses have their rugs removed if its not raining but they can keep them on for a few days if it is raining! so all depends on the wheather! your yard makes me feel really lucky! my horse is on DIY but is turned out with a horse that is on full livery, so the YM has offered to put his rug on at night for me as she is down by the field and it saves me walking down there in the pitch black, as it is a long walk! she doesn't charge me for it either!

 

[honetpot]

I would give him a modified chaser clip/blanket clip, I call it a bib clip. Where you take off the lower half of the head to the bridle line, and then taper down the neck to the top of the legs and take off the chest. I use for hunting ponies off grass turnout.
On a hairy pony this leaves them with top protection, they have all the hair on their back, loins and bum. If it stays mild leave unrugged, if they are still a bit warm you shave a bit more off the neck, or take the whole neck off and rug. When the work increases I change it to a chaser clip, a low one.
I never change rugs, haven't since they have brought in breathable, I may change the weights, I have six boxes of the different ones, but once sorted and it a good fit they the ones that are rugged have them on 24hours a day and are checked daily.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Thankyou everyone, I feel like I'm in a surreal world and that I've got unreasonable expectations!!!
If I'm truly honest with myself, I'm worried about how many times I've moved yards. I've owned my boy for 6 years, we've moved yards 3 times in that time. Each one promised the help and turnout we needed and each one has let us down. I don't want to get a reputation but at the same time I totally agree that welfare must be my main concern. It astounds me the number of yards around me who have no turnout for up to 9 months of the year!!!! (Yes I was on that yard and swiftly moved!!) and these yards are often full!! I've come from an upbringing of leaving horses out as much as possible so keeping in over winter is cruel IMO. Therefore I'm left with a dilemma of where do I move to!? I did create another thread on this but I'm still no closer to moving.
I feel like I want him as close as possible to me, but the yards that say they offer what I need are a good 30-40 min drive away. This, combined with my shift pattern would mean I would only see him for a max of 4 times a week, much less when I'm on nights.
Why on earth did I move here!!??

Don't worry about how many times you have move yards. I moved once a year with my mare that is because I moved jobs where I worked as an instructors. A horse will always settle in - in time, when you view the yards make sure they show you what is included in your rent and what the optional extras are, you should have to sign this document saying you agree to these terms, and you have it in writing then if they do not continue to keep these terms. If the yard does not have this then I would not go there, the terms and conditions must be laid out and signed.

 

[Goldenstar]

Mine are still out and they wear the same weight rug all day and night .
They are all in lw rugs with between 70g and 150g liners they are two ID's a Tb a near TB and a kwpn and living in an exposed spot in Northumberland .
The are all fully clipped except one.
Your horse does not need a heavier rug at night if he is clipped .
But look for another yard.

 

[Fiona]

I don't see the rug not being changed as a major issue, our mares have good makes of rugs with nylon linings, and sometimes if they haven't been ridden that day the rug will stay on for 48 hours.. However is the YO actually checking that the rug is still central on horses back and that straps are safely done up. That would be more important in my view.

However I've gone back and re-read your other threads about this yard, and I think you should MOVE. A horse staying in its stable for 24 hours with no turnout (some days) and not being skipped out Thats not on, and if you can't find a DIY yard close enough you can go twice daily, then you need a part livery yard where the YO actually cares for the welfare of her horses.

Have you made enquiries from the yards mentioned in your other thread???

Fiona

 

[AmyMay]

Mm, I'm afraid I'd be going up twice a day.

 

[huskydamage]

Thankyou everyone, I feel like I'm in a surreal world and that I've got unreasonable expectations!!!
If I'm truly honest with myself, I'm worried about how many times I've moved yards. I've owned my boy for 6 years, we've moved yards 3 times in that time. Each one promised the help and turnout we needed and each one has let us down. I don't want to get a reputation but at the same time I totally agree that welfare must be my main concern. It astounds me the number of yards around me who have no turnout for up to 9 months of the year!!!! (Yes I was on that yard and swiftly moved!!) and these yards are often full!! I've come from an upbringing of leaving horses out as much as possible so keeping in over winter is cruel IMO. Therefore I'm left with a dilemma of where do I move to!? I did create another thread on this but I'm still no closer to moving.
I feel like I want him as close as possible to me, but the yards that say they offer what I need are a good 30-40 min drive away. This, combined with my shift pattern would mean I would only see him for a max of 4 times a week, much less when I'm on nights.
Why on earth did I move here!!??

I moved 6 times (maybe more lol I can't remember) I am moving again now. Took me a long time to find somewhere suitable but places are out there. Maybe think outside the box and approach a farm or somewhere where the horse can live out, you can go once a day. In an ideal world you could go twice but for some people that's not practical (for example I work shifts- just not possible for me)

 

[Micropony]

Haven't read your other threads, but had you considered a freelance groom to do the tasks you can't and your YO won't? Might make things more bearable while you look for a yard you're happier with?

 

[xgemmax]

Mine is fully clipped and out 24/7 at the moment and has a medium weight on night and day, he's fine I only go up once a day until they start coming in at night

 

[Pinkvboots]

The thing it sounds like the yard is true diy so if the yo is not interested in doing people's horses you really need to go up to do your horse morning and evening, or ask about another horse owner might be willing to help with your horse in return for doing there horse, this is what I have done in the past and it works well, but if you can't go up twice a day you need to move yards to so somewhere that does assisted or part livery.

 

[EQUIDAE]

You definitely need to move - you can't have a horse on DIY and expect assisted livery services. If you are willing to pay then find a nice assisted livery yard

 

[Nativelover]

To clarify I am on an assisted DIY agreement, when I moved on I asked to only go up once a day due to the distance. This was all well and good until I've asked for skipping out again this winter. This along with a whole host of things that I'm unhappy with or has been agreed and I'm not getting, generally its poor customer service, like there's no concern for the horses.

The other yards have proved unfruitful, one cannot accommodate any livery services the other doesn't have a stable at present. I literally cannot find ANY yard within a reasonable distance that has genuine turnout and livery services. This is why I moved to this yard in the first place as it has the most turnout I can find.
although there are 5 of us on assisted DIY not one goes up in the morning, so there is no one to ask.
Honestly, had I known all of this when I viewed there is no way I'd have moved on.

 

[Goldenstar]

Could you pay a freelance to go in and do what you need ?
Then when a stable comes free in the yard with services you can move but you're covered up to then .

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

how about getting a sharer in to help you out

 

[wench]

Can you get him clipped in the meantime to help with the sweating

 

[AmyMay]

How far away is the yard?

 

[Fiona]

how about getting a sharer in to help you out

I think OP had a sharer but the YO had a go at her so she didn't want to share any more.

Hope I've got that right OP..

Fiona

 

[eggs]

It certainly sounds as though the yard is not working out for you. Do you have a contract which states what assistance will be given. Nowadays there is such a huge variation in how different YOs interpret different livery packages that it is a bit of a minefield.

Whilst you are looking for a new yard you will have to make the best of what you have got. Like a lot of other posters, I do not change my horses rugs twice a day or even daily as long as the weather is consistent. My fully clipped horses are in light weight turnouts day and night - although I did take them off during the day over the weekend as it was so sunny - and my unclipped horses are currently unrugged as is the hot monster that has a blanket clip.

I would do a chaser clip or something similar for your horse and whilst it is so mild you will probably find that he is unrugged. If you do want to rug him then I would suggest a lightweight that can stay on day and night. Good quality rugs are breathable and provided they fit well and you do check the horse underneath regularly should not cause a problem.