Turnout rugs without leg straps

[Caol Ila]

Rug shopping for Hermosa. She's currently borrowing a friend's rug. I was hoping Foinavon's would fit her, but nope.

The YO has said that if we want her to take rugs on and off our horses, we can't have leg straps. I'm fine with that as I prefer fillet straps anyway. Never liked leg straps. I've always made a fillet strap with whatever bit of tat I have, and they get pretty gross. Some brands, like Premier Equine, make rugs without leg straps and have a plasticy thing under the tail. Ingenious, but PE costs an arm and a leg. Are any other companies using a similar design?

 

[deicinmerlyn]

Rug shopping for Hermosa. She's currently borrowing a friend's rug. I was hoping Foinavon's would fit her, but nope.

The YO has said that if we want her to take rugs on and off our horses, we can't have leg straps. I'm fine with that as I prefer fillet straps anyway. Never liked leg straps. I've always made a fillet strap with whatever bit of tat I have, and they get pretty gross. Some brands, like Premier Equine, make rugs without leg straps and have a plasticy thing under the tail. Ingenious, but PE costs an arm and a leg. Are any other companies using a similar design?

Just use one of the legs straps as a Fillet string! That’s what I do. Never keep leg straps on any rug, don’t like them

 

[Roxylola]

Yeah I take leg straps off and use one as a fillet string. I'm too liable to forget them and whip the rug off with their legs tied together ?
My Derby house and recent weatherbeeta purchases have either come with fillet strings or had removable leg straps

 

[spotty_pony]

You can buy the plastic fillet strings separately.

 

[Caol Ila]

Yeah, I've been doing that for years. But seeing as I'm sitting on my computer procrastinating on actual work, I thought I might to try find out if anyone has a better design. Before I buy yet another Swish rug.

 

[Carrottom]

You can buy the plastic fillet strings separately.

This is good news, unfortunately some rugs (amigo) have fillet straps stitched.

 

[tatty_v]

My Rambo has a fillet string with a handy clear plastic cover that stops the poo sticking to it. Google tells me you can buy them separately and just clip them on.

Have to admit I prefer leg straps myself but we have a very windy field and they seem to hold rugs down better!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

My weatherbeetas have leg straps but the Shires 100g doesnt, nor do the 2 x cheapo 40g and 0g. I'm pretty sure the Amigo doesnt have leg straps on either.
Like others, leg straps get re-utilised as fillet strings, tho I prefer leg straps on anything over 100g to prevent possible wind issues.

 

[Caol Ila]

Jesus, there's a whole website/company devoted to fillet strings. The things you see out here....https://www.filletstrings.co.uk/

Also, I'm after a 0g one. 5'9.

 

[L&M]

You can buy the plastic fillet strings separately.

I got some from the Shires website, cheap as chips and clips either end so you can wash them too.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Shires don't and they stay put really well.

 

[Starzaan]

All WeatherBeeta rugs come with leg straps as standard but are designed so you can completely remove both and use one as a fillet string.
personally I hate fillet strings having had a horse killed when a rug with a fillet string blew up over his head, but then we’ve all got silly things like that haven’t we?

 

[MereChristmas]

I have been making my own for years 2 trigger clips, apiece of polythene tube and length of cord.

It is a good idea to put some brightly coloured sticky tape on the tube.

Easier to find in the field when the string breaks. ( they all do, eventually)

 

[southerncomfort]

Just use one of the legs straps as a Fillet string! That’s what I do. Never keep leg straps on any rug, don’t like them

That's what I do too.

Most rugs seem to come with leg straps and a fillet string these days, but a fillet string isn't robust enough to cope with the gales we get here!

 

[Widgeon]

Jesus, there's a whole website/company devoted to fillet strings. The things you see out here....https://www.filletstrings.co.uk/

Look, they come in all different colours! All of mine are muddypoo coloured.

 

[Stenners]

I have the Horseware Amigos and they don’t have leg straps and don’t move

 

[criso]

Jesus, there's a whole website/company devoted to fillet strings. The things you see out here....https://www.filletstrings.co.uk/

Also, I'm after a 0g one. 5'9.

I was about to share this. I've even bought them in matching colours.

 

[AdorableAlice]

You can buy the plastic fillet strings separately.

You certainly can, and of differing lengths in packs of 3. Ted's bottom needs extra long as does Alice but no one tell her please, or she will have a frump.

 

[Boulty]

I also dislike leg straps & tend to repurpose them into fillet strings as I've seen a lot more horses with their legs tangled in leg straps than fillet strings (plus they get a bit icky when the clips get poo on them!) Also if she's still growing & you're open to 2nd hand PM me. I've got a few 5'9 & a few 6ft rugs mix of Amigo & PE that are never in a million years going to fit fuzzball who is now in 6ft3 rugs.

 

[Lois Lame]

Yeah, I've been doing that for years. But seeing as I'm sitting on my computer procrastinating on actual work, I thought I might to try find out if anyone has a better design. Before I buy yet another Swish rug.

Decades and decades ago one could buy a (canvas) rug with a so-called Y fastening. No one seems to make them anymore. These rugs also came with leg straps instead of a Y fastening, but I also don't like leg straps. Too annoying for a horse.

 

[Lois Lame]

All WeatherBeeta rugs come with leg straps as standard but are designed so you can completely remove both and use one as a fillet string.
personally I hate fillet strings having had a horse killed when a rug with a fillet string blew up over his head, but then we’ve all got silly things like that haven’t we?

Oh, I thought at first that a 'fillet string' might be the belly straps

Anyhow, yes, I would feel the need to have something substantial to keep a rug from turning topsy and blindfolding the horse.

I wouldn't have thought of this happening had not a friend advised me most patiently one day.

 

[jnb]

I remove all the leg straps from my rugs (80% are Weatherbeeta) and attach a PE Horse sized plastic covered elasticated fillet string to the leg strap loops at the end where you'd clip the leg straps to do them up (if that makes any sense whatsoever!)

As the PE Fillet strings are much heavier than a bog standard leg strap adapted to make a fillet string I don't have any issues with the rug blowing up.

I always used legs straps with my old cob but was paranoid about him getting a leg caught - saw a horse do a tendon really badly caught in one! Ditto one break a leg in a too-loose belly strap, another pet hate!

When I got my baby cob from Ireland (September) he was almost untouched & living out with no shelter so when I got him used to rugging after a month or two (November) I didn't want to faff with leg straps just in case and the habit has continued - much simpler for anyone changing rugs for you as well.

 

[J&S]

I have a 0gs Amigo on my native with just a filet strap and it does not blow up. Keeps her pretty dry too and her coat down and shiny.

 

[Merrymoles]

For a no-fill, I'd go for a Shires. Fillet string, stay put really well and seem to stay waterproof for years too!

 

[pistolpete]

Seen baling string used too! Not recommended. I like the plastic covered ones that you can hose the poop off ?.

 

[COldNag]

Another one who removes leg straps and uses them as fillet strings. I agree though, the plastic covered fillet strings are better.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I much prefer leg straps and would actually just not have the yard change rugs for me, as long as I was going once a day to take rug off and check over myself though. At the basic full livery yard I was previously on he didn't do rug changes at all, all the horses wore their outdoor rugs as stable rugs too. Which is fine because modern rugs are breathable but not great if the rug doesn't get removed daily and re-set... but I get very concerned about the rug blowing up without the extra security of leg straps (The Beast has leg straps, fillet string and a tail loop on the tail flap ? that should just about do it!)

Currently have two in just fillet strings and don't much like it. MrT is OK because his tail is so huge and the fillet string is short. Little Dragon is probably OK because she's sensible enough to not panic if her rug blew up also it's a heavy little rug so it doesn't flap about at all anyway. But in heavy winds they are inside, in moderate cold wind I can put MrT's very ancient medium weight on which does have leg straps.

 

[Northern Hare]

When I still had my horse, I made half a dozen elasticated fillet strings, using elastic rope and soft PVC clear tubing, both off eBay, and used the clips from the leg straps for the end. They worked really well and as I was making a few it worked out really good value.

 

[criso]

I bought a couple of PE plastic covered filets strings but the clips of both broke the first winter. However I Have a FAL rug that came with one that has lasted years and the ones from filet strings

 

[MereChristmas]

I made this over 10 years ago. The polythene tube is a bit like Triggers broom. The other parts have been replaced.

 

[maya2008]

Horseware or shires both have fillet strings. I don’t use leg straps. Much prefer fillet strings!