How to introduce rug to yearling

[Hanw1]

Hi all

any ideas on how to introduce a rug to yearling...
He is a welsh mountain gelding, 3 yrs old and only been handled for 1month so far (he is doing very well with humans - he was a feral rescue hence no handling)

However the one thing I am unsure about is how to go about getting a rug on him .... obviously due to breed and time of year this is not a worry just yet .... however it will be something I need to prepare for come winter as he will be living out most of time ....any tips or ideas please?? Xx

 

[lleventing]

As he has very little handling it would be wise to introduce rugging to him slowly. If possible I would suggest starting by rugging other horses near him so he realises that it's normal and won't hurt him (if you can't do this just have the rug spread out hanging on a fence, lead him up to it and let him have a good sniff, make it a normal thing for it to be there). After a few days of this I would try laying the rug on his back for a few seconds and immediately removing it and praising him. After doing that a few times, if there's no reaction try doing up the rug gradually (praising with treats for good behaviour whilst doing up clips etc.) and leaving it on for a few minutes and then taking it off and praising with plenty of treats and pats. I would repeat that for a few days and then try progressively prolonging the amount of time you leave the rug on each day for a week or so, until you get up to leaving it on in the field for a few hours. Those are just the steps I would take and have taken in the past with young horses! Just remember to be patient and if anything goes wrong, go back a few steps or wait a couple days and try again. Good luck! xx

 

[be positive]

Don't start with a rug, use a small towel or something similar that you can fold up, wipe it over him and gradually leave it on his back, you still holding it, bit by bit unfold it until it is fully open, keep hold if he seems tense but if he is happy do some desensitising with it by moving it about, take each step slowly and after a while he should be pretty oblivious to anything flapping about, moving on and off his back and touching him wherever you want, it will all contribute towards his future if you are planning on working him later.

Do this over the summer and he should then be fine to pop a lightweight rug on and do up x surcingles, don't use legs straps just have a decent filet strap, when you do put it on him properly make sure it is all done up tight enough and turn out somewhere safe that you can catch him easily if it does move, in the past I have lunged with rugs on just to allow them to feel it with less risk of panicking, it is very different when they get moving to being stood in a stable or led in one and the odd few will be over reactive so it is important to read the pony well when you are handling him

 

[Hanw1]

As he has very little handling it would be wise to introduce rugging to him slowly. If possible I would suggest starting by rugging other horses near him so he realises that it's normal and won't hurt him (if you can't do this just have the rug spread out hanging on a fence, lead him up to it and let him have a good sniff, make it a normal thing for it to be there). After a few days of this I would try laying the rug on his back for a few seconds and immediately removing it and praising him. After doing that a few times, if there's no reaction try doing up the rug gradually (praising with treats for good behaviour whilst doing up clips etc.) and leaving it on for a few minutes and then taking it off and praising with plenty of treats and pats. I would repeat that for a few days and then try progressively prolonging the amount of time you leave the rug on each day for a week or so, until you get up to leaving it on in the field for a few hours. Those are just the steps I would take and have taken in the past with young horses! Just remember to be patient and if anything goes wrong, go back a few steps or wait a couple days and try again. Good luck! xx

Hello!

Thank you very much for your advice - much appreciated. Its so helpful reading how other people do things etc!
Thanks again!!

 

[Hanw1]

Don't start with a rug, use a small towel or something similar that you can fold up, wipe it over him and gradually leave it on his back, you still holding it, bit by bit unfold it until it is fully open, keep hold if he seems tense but if he is happy do some desensitising with it by moving it about, take each step slowly and after a while he should be pretty oblivious to anything flapping about, moving on and off his back and touching him wherever you want, it will all contribute towards his future if you are planning on working him later.

Do this over the summer and he should then be fine to pop a lightweight rug on and do up x surcingles, don't use legs straps just have a decent filet strap, when you do put it on him properly make sure it is all done up tight enough and turn out somewhere safe that you can catch him easily if it does move, in the past I have lunged with rugs on just to allow them to feel it with less risk of panicking, it is very different when they get moving to being stood in a stable or led in one and the odd few will be over reactive so it is important to read the pony well when you are handling him

Excellent - thank you very much for you advice. I will start doing this over the next couple of weeks and take my time - Thanks again !

 

[Quigleyandme]

My yearling was scared of turnout rugs and it was awful to see him come in at night shivering and tucked up. I started with a numnah and when that was OK I used a pleated up thermatex and when that was OK I buckled up the thermatex and when that was OK I introduced the turnout initially pleated up so it wasn’t too flappy. He is absolutely fine with the turnout now even when it is windy. If he was scared at any stage I just withdrew and tried again when he was more relaxed.

 

[Hanw1]

My yearling was scared of turnout rugs and it was awful to see him come in at night shivering and tucked up. I started with a numnah and when that was OK I used a pleated up thermatex and when that was OK I buckled up the thermatex and when that was OK I introduced the turnout initially pleated up so it wasn’t too flappy. He is absolutely fine with the turnout now even when it is windy. If he was scared at any stage I just withdrew and tried again when he was more relaxed.

Oh bless him , it's hard to know what to do for the best isn't it! But I will try different things and see how we get on. Thank you for you advice.

 

[Gloi]

Hi all

any ideas on how to introduce a rug to yearling...
He is a welsh mountain gelding, 3 yrs old and only been handled for 1month so far (he is doing very well with humans - he was a feral rescue hence no handling)

However the one thing I am unsure about is how to go about getting a rug on him .... obviously due to breed and time of year this is not a worry just yet .... however it will be something I need to prepare for come winter as he will be living out most of time ....any tips or ideas please?? Xx

As a Welsh Mountain pony I wouldn't be rugging until he is working and gets clipped so rugs can come along at the same time that he is being trained for riding if need be. I've never rugged an unclipped native, especially a young one.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I really wouldn't worry about doing it now his not going to be needing one for a while, then hopefully further along he will be more used to things and you and then accept a rug much easier.

My friend bought a 4 year old Welsh that had never been rugged and he was totally terrified, we used a hand towel to begin with and he used to almost sit on the floor, we then just used bigger things as he got better.

 

[Hanw1]

I really wouldn't worry about doing it now his not going to be needing one for a while, then hopefully further along he will be more used to things and you and then accept a rug much easier.

My friend bought a 4 year old Welsh that had never been rugged and he was totally terrified, we used a hand towel to begin with and he used to almost sit on the floor, we then just used bigger things as he got better.

Fab thank you for you advice