Strange yard rule - rug leg straps

[Gorgeous George]

I have been told that our horses are not to be turned out with leg straps on the rugs (they should be removed) as they are dangerous and the horse could get caught up in them. Surely the rug is more dangerous without correctly fitted leg straps as it could twist and move on the horse?? I suspect this rule is actually because they can't be bothered to do up / undo leg straps when they change the rugs, and as my rugs don't have removable leg straps I really don't want to chop them off

What do you think, sensible or odd yard rule?

 

[missshell]

Sounds very odd to me!

 

[druid]

We convert ours to fillet strings at work - all of them! No leg straps as rug are interchangeable on ponies & some of the mares have foals at foot

 

[custard]

Sorry I too hate leg straps as dangerous IMO and change all mine to fillet strings. If the rugs are a decent fit they won't move

 

[brackenhappy]

very odd yard rule! i removed the leg straps from brackens rug when she had her last foal so that coco could get to the milk but that was the only reason!! and yes i found her on many an occasion with the blinkin thing round her neck even with the fillet string still attached.!! i would not remove them if they are built into the rug but speak to YO and explain that they are not removable and you are not prepared to wreck your rugs cutting them off. also if they are dangerous surely the rug manafactures would not attach them to the rugs in the first place!!!!

 

[christine48]

Surely if a rug is designed to have leg staps there is the possibility it will slip without. i know some do not like leg straps but I can't see the difference between having to do up 2 leg straps as opposed to 2 X surcingles ( the only danger I can see is when people forget to undo the leg straps before removing the rug). people do have some strange rules and they are too expensive to replace on someomes whim.

 

[__Annie__]

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry I too hate leg straps as dangerous IMO and change all mine to fillet strings. If the rugs are a decent fit they won't move

[/ QUOTE ]

I do that too

 

[PapaFrita]

I dislike leg straps too... possibly because I keep forgetting to undo them when I take rugs off

but also because PF keeps breaking them. I automatically take them off now. A half-decent rug won't slip, especially with a fillet string.

 

[Enfys]

I take all my leg straps off too, but there is no way I would enforce my personal preference on clients at a yard, it does sound rather an unusual rule.

I would suspect that this YO has had an unfortunate incident before and;
a) doesn't want a repeat, and b) is covering her back insurance wise.

In my opinion, your horse, your rug, your look out, if you are happy with the rug then that should be that.

 

[dozzie]

I hate leg straps and try to buy rugs which are well enough designed to not need them such as rambos or fals.

 

[Laafet]

I hate legs straps as well and when I ran my yard I changed all the horses that had them to fillet strings. This means if I forgot they had legs straps I didn't get in a pickle, also after watching my show pony gallop through 5 electric fences and two post and rail fences the first time she was turned out in a rug, I would never use them again. Also they can cause horrific injuries by being done up incorrectly or too loose or too tight.

 

[faerie666]

And another vote against leg straps, also believe they are dangerous. A rug that fits properly should stay in place with just a fillet string anyway.

 

[Iceni Warrior]

My daughters mare Polly escaped with leg straps still done up! Unfortunately the neck rug didnt come off so she waited for help!

This is her normally!! Winning her class at the Barastoc Horse Show.

 

[Smash]

[ QUOTE ]
My daughters mare Polly escaped with leg straps still done up! Unfortunately the neck rug didnt come off so she waited for help!

[/ QUOTE ]

That's just begging to be a caption competition.

 

[not_with_it]

Im another one who hates leg straps. I always use a fillet string. I once saw a horse whose legs had been cut to shreds as the leg straps rubbed, they were fitted correctly too.

 

[xfeex]

I normally use fillet strings but do have rugs with leg straps. they have never been a problem though all the years I have had them.

why do some people think they are dangerous? just wondering? may convert them to fillet strings now

 

[henryhorn]

We remove all of ours if possible and use just one as a horizontal fillet string instead plus X straps under the belly as normal.
Horses that wear leg straps all the time as some of ours do when living out get rubbed occasionally, and yes, they do add a risk to the horse if they aren't always perfectly adjusted.
I think they are unecessary to be honest, but your yard may be sick of undoing muddy pooey straps hence the rule!

 

[Tia]

Very sensible rule - one which I have on my yard also. All horses who come here are Full Care therefore I am responsible for anything which happens to them - therefore I let owners know that I will change their leg straps to fillet straps. My boarders are all happy about this.

 

[keeperscottage]

Five or six years ago, I found my daughter's 14.1hh Section D standing in the field on three legs. I cannot tell you the stomach churning horror I felt as I ran over to her.......she was dripping in sweat.......and one of her hind legs was caught in a leg strap - I was so relieved, I can't tell you! Felt sure she'd broken her leg! It was spring and she'd just started being turned out for 24hrs so she could have been like it all night. Unfortunately, a 17hh+, bossy gelding, had taken it upon himself to chase her around the field whilst she was on three legs and attacked her even as I was trying to untangle her (which was obviously why she was sweating so much). However, apart from some nasty friction burns on her leg and bites up her neck where the gelding had bitten her, she was unscathed. I don't know how she got caught up and thankfully it has never happened since. The best rug I have EVER bought (and my God, I've bought a few in my time!) is a Premier Equine heavyweight one which has a fillet "string" as opposed to leg straps. It always stays in position except for the one occasion when we found our 16.2hh TB minus her rug! How it came off was a complete mystery until quite recently when someone told me they were passing the field and saw our mare with the back of the rug over her head (this couldn't have happened with cross over leg straps) and then watched her wriggle out of the entire thing! But with regard to your yard, it's YOUR horse so I'd be damned if I had to remove leg straps on someone else's whim! So glad we're out of the livery yard scenario!

 

[Tia]

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But with regard to your yard, it's YOUR horse so I'd be damned if I had to remove leg straps on someone else's whim!

[/ QUOTE ]
....and it is the YO's insurance and reputation which are at risk if something were to happen to any horses on her yard

. Risking accidents where YOU are completely liable is one thing; a yard owner may not be willing to take these risks - I know I certainly am not.

Once again it come down to choice. The yard owner has given a choice; if you don't like the rules then, quite simply, you leave.

 

[Tinypony]

They may have had a nasty experience that has resulted in this rule. I know a lot of people with Arabs won't use leg straps because of their legs getting caught up. But I'm sure high leg action isn't confined to Arabs.

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

I've never had any problems with leg straps, apart from occasionally forgetting to undo them when I change rugs

I do occasionally used a fillet string but my mare somehow manages to use it as a poo catcher

its always covered and attracts the flys more.

 

[PennyJ]

Can't see that it's such a big deal to get so worked up about personally. One of mine hates leg straps so I convert his to a fillet string, the other one couldn't care less.

I have heard of nasty accidents happening as a result of getting caught up in a leg strap. Guess that has happened in the past to the YO and hence why she has this rule.

 

[Thistle]

I always unthread mine and change them to fillet strings too. I hate leg straps.

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

I am divided on leg straps I must admit. I had a rug without them and H ended up with it round his neck stuck in the middle of the field treading on it - the other half was shredded around the field !!!! But then if leg straps are not fitted correctly I can see how they are dangerous, have seen a horse role and had to rescue it cause it had leg caught.

Also, with leg straps and possibility of other people putting rugs on there is also the chance of them not being done up at all, especially if they are done up when taken off on the same side (hope that makes some sense) hence trashed number 2 rug, as there was no fillet string or leg straps and horses are very active in the field !!!!! rug fitted fine but rolling and running etc made them move.

xx in my opinion, have leg straps fitted correctly, but also have a fillet string !!!!, double security !!

 

[Chex]

If my rugs come with leg straps I leave them on. Never had any problems with them, but have had 2 rugs go flying over his head with fillet strings (it was very windy though!). If they're fitted properly I don't really see how their legs can get caught in them

 

[Gorgeous George]

Blimey I feel bad now

, I just thought the YO was being pedantic!! As a 1st time owner I'm glad I asked, I just assumed that as they're there they should be used, hadn't thought of changing them to a double filet string though that will save chopping them off.

Thanks all and sorry to my YO even though she doesn't read this!!

 

[kerilli]

sensible... i hate rear leg straps. have heard of horses getting legs caught in them and causing serious sprains and strains, or worse. i cut all the leg straps off my rugs... if it fits properly, X surcingles and a fillet string are enough.

 

[Donkeymad]

I prefer leg straps over fillet strings any day. If fitted correctly the chances of a leg getting caught are minimal. I have seen far too many horses in blind panick because the fillet string has gone over the tail and the rug ended up around the neck/face.
However, on a yard, the YO's choice must be followed, like it or not.

 

[Marnie]

I always change leg straps to fillet strings too, mainly because my mare is very twitchy about anything between her back legs, but also because when I helped manage a yard a few years ago, I got called out twice in the night to untangle horses caught in their leg straps - both reported by passers by who thought the horses had broken their legs as they were standing on three legs. One ended up with some nasty friction burns, the other was luckily ok.