is this possible with a fly rug?

[paddy555]

looking to hear if it has happened to anyone else or even if it is possible,

horse, older fairly quiet and not a rug wrecker.. Rug 6'6 aussie allrounder, one month old, rug and all fittings still in perfect condition. Rug has been worn day and night for over a month. Horse also had Shire de luxe fly mask over ears and over nose

No other horses in field to cause a problem.
Horse came in this morning after a night out minus rug. Fetched rug expecting a total wreck. Not only was there no damage all neck straps (velcro) still fastened, one front strap fastened as were the cross overs. The tail/filet strap was undone. Difficult to see how horse could unfasten it as I find the Horseware plastic tail strap clips very hard to undo.

No marks on horse, no evidence he had panicked and sweated up, not marks on field surface, no damage to fencing, trough etc. Absolutely nothing to suggest anything but a peaceful night. Face mask (and the Shires de luxe is quite bulky) still on.
Rug was on the ground, not folded or anything, and did look as if it had just been left as it fell,

I do rug and unrug him loose in the field without a headcollar so he can be handled relatively easily but he is quite a big horse.

So that is how he is.
I don't see how the rug came off backwards as his whole body would have to have got through the narrow neck channel (although I am prepared to believe anything ATM )
so only other alternative for all fastenings still to be fastened is over the neck and head. Wondering how the narrow neck channel didn't dislodge the face mask at all, I suppose it could have gone over his neck and then his front feet stepped out over the cross overs.

seems to be no reason why it would come off in the first place, an undone fillet strap wouldn't cause this,
no damage at all to the horse, not even the tiniest mark on his fur.

horse is at home, no main road, no footpath, no people going past etc, no townies out for fun.

any ideas?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Any possibility that you might have had a senior moment yesterday and not done the rug up correctly when you put it on?

From someone with experience of such things but with a turnout rug, not a fly rug, oops.

https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/...ight-another-horsey-brain-f-rt-moment.803241/

 

[Birker2020]

Seems incredible but nothing surprises me anymore.

Over the years I have seen:

An over reach boot still done up in the middle of a paddock.
A horse cast against a single tree in a 40 ace field.
A horse being impaled with a broom up his bottom (of his own doing).

 

[paddy555]

Any possibility that you might have had a senior moment yesterday and not done the rug up correctly when you put it on?

From someone with experience of such things but with a turnout rug, not a fly rug, oops.

https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/...ight-another-horsey-brain-f-rt-moment.803241/

thanks
it sounds very arrogant to say so but absolutely no chance at all. That is all that I can be 100% sure about. I wish it was the case He is in by day in this weather and had been put out for a couple of short intervals to break the day up for him. Rug hadn't been changed or adjusted since going in and out for those breaks.
Plus all the fastenings (except the tail fillet and one front velcro) still fastened. One front velcro ( on the plastic round fastener thing) would have kept it on anyway.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

A horse being impaled with a broom up his bottom (of his own doing).

.. how on earth?!

 

[Birker2020]

.. how on earth?!

My Billy. Tied up outside the stable one dark November evening. I was mucking out inside. Heard a crash and dashed out to see him bucking with the broom hanging out of what I initially thought was between his thighs/fillet string of his rug. It wasn't until it had ejected across the yard and I saw it had a gone in a good six or eight inches due to the wet stain on the handle.

Think he'd stood on the base of the broom which had been leaning against the outside of the stable wall (he was tied to a stanchion opposite). He must have had an itch and reversed back standing to scratch on the wall, inadvertently standing on the head of the broom which had flicked up until level with his anus and he'd proceeded to back up. The only thing I can think that could have happened.

So in answer to the OP, yes I can believe some horses are houdini's!

 

[Tracking_up]

but if the fillet/tail string is undone, or even over the tail, a horse can get out of a rug by the rug coming forwards over it's head, and tummy straps still in place - think of a horse doing a downward dog, with rug rucked up around stomach, and horse pulling at the front of the rug..... Mine occasionally did that.....

 

[CanteringCarrot]

A friend's stallion manages to get out of his rugs on occasion. He usually doesn't damage or undo them either.

My horse has a mate that undoes his filet strap, but the rug (Rambo Protector) generally doesn't move or shift all that much. Not quite sure how this would happen on its own, but not impossible perhaps.

 

[Patterdale]

They come off forwards over the head only ever happens with fillet string rugs, I’ve had a few that do it and it’s taken years to fathom out!

 

[paddy555]

but if the fillet/tail string is undone, or even over the tail, a horse can get out of a rug by the rug coming forwards over it's head, and tummy straps still in place - think of a horse doing a downward dog, with rug rucked up around stomach, and horse pulling at the front of the rug..... Mine occasionally did that.....

I would like to believe this and I can see that with a rug wit no neck cover the front of it would be loose enough to do this, I don't see what the pressure would be from the horse for the neck cover to move forward up the neck.

off to re examine the rug for any teeth marks. I hadn't checked for those.

 

[Patterdale]

I would like to believe this and I can see that with a rug wit no neck cover the front of it would be loose enough to do this, I don't see what the pressure would be from the horse for the neck cover to move forward up the neck.

off to re examine the rug for any teeth marks. I hadn't checked for those.

The back bit flips or blows or is rubbed up over the bum, then flaps around, then they rub their neck to get it off and wriggle out backwards.

Took me years but this is how they do it!

 

[TPO]

No idea how but had a TB that would disrobe if the notion took him. Rug would be found fully fastened and intact.

The only thing that stopped him was rugs with leg straps rather rather fillet strings so he must have been removing himself backwards somehow

 

[Squeak]

I would like to believe this and I can see that with a rug wit no neck cover the front of it would be loose enough to do this, I don't see what the pressure would be from the horse for the neck cover to move forward up the neck.

off to re examine the rug for any teeth marks. I hadn't checked for those.

I've seen some videos on FB of a horse doing this and seen some turnouts about to do this in wind so it's definitely possible once they've lost the fillet string for it to come over their head even with a neck on.

Will have a search on facebook and youtube to see if I can find a video to help convince you

 

[PapaverFollis]

If the fillet string is undone and they roll it could bunch the rug forwards then when the head goes down to graze the whole thing could gradually work its way down the neck and off. Strange it didn't take the fly mask with it but I can see how it came off.

 

[tda]

The back bit flips or blows or is rubbed up over the bum, then flaps around, then they rub their neck to get it off and wriggle out backwards.

Took me years but this is how they do it!

I've had a couple do this, rug on floor fully buckled up

 

[GreyDot]

They come off forwards over the head only ever happens with fillet string rugs, I’ve had a few that do it and it’s taken years to fathom out!

^ This. I've seen it happen - was in a panic as I raced to the field thinking a leg was going to get stuck but it was the most ungraceful, yet totally succesful disrobing

 

[Birker2020]

If only we had a camera to film them doing these daft things.

 

[MereChristmas]

I have seen this twice.
First one, fillet string broke, back of rug flipped over towards withers, horse walked downhill, rug slid up towards neck, horse lowered his head and carefully walked backwards out of rug.
Second, horse rolled, fillet string somehow got above tail, horse slid bum first downhill and slid out of rug.
I have no idea how there wasn’t any damage.

edited to add
When I used leg straps rugs only came off if something broke and there was almost always lots of damage to the rugs.

 

[paddy555]

thanks all for the replies. Bit happier now if it is possible for him to get out of it. Didn't mind him getting out of it so much as the thought someone could have interfered with him.
Back out again so we will see if tomorrow morning is rugged or naked.

 

[Landcruiser]

Found one of mine half way to this situation one morning. Rug shrugged over his head, he was standing still, head down, like a parrot with a cover on the cage, totally blind, rug still halfway on, halfway off over his head. Hopefully he hadn't stood there too long...

 

[whirlwind]

I found one of mine in the field yesterday morning having managed to get out of just the neck bit of his amigo Aussie. Everything still done up, no damage and his body still in ?‍ Also still with a mask on!

 

[J&S]

I have found fully done up rugs on the ground before now. It always worrries me that there must have been a moment of panic.

 

[Cowpony]

Yep, I've actually seen mine take her rug off when she had one with a fillet string. Wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it! Mine actually did it quite deliberately by pulling it forward with her teeth.

 

[scats]

Horses are very much of the “challenge accepted” mentality, so I think it’s perfectly possible he’s wiggled out of it.

 

[Peglo]

My old haffie (who is very good with her rugs, not a trasher) managed to wiggle out of her full neck winter turnout. Everything still done up but the fillet string may have come undone if I remember correctly. A Fly rug is much more impressive though ?

 

[Cragrat]

The back bit flips or blows or is rubbed up over the bum, then flaps around, then they rub their neck to get it off and wriggle out backwards.

Took me years but this is how they do it!

Yup, some of mine have done this. Doesn't even take a huge wind - just a gust at the wrong angle. Once it has blown up over the tail, they roll/rub/wriggle until it comes over the head. Impressed that the fly mask stayed on though - Shires might be my next purchase, as the LeMieux ones are forever coming off!

 

[tristar]

had a mare get out of a nz rug, everything fastened, one of life`s little mysteries, till i had a couple get half way out and one with all the rug around his neck! so mystery solved