# How to rug a horse for first time?



## Misty'sGirl (Oct 22, 2007)

My mare has apparently never had a rug on her before, according to previous owners. When I first got her I was only 12, and my dad insisted "if she's never had one, she doesn't need one now" and I was too young/naive to argue. 

But she's 24 this year and I just think it is ridiculous, she needs a rug for winter! 

So, once I actually buy one, how do I put it on without her spooking? :?


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Make sure she's okay with a saddle blanket being rubbed everywhere over her. Then get a light sheet (fly sheet or the like or even a small bedsheet) and rub it everywhere, starting with it folded into a square and then unfolding it until it's roughly the size of an actual blanket. Then, when she's okay with this, put the blanket over her back, praise her, and buckle it.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Yep just get her used to the sounds and whatever you do, do NOT tie her up. Have someone hold her in a halter and leadrope when you put it on her.

Be prepared for anything. Shying from it, running into you, backing up fast. Just be ready (wear gloves for the leadrope) since you're not sure how she's going to react. 

I think once you get it on her the first time she'll be fine with it. Let her smell it, Rub her down with it, unfold it and do up the front buckles first (so it's like a cape) then belly bands, then legs. 

Just take your time and make it a nice experience.

(My horse was anti-blanket, now you can throw it on him and he doesn't mind.)


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

I believe this the same way others mentioned... I fold it so that it's about the side of a saddle pad and put it on the back. Since they are used to a saddle pad, there is usually no fuss. Unfold it all the way to the chest...this typically doesn't bother them either. Unfold towards the rear...this is usually the part that they're not used to, but once it's all unfolded to the tail, they seem to be fine. Buckle the chest, belly, and legs...this doesn't seem to bother them. Even on snervous horse I've never had it take more than 3-4 times before you can do it without a halter/lead.


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## Scoutrider (Jun 4, 2009)

Agreed with the others as to how to introduce her to the rug (start with it folded small, desensitize, unfold a bit at a time as she becomes comfortable). I just want to comment that you need to treat everything as "business as usual" through the process (or do anything new, for that matter). Absolutely go slow and easy with the introduction, but take care that you aren't "acting sneaky" and inadvertently giving her a reason to be concerned. If you treat it like a big deal, she certainly will. You're her herd leader, and she'll take her cue on how to react from you. 

Good luck! :wink:


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

BTW..work it the same way when you remove it until you see your horse's reaction. I have one that would want scoot out from under the cover when she felt the weight lifting off her back.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

PaintHorseMares said:


> BTW..work it the same way when you remove it until you see your horse's reaction. I have one that would want scoot out from under the cover when she felt the weight lifting off her back.


Yeah OP, undo the legs, then belly, then last is the chest (opposite order of putting it on) If you do it in the wrong order.. if the horse takes off it can get seriously hurt. 

Just be prepared for everything, same as any other new training


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Skyseternalangel said:


> Yeah OP, undo the legs, then belly, then last is the chest (opposite order of putting it on) If you do it in the wrong order.. if the horse takes off it can get seriously hurt.
> 
> Just be prepared for everything, same as any other new training


Thanks for clarifying that my "same" meant "reverse" the steps.


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

What part of Australia are you in OP? Because unless you are alpine or Tasmania, your dad is actually right. She doesn't need a rug. Australia has such temperate weather, we really over-rug our horses. If you were showing, and wanted to keep her coat short, that is another matter, but just for a pleasure horse, rugs are really not required.

ETA: The only time an older horse needs rugging in the winter is if they lose condition during the winter. Given that winter is when our grass grows the most, it usually negates any weight loss due to keeping warm.


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## yadlim (Feb 2, 2012)

To add humor this this thread - DO NOT DO THIS I was not thinking and thank goodness for a good horse!

I rug the horses in the winter as they don't have a place to get out of the rain when turned out into thier paddocks. I use just the light sheets that don't provide warmth, just water protection. 

So I had this semitame 2 1/2 year old filly who had only been touched a handful of times before we brought her home - at a point in time when no one had time to do more than pat her on the head on occasion. 

I measured her for her blankie with some help - we hadn't established actually being able to touch her all the way around yet and showed up the next day at the stable with her brand new blankie. I tossed a halter on her and drapped the lead line over a fence board, didn't tie it, just draped it. To keep my gelding out of the way, he also got haltered with his lead line draped over the same fence board. 

Leaning against the side of the filly (I had completely forgotten WHAT horse I was dealing with) a proceeded to rip off the plastic the blanket was wrapped in. I went to toss it out of the corral, but the wind caught it and it instead flapped against her neck for a few seconds before falling to the gound at her front feet. I kicked it out of the way. The filly had big eyes, but hadn't moved so I continued to fail to notice WHAT horse I was workign with. 

Then I unfolded this bright, and I mean BRIGHT, pinkish purple blankie and tossed it over her back. She did take one step to the side away from me. I told her it was ok and to just take it easy. I then went about buckeling it, including the staps under her back legs like we had been doing it every day for years. So she stood like we had been doign it for years. Once I was happy with the fit, I unhaltered both horses, passed out about two pounds of carrots and drove away.

It was a block or two down the road that I remembered WHAT horse I had just done that to. Apparently she had taken her cue from me about how unbig of a deal this was and has never needed more than a rope lying over her neck to signify that she is 'caught' to blanket or unblanket.

Have I mentioned how much I like this filly, even if she is short?


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

yadlim said:


> Have I mentioned how much I like this filly, even if she is short?


I've done the saaame thing, except completely loose Sky in the pasture. I literally threw the blanket on backwards, so I was sliding it around trying to do it up.. finally got it right, buckled it.. and he just stood there frozen panting really hard. As soon as I was done and walked away safely he went galloping off like a mad horse lol! 

Gotta love the good ones when we aren't thinking


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## Misty'sGirl (Oct 22, 2007)

Chiilaa said:


> What part of Australia are you in OP? *Because unless you are alpine or Tasmania,* your dad is actually right. She doesn't need a rug. Australia has such temperate weather, we really over-rug our horses. If you were showing, and wanted to keep her coat short, that is another matter, but just for a pleasure horse, rugs are really not required.
> 
> ETA: The only time an older horse needs rugging in the winter is if they lose condition during the winter. Given that winter is when our grass grows the most, it usually negates any weight loss due to keeping warm.


I'm in Tasmania! I think we reached a top of 11 degress celsius today :-( It has been bucketing with rain nonstop today, the paddocks have actually flooded. With the amount of rain we're getting I'm really concerned about rainrot.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Putting a sheet on will make rainrot worse. It's better than the skin breathes. If she's shivering, that's a different matter entirely.

As long as she's eating healthy and keeping her weight, she won't get rainrot and should be A-ok without a rain sheet on.


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Wow! 11 degrees sounds so cold, at least until you change it to F. That's about 50. I guess it just depends on what you're used to. Our winters get down to below 0 F and we don't blanket ours, even with snow or rain. We did blanket them one winter but that was because they were stalled until too late and didn't get a good winter coat. Now they are out 24/7/365. But anyway. 

As for blanketing her, you can do as others have said and fold it up and slowly unfold it on her. Since you've had her for 12 years, I think she will trust you enough to put it on without much fuss. Personally I wouldn't fold it. I would walk up to her with it completely unfolded and rub her with it. If she moves away, just keep that distance and follow until she stops. Then move a little away from her. Basically desensitize her to it. Another way is to have her follow it. Carry it as you lead her or have someone else carry it and you lead her following them. It will cause her to be curious about it.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Unless your cold temperatures are way down in the minuses blanketing your senior mare is not a good idea. A horse can control whether to lay it's coat down flat in hot weather or fluff it up for cold. Blanketing causes the hair to flatten, and can actually cause the horse to feel colder. The opposite of this is that when the sun shines the horse overheats under the blanket and can dehydrate. Your dad is right. Just because you feel cold, don't assume your horse does. They adapt very well to weather changes.


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