# What to do with a wet horse?



## hannah_v (24 June 2016)

Hi,

What do you all do when your horse gets wet? Would you put a turnout rug on a wet horse if the rain was going to be prolonged? If you stable them to dry off, do they get too cold (i.e. is a cooler rug always necessary)? If they're wet, is it worth exercising them a bit to dry them off or will they overheat from trapped water? 

If it was my horse I'd probably leave it unless it's raining a lot and cold. However, I have a 19yr old Connemara on part loan and as he's old and not mine I want to make sure I'm caring for him really well. The owner would like him rugged in light rain and brought in overnight if the rain is heavy, so I'm wondering what I should do on days when I get caught out by the rain - just rub him down and put his rug on? It's currently raining heavily and I'll visit him asap after work. I expect he'll be quite wet on top by the time I get to him. As far as I'm aware he doesn't have a cooler, just summer and winter turnout rugs.

Thanks,

Hannah x


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## nicelittle (25 June 2016)

Hi,
It's a bit tricky when it's someone else's horse! Maybe a quick text to the owner to check what they want done that day? The weather is unpredictable, and whatever you do, you're bound to get it wrong now and then!
Our ponies are out without rugs in this weather as they would get too warm. However they come in during the day and are out at night, so even if they get wet I know they'll dry off.
A month is so ago one of ours got really cold and wet and was shivering when I got her in. I dried her off and out s rug on for an hour is so, but took it off before I left her so she didn't overheat.


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## Shay (26 June 2016)

Although there are makes of turn out rugs designed to be put on a wet horse (or so they say) you shouldn't put an normal turnout directly onto a wet horse.  The moisture will have nowhere to go and the horse will chill.  You'll need to dry off to some extent and how you do that depends on preference and time.  (And the temperature I suppose!).  I have some really great wicking fleeces which I use to dry off.  Sometimes I have time to towel dry or - really old fashioned! - thatch with straw under a stable sheet.  (The latter works well if it is also quite warm.)  I might put a waffle on and then come back to take it off after an hour or so.

At the moment with this crazy weather it is night on impossible to  get the rugging solution right all the time - unless you spend all day catching and changing rugs!  The pragmatic solution in your situation is as nicelittle suggests - ask the owner what they want.  I seem to have a never ending procession of soaked towels, soaked lightweight coolers etc just now!


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## Pinkvboots (26 June 2016)

Might be worth the owner investing in a waterproof fly rug, I just think it's been too warm for even a lightweight turnout when it was raining heavy here on Thursday it was 20 degrees, and if the sun does come out its boiling.

All last week there was a cob in the field next to mine and the poor sod had a rug on all week day and night and it's just too warm to be having rugs on.


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## JillA (26 June 2016)

Sometimes you just have to sling a rug on and run. If the horse was shivering before (as some of mine were) and having them in for an hour to dry isn't an option, I would put on a lightweight rain sheet as the lesser of evils - at least they are protected from the wind and chill factor.

ETA I have had to do that at least a couple of times this "summer" and none have had any adverse effects, including a thin skinned TB


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## Squeak (26 June 2016)

What does the owner usually do? They must be running in to the same problems. It depends how 'part' the loan is though how much I would be asking the owner. If it's pretty much a full loan and you completely look after the horse then I would get a water proof fly rug. They are a godsend in this weather. If the owner also looks after the horse then I would either do what they do or suggest that they get a water proof fly rug.


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## poiuytrewq (26 June 2016)

If my horse is soaking wet and its cold and i know its going to carry on raining i sometimes will take a sweat scraper and towel and just get the worst of the rain off him before chucking his rug on. Most modern rugs really are fine as they are breathable and the horse will dry off underneath. I have also put a fleece underneath then removed it later but realize thats probably a hassle if the horse is at a yard.


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## hannah_v (7 July 2016)

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the replies and sorry for being so slow to respond. The email alerting me to replies ended up in my spam folder. 

I look after him most days. There's also a young girl that rides him 2 days a week and the owner does any days I can't cover if I'm working away or on holiday. I treat him as I would treat my own, except I always try to make sure I'm looking after him at least as well as the owner expects, or if there are different ways of doing things then I would do it the way the owner wants. I wouldn't want to bother her every time it rains, especially with the weather being as erratic as it is, and she seems very laid back. She just asked that he's rugged in light rain and brought in for heavy rain. I just wasn't sure what to do when I got it wrong and he got wet.

The other day it was pouring with rain when I woke up so I rushed over to the yard to bring the horse in, dried him with a towel, left him for an hour while I walked the dog, and then came back to rug him up and turn him out. He was still a bit damp and I happened to run into the owner, she said that was fine. I may buy him a wicking fleece though to help him dry off quickly next time I have to do that (I wouldn't mind paying for the fleece because it's an extra that I want to make my life easier, not necessarily essential for the horse).

Thanks again for the tips and for telling me what you all do yourselves.

Have a good day all!

Thanks everyone for your help.


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## MarinoTilatti (15 July 2016)

Usually horses seem to vary in their perception and tolerance of cold. Coat quality and fatness can also play a part in determining how the horse will handle the cold. If you have more than one blanket, I have blanketed a wet horse with a layer of straw under the blanket to allow for air flow to dry the horse. Maybe


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## Micky (16 July 2016)

Invest in a wicking fleece, marvellous rugs for drying them off after a good downpour..I usually dry face mane forelock and legs with a towel, then fleece up..


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## texel (10 September 2016)

When I worked as an event and hunt groom we used to 'thatch' our horses, we stuffed straw or hay under their rugs.  This created an airy insulating layer under the rug which helped dry the horse off.  We used to thatch the legs too using bandages as they were wet and covered in mud. 

Worked a treat every time.


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## Kat (10 September 2016)

I find an old fashioned "string vest" sweat rug under a fleece works well for drying off. It is cheap to buy too.

I wouldn't put a turnout rug on a horse that is more than very slightly damp as they tend to trap the moisture next to the skin, even the top of the range breathable ones do to some extent.


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## Crugeran Celt (11 September 2016)

I used to bring mine in and pack straw under a lightweight stable rug to dry her off, worked well and she didn't get cold. Mine all live out now 24/7 all year round unrugged.


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (11 September 2016)

My inclination would be, if the horse were wet, to chuck them out without a rug on.

Far better that then put something on an already wet horse; horses aren't stupid and if they do feel cold will move around to keep warm!

They're likely to stay warmer that way, than being wet underneath a rug where the moisture has nowhere to go and they just get even more chilled.

OP would need to talk to the owner as they've obviously issued specific instructions concerning their horse: but whilst accepting this horse is a "veteran", it IS a Connie which is a good hardy breed.

My choice in this instance would be "out without"........ but I realise there are very real difficulties as OP doesn't own the horse in question. Also I appreciate there might be a situation where the horse is left out for a long time i.e. overnight, and both the loanee and the owner might worry about it!! I'm lucky in that my horses are at home with me and I can pop out and anyone looks cold or pathetic I can deal with it by bringing them in and popping them inside under a fleece for a little while and problem sorted! I have two oldies, one 20yo and one 18yo with arthritis. 

The other way to tackle things would be (obvious solution really) - to not let the horse get wet at exercise in the first place: you can get wrap-around waterproof ride-on's which do a really good job of keeping their backs dry whilst at the same time wicking away any sweat etc, I've got a really nice hi-viz one which I use a lot in the winter and does the job nicely. Equafleece used to do a nice one, dunno if they do any more (they'd probably be able to make one up for you if not in their catalogue).


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## tristar (12 September 2016)

i have a rug that takes all the moisture through and you can see it on the outerside of the rug, it dries and warms them, if the horse is cold and wet put it in and dry it, making sure it is warm before putting out again, that is what i would do so i could go off and do other things in the knowledge that the horse is cosy, anything you do to prevent achy bones is worth it, and saves worry. , also some hay to eat while drying off will speed up the warming process.


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## flirtygerty (6 November 2016)

As Textel, an old fashioned remedy is to put a layer of straw under the rug, it keeps the wet rug off the body, creates warmth and bobs your uncle


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## Tnavas (12 November 2016)

Shay said:



			Although there are makes of turn out rugs designed to be put on a wet horse (or so they say) you shouldn't put an normal turnout directly onto a wet horse.  The moisture will have nowhere to go and the horse will chill.  You'll need to dry off to some extent and how you do that depends on preference and time.  (And the temperature I suppose!).  I have some really great wicking fleeces which I use to dry off.  Sometimes I have time to towel dry or - really old fashioned! - thatch with straw under a stable sheet.  (The latter works well if it is also quite warm.)  I might put a waffle on and then come back to take it off after an hour or so.

At the moment with this crazy weather it is night on impossible to  get the rugging solution right all the time - unless you spend all day catching and changing rugs!  The pragmatic solution in your situation is as nicelittle suggests - ask the owner what they want.  I seem to have a never ending procession of soaked towels, soaked lightweight coolers etc just now!
		
Click to expand...

I've rugged wet horses many a time over the past 50 years and they've all been fine. The rug will pull the water out of the coat and the natural body warmth will dry the horse. I've never yet had a horse sick.

Remember the horse is actually waterproof!

If you have time before turning out throw the rug over and stuff hay or straw under the rug to help provide an air layer - called 'thatching', then before you turn the horse out remove the hay.


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