Rugging a wet horse

[AutumnDays]

The three amigos have been doing well up until now with no rugs on. Full winter coats, and lib hay, not groomed so greasy coats. The weather here today is 0°c and this horrible wet, rainy snow. Despite having shelter, they've all gone and stood in the slush, and are now wet and shivering. I have nowhere to bring them in to dry off, and I've always been told not to rug a wet horse, and to leave them in to dry/use a wicking rug first, but what to do in this situation? I only have a no fill for each of them, as it's so rare to be so cold and wet here.

ETA, the reason they are all unrugged for so long is that the weather is so changeable here, it's usually very mild and rainy, and I found that they tend to sweat under their lined no fills. They are non ridden, so I don't need them clean or clipped, they have access to hedgerows and a field shelter, plus a netted large round bale and a paddock.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Rambo airmax liner under a 0g turnout to speed dry a wet/muddy horse which lives out.

Horseware Ireland Rambo Airmax Liner

Horseware Ireland Rambo Airmax Liner. Fabric 3D constructed polyester air mesh. The air mesh fabric has a soft absorbent inner to wick moisture, whilst the 3D construction keeps the horse warm in cold weather but is breathable in hot weather. Features & Benefits The liner attaches by Velcro...

gsequestrian.co.uk

 

[AutumnDays]

Rambo airmax liner under a 0g turnout to speed dry a wet/muddy horse which lives out.

Horseware Ireland Rambo Airmax Liner

Horseware Ireland Rambo Airmax Liner. Fabric 3D constructed polyester air mesh. The air mesh fabric has a soft absorbent inner to wick moisture, whilst the 3D construction keeps the horse warm in cold weather but is breathable in hot weather. Features & Benefits The liner attaches by Velcro...

gsequestrian.co.uk

That will be ideal for the future, thank you. Just not sure what to do right now!

 

[teacups]

Rambo airmax liner under a 0g turnout to speed dry a wet/muddy horse which lives out.

Horseware Ireland Rambo Airmax Liner

Horseware Ireland Rambo Airmax Liner. Fabric 3D constructed polyester air mesh. The air mesh fabric has a soft absorbent inner to wick moisture, whilst the 3D construction keeps the horse warm in cold weather but is breathable in hot weather. Features & Benefits The liner attaches by Velcro...

gsequestrian.co.uk

That is exactly what I do. Or to chuck out in field after washing off after a ride, or if I take pity because the weather is particularly cold and wet, and the rain is horizontal <g>

Right now: put straw on their back under the no-fill, to let them dry but with a ‘gap’ to hold warmth and allow the moisture to escape.

The rambo airmax is great: worth investing in imo.

 

[AutumnDays]

I risked it and towel dried them off as best as I could and threw the rugs on. I'll take them off as soon as it brightens up, and will go shopping for some liners/wicking rugs as suggested. Fingers crossed the local country stores have something, it looks like we have this again tomorrow night

 

[meesha]

Any cheap waffle rug or similar under a no fill for an hour then whip waffle rug off. Have done this a few times already this year.

 

[AutumnDays]

Any cheap waffle rug or similar under a no fill for an hour then whip waffle rug off. Have done this a few times already this year.

Yes, shopping definitely needed!

 

[teacups]

I risked it and towel dried them off as best as I could and threw the rugs on. I'll take them off as soon as it brightens up, and will go shopping for some liners/wicking rugs as suggested. Fingers crossed the local country stores have something, it looks like we have this again tomorrow night

That makes sense.

If the local stores don’t have ones which can be used as a liner, Houghton Country have the airmax at a good price in the larger sizes, in burgundy.

https://www.houghtoncountry.co.uk/item/Horseware/Rambo-Airmax-Cooler-Rug-with-Disc-Closure-Clearance/4QY?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&utm_campaign=base&stock=17627&member=17622&gad_source=5&gad_campaignid=21884690139&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_ZDO45GBkQMVZqRQBh3TrQInEAQYAiABEgJiB_D_BwE

The advantage is that you can just leave this type on rather than having to go back to take off the waffle type rug.
Mine is permanently attached to the 0g turnout, very handy. Also normally unrugged but the weather is so foul after such a long period of warm autumnal weather that he did end up with it on yesterday afternoon, after seeing him wet and miserable. Toasty dry underneath by evening.

 

[I'm Dun]

I risked it and towel dried them off as best as I could and threw the rugs on. I'll take them off as soon as it brightens up, and will go shopping for some liners/wicking rugs as suggested. Fingers crossed the local country stores have something, it looks like we have this again tomorrow night

I'd have done the same if thats all I had access to. Its been such a dramatic change in temperature I think a lot are struggling to cope.

 

[Cloball]

I've just got an air max as well for these situations. A 50g is also quite useful as the little bit of lining seems to help.

 

[Hallo2012]

I risked it and towel dried them off as best as I could and threw the rugs on. I'll take them off as soon as it brightens up, and will go shopping for some liners/wicking rugs as suggested. Fingers crossed the local country stores have something, it looks like we have this again tomorrow night

risked what?

there is NO RISK in rugging a wet horse, all modern rugs are breathable.

this is another daft old wives tail that needs to die (along with not offering cold water to hot horses, and the good old washing a hot horse will cause the water to hold heat)

 

[m1stify]

Horseware has an actual dry liner now specifically for this purpose

 

[m1stify]

The Horseware Dry Liner – How to Guide - Horseware Ireland

A how to guide for the Horseware Dry Liner - how to use it, key benefits and the difference between the dry liner v's the airmax liner.

www.horseware.com

 

[SEL]

Most modern rugs are pretty breathable - i chucked one on a wet pony last week too (Swish 50g so nothing special). Pile of hay to get the internal furnace working too.

If you've got straw you can always thatch a wet horse

 

[honetpot]

risked what?

there is NO RISK in rugging a wet horse, all modern rugs are breathable.

this is another daft old wives tail that needs to die (along with not offering cold water to hot horses, and the good old washing a hot horse will cause the water to hold heat)

This. If its a modern rug modern rug moisture will move up and out through the filling. If they are really wet I may change the rug after an hour or so but I have left them over night.
The no fill rugs tend to have more condensation, because the outside which is cold is closer to the inside so the moisture doesn't evaporate through the rug.

 

[Trot_on]

Modern rugs are breathable - just stick them on and give them a pile of hay, they'll be fine

 

[FitzyFitz]

rain sheets I find get a bit icky underneath on a wet horse. Also as they have no insulation they don't really keep a horse very warm if their coat is already flattened and wet. I usually towel dry then chuck a 50 or 100g on and they dry off fine underneath it. If they're REALLY drenched or i only have a rainsheet I towel off then put a fleece rug or similar underneath, have to go take it back off again in a bit but it gives them a breathable layer to dry off.

 

[airliner]

The Horseware Dry Liner – How to Guide - Horseware Ireland

A how to guide for the Horseware Dry Liner - how to use it, key benefits and the difference between the dry liner v's the airmax liner.

www.horseware.com

I adore this thing! I use it all the time!

 

[m1stify]

I adore this thing! I use it all the time!

Oh good to know! Thanks

 

[AutumnDays]

risked what?

there is NO RISK in rugging a wet horse, all modern rugs are breathable.

this is another daft old wives tail that needs to die (along with not offering cold water to hot horses, and the good old washing a hot horse will cause the water to hold heat)

Risked going out in a break in freezing showers and mud to chase them with a towel

 

[KikiDee]

I will rug a wet horse that is staying out in the field, as others have said the rugs are all breathable and I find within an hour they are warm and dry underneath. I wouldn't with a 0g but mostly because if they are cold enough that I think they really need a rug on to warm up, a 0g isn't going to do much anyway. I wouldn't think twice about chucking a modern 100g or 200g on a wet horse though and then just switch to a 0g the following morning/evening once they have warmed up and dried off.

 

[marmalade76]

This. If its a modern rug modern rug moisture will move up and out through the filling. If they are really wet I may change the rug after an hour or so but I have left them over night.
The no fill rugs tend to have more condensation, because the outside which is cold is closer to the inside so the moisture doesn't evaporate through the rug.

Agreed, they dry better under a thicker turnout rug, 200gr works best IME.

There's a saying, you can put a dry rug on a wet horse but you can't put a wet rug on a dry horse (or wet horse for that matter).

 

[dorsetladette]

I put a fleece or waffle under a rug if their wet and cold. Then whip if off after an hour or so.
A bit late to the party, but you could have thatched them with a bit of straw to help dry and warm them quicker. The straw generally falls out once its damp/ heavier if they wander around a reasonable amount. X