Need some advice and worldly experience!

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pottamus

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I am away doing the pre Christmas visit the weekend before Christmas day. I will be leaving Sat am and back Sun evening. A friend has kindly offered to do my horse for me (not on a yard), but I want to make her life easy as she has a family and her own horse to do!
My horse comes in at night usually from 6pm and is let out by me at 6am as I like him to have as much turnout as possible.
If my friend does him he will be brought in at 3pm and turned out at 9am so he will be in for a lot longer than normal. She has also suggested that he could stay in that night with his turnout rug on, which I have no issue with to make her life easier!
So my question is, should I just leave him out that night, as he has free access to his stable anyway (it is in his field with the door open). Also, if the weather is bad and his rug is soaked...will he get cold if left in it overnight? (I have heard they dry quicker on the horse!)?
And would he get his legs caught in the leg straps if he lies down in it?
Any help appreciated to help me decide what to do for the best....
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Leaving the rug on the horse in the stable is really common. Horses lie down in the field don't they
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so I wouldn't worry about him getting his leg's caught. The rug will dry quicker on the horses back, but I wouldn't worry about him getting cold
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my horse had his turnout on the other night as i brought the wrong rug to the farm and as he is half and hr away i wasnt going home to get his other one bad mum i know anyway he was fine in his for that night and was actually warmer and nice and snug in it.

im sure your horse will be fine either decision. It will make no diff him being in longer but being out all night he is likely to go in his stable if he gets cold or wet anyway. Will he be left out on his own i would not advide this.
 
Dogbetty141, yes he will be out on his own...but he lives on his own anyway...so does not feature as a problem.
I suppose my main concern was if his rug got so wet it penetrated through onto him and made him wet...but will have to judge the weather before I go away I guess. Have just brought him in tonight after being out in the wind and rain all day and he was warm and dry under his rug...so probably worrying over nothing as usual!!!
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I would leave him out - most horses would be fine out 24/7 - its just us owners who like the thought of them tucked up snug in a stable. If he gets cold he will come in. I would much prefer mine to get a bit cold than be stressed about being kept in for an extra 6 hours. Mine get upset if I am 1\2 hour late with breckie.
 
Provided he is well rugged he shouldn't come to any harm, ensure your leg straps appear horizontal when viewed from behind and his X surcingles are tight enough (you should be able to slide a hand in but no more) That way the rug is unlikely to slip. It's normal nowadas to use the same rug overnight unless soaked through.
If however it is chucking itdown it would be a bit mean to leave him out if the rug won't withstand the rain.
I would leave his door open, leave extra hay and with any luck he will just put himself in...
 
Think I would just ask my friend to check him and then leave his door open. I'd put his hay in as normal then he'd have the option of going to bed at his normal time and won't be stressed as being left in till later.
 
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