Putting on a Rug

Unless you know the horse well, put a head collar on and tie him up.

Make sure the leg straps (if the rug has them) are done up and the surcingle straps are loosely knotted together. Straps left unsecured could catch the horse's legs when the rug is placed over the horse's back.

1. Fold the rug in half and place well forward over the horse's back. If you throw the rug it may frighten the horse, miss, get caught over the beams in the roof of the stable or over a gate. (I have see all of the above scenarios happen at one time or another!)
2. Open out the rug over the horse's back and pull gently back into place, this way all the hair under the rug will be lying smoothly.
3. Check the centre back seem of the rug lies along the line of the horse's backbone and then
4. Go around to the right side of the horse and undo the surcingle and leg straps.
5. Return to the left side of the horse, facing the same direction as the horse, bend down and collect the first surcingle strap and do it up. With most rugs the staps cross over under the horse's belly, i.e the front strap attaches to the rear buckle on the other side. When both surcingle straps are done up there should be the width of your hand between the surcingle and the horse's belly. Check for twists in the straps.
6. Do up the front buckles of the rug, checking there the width of your hand between the rug and the horse's chest, again this will help to prevent the rug rubbing the hair off the chest.
7. Finally do up the leg straps, again there should be the width of your hand between the horse and the strap. If they are too tight they may restrict the horse's movement and rub, if too loose the horse may get a leg caught when rolling, lying down or just moving around the field.

Comments

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qwerty 1st Jan 02

I have been shown this once and you had to pull out the rug from their elbows. I didn't really understand!

Sue Dudley 4th Jan 02

I have always been taught to do the front of the rug up first, so if the horse breaks free part way through putting on the rug it will be reasonably secure. If that happened with just the cross-surcingles done up it could slip back onto the hind legs and cause a nasty fall or injury. Is there any special reason why you recommend doing up the cross-surcingles first? Am I wrong to always do the front up first?

snuggly_elf 10th Mar 02

I too always do up the front of the rug first. I would fold the rug, place it on the horses back, well up the withers, fasten the frount and then unfold it and pull it back. I do up the front fist so that when it is pulled back it isn't pulled too far back and then you have to pull it forward to get the front fastened.

Jan 11th Mar 02

I do not think it matters which straps you do up first, if the horse breaks free either way it's an accident waiting to happen. With only the front straps buckled up then the rug may slip round his neck and trip him up - with the sursingles done first then yes the rug may slip over his bottom. The thing is not to let him break free or a horse that is likely to do so - put rugs on in a stable with the door shut.

Heather 21st Jun 02

I was told to do the surcingle straps up first so that it would stay in the same place if the horse broke free. I'm confused now!

Michelle 30th Aug 02

Would love to know the correct way to do up the leg straps.

Karen Fink 5th Apr 03

No wounder everyone is confused, if you were taking your NVQ exams you would fail on if you put a rug on this way. The rug must be put on fastening the chest first so makeing the fitting correct with the correct gap at the chest area before fastening the cross over belly straps.

Charleymouse 7th Apr 03

I always tie up the horse, throw the rug far up the withers and pull it into place making sure the fillet srtrign is under the tail. The i do the breast straps followed by the belly straps. this way if the horse breaks free the rug will fall off if only the fillet string is over and if the breast straps are done too the the rug shouldnt move!!!

for legs straps i always clip the near side one first, then thread the offside (right) through the loop made by the near side, then clip up, this stops the straps from rubbing the legs!

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How to Put on a Rug