Rugging an already wet horse...what to do please?

[HappyNeds]

Hi all,

Although I've had my boy (he's my first horse) all through last winter, he wasn't being ridden and grew such a lovely thick coat I didn't need to rug him at all. He's a Welsh D, and he's quite happy out.

However, this winter I plan to ride him (weather permitting) throughout, and so presumably he could need a smallish under-arm clip, and so I have bought ready a 100g turnout rug, with a fleece rug and a waffle rug to go underneath if neccesary.

But my question is what should I do if it's raining hard and it's cold and he needs rugging, but he's already wet? Do I need to try and dry him off first with a towel? (I don't have a stable, he lives out) Or will the waffle or fleece rug underneath absorb the wet from him? But then should I then change the under-fleece after a couple of hours so he doesn't have a wet under-rug?

Sorry if this is a silly question, but I really don't know what to do, and am anxious to get it right for my beautiful boy.

Thank you in advance, there's always so much great advice on the forum.

 

[hayinamanger]

You're right, ideally it's not great to put a T/O rug on a wet horse, but when presented with a cold, shivering, wet horse, I have done just that. I reckon it's better to put a rug on the horse until it has stopped raining and the horse is at least warm, then take it off.

One thing you can do, if you have some straw, is to thatch him. This is an old fashioned way of drying a wet horse. Get some straw and shake out enough to cover the horse's back, lay it on the back of the horse as thickly as you can and put the rug on top of the straw (this can be quite difficult out in a field on a wild, wet night). The air can circulate through the straw and the horse will dry quite quickly.

 

[BonneMaman]

If he is going to live out you either leave his coat on and he will be fine or you clip him and put a rug on then he will always be dry.

Thatching with straw is a good way of drying off a wet cold horse. Rub off with towels and then put straw under a rug to dry off and get warm. You really need a barn or stable for this though.

Best getting him a lightweight rug, medium and heavy then you can swap and change through the seasons if you want to clip. ALways a good idea to have a spare knackered old rug that you can use if the one he usually wears gets absolutely soaked through or broken.

 

[sidesaddlegirl]

I use a waffle rug under the TO when rugging a wet horse

 

[stencilface]

TBH with modern rugs the way they are, I don't worry too much about putting a rug on a wet horse - if they are out 24/7, have access to food and can generate their own warmth I don't really see a problem. Putting a sopping wet horse in a stable is a bit different - I would then try to dry them out a bit before putting an 'all night' rug on.

I put wet rugs on as and when its necessary (and sometimes I will have taken the rug off in the morning to give them an airing when the weather forecast is good, then it rains grrr!) and have not had one suffer yet

 

[only_me]

I stick a cooler on (either a half fleece/half mesh one or thermatex) underneath

 

[HappyNeds]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think if I need to I could put the waffle on first, as it seems like it would absorb best, then the Turnout on top.

It was only this evening when I went to see him and it's raining hard, that I started wondering what I would do when it get's really cold. He's still happy and warm at the moment, but I just needed to know what to do if I get down there and he's wet and cold.

I still don't know when he will need clipping, I want to ride him through the winter, and assume that's just not possible with his full winter coat. I only want to do gentle hacks, mostly walk and a little trotting, so I will have to play it by ear I suppose. This is the only drawback with not being on a yard with others, is there's no one to ask advice from - although apart from that I've very happy in the muddy field in the middle of nowhere!

As long as he's not clipped he should be ok without rugs, he was very happy all last winter, even in the snow. I had bought rugs ready and was poised to rug him, but he was always warm. Of course he outgrew those rugs I never got to use once, and I have bought new larger ones!!

 

[Suffolkangel]

If you're only light hacking you may find you dont even need to clip....

 

[Toffee44]

As long as you dont do it regulary and the next day you take it off and give him a good groom underneath it wont cause a problem.

 

[LeannePip]

if i HAVE to rug my horse wet i put a waffle or her thermotex on then T/O or table on top but would ideally thatch but we have no straw, but agree with above you either dont clip and dont rug when wet or clip and keep rugged! good luck! x

 

[HappyNeds]

If you're only light hacking you may find you dont even need to clip....

This would certainly be the perfect solution, I do like him as natural and hairy as possible!

But can I then ask another question (sorry again to be so ignorant) - If I left him unclipped and we rode out gently in the winter, it's likely he would come back a little damp/sweaty under his saddle/girth area. I don't have a stable, so he would need to go back in the field, so would I then rug him so he wouldn't get cold as he cooled off after our ride? Then when he's dry again take the rug off?

Thanks again

 

[Toffee44]

I will prob get shot down here but I never clipped my natives and cobs (first time in years last year but for a different reason) and I ride in the winter. As long as they arent dripping then I just turned out and let them roll it out. I just groomed sweat off next day.

IF they come back a bit drippy/ foaming, I used to just walk her about in hand and maybe dunk a dandy brush in water and brush off the sweat and then turnout.

Samba has gone all pansy now we are on livery, shes rugged, will be clipped etc wont be hard fed though.

 

[mulledwhine]

I had to do just the same tonight. I put his cooler on under his lightweight and within minutes was cozy warm. I took his cooler off and put LW back on.

I don't like doing it but sometimes needs must

 

[georgiegirl]

I would suggest a bib type clip ie just down the fron of his neck/belly for comfort reasons more than anything else and that should be fine!

todays modern turnout rugs are a lot more 'breathable' than the old canvas nz's we had 20 years back so although i wouldnt put one on a sopping wet horse they are fine on a sponged off/damp one

 

[Pearlsasinger]

If you are walking and a bit of trot, your horse will probably be ok unclipped and unrugged. Ours are unclipped and unrugged except in the very worst weather (mind you they do come in at night) and are perfectly alright being hacked at the weekend. We just make sure that they get the chance to dry off on the way home (good practice anyway). Your only problem might be that your horse is wet when you want to ride, if he is living out.

 

[bumblelion]

I personally don't have this problem as iv got a tb who's stabled at night! However, in your situation I would leave him unclipped, bib clip at most. You'd have to be organised and check weather forecast (as reliable as it is!!) and if knew it was going to rain that day say, put a lw on so he's dry for when you want to ride. When riding in the rain, I'd invest in a waterproof exercise sheet so he's not getting too wet and make sure he's properly cooled down before you get off! Then I'd pop a lw on him so he doesn't get a chill (nowadays they're very breathable) and then brush off the dried sweat the next day.

 

[Tnavas]

Years ago when I was living in UK our school horses would sometimes work till 8pm or later. They were rubbed over with a towel, there rug put straight on and turned out. The understanding was that the wool lining would absorb the excess moisture and being wool would also retain the heat so drying the horse.

It's much harder to deal with a wet horse these days with the synthetic rugs but ggenerally the residual heat from work will dry the horse quickly and the rug will protect from cold winds.

The wafle rug under sounds a good idea.

Do miss the real wool blankets they were far more useful.

 

[Tinypony]

If you're just walking and trotting out on a hairy, then I don't think it's likely you'll need to clip. I don't clip mine (who lives out and is never rugged, not ever). If she was very hot I'd get off and walk with her for the last half mile or so to cool her down. Normally she's just a bit warm and goes straight back in the field to roll and cool down as she gently moves about eating.
I got into the no need for thatching and rugging wet horses debate on another thread, so I'm not going there again LOL!.

 

[unbalanced]

I will prob get shot down here but I never clipped my natives and cobs (first time in years last year but for a different reason) and I ride in the winter. As long as they arent dripping then I just turned out and let them roll it out. I just groomed sweat off next day.

IF they come back a bit drippy/ foaming, I used to just walk her about in hand and maybe dunk a dandy brush in water and brush off the sweat and then turnout.

Samba has gone all pansy now we are on livery, shes rugged, will be clipped etc wont be hard fed though.

That was pretty much what I did with my Welsh D last winter (who is 21 by the way). She is stabled at night but I refuse to rug a horse without a 'proper' clip. Last winter she just had a bib clip so I didn't bother rugging at all. Even when it went down to about -7 or something like that she was always perfectly warm and happy. I didn't really give her hard feed either, just a handful of hi-fi-lite for her supplements as she was rather plump last year.

This year she is in work so she will be getting clipped and rugged and hard fed (had laminitis this summer so lost a lot of weight and I'm still trying to get it back on) but if yours is living out and hacking I would say either go with what Toffee said and don't bother rugging, let nature take it's course, or alternatively do a bit more of a clip so you can rug properly and always have a clean dry horse to put a saddle/rug on which is more the approach I am taking this year.

 

[unbalanced]

I will prob get shot down here but I never clipped my natives and cobs (first time in years last year but for a different reason) and I ride in the winter. As long as they arent dripping then I just turned out and let them roll it out. I just groomed sweat off next day.

IF they come back a bit drippy/ foaming, I used to just walk her about in hand and maybe dunk a dandy brush in water and brush off the sweat and then turnout.

Samba has gone all pansy now we are on livery, shes rugged, will be clipped etc wont be hard fed though.

That was pretty much what I did with my Welsh D last winter (who is 21 by the way). She is stabled at night but I refuse to rug a horse without a 'proper' clip. Last winter she just had a bib clip so I didn't bother rugging at all. Even when it went down to about -7 or something like that she was always perfectly warm and happy. I didn't really give her hard feed either, just a handful of hi-fi-lite for her supplements as she was rather plump last year.

This year she is in work so she will be getting clipped and rugged and hard fed (had laminitis this summer so lost a lot of weight and I'm still trying to get it back on) but if yours is living out and hacking I would say either go with what Toffee said and don't bother rugging, let nature take it's course, or alternatively do a bit more of a clip so you can rug properly and always have a clean dry horse to put a saddle/rug on which is more the approach I am taking this year. I think if you try to do a half-half thing where you rug some days but not others that is where it will get to be a pain for you.

 

[unbalanced]

Uh? Why did that come up twice?

 

[dunkley]

I used to hunt my pony from the field, unclipped and unrugged. Then come back, turn out, and watch him roll. With his intended workload your boy is unlikely to raise too much of a sweat, and he'll be far better allowed to deal with his own "comfort". My father wouldn't allow me to clip as we were too far from the field to check rugs twice daily (which was his rule, in case of rubbing or slipping) and my ponies were just fine. And they worked HARD! The worst bit was grooming out the hair in the spring, but as a concession, my father would always lend me some of his elbow grease!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Ditto post above really. Years ago ponies just weren't clipped like they are now; my first pony was NEVER clipped in his whole life! or rugged. We hunted, did pony club, the lot, and whilst there was a stable there it was hardly ever used, only for emergencies, and he lived out 24/7 and was as happy as larry, all hairy and horrible.

You just got out a dandy brush & curry comb and scraped away then; or if in the winter and time was short you'd just clear a space for the saddle, hop on and away you'd go!

Sorry, am reminiscing, probably a sign of age!!!

The other thing we were taught at pony club was that if you DID have a sweaty pony then you'd do the straw thatch trick - again, we didn't have high-tech rugs then and straw thatch was a good old time-honoured way of drying out a sweaty horse. Can't be bettered IME!

 

[LittleWildOne]

Hi Mazz
First of all, can I ask which brand your turnout rug is ? Most modern rugs are breathable. I always feel it's best if you are going to rug up, then rug up and leave them rugged. I was always taught that if you rug up one day then not the next, and keep doing that randomly, that the horse is more likely to get chilled.
I'd highly recommend you buy a second spare turnout rug incase the one you have gets soaked through or ripped. even a small year on the outside can let a lot of water in (heavy rain), so the horse would be wearing a soaking wet rug. It would be fine to start rugging him now, it's only a 100g rug so he won't get too hot on dry sunny days at this time of year. This would be ideal to keep him clean and dry for when you want to ride.
As another poster said (sorry, can't remember who ), try to get hold of a waterproof exercise sheet to put on while you ride if it's wet or looks like it could rain. That would keep him dry while you ride, so you could put his turnout straight back on when you get back to the field. If you were to go out for a ride and the weather was dry, but then get caught in a sudden downpour, I'd put his waffle cooler on first when you get back, then the fleece on top of that and finally his 100g turnout on top of the fleece. The waffle cooler would trap warm air against hid body, the fleece would help wick the moisture away from his skin and help to keep him warm while he dries, and the turnout on top would add to the wicking properties of the layers below (waffle/fleece/100g turnout). It would also keep him from getting any more wet if the rain was to come down again . I personally wouldn't put the fleece on first,against his hair. That would hold his hair down "flat" and he would take longer to dry that way. The waffle first will create little insulating "pockets" where the warmth of his body would heat up the air trapped in those "pockets", and help him to dry more quickly. I would leave the rugs on all together overnight to give him the chance to fully dry out. If you take a layer off while he is still damp, he would feel cold .
I have, in the past, rugged an Exmoor and a Welsh D (unreg) type all winter with a "Weatherbeeta" fleece worn under a "Weatherbeeta Lite" turnout. Neither were clipped and it did them no harm. My 2yo New Forest filly is currently wearing an "Amigo Lite" (no filling). She will wear a 200g turnout when the weather gets colder. I'm just about to bring home a reg Welsh D 3yo filly. She has been stabled and rugged so as much as I would like her to live out, I have a winter of DIY livery ahead. She will be wearing a 200g Stable rug while in, and a 200g turnout while she is in the field.
I hope some of what I have posted is helpful (just think of the "3 In 1" winter jackets for people. The layering system is the best way to keep warm, and is the best way to warm yourself up after getting a soaking .

 

[horserugsnot4u]

I definitely wouldn't bother with the clipping unless you are working the horse hard almost everyday. I have two NF ponies who live out 24/7 and ridden 2-4 times per week in the winter. Sometimes if they are worked harder than usual they get quite sweaty and sometimes put a fleece rug on temporarily but most of the time the latter part of hacking/schooling is done at a slower pace and they dry off naturally. Everybody I know at yards seem to think you have to clip as soon as they start growing a thicker coat but IMO apart from hard-working horses is it really necessary?
Back to the question of rugs on wet horses, on occasions I do it if I really get caught out with the weather, but only if it's very cold, rainy or windy when the benefits seem to outweigh the problems. I have put a fleece type rug underneath the turnout just for an hour or two but most modern rugs are breathable and can cope with damp horses. I also find the rugs with nylon type linings are better as the cotton linings get cold and heavy if they do get wet and take ages to dry out.
Finally, be warned - you will become an obsessive weather watcher!

 

[HappyNeds]

Thank you everyone for your very helpful comments. I feel armed with more know-how whatever the winter weather may throw at us now!

From all your comments my current plan is not to clip - and see how we get on. That seems like it would suit us best, we just enjoy muddling around the lanes and woods hacking, and my beautiful boy seems just as happy whether he's muddy and hairy or not.

I seem to keep buying rugs and I haven't yet used any! Thanks again everyone, much appreciated

 

[Ladylina83]

It's much harder to deal with a wet horse these days with the synthetic rugs but ggenerally the residual heat from work will dry the horse quickly and the rug will protect from cold winds.

The wafle rug under sounds a good idea.

Do miss the real wool blankets they were far more useful.

Do they not still use the oldschool covers out where you are Evelyn? when I was out in NZ about 10 years ago I noticed the horses still wearing them - theres not a chance you would be able to find one anywhere in the UK these days.

 

[NOISYGIRL]

This would certainly be the perfect solution, I do like him as natural and hairy as possible!

But can I then ask another question (sorry again to be so ignorant) - If I left him unclipped and we rode out gently in the winter, it's likely he would come back a little damp/sweaty under his saddle/girth area. I don't have a stable, so he would need to go back in the field, so would I then rug him so he wouldn't get cold as he cooled off after our ride? Then when he's dry again take the rug off?

Thanks again

I would put a cooler on until dry, then brush where he's sweated then rug and turn out

 

[Spotsrock]

fleece or waffle underneath.

He sounds like a lovely chap and lucky to have a mommy that wants to get it right. ave fun

 

[Kat]

If you are only hacking steadily "weather permitting" then i wouldn't clip and leave him urugged. He won't get very sweaty and if he does just walk him until cool, groom then turn out.

An old style string vest sweat sheet is great for drying off, though in winter put it under s fleece or something to avoid chilling. I wouldn't put a turn out rug on a wet horse, even though they are breathable these days they aren't great at removing lots of water so your horse will stay wet and potentially get chilled under the rug. Anyone who has tried doing hard exercise in a waterproof coat will know the limitations of even the most expensive breathable waterproof and horse rugs aren't normally made from the top of the range fabrics.

I wouldn't put a goretex coat on over a wet jumper so I wouldn't put my horse's rug on over a wet coat.

If you are going to clip, and you don't have a stable you will have to put coolers under the rug and return in an hour or so to remove it. So to avoid hassle I would not clip if i could avoid it.