# Hunting while turned out 42/7



## Goldenstar (2 November 2014)

This year we are trying hunting two horses out the field .
One is coming in the night before and was kept in on Saturday night as they did not come back till six and he was sleeping by seven , he seems happy with that so that's how we will do him.
The other will come in only on the hunting morning get a make over and go and will need turning out in the evening .
My question is what do people who do this do about rugging when the horse is wet ( he does sweat a lot and is prone to hunting on once he's home ) I have tried a thermatex under a thin outside rug but the thermatex slipped back and looked uncomfortable .
I have a fleece to try, it is a different shape and might work better.
What do people do in this situation I wondered would it be ok just to keep a 'sweaty ' outside rug for hunting nights , has anyone done this.
The horse is chaser clipped ATM but I could easily take off all his hair if that would be better .
All ideas welcomed


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## Goldenstar (2 November 2014)

Sorry about the title typo my days just seem long sometimes !


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## spacefaer (2 November 2014)

I was lent a hunting Arab a few years ago - went out with a non-jumping, moorland type pack - I apologised profusely to the owner when we got back to the trailers as he was FILTHY -  mud everywhere and generally no longer grey - we had been through boggy, peaty ground and got snowed on as well.

The owner said not to worry - he'd just put his Rambo turnout rug on when he got home, and put him in the field. He'd then brush him (probably) the next day, when it had all dried.

Coming as I did from an Pony Club/eventing background, I found it astonishing and didn't really know what to say - but the little horse had done 2 days/week for the previous 4 years, so it must've worked!


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## Nicnac (2 November 2014)

I did same today.  Brought them both in for an hour to dry before prepping and popped back into stables for an hour to dry off when we got back so could brush and check over then chucked back out with LW full necks on.

If he's not completely dry before he goes back out, I'd just make sure his t/o is breathable.  Find the Thermatex too thick for mine and he carries on sweating in it.


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## cptrayes (2 November 2014)

GS  the hunter in my avatar was nearly always returned out wet and sweaty  for a couple of hours in a cheap 300g rug which he then kept on all night in a big barn and he came to no harm at all.


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## Goldenstar (2 November 2014)

Right I will keep a hunting night out door rug for him .
He's used to being washed down not sure what to do about that .
You selling your horse cptrayes ? I saw him over there >>>>>>>>


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## PonyclubmumZ (2 November 2014)

Bucas say that you can turnout a horse wearing their turnout rug even if the horse is wet/sweaty.  They are not cheap but might be worth investigating.


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## Goldenstar (2 November 2014)

PonyclubmumZ said:



			Bucas say that you can turnout a horse wearing their turnout rug even if the horse is wet/sweaty.  They are not cheap but might be worth investigating.
		
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Thank you I will take a look .


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## PonyclubmumZ (2 November 2014)

I could have been more helpful and given you a link, sorry!

http://www.bucas.com/products/smartex/

I am on a quest to find a new rug at the moment, otherwise I would not be so knowledgeable!!


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## Primitive Pony (2 November 2014)

I have just bought one of these Bucas rugs as my horse is out 24-7 - it is great!


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## cptrayes (2 November 2014)

Goldenstar said:



			Right I will keep a hunting night out door rug for him .
He's used to being washed down not sure what to do about that .
You selling your horse cptrayes ? I saw him over there >>>>>>>>
		
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He was sold in March!  The guy who has him can't ride one side of him when he's in the field, and has put him back up for sale.  He is strong, but heck I'm a 10st 6lb 5' 8" female, so if I could hold him he ought to be able to.  It's such a shame, he's an awesome hedge hopper. I've been swapping emails for two weeks coaching him how to ride him, offered to go over and see what was going on, and suddenly that ad appears today with no warning and without my permission even though it's my photo!


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## Goldenstar (2 November 2014)

Oh well ,I hope he finds the right home this time .cheeky to use your photo though.


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## Mixedbag (2 November 2014)

I hunted my TB out of the field last season. Hunter clipped, tried to be dryish by the time we got back to the trailer, used fleece or thermatex depending on temperature. Washed off once home if very sweaty, stood in for an hour or so if washed then on with Rambo HW Duo and out into field with barn. Very happy and relaxed horse. Give it a go!


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## Goldenstar (2 November 2014)

Mixedbag said:



			I hunted my TB out of the field last season. Hunter clipped, tried to be dryish by the time we got back to the trailer, used fleece or thermatex depending on temperature. Washed off once home if very sweaty, stood in for an hour or so if washed then on with Rambo HW Duo and out into field with barn. Very happy and relaxed horse. Give it a go!
		
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I do think taking more hair off mine might be the way forward I was being cautious because I can take more off but can't put it back on !
I do have a shed but while we have two out I have or closed off if the younger one comes in I'll open it up.
He's very happy outside and does nor seem at all worried when he's on his own .
Of course it's been amazingly easy so far because of the weather .


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## frostyfingers (3 November 2014)

My TB is hunter clipped and lives out as much as possible.  He comes in the night before, mostly because he's a mud monster and is always absolutely filthy.  When he comes home I wash his body but not his legs and wait for him to dry, he has a good meal and some hay.  I find it takes about the same time as it does for me to clean my tack and get the lorry straight.   Once his legs are dry the mud is brushed off and I put him out.  He goes and has a gallop about, rolls thoroughly and is a happier and healthier horse for being out.  He then has another thorough clean and check over in the morning.


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## Swirlymurphy (3 November 2014)

We hunted our old TB out of the field and turned her out with an old fashioned string sweat rug under her turnout.  This seemed to do her very well.


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## Christmas Crumpet (3 November 2014)

I tend to wash off when I get home and then turn horse out all night with a fleece underneath normal turnout rug. Seems to work really well.


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## Goldenstar (3 November 2014)

Thank you all  , I am glad people are doing this successfully I know someone who hunts out the field but stables night before and after I don't think this will work with this one .
He still got a friend most nights but was very settled on his own on Friday and Saturday night .
We have plenty of grass so not putting hay out ATM that's the next issue he's not good with food and will bully the other one .


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## Orangehorse (3 November 2014)

I saw the article in H&H about this and was very interested!  But I thought it was a bit pointless to stable them the night before and the night after.  Altough I can appreciate that they might need this the night before if very difficult to get clean.

With mine, I used to turn out in the field when we got back, often with no rug at all if it wasn't too cold (racing clip, so neck and belly clipped, body mostly not) so he would have a roll and an eat, and then in at night.  But I certainly like the sound of them living out 24/7, after hunting particularly when they can walk about all night and graze.  Do all yours have a field shelter to get into if they want, so they can lie down somewhere dry?


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## Tea Drinker (3 November 2014)

Rugs onto wet coats are to be avoided so firstly, clip your horse right out. A clipped horse dries in a fraction of the time an unclipped one will.
So wash down at the meet the essentials (ie where the rug is going to sit). You can always finish off the legs and head when you get home if you are short on time.
Travel them back in a wicking rug (thermatiex/whatever you like).
Then at home, turn out. By then, the clipped areas under the rug will be damp but not sopping.
Brush them off the next day. 
I never stable my hunt horse at all. I much prefer them to walk off their day's efforts and frankly, I'm just not mad on mucking out


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## Goldenstar (3 November 2014)

I really do think this will work on my two experiments this year ( we have four hunters )
The young one who hunted six hours on Saturday was fast asleep in his stable on Saturday night it was a slowish day ( longer than I would have liked ) but within an hour of keeping home he was resting and relaxed and it was seven clock so I left him in.
The other is a real live wire and is loving living out I am going to clip him right out I decided today when he came back wet from an hours exercise .
Will keep the young one out until they are needing a lot of haylege because I don't think he will get enough as Tatts will drive him off .
I do have a shed I have closed it off as I don't think two in it is a good idea as it's not that big,I have it bedded and ready for use as soon as I want it.
It's been so mild and dry it's been easy so far .


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## Jenny Wrenny (3 November 2014)

My Irish mare lives out 24/7.  I was cubbing her once a week from the end of August and unrugged up until I clipped her a fortnight ago (hunter clip with head off).  After cubbing I wash her off at the trailer and by the time we are home she is generally dry, I either brush her legs off or wash them off and turn her out and she has a jolly good roll and gets her head down to graze.

Last week we were cubbing on home territory so did not have the trailer ride home for her to dry off.  I cautiously put a lightweight turnout on her (very sweaty) and turned her out.  After an hour or so I checked her and she was as happy as larry - lovely and warm and dry.  I think as long as the rug is breathable, they will soon dry out so I will definitely do this again.

I will continue with this through the hunting season - rug will get heavier and warmer as the weather gets colder as we have been so lucky with the mild weather.  I do put a summer sheet on under her lightweight turnout rug at night and she is always as warm as toast in the morning.

We are lucky that our land is light so drains away quickly after rain.  She has plenty of natural shelter and she is just the sort that loves to be out.  I have started giving her some grass nuts every night just to prevent her losing any condition but I must say she looks the picture of fitness and health 

Several people I know hunt from the field, their horses are happy and healthy and its less work too!


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## Lucyad (3 November 2014)

Mine is in at night, but however late I return home, I always need to turn him out for a while, otherwise he will not settle - will box walk and not eat or drink.  He is chaser clipped.  I try to hack home or back to the trailer slowly enough to cool him off, he would be very slightly damp at most.  He is then checked over as well as can be without washing, rugged up in a breathable outdoor rug and turned out straight from the trailer, he would attempt to flatten me if I tied him up and tried to wash him or even brush him.  If he settles enough he will come in later in the evening, sometimes he will prefer to stay out, in which case he doesn't get brushed off and checked more thoroughly until the following day.  I know him well enough to be able to tell what he wants (especially as he takes himself from field to stable if he wants in - I just have to open the gate). We don't have hedges, or really any particularly challenging jumping, otherwise I would be far more paranoid about wanting to wash and check imediately, for example for any thorns.


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## L&M (3 November 2014)

My new hunting cob is also living out 24/7&#8230;..on a hunting morning I get him him about an hour before we need to leave. We are lucky as he is on a hill field that is well draining, so other than a tail wash, and hocks and knees, don't need to do a full bath. Also being a cob, he is hogged, so nice and easy to get ready.

I travel him home in a cooler, and find he is dry enough to brush off and put on his outdoor rug by the time we get home. I then double check him the next morning and brush off anything I have missed then. 

He currently has a blanket clip, but may give him a hunter clip for the next one and just put a thicker rug on, as find he dries off quicker if has less coat.

I am very lucky considering he is grey!!!


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## meesha (3 November 2014)

Mine live out but are shut on yard/arena with open matted field shelter at night once gateways get too muddy.  I try to wash down once back to van after hunting as up to hour drive home so I can wash off, rug up with a sweat rug and he is nice and warm and dry by the time we get home so just feed, chuck on rug and turnout.   They always have access to shelter and arena so have somewhere nice and warm/dry to sleep if wet fields.


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## Goldenstar (3 November 2014)

Lots of people making this work ,thanks everyone for your stories .


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## irishdraft (3 November 2014)

My mare has hunted from the field for 10 seasons with no problems. I clip her out fully,when back at the boxes I wash her off and rug up with fleeces by the time I'm home and she's had her tea she is usually dry if not I leave her in for half hour or so then turn out, I must admit I don't turn her out wet  or hot ,ever !


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## racingdemon (5 November 2014)

I hunt mine out of the field, fully clipped TB, come home & get washed off & stand in for a while to eat tea & dry off, then back out with what ever combination of rugs they're wearing, come in the next morning & get trotted up/checked over again but tbh, Esp with my old horse, he was never stiff if he got turned out that evening, (unless he'd given himself an injury!)
Even horses I've had that lived in at night used to get an hour or so turned out after hunting, just for a decent roll, leg stretch etc,


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