leg straps or fillet strap on turnout rugs?

[Kezza]

After lots of advice on here which I am truly thankful for, I have purchased a Shires Cherokee Combo turnout rug for my boy which is superb. It came with removable leg straps and I am wondering whether any of you remove them and instead use one as a fillet strap?

I have an Amigo, Rhino and Rambo and all stay put lovely with just a fillet strap, however, my weatherbeeta takka (old style) has leg straps and always slips ...

I decided to remove the leg straps from the new shires and use one as a fillet strap, I will wait and see if the rug has slipped later on today, fingers crossed it hasn't.

So my question is, does the takka slip because of the leg straps or just the design/shape? Do you find your rugs with leg straps slip more or less than one with a fillet strap??

Just curious as to what you all opt for.

 

[Sal_E]

Leg straps are supposed to be more straightening than filliet strings (because they pull against each other), but you can find that the cheaper rugs do slip, whatever you do to them!

 

[foraday]

I always take he leg straps off! They are not needed if there are the normal cross sircingles on!

My horses are king of the rollers in the field doing at least 30 rolls in the first 20 minutes!! Vital to get that good layer of mud on!

Never had a problem with rugs moving ever!

 

[Kezza]

yeah I know, that's why I'm asking for peoples opinions on putting it to practice as I wonder if mine causes it to slip rather than the other way around. I have tried them looser and tighter but to no avail!

 

[Super_Kat]

Leg straps!
The amount of times I've known horses to turn their bums to strong winds with they've had a fillet strap and the strap has got over their tail and they've had a rug up around their ears!

 

[magicgirl]

Having watched what happened in the field the other day I have decided to use leg straps again. My pony was wearing her rug with just cross surcingles and a fillet string. The wind was blowing and a gust of wind blew the rug up and over her back. I was watching through the kitchen window and in the time it took to get out the rug was on the floor with the surcingles done up. If the leg straps had been on I dont think it would have happened.

 

[Chex]

I replaced all my leg straps with fillet strings for some stupid reason, even cut the leg straps off! Regretting it now though as I can't use any rugs with fillet string in the strong winds. He's had two over his head, and one was a full neck! I would definately keep the leg straps handy, then if its really windy put them on.

 

[Kezza]

you've all got me worried now as it's very windy again today but then he's been wearing his amigo with fillet strap all through this bad weather and not had it over his head?? What make are these rugs which have gone over your horses heads? Do they have fillet "strings" or fillet "straps"?

 

[Chex]

I think its quite rare for the rug to come off, its only happened to Chex twice in 8 years. One was a rambo wug, and one was an unbranded make. I find that with a fillet string the rug can get blown further from their body (but not right off) as the fillet string can be raised quite high until its actually right under their tail, if you know what I mean lol, letting more cold air in.

 

[PoppyPony]

my leg straps broke so i made one into a fillet strap now it's all covered in poo

it's a weatherbeeta not sure what design exactly but it doesn't slip like this it's just the pooey strap i don't like!

 

[Kezza]

oh yes, pooey straps, I suffer that with my horseware rugs, I end up using baby wipes to clean em ... uurrgghhh

 

[WelshRareBit]

Murphy's rug has the strap as a fillet string, if you get me

I find its worked great BUT when there is wind he must get a bit of a gust up there - leg straps seem more secure to me.
x

 

[druid]

I only have Horseware rugs so no leg straps here but Brother's pony has other brands and all are altered to have a fillet strap instead of LS, never ever had one blow over thier head and I live on top of a mountain = muchos windy

 

[Gingernags]

I usually use fillet strings however, with the really windy weather, have changed back to leg straps - Asti has been rugless before with a fillet string rug as the wind has blown it up and over and she's escaped. In this weather with her fully clipped - I'm not risking it!

Oh and have a look if you can at the Fal silver stables rugs - they have a rubber type tubing coating the fillet strings that just wipes off - its like a clear flexible hose.

Am planning to convert my fillet strings as pooey ones are icky!

 

[evsj]

i prefer to just use the fillet string (one of the straps) cos i leave turnout rug on in stable at night. never seen the rug blow up over her bum and most tend to be really well darted to fit round the rear these days.

 

[sojeph]

I always remove legs straps and just use a filet string now. Never had a problem - I have Masta's, Fal's, and a Robinsons special

 

[hussar]

I've always taken removable leg straps off and used one as a fillet strap and never had a rug blow over my horse's head - and they're out 24/7. I think leg straps can rub no matter how carefully you adjust them, and in the event that someone unfamiliar with the rug tries to take it off without spotting that it had leg straps you could end up with a panicking horse and a rug wrapped round its hind legs.

 

[Gingernags]

[ QUOTE ]
you could end up with a panicking horse and a rug wrapped round its hind legs.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am terrible for forgetting as I'm mainly used to fillet strings... luckily Asti is a donkey in the stable and just stands while I untangle them...

 

[Tia]

I can't bear leg straps - I only ever use fillet straps. I have Rambo's and Fal's and they come with fillets however there are a number of boarding horses here who don't have them and their rugs come with fillets and leg straps. I take the leg straps off and only use the fillet strap.

I've never had anything untoward with using fillet straps, never been a problem in high winds if they are fitted correctly. But I have seen many incidents where leg straps have been a cause of injury.

 

[helenandshadow]

I hate leg straps, took them off all my rugs that had them and put a fillet string on. The only time i have had a problem was once when the fillet string came undone at one end and the rug came off but now i just make sure the fillet string is tied on tightly unless it's one with clips.

 

[spaniel]

I also remove leg starps and use fillet strings. If the rug fits well and the string isnt too loose it shouldnt blow the rug over the horses back.

Ive never had a problem with fillets but have seen some very nasty cuts from leg straps that have dug into horses thighs.

 

[Bess]

My horse was turned out last week in a Rhino with neck cover, and fillet string. When I went to get him in he was missing his rug. I found it in a neat pile inside out, all straps still done up apart from the fillet string. The fillet string metal ring had come apart, the rug must have blown up and then it had come right off over his head, then he must have done a lot of wriggling. He was quite excited but luckily hadn't paniced.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I normally use the rug the way it was designed. If it has leg straps then I use them. All my turnout rugs have leg straps & all my stable rugs have fillet strap. I don't have trouble with any of them.

 

[Dovorian]

Ditto - having seen one of mine get caught in a leg strap I've never used one since! BTW the clip broke and he put his hoof through the adjustable bit of the strap. Had he not been an absolute angel and stodd for ages in the field I hate to imagine what could have happened! So no, I never use leg straps!

 

[not_with_it]

I never use leg straps, seen too many horses with cuts between their legs from them. I always use a fillet strap and never had any problems with rugs blowing up or anything.

 

[eekmon]

What is EVEN more annoying are stable rugs with leg straps

Two of the horses I do have them on stable rugs, why!

 

[emmajanerushton]

I hate leg straps after having a pony somehow doubled up her hock and got it wedged bent in a leg strap, prefer a short fillet string, none of mine blow up in the wind

 

[PapaFrita]

I took them off for PF as she kept breaking them, but kept them on for other horses as they didn't

I twice found her naked in the field though, with rug still done up on the floor, so a good blast of wind up the bottom might have that effect if you take yours off.

 

[JaneSteventon]

Always just have fillet string as I have seen horses get legs tangled in leg straps.

 

[lilym]

echo tia on that one, i have always removed leg straps, and have never had a problem with rugs being blown over the horses back, as long as a fillet is fitted properly there should be no probs.