Snuggy Hoods - Turnout Hood....

[Hattikins]

Does anyone have any experience with these - how have you found it?? We have just bought one for Hattie and are planning to use it in the stable mostly and when shes plaited to save her mane but in practise is it possible to safely turnout in them or not?? i know it is theoretically i just wondered whether it worked in practise??

thankyou in advance
x

 

[Bossanova]

I'd advise against it, had a very, very nasty accident with a horse wearing a TO hood when it got pulled over his eyes

 

[Hattikins]

yes thats why i was wondering, a horse in our yard a while ago was wearing one of the cheapy finer lycra makes and ended up with it over its eyes and wandered around blind for a couple of hours

i guess we'll just stick to stable use , we dont really need it for turnout use anyway

thanks J

 

[galaxy]

My horse had been turned out in his every winter for 4 years and it has never budged an inch, and I know plenty of people who have also never had a problem. All I can think of as a cause for one to move is that it was too big. Mine and all those that have never budged are snug.

I swear by mine.

 

[Bossanova]

Another horse pulled it down over his eyes. He ended up being PTS because of it, I'd never expose my horses to that risk for the sake of 5 min extra grooming but thats just my opinion!!

 

[Hattikins]

well that sounds encouraging

thats a pretty good record

well we'll see, if thats the case then its possible we may use it for turnout

thankyou galaxy

its nice to know the snuggy hoods turnout hood does what it says on the packet

 

[Hattikins]

totally agree J, we arent using it for keeping clean purposes (although that is a bonus!!!) we are using it to save her mane as she rubs

its pretty heavy duty with a silky lining so we're hoping it may help for now

 

[galaxy]

I use mine for the same reasons, mainly to stop his his mane and chest being rubbed. The fact that he's turned white since I've bought it and it does keep him cleaner is an added bonus!(although not spotless, my boy loves to roll in wet wet and it goes down the eye holes!!)

The snuggyhood was originally designed for help with sweet itch so the design really was thought through to stop it moving. One stud near me has a real problem with sweet itch (why they keep breeding the line I don't know!) and they all have the full bodies and hood on all summer - and they keep on buying them and I don't think they would if they had problems!

 

[Sparklet]

No experience of snuggy hoods but heres my two'pennth. I use a lycra one in the stable when I am competing very early the next day (left yard at 4am before!)

I had the cheaper WB style which is basically a lycra tube with ears and eyes cut out - despite attaching it very securely to the rug it twisted every time and she was always blind in one eye in the morning. Not criticising the make because my friend has one and has never had a problem - maybe they just dont work on some horses.

In a state of despair at the prospect of severe sleep shortage before competitions I bought a more expensive shaped version (they curve at the top into head shape). Doesnt budge.

Maybe those who have had problems before have the cheaper versions and when placed on a horse like mine they twist.

Just a thought.

Not sure about the snuggy hoods turnout version but doesnt Mary King endorse them. She is so lovely I cant imagine her endorsing anything potentially dangerous.

 

[Hattikins]

yes it was the cheaper non shaped lycra hood that moved on the horse in our yard, so ill have to watch carefully to see what happens with this snuggy hoods one - it wasnt cheap!!!! so we really do hope it does the job

Thankyou all for your comments, certainly gave me a more rounded view on hoods in general - and im glad that galaxy finds that the hood works - it would have been a big mistake if you'd all said dont touch it with a barge pole!!!!!!!!!!

later on ill put it on her and see what she thinks of her new attire

you may even get some pictures of her in it

 

[lillie07]

Snuggy Hoods are the way forward!!! I love mine and now wouldnt be with out them. They dont move at all providing they fit correctly, and Snuggy offer a MTM service if the standard sizing doesnt fit.

 

[Salcey]

I have known people buy the cheaper versions that have had problems with the hood moving on their horses, however I haven't had any reports of the snuggys moving. I think you have to be quite careful of the fit however

 

[Hattikins]

hmmph!!!!!!!

its too big for her - obviously she has a ponier head on a 16hh body, think we need the size below yet it says it only fits up to 15.2hhs - oh well we'll have to wait and see - maybe shes smaller than we first thought

 

[hunteress]

Yes I agree with salcey saddlery cheaper are poor the snuggy hoods go right round the girth area you need to get the right size as with common sence if too big they will fall over the head!! also Ive got Ri-dry for outside they are good as well .