Rugging sweaty horses in the winter...

[iknowmyvalue]

Hello all, long time no see! (Though I've been posting as eventinghenry for the last few weeks, since I managed to lock myself out of this account...) I know this topic has probably been done to death but hoping to canvas some opinions...

How breathable are the standard stable rugs? Do you usually put a sheet/cooler underneath if horse is wet/sweaty? Has anyone tried the airmax rug liners for turnout rugs (and if so, how much extra warmth do they add, and could you use another liner with them)?

Current situation: Henry is a sweaty horse, so I usually have to sponge him off after riding, and I'm at a bit of a dilemma with how best to rug him afterwards. Most horses on current yard are just left in turnouts overnight, and I know most turnouts nowadays are breathable, but just sticking a turnout straight onto a wet horse on a cold night just doesn't sit right with me if I can help it! I was spoilt at previous yard with them doing multiple rug changes a day, happy to change rugs at late night checks etc. but new yard (moved across the country or wouldn't have left previous yard!) don't really do that kind of thing.

Other than weekend days I'm riding after work (around 6-7pm) so would prefer not to have to hang around for him to dry off after riding (though now he's fully clipped I suppose that will be a lot less time than before...) but I will if it's best for him. Current rugs I've got to work with: cotton sheet, snuggy hoods petticoat, 100g stable rug, 300g stable rug, 50g turnout, 250g turnout, fake thermatex (which is currently kept for travelling/shows/post-hunting). I think I'm going to need to get a new rug of some description this winter, but it's trying to decide which type is going to be the most useful. Probably some kind of fleece or cooler to leave on overnight, or get a new one for travelling and use the fake thermatex in the stable?

That's a bit rambling, sorry, hope it makes some sort of sense! but any thoughts appreciated!

 

[Flicker]

I have always sponged off sweat and then popped a fleece on and waited for them to more or less dry off completely. Added: Then put a dry stable rug on. You will probably find now he is clipped he will sweat less and dry quicker.

 

[Sossigpoker]

My old horse got basically rainscald for putting a TO rug on a sponged back so personally I won't do that now. That warm and moist environment would be ideal for bacteria and fungus to thrive in.
I use a scrim rug or scrim and fleece or Jersey on top if it's cold if the horse is wet as this draws the moisture our of the hair and won't put a stable rug on until pretty much dry.
Rhinegold celltex is brilliant for drying too and not the price of a Thermatex.
If it's not too cold you can leave the fleece on overnight but if it will be cold I prefer to put to bed in a dry stable rug.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Has anyone tried the airmax rug liners for turnout rugs (and if so, how much extra warmth do they add, and could you use another liner with them)?

Yes, I’ve got airmax liners. Brilliant things. You can bath a horse, scrape off the excess water then turn out and leave out overnight if you use an airmax. The horse will dry off underneath.

I use mine under a no fill Rambo. It’s fairly meaty, I’d estimate that it is the equivalent of approx a 200g liner.

 

[SOS]

If fully clipped, I’d sponge down with hot water (kettle if needs be), roughly dry with a towel and whack a thermatex on for 15 minutes or so and put them back in the stable to get munching and keep warm. I’d be very surprised if they were not dry by the time I came to leave.

Having been a groom, and always seeming to lack time, I am quite efficient so although the above sounds like lots it could only take 20 mins to do in a relaxed way.
Finish ride.
Get off.
Put kettle to boil.
Strip horse.
Wash down.
Towel dry.
Thermatex on.
Horse into stable
Undress myself.
Wipe down tack.
Do whatever else you need to do.
Load my stuff into the car.
Very last thing whip off thermatex and turnout.

Now I would get a genuine thermatex as I think they work best but no need to spend £££!! I have two very ratty thermatex s which I picked up for around £20-30. These have been patched back up and look a little sorry but completely functional. If they roll I don’t cry like with their posh, clean travelling thermatexs. Look on Facebook but they do go quick. I put a wanted ad up previously.

 

[Auslander]

Bucas Smartex! They have a special lining which dries wet horses really quickly, and horses dont bake in them. ALf has a MW on at the moment, and even when the sun comes out and all the others need a rug change because they're sweating, he feels fine underneath his rug

 

[Littlewills]

Yes, I’ve got airmax liners. Brilliant things. You can bath a horse, scrape off the excess water then turn out and leave out overnight if you use an airmax. The horse will dry off underneath.

I use mine under a no fill Rambo. It’s fairly meaty, I’d estimate that it is the equivalent of approx a 200g liner.

I've got the rug because they were cheap on ebay and I can use it on its own. Its been a game changer. I use it under liners. Mines really light and weird material so I don't think it adds that much to the weight of the rug. I use it as well as normal rugs and have never found mine any warmer.

You can use the liner under another liner, just make sure they are both clipped in at the back and fastened at the front.

 

[Sir barnaby]

I havent clipped yet and it was very mild today and Barney came back quite sweaty, I washed down with warm water (washed his mane ) towelled him dry left him in my old fashioned sweatrug the one with holes in for 10 mins while I had cup coffee from my flask and changed my boots then because it was so mild I put on his fly rug with neck on top of the sweat rug and turned him out he had a good roll then went off to graze. Put all my tack in my car made up feeds for tea, skipped out stable, then went back in field and removed the underneath sweat rug and he was dry and warm, he will have a 200g rug on at tea time and left out overnight. He was fine.

 

[Sir barnaby]

I havent clipped yet and it was very mild today and Barney came back quite sweaty, I washed down with warm water (washed his mane ) towelled him dry left him in my old fashioned sweatrug the one with holes in for 10 mins while I had cup coffee from my flask and changed my boots then because it was so mild I put on his fly rug with neck on top of the sweat rug and turned him out he had a good roll then went off to graze. Put all my tack in my car made up feeds for tea, skipped out stable, then went back in field and removed the underneath sweat rug and he was dry and warm, he will have a 200g rug on at tea time and left out overnight. He was fine.

 

[Kaylum]

Clip and I used a rambo dry rug. They are toweling.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Thanks everyone! I definitely think keeping him clipped is going to be a big help, got enough hair off him on Saturday to create a small Shetland, think he might actually be part yak Will see how it goes with the thermatex type thing I’ve got, and look out for the real thing (or a dry rug, also think they look quite useful) on ebay/fb. Definitely won’t be putting a TO on him if he’s wet, yard will have to cope with a quick rug change in the morning (he is on full livery!) or if I manage to leave on time I can pop in and do it on my way to work

 

[Squeak]

Thanks everyone! I definitely think keeping him clipped is going to be a big help, got enough hair off him on Saturday to create a small Shetland, think he might actually be part yak Will see how it goes with the thermatex type thing I’ve got, and look out for the real thing (or a dry rug, also think they look quite useful) on ebay/fb. Definitely won’t be putting a TO on him if he’s wet, yard will have to cope with a quick rug change in the morning (he is on full livery!) or if I manage to leave on time I can pop in and do it on my way to work

If the yard aren't great at doing rug changes, the airmax liner might be the way to go. I've got liners but not the airmax one and when I'm in a rush in the morning I rug them at night so that the only thing that needs to be changed in the morning is the liner pulled off from underneath. You can unclip them at the front and back and then un do the surcingles of the top rug, whip out the liner and re do the surcingles. Two second job.

 

[Micropony]

If he's clipped, he'll dry very quickly after a quick sponge off with hot water. Squeezing as much water as possible out of the sponge first still lifts the sweat without soaking the horse. If he's clipped out, it will only be his girth area that's wet anyway. If you stand him in a drying rug for 15/20 minutes while you put tack away, change your boots etc. he will be dry and then you can put him in turnout or stable rugs as required with a clean conscience.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

It's not so much that they wouldn't change from stable to turnout in the am, it's just they don't on the other horses, just leave them in turnouts. Maybe I've just been spoilt though... He still gets pretty sweaty even with a full clip, especially if I ride in the indoor, but think he's going to dry a lot quicker which will make life easier. Will see how it goes this week

 

[Winters100]

Personally since he is on full livery I would have a word with the yard. What do they do when they exercise him? I hope not just put a rug on a sweaty horse. I would also expect on full livery that the rugs are changed morning and night and the horse checked over. I am on part livery and this is done. To me the point of full livery is that the horse gets complete care if you cannot come, and surely the answer cannot be that if you can't come for a week the horse will stand in the same rug for the whole time?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Would a turnout designed for sweaty horses help?
I had a horse who was awful to clip and only in light work so bought a Bucas Smartex which is sort of like a thermatex turnout but Mark Todd does or did one too. Literally Chuck it straight on a washed hot horse and leave it.

 

[atropa]

I know you have been given lots of advice and options on this post but I just wanted to say if you're paying for full livery I really would not feel bad about the yard having to change the odd rug in the morning! I know it adds a few minutes to their day but you are presumably paying a good price for their service!