Rugging a damp/wet horse.

The Trooper

The Trooper

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Hi all,

I hope you all had a good Christmas. This is a topic that has been on my mind for quite a while, I know there are (as always) going to be a number of different opinions but I'd like to discuss the above topic Rugging a damp/wet horse.

I have always been told not to do it as it will make the horse cold. Upon reflection I have thought about the following..

Wet suits, they are designed to let a layer of moisture/water in, the body then heats this moisture up and it provides insulation, would rugging a wet/damp (sweat or rain) not achieve the same? The sweat/rain water will be heated up by the horses body temperature and then help keep the horse warm?

I am not talking about a no fill sheet being thrown on, I am talking something with fill 100gsm+?

What are your thoughts on rugging under the aforementioned circumstances?
 
We use the old method of thatching, with straw under the rug.
Failing that, a thermatex rug under as it wicks the damp away.
I wouldn’t put a rug on, without either of the above, as imho the damp just goes into the lining, and may make a horse cold.
 
milliepops said:
So long as the rug is breathable the horse will heat up the dampness and it will escape, and the horse will get dry.
I never worry about putting a rug on a wet horse.
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This, rugs are mainly breathable now so the damp will escape and by being rugged the horse warms up, if it is cold, dries faster and the rug will not remain wet on the inside for long, if the horse is soaked I will go back to check and possibly change the rug but have rarely found an issue, slightly different if it is wet with sweat rather than rain in which case I would always use a cooler for a while and keep it in until almost dry.
 
There was an occasion when I got soaked through to my skin after a ride and my very kind instructor offered me her leather full chaps to keep me warm. I felt they would stop me drying out so declined. An hour later, frozen, I relented and put them on. Oh my, I was so much warmer! It's only so long after getting sweaty that, in colder weather, we need to put another layer on. Putting on a rug can't make a horse colder, not to begin with. However if it's not wicking and just soaking up the wet, at some point the horse will get cold. Outdoor rugs tend to be pretty wicking, and definitely things like Thermatexes.
 
I've done it with a sheet, 100g, and 200g rug. My horse has a high trace clip but still sweats sometimes, mostly where he still has his winter fur. I put a wool cooler on him for 30 minutes or so and he is mostly dry with a few damp spots. I usually brush him a bit and then put on his rug. Never had an issue and he doesn't seem to be bothered.

If he was soaked, I wouldn't do it. But some dampness, yes.
 
I think it depends on lots of factors.

The old advice not to rug a wet horse, assumes a non breathable rug. If it is cold enough that horse needs rug, then a wicking rug will keep horse warmer NOT colder.

IMO managing a wet horse depends on a number of factors.

How wet the horse is / how hairy the horse is / how fat the horse is / how warm the horse is / how cold the temperature is / what facilities and options you have.

I have never been comfortable turning out a thoroughly wet horse out in turnout rugs, no matter if rugs are breatheable or not.

I have rugged wet horses in the field, when there is no sensible alternative, by rubbing the areas the rugs go with old towels, and putting breathable rugs, with wicking liners on.

If stabled, I would normally rub wet areas with old towels, put a couple of wicking rugs on for a few hours, and swap now wet wicking rugs for others a bit later. Or turnout at this point.

TBH if riding, I normally find only a relative small area of horse (that is to be rugged gets wet), especially if I am using exercise sheet. That can normally be dried with towels and rugged by the time put all tack away, and horse is ready to go out.

I sometimes hang towels over the wet parts under wicking rugs.

It is kind of about common sense re how wet / cold horse is, temperature, situation, and options.

I’d highly recommend having a large stock of old towels available.
 
Have you ever seen the moisture that rises to the surface of a wicking rug on a chilly day if the horse is a bit sweaty after work? Almost all modern rugs are breathable, they will keep a horse warm while the wet is drawn to the surface by the horse's body heat.
 
IMHO it depends how wet/damp they are.

If in the field shivering and soaking wet, visibly cold. I would thatch to help dry out and warm up quicker.

If damp from a hack in the armpits, between legs. I would rug to turn out. (if rugging at that time).

If wet from a unexpected shower or after hard work I'd use a wick away for an hour or so underneath a rug.

I was taught as a child not to rug a wet horse as it would rub/get could and this has stuck as rule of thumb.

Where this rule falls down is when a pony has been bathed and prepared for a show. Then it would be rugged and bandaged to within an inch of its life.
 
I have bucas stable rugs/liners with the stay-dry lining so never really worry about rugging when damp, if they're super wet i.e. after a bath I'll chuck the rambo dry rug on for 10 mins first.
 
I also have no problem rugging a damp horse but I'd try to dry a really wet horse off first, I also use old towels. In Winter after exercise I prefer to turn out asap as I think they are better kept moving than standing in a stable so again I wack a turnout on Rose and off she goes into the field having given any sweaty bits a wipe. She gets any sweat marks dealt with when she comes in
 
I've used 40 to 50g neck hoods on the smallest Fuzzy if shes got really sodden.
I plonk on her back, put a surcingle round and an hour or so later shes drying well.
A full sized neck hood fits her well from in front of withers to top of tail and comes down sides nicely.
Works v well in wicking :)
Once this has done its job to start the warming and drying process, I then switch in a proper rug to finish off.
 
Are you rugging a hot damp horse or a horse that has been out in the rain. There are two different things. There was a girl who rode her horse and he was damp hot and she rugged it and it got hotter and she had left. The horse was getting more and more uncomfortable, so we told her and turned the horse out without a rug to try and cool it down.

It rolled and cooled down after a couple of hours without the rug.

So it really does depend.
 
oldie48 said:
I also have no problem rugging a damp horse but I'd try to dry a really wet horse off first, I also use old towels. In Winter after exercise I prefer to turn out asap as I think they are better kept moving than standing in a stable so again I wack a turnout on Rose and off she goes into the field having given any sweaty bits a wipe. She gets any sweat marks dealt with when she comes in
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I do the same, and for the same reason.
That's the fab thing about modern breathable rugs, they allow a horse to dry off under them. Always check horse after a few hours and try to keep a suitable spare handy just in case.
 
milliepops said:
I'd agree in principle, but really we should make an effort not to put a too-thick rug on a hot horse. I would say that was the issue, rather than putting a rug on a damp horse. the horse should have been cooled down after work before being rugged.
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Absolutely. I rug mine after work and stick them straight out in the field. I'd rather stick them out that into a stable, and their rugs are insufficient to overheat them under any conditions in which I might be leaving them.

But one might question why anyone is bringing a horse back from work that hot? Walk it off first!
 
I do it all the time to be honest if they've got wet from the rain while being ridden, or if they've been washed off after a sweat. I was taught it's fine to put a dry rug on a wet horse but not a wet rug on a dry horse.
 
tbh I'm a total rule breaker because if the horse is dry and warm in the stable, I will put a rug on them to dry it off, if it's got a bit clammy on the inside. My YO takes off wet rugs and hangs them up, then the wet seeps back through... hour or 2 on the hay-fueled rug dryers and they are good to go again!
 
milliepops said:
tbh I'm a total rule breaker because if the horse is dry and warm in the stable, I will put a rug on them to dry it off, if it's got a bit clammy on the inside. My YO takes off wet rugs and hangs them up, then the wet seeps back through... hour or 2 on the hay-fueled rug dryers and they are good to go again!
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Never have that issue, mine don't come off except to ride at this time of year. I wouldn't worry about damp inside, but I wouldn't stick one on that's wet from leaking!
 
JFTDWS said:
Never have that issue, mine don't come off except to ride at this time of year. I wouldn't worry about damp inside, but I wouldn't stick one on that's wet from leaking!
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oh no, agreed. they don't leak, it's just from being folded up when sopping. I have told him to leave them on now if they come in wet, which will solve the problem.
 
if the horse was soaking i put on a thermatex and within minutes a mist forms on the outside which is the wet drying and the horse is dry in half an hour.

mostly i thatch, never had a problem with that, sometimes i rub their heads with a towel to dry it a bit
 
milliepops said:
oh no, agreed. they don't leak, it's just from being folded up when sopping. I have told him to leave them on now if they come in wet, which will solve the problem.
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That's what I do, warm ponies = warm dry rugs even if it's pissing down on the outside! :D
 
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