Question about Riding When Wet

[Chickerdoodle13]

I wouldn't overly worry about being wet in the cold, but a sheet is always a good thing to have on hand. Our guys stay out in all kinds of weather (except for our old guy) and they usually just use the run in sheds to get out of the wet/wind. If we see that they are really having a hard time, we'll put them in stalls. Usually we've only had to do this when it rains for like an entire month and doesn't stop, or if it's icy and dangerous. If he's usually an outside horse, he should be fine.

 

[2pinkmom]

What I do sometimes with a wet horse is pop an Irish knit cooler on, and then put the nylon rain sheet over it. I think it helps wick the moisture away from the horse. A blanket with Goretex lining will do the same thing.

I'm in northern VA. Temps have been mostly in the 60s and 70s by day, maybe - maybe- dipping to 40 at night. The blankets have been on at the competition barns for several weeks now. The fox hunters mostly clip their horses, and use very heavy blankets. A lot of folks don't clip, but train pretty intensely year-round, so they blanket in an effort to keep their horses from growing a huge coat that takes hours to dry out properly.

 

[arabianequine]

My filly in a storm just a month ago or so this pic is taken through a window but still raining so hard you can't hardly see the animals and they have shelters and just stood in the rain. Actually my 2 year old arab filly ran all around crazy bucking kicking first and then just stood in the pouring rain when I took the picture and it was coming down hard. Cow was busy eating in the pouring rain and would not move to shelter. Cows should of been called pigs for more then one reason.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Daggum....I measured him last night for a sheet.


I measured from the middle of his chest to the middle of his rear (is that right?) and wound up with 80.2". Holy freakin' cow. He was a 74" two years ago and that was BIG on him! WOW. Talk about growth.

 

[patandchickens]

No, usually you do not measure to the center of the tail, you measure to the point of buttock or edge of tail, or somewhere in between. Measuring to center of tail will give you a garment that is too big, which is a real problem in many cuts because it results in the neckhole being so big it slips down behind the withers and/or below the point of shoulder, causing serious binding and rubbing.

Try again, measuring from center of chest to where the back edge of the garment comes to in whatever cut/brand of garment you are considering. Or consult mfr's instructions for measuring... pretty much all websites that sell horse garments will have good measuring directions.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Akane]

If the horse has a shelter I wouldn't worry about. I would never turn a horse out around here without a shelter. The only time we use blankets is for our older horses when it gets down in to the negatives. I have put a sheet on my show horses occasionally but it's more to keep them clean without having to stall them. Trying to scrub off manure stains before the first class at the show is very annoying.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bOaCP1seeo&feature=related

Is that how it's supposed to be done? (Mind you I'm only one person so I had to use the start-over method halfway on his body.) You're really supposed to add 2" for comfort? Why?