To sheet or not to sheet, that is the question.

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ApacheWarrior

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Can I have a show of hands for people who sheet their horses up at this time of year purely to keep them clean? I am not particularly keen on doing so, but I have a skewbald (at least I think it's a skewbald - hard to tell at the moment!) who is absolutely thick with mud constantly and due to my severe allergies I am not able to brush him without having an asthma attack, therefore the cleaner I keep him the easier it will be for me. However I know for a fact if I do put a sheet on him it will be frowned upon and I will be in trouble.
 
I don't during the week, but come Friday I tend to hose off and then sheet up whichever horses I'm competing to make my weekend a little easier. At the moment, with the rain we're having it's luck of the draw whether they are caked in mud or rained clean again!
 
Who will you be in trouble with - the rug police ?

It's your horse, and if it helps you and your health to rug him, then rug him and tell anyone who doesn't like it - to bugger off and mind their own business.
 
i too have allergies to dust, so when grooming etc. i use two thick scarves folded and tied around my mouth and nose.

last night it was chilly and rainy so i had all mine in new zealand rugs, its very chilly around 5 am and so i make sure they don't catch a cold or have a few uncomfortable hours, sometimes i use a sheet.

you know your horse best, it is quite normal to put a sheet on a horse in the summer, that's why they are called summer sheets!

i don't leave my animals to get cold ever if i can help it so have several different weight of rugs, to use indoors and outdoors.
 
Nuts to those who frown! If sheeting up causes your horse no problems then do it. Loads of people encase their entire horse in a fly rug cocoon without causing problems.

My current horses have natural body colours between mud and stable stain atm, so I don't currently rug for cleanliness, but it has been known.
 
Why would it be frowned upon?

I have sheets on mine as it is drizzly, cold & a bit muddy at the mo.

They are out 24/7 in the summer (is it summer?:() if it warms up in the day I would take them off but I haven't for the last few days as it's miserable.
 
YO is dead against sheeting up in summer. I have tried scarves and masks but the dust and dander still gets in my eyes, nose, hair, clothes and by the time Im finished brushing off I am too ill to ride and have to just go home for a lie down and try to prize my bloodshot raw eyes open. (I am on all antihistamines and inhalers available). If I could keep at least his body clean it would help enormously. Trouble is he is a big cob and could probably even live out in winter without a rug (not that I would do that) so I worry in case he sweats up in a summer sheet - it would have to stay on 24/7 for it to be any use to me. Any recommendations of a suitable sheet?
 
It is none of the YO business whether you choose to rug your horse. I am amazed that you should be bullied by someone you pay money to, she isn't doing you a favour by letting you keep your horse there - you pay for the privilege!

Good grief, you have a serious allergy problem. Go and buy something like a Rambo Dust Buster, put it on your horse and ignore the YO.
 
I would say use a fly rug rather than a proper rug. As he wont get hot but it will help to keep him clean. You can get ones that are waterproof on top which are probably more likely to keep him clean. Or you can get the cotton sheet combos i think weatherbeeta do one and also mark todd.
 
get yourself an allover fly sheet then if anyone says anything, say you think he was starting with sweetitch & prevention is better than cure!
also have a look at those hoover grooming things not sure what they are called, but you have a pack pack & a brush that seems to work as a hoover would!
bad description i know, sorry, i`m sure someone else on here can enlighten you further
 
ApacheWarrior said:
Trouble is he is a big cob and could probably even live out in winter without a rug
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Ahh but if you turn him into a show cob he would be clipped and need rugging :D

In all seriousness, for your health this might not be such a bad idea

ETA - you can just buy the vacumm grooming tools to go on a normal hoover - my friend uses a henry - think the tools were about £40, horses are absolutely fine with this method, they never groom the horses, just vacumm, and that includes their stallions - The actual grooming pack thing is quite pricey
 
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ApacheWarrior said:
YO is dead against sheeting up in summer. I have tried scarves and masks but the dust and dander still gets in my eyes, nose, hair, clothes and by the time Im finished brushing off I am too ill to ride and have to just go home for a lie down and try to prize my bloodshot raw eyes open. (I am on all antihistamines and inhalers available). If I could keep at least his body clean it would help enormously.
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That's shocking!

My closest friend died from an asthma attack in 1999, alone and on her bathroom floor. Her lungs closed and wouldn't open again. She was 32!

She had spent that evening with my daughter and I, sitting on the floor playing games where incidentaly my cat had previously been sitting.

She wouldn't gve in to the allergies, or the fact she had asthma and eventally, it killed her!!

Please,please, don't take the risk:confused::(
 
BigRed said:
Who will you be in trouble with - the rug police ?

It's your horse, and if it helps you and your health to rug him, then rug him and tell anyone who doesn't like it - to bugger off and mind their own business.
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Ha ha!! I agree with this! Don't worry about what peeople think! I mean if you were putting A HW on then yeah people may talk! But a sheet! Can't see the problem!
 
Blooming phone!! Sorry, as i was saying!! If you really want to cover up but worry about a sheet how about a fly rug? I can recommend the Rambo Protector, pricey but well worth it! Keeps my boy dust/mud free and is more "acceptable" throughout the summer!!
 
ApacheWarrior said:
YO is dead against sheeting up in summer. I have tried scarves and masks but the dust and dander still gets in my eyes, nose, hair, clothes and by the time Im finished brushing off I am too ill to ride and have to just go home for a lie down and try to prize my bloodshot raw eyes open. (I am on all antihistamines and inhalers available). If I could keep at least his body clean it would help enormously. Trouble is he is a big cob and could probably even live out in winter without a rug (not that I would do that) so I worry in case he sweats up in a summer sheet - it would have to stay on 24/7 for it to be any use to me. Any recommendations of a suitable sheet?
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He's your horse so you do what you want with him especially if it is effecting your health.

Would a rug like this be suitable? http://www.equestrianclearance.com/weatherbeeta/cotton_summer_sheet_combo_full_neck/index.html
 
Have you tried the injections? My friend is really allergic to hay/dust etc and she has a jab every 3 months I think and it makes all the difference. It is really noticable when she is due for one. Might be worth asking your doctor.
As for rugging up - your horse, your choice
Mine was rugged up at night, but she is brown and clean so no need to rug for cleanliness.
 
Some thoughts
- horses don't have to be clean all over to ride day-to-day (just the bits where tack might rub)
- skewbalds don't have to be cleaner than bays
- can you pay someone on the yard to brush off for you? or maybe trade favours with someone else on the yard? TBH it doesn't sound like this is doing you any good and rugging will only make so much difference.

Also, look at any bedding etc you are around. Changing from straw to shavings etc can help loads if you muck out.
 
B gets badly sunburnt so I have her in a weatherbeeta koolcoat. The stitching round the tail was a bit dodgy but as a weatherbeeta fan I am sure it was a one off. It's fab though. Not too hot but thicker than a standard fly sheet so she stays clean too.
 
my mare is rarely nekkid - in bright sunshine she weas a fly rug as she has been badly sunburnt in the past & wears a UV mask on the reccomendation of my vet as she has slight redness in one eye [ could be a pre-cancerous change - so sunlight is not too good for her] - when it is very wet she wears a summer sheet - at 21 with arthritis - she is happier is not constantly cold & damp

no rug police in my field;)
 
I always keep my horse covered, although that said, if you're going to keep them covered 24/7 you do have to be sure you give them a frequent good grooming to keep the skin healthy and to remove the build up of scurf. Mine wears a Rambo Dustbuster Plus or a Sweetitch Hoody (on cooler days) in summer and Snuggy Hoods turnout hoods with a combo rug in winter. It's nice to let them have a nice naked roll and frolik in the field once a week though :)
 
Ellsbells - I am so so sorry to hear your story. I didn't mean to upset anyone by my post and I realise this must have brought it all back to you. That was such an awful, sad, thing to happen but I can see how easily it could happen. Apologies once again for causing further upset to you. Take care. x
 
Daisydo said:
Bless you, o am a fellow sufferer and have also got asthma. I look ridiculous when I am grooming, I wear workmans goggles and dust mask. I also damp down his hair before I get started
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This sounds like an excellent idea.

The thing I find with fly rugs/Boetts etc is that the horse becomes used to having nothing landing on him ie;flies/ insects and when the rug is removed they are twice as sensitive to flies. Of course there is fly spray but you don't want to be inhaling that either really:)
 
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