Putting tack on a wet horse?

[Supertrooper]

I'm trying not to rug mr b but want to ride him on wed's, the weather forecast is pretty awful and I'd imagine he's going to be wet. Is is ok to ride him? He had a sheepskin numnah. I can if needed put a rainsheet on him tomorrow night but I'd rather not if I can get away with it xx

 

[Tink_87]

I may very well get shot down in flames for saying this BUT..

I still ride mine if they're wet(as long as they're not soaking anyway) I don't see the difference between starting off with a wet horse and one that's sweated up...

Feel free to try and 'turn me'.

 

[kitkat86]

One trick I've seen from a pretty old school horsewoman was putting a clean hessian potato sack under the numnah. It soaks up the water from the coat and saves your numnahs from getting wet/muddy. Just make sure to pull it up into the gullet so it doesn't press on the spine.

 

[Bert&Maud]

I think sheepskin numnahs are great for putting on wet backs, because they very quickly get warm but also allow the back to breathe. I've ridden my boy several times with a wet back with no problems at all.

 

[WeeBrown]

Tink _87 I totally agree with you. If mine is a bit damp I'd still tack up and not wait. If soaking wait I'd let dry for a bit in the stable. My cob gets drenched after exercise if he is ready for clipping so can't see difference between that and being wet from rain. He's rarely rugged except a fly rug so would hardly ever get ridden otherwise!

 

[spookypony]

I also ride mine when wet (within reason)...I use a good absorbent numnah, and he tends to be dry by the time I finish. He doesn't seem to mind at all, and doesn't behave any differently under saddle. If he had rainscald or really sensitive skin, it might be different, but we've gone through 2 winters now with no problems.

 

[saddlesore]

Another one happy to tack up a wet horse! Poly pads are great if you're horse is wet or I have been known to put a towel under the numnah

 

[killikyle]

I may very well get shot down in flames for saying this BUT..

I still ride mine if they're wet(as long as they're not soaking anyway) I don't see the difference between starting off with a wet horse and one that's sweated up...

Agree with this (apart perhaps from the "soaking" bit). Used to have a complete bog trotter pony who refused to be rugged and did very good impressions of a hippo (the wallowing in mud bit rather than the shape) and I had to hose him off before he could be worked! Just scraped off excess water and made sure hair was lying the right way - never had any problems.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

I certainly wouldn't put an old hessian sack under the numnah to stop it getting dirty! The numnah's job is to do all the getting dirty so that the saddle doesn't! I imagine an old hessian sack under a numnah, under a saddle is asking for galls and sore patches.

 

[teasle]

Who can lay their hands on an old hesian sack these days I always fancied rag rug making , send the sack to me ,dont put it under the numnah!

 

[touchstone]

I use a prolite numnah with Drilex backing - the only dry part of the horse is her back sometimes!

 

[Shysmum]

I would never have dreamed of riding a wet horse, and used to panic I hadn't put a rug on.

Now I have really chilled out - I just towel dry the worst off, use my polypad, and we're good to go. Just involves washing polypad after use.

 

[Faro]

Am quite happy to ride a wet horse - in fact I took 2 of them out in pouring rain on Sunday (and mine live out 24/7/365 and so far this Autumn are not yet rugged). I just ensure that there's no gritty bits, lumps or bumps under anywhere the tack is going to make contact. I just use a normal numnah (sheepskin or otherwise) and wash it afterwards. Wouldn't dream of using a hessian sack - think it would be far too coarse.

For Teasle's benefit - if you want Hessian sacks, then try a local hardware store or garden centre - both seed potatoes and also the peanuts you can buy for feeding wild birds come in hessian sacks - so the hardware shop may possibly have some old ones you could have.

 

[monkeybum13]

If you have a nice thick pad/ sheepskin I don't see the problem if they're wet.
If they were totally soaked I would towel dry first

 

[Theresa_F]

I have no problem riding a wet horse. I often will hose off the mud, scrape off the excess water and tack up. Stinky at the moment is very wet after being ridden where he gets sweaty (being clipped soon).

I do use a saddle cloth to protect my saddle and this soaks up a lot of the water.

What I am very strict about is that there is no mud or any dirt under the tack, but am happy to ride out with the horse covered in mud apart from the tack area as on our tracks in winter they are going to be filthy within minutes so spending a lot of time cleaning up first is pointless. I can then clean up when I get back and check for any cuts etc.