Rugs and soaking hay - Fed up already and its only OCT !

[Gingerwitch]

Isn't it amazing that just these two extra jobs (ok i have 3 horses) can add so long to your day! - does anyone else find this?

I have thought long and hard about leaving the same rug on day and night - but this is not suitable for mine even more so with this daft weather were getting - cold at night (well 3 and 4 degrees) and upto 14 deegres by the mid afternoon.

I put up the hay nets at the weekend - i fill the soakers whilst doing other jobs - but hey ho....only another 6 months till April (ha ha ha)

 

[MrMeldrew]

I feel your pain

I have to soak a bale of hay everyday of the year for my laminitics.
I am soooooooo over it

 

[Gingerwitch]

I was naughty the other day and did not soak the hay - guess what - one was coughing like a smoker on 20 a day next time i rode him and the cheeky one eat his bed instead of his hay ! The old girl loved unsoaked hay - but again she was coughing all the next day

 

[AngieandBen]

Do what I do; leave them out 24/7 unclipped and unrugged simples!

Their coats are designed to regulate themselves depending on the weather.

 

[MrMeldrew]

Simples - if only

Mine are laminitics. They'd be dead if I did that

 

[Gingerwitch]

Coolrunnings - when i get my own pad i am having field shelters on 3 sides of the fields, and then they can stay out all day every day if they want.

 

[michelleice]

i feel your pain Ben has 4 stable bandages on a fleece and MW stable rug, i have to change all this for over reach boots(front only) and his MW turnout. then soak hay while i redo feeds muck out find his likit he takes into his bed search for his jolly ball hes thrown out of stable in morning in a tantrum because hes not fed quick enough redo water buckets and resort stable wash his snack-a-ball they dont keep well in shavings!

while my 11month(1 in under 2 weeks) tries to escape from his buggy bonus is he loves to sweep stable from his buggy lol

 

[AngieandBen]

Mr Meldrew; I have a laminitc shetland too, and the other two are natives so very good doers;
I know its hard work

I manage them by having a track around the field, moving the electric fencing every evening to allow some more grass. No laminitis now for nearly 7 years with this system.

I know, easier said than done if you are on a livery yard and have to abide by rules

 

[MrMeldrew]

Coolrunnings
I have a track(life saver) and 2 laminitics. One cannot have any amount of grass through the growing season so its soaked hay only for them for the most part of the year

.
All mine live out 24/7 365 and are generally rugless.
As you will know, no one horse/pony is the same and therefore there are no hard and fast rules as it depends on the amount and type of grazing available and as yove stated whether on livery or not among many other factors.
Laminitis free here too - thank the Lord

 

[kerilli]

i'm fed up of the mud already and i've only had to put up with it for a couple of days!
FAL or Rambo/Rhino/Amigo rugs are your friend if you want them in the same ones 24/7.
i steam hay rather than soaking it, soaking it did my back in terribly. i have lovely hay at the moment, no dust at all, and as nothing's eventing i'm feeding it to them dry *goes straight to hell, obviously* and nothing's coughed yet...