# Tacking up a wet horse



## djlynwood (21 July 2010)

with this unpredictable weather and horses living out do you just not ride when your horse is wet from the field.

I have lesson after work on Thurs and Im just worried that he may be too wet when I get him in.

I cant get him brought in before so will just have to wait and see.

But, would I be cruel putting his saddle on if I dried him with a towel as much as possible?

I know that if he was wet with mud it would be different.


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## DragonSlayer (21 July 2010)

Have you got a summer sheet you can bung on him in the morning maybe before it rains? then if it does, he is dry, and being nice and thin, he won't cook....!

I place a dry towel over where the saddle goes to help dry them off....takes a lil bit of time, but seems to work well..


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## Amymay (21 July 2010)

I've never tacked up a wet horse in my life.  But plenty do and think it's ok.

Pop a lightweight rug on??


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## LauraWheeler (21 July 2010)

Agree with others can you put a lightweight rug on.
But i have tacked up wet horses before. I just dry them off as best i can.
Once at the riding school we had to bath a little grey pony just before a lesson as he was no longer grey he was green  We dryed him off as best we could even using hairdryers  but he had so much coat he still wasn't dry so we put a towel under his saddle to help him dry some more. It didn't do him any harm.


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## wilsha (21 July 2010)

yep same goes here if you can pop a lghtweight on if not just dry him off really well and as long as hes got a nice comfy numnah in sure he will be fine


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## outandabout (21 July 2010)

I have tacked up a wet horse before, he actually dried off quite quickly once we started moving about.  I just made sure that the area under the saddle and the girth area was as dry as possible by towelling him off beforehand.


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## millitiger (21 July 2010)

if you are using a numnah i cannot see why you can't tack up a wet horse.

do the people who don't tack up wet horses also never ride their horse until it sweats??


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## teddyt (21 July 2010)

amymay said:



			I've never tacked up a wet horse in my life.  But plenty do and think it's ok.

Pop a lightweight rug on??
		
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Ditto this


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## EnduroRider (21 July 2010)

He'll be fine.

When the endurance horses have had a vet gate and hold they are tacked up to do the next part of the course and often haven't dried completely. They'll then go and do another 20-30 miles before repeating the process all over again.


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## Amymay (21 July 2010)

amymay said:



			I've never tacked up a wet horse in my life.  But plenty do and think it's ok.

Pop a lightweight rug on??
		
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Actually I'm lying. Quite often after a first clip I will bath him, then saddle him immediately and ride him away.


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## teddyt (21 July 2010)

EnduroRider said:



			He'll be fine.

When the endurance horses have had a vet gate and hold they are tacked up to do the next part of the course and often haven't dried completely. They'll then go and do another 20-30 miles before repeating the process all over again.
		
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I see this as a bit different though because presumably the horses have been groomed first before the ride and the sweat washed off during, so although damp, they are clean. Even if not muddy a horse in from the field will not be clean. This could cause skin problems (apart from rubbing), which is why i wouldnt do it.


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## JVB (21 July 2010)

I've never not tacked up a horse beacuse it's wet, towel off the worst but never had any problems, they get sweaty anyway so don't see much of a difference


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## lannerch (21 July 2010)

cause you can!

Did it yesterday.  Do it everytime I go eventing when its hot. And once the your horse has sweated he will be wet anyway.

Never had a problem with skin problems due to it some people really do over worry you'll be fine enjoy your lesson 

mine would sweat in a lightweight at the moment as he overheats easily and wet sweat is more irritating than rain


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## EnduroRider (21 July 2010)

teddyt said:



			I see this as a bit different though because presumably the horses have been groomed first before the ride and the sweat washed off during, so although damp, they are clean. Even if not muddy a horse in from the field will not be clean. This could cause skin problems (apart from rubbing), which is why i wouldnt do it.
		
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wash them off first then surely....


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## CBFan (21 July 2010)

wet from sweat is a bit different to wet from water! 

The idea behind not taking up a wet horse is because water is often cold and therefore the horses back muscles may be tense and even spasm so putting tack on it could cause it pain and discomfort. I have seen a pony just bathed have it's tack thrown on and a rider put on top. said rider was on the floor within minutes. That said, if pony had been as thoroughly towel dried as possible over it's back, the rubbing alone would have warmed and relaxed his muscles at least.

give him a thorough toweling and even pop a fleece over his back while you're waiting and I'm sure he'll be fine. I'd also er on the side of caution and walk him for 5 minutes once tacked up before you mount. but thats just me.


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## teddyt (21 July 2010)

EnduroRider said:



			wash them off first then surely....
		
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Yes, thats one way round it. But on a rainy day as CBfan says, not ideal if the muscles will be made even colder.
Personally i would use a LW rain sheet, dry the horse first or not ride. At the end of the day no major harm will come to the horse if ridden when wet so its no big deal but its just not great horsemanship! If needs must then do it.


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## muffinino (21 July 2010)

Ive always tacked up wet horses and never had a problem. As long as the girth/saddle areas are clean I see no issues with it. If they arent clean, wipe them down with a sponge then towel off. Regardless of whether the horse is wet or not, I always put the saddle on first then faff around putting boots & hat on, then put the bridle on and pick out feet before mounting, so theres plenty of time for the horses back to warm up under the saddle


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## EnduroRider (21 July 2010)

Yep very good point re cold muscles, this hadn't crossed my mind as I always use a massage pad before tacking up but not everyone does.


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## millitiger (21 July 2010)

i don't think the reason people don't tack up wet horses is because they are cold- it is because they think the tack will rub!

otherwise do you not ride at all in the winter if your horses are not rugged if their muscles are cold?

what if there is a torrential downpour in the summer but it is still warm? that has happened a lot this week!


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## saddlesore (21 July 2010)

I do it and don't see an issue with it! I towel dry the horse as best as I can and pop his fleece on whilst I do everything else. Horse(s) have always seemed happy enough!


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## arizonahoney (21 July 2010)

In Spain on my family's farm, they often hose the horses down before a ride and stick the tack straight on (just because it's so hot). They don't seem to suffer any ill effects as a result of this.

Still, not the way things are done in the UK...


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## djlynwood (21 July 2010)

Thanks everyone, He would be too hot with even a lightweight summer rug on as its still very warm here, just very wet ( and we have a hose pipe ban!)

I just thought about it as afew people on yard wont ride if horse is wet but i didnt think it was a big issue as long as I dry off as much as I can.


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## BobbyMondeo (21 July 2010)

I always ride if my horse is wet or not.

What do you people do when your horse sweats?


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## jenbleep (21 July 2010)

Personally I would pop a lightweight rug on, however if that's not possible I would bring him in, put him in the stable and rub his back over with a towel. This will lift the hair and make his muscles slightly warmer, and anyway he will dry off under saddle. 

Sweat is more damaging to skin then rainwater (unless it's acid, haha  )

I wouldn't make a habit of it though, but sometimes it can't be helped.


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## CBFan (21 July 2010)

millitiger said:



			otherwise do you not ride at all in the winter if your horses are not rugged if their muscles are cold?

QUOTE]

No! You just warm them up properly. Each to their own i guess in terms of theories behind not tacking up wet horses both tack rubbing and cold muscles stand up as being pretty good reasons not to in my book but hey ho! If you've ever watched an unrugged horse stand back to the driving rain, you'd have seen how they tense up.. just as they do when you run a hose over their backs...
		
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## millitiger (21 July 2010)

but doesn't having the saddle on warm them up anyway?

i have ridden dozens of different horses in winter who are unrugged and none have decked me or fallen over minutes after getting on.

and unrugged horses who have their backs to driving rain- so do rugged horses!!
imo it has nothing to do with temperature and more to do with them not liking standing in rain!


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## sonjafoers (21 July 2010)

I never do it and if I think it's going to be raining before a ride I put a rainsheet on my horse when she is dry.

One of my horses is coloured, her back is white & her skin is pink. She suffers with lumps,bumps,scabs,rainscald - any skin related issue you care to mention! My vet told me not to tempt fate by tacking her when her back is wet because the skin is softer if it has been wet for a while, and it is much easier for bacteria etc to enter her pores and cause a problem. i think part of the issue is that it is difficult to groom a wet horse thoroughly and also if a numnah is not newly washed it will harbour some dirt.

It makes perfect sense to me I'm afraid so it is something I always avoid doing - no matter what the circumstances. My other horse's skin is nowhere near as sensitive but I don't tack her up wet either - maybe I'm just a bit over protective


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## teddyt (21 July 2010)

sonjafoers said:



			My vet told me not to tempt fate by tacking her when her back is wet because the skin is softer if it has been wet for a while, and it is much easier for bacteria etc to enter her pores and cause a problem. i think part of the issue is that it is difficult to groom a wet horse thoroughly and also if a numnah is not newly washed it will harbour some dirt.

It makes perfect sense to me I'm afraid so it is something I always avoid doing
		
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Exactly!


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## MotherOfChickens (21 July 2010)

mine live out, it's way too hot (IMO) for even a rain sheet so they get tacked up wet-if they are muddy then I wash off first. they arent pink skinned and I use sheepskin half pads (and am pretty strict on washing them often)-no rubs, no problems. for an animal that lives out all year in the UK, 20 plus degrees is pretty warm.


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (21 July 2010)

I've frequently had to tack up a wet and/or muddy horse as mine is out for most of the time, and if you're riding either before or after work or school its not always easy to have a nice clean tidy horse!!!

Best thing to do, if time is short, is to just basically clear a patch for the saddle and girth, free of mud is the main thing - wash off with bucket and sponge if needs be. Then you just bung on somthing like a polypad and hey presto saddle goes on. A synthetic girth is probably best coz will wash off afterwards, tho' I wouldn't advise a synthetic saddle, having had two and had horses with sore backs.

Easiest too is to get a synthetic bridle coz if you've got a mucky horse they're easier to deal with; not that I like synthetic, far from it, BUT it does make life easier in the depths of winter when you can just rinse it under the tap. 

Simples!


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## teddyt (21 July 2010)

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:



			I wouldn't advise a synthetic saddle, having had two and had horses with sore backs.
		
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Off topic but its not what a saddle is made of that makes the back sore- its how it fits!


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## Steorra (21 July 2010)

As a one off it would probably be okay, but as a rule it's not a great idea.  Ever put on shoes with wet feet and noticed how they suddenly seem to rub / be uncomfortable everywhere?

Could always ride bareback


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## lannerch (21 July 2010)

sonjafoers said:



			I never do it and if I think it's going to be raining before a ride I put a rainsheet on my horse when she is dry.

One of my horses is coloured, her back is white & her skin is pink. She suffers with lumps,bumps,scabs,rainscald - any skin related issue you care to mention! My vet told me not to tempt fate by tacking her when her back is wet because the skin is softer if it has been wet for a while, and it is much easier for bacteria etc to enter her pores and cause a problem. i think part of the issue is that it is difficult to groom a wet horse thoroughly and also if a numnah is not newly washed it will harbour some dirt.

It makes perfect sense to me I'm afraid so it is something I always avoid doing - no matter what the circumstances. My other horse's skin is nowhere near as sensitive but I don't tack her up wet either - maybe I'm just a bit over protective 

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mine has very sensitive skin too, if he is overugged which at this time of year would include wearing a lightweight he comes out in a rain scald kind of rash  all over very itchy.
Never had a problem though after tacking up when wet. As long as he is clean where is the problem. 
The temperature here at the moment means cold muscles are not the problem overheating on the other hand is.

Surely when they sweat the bacteria can enter the pores just as easily


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## JenTaz (21 July 2010)

i dont see why not, when i was younger and helped at a riding school every weekend ponies and mares came in from the field, were tacked up when needed if they were wet they couldnt get brushed but they still got ridden after all its only a bit of water, with taz i just use the sweat scrapper to make sure he's not got too much excess on him


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## sonjafoers (21 July 2010)

_Surely when they sweat the bacteria can enter the pores just as easily[/QUOTE]_

Yes you're probably right but i think the point my vet was making is that if a horse has been in the rain for a few hours then the skin will be softened before the tack goes on, and is therefore making it easier for bacteria to enter.

A back that is wet from sweat isn't usually soaking for a few hours (for example) and is therefore less likely to cause a problem.


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