sues
Junior Member
Posts: 91
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Post by sues on Feb 24, 2015 11:24:36 GMT
Not sure if this is the right place for this!
I have a 3 year old 13.2hh riding pony gelding. He's well handled and well adjusted and we haven't pushed him. As this is his final year with us we thought we'd get him out to one or two early show and to this end we thought we'd rug him.
Ha, ha! He has different ideas - he hates the rug going on and being taken off. Once it's in place he stands like a dream to have it fastened and he seems happy in his stable and out in the field.
We are an experienced home but this one is a bit beyond me.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, please.
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Post by Louise Dixon on Feb 24, 2015 13:31:56 GMT
You may well have already tried this, but I would start with something small and soft, say a tea towel, then when he is used to and happy with that, build up gradually to things bigger and eventually more crinkly.
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sues
Junior Member
Posts: 91
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Post by sues on Feb 24, 2015 14:25:18 GMT
Thank you Louise, we'll give it whirl. I'm not sure which bit of rug he finds so tricky, the noise (whatever happened to good old-fashioned jute rugs?) or the fact it has to go over to the off side or whether there's something else he doesn't like.
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Post by nici on Feb 24, 2015 16:34:35 GMT
I try to start youngsters with a fleece rather than a stable or turnout rug. They're softer, less noisy and easier to get used to. I do try to get them used to things like that from an early age, even if they don't need them, just letting them wear a fleece for half an hour or so in a stable now and then, building up to the more crinkly types. Then by the time they need them for whatever reason they're not bothered by them at all.
I do remember once forgetting that our recently backed ex broodmare had never worn a rug... We had her tacked up ready to go with a few other ponies when we had a sudden heavy shower, so we grabbed whatever rugs we could to chuck over the ponies' backs to keep the saddles dry... Fine for the other ponies, but poor Bella had obviously never encountered a rug in her life up the Welsh mountains and the poor girl shot sideways at about 200mph when this strange object landed on her back! Fortunately no long term mental trauma from the experience, but we did go back to basics with her using a lovely soft fleece after that!
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Feb 24, 2015 19:52:15 GMT
I'm afraid I'm tough and start with what I want them to wear! But I do put it on very carefully, gently and slowly, easing it up the shoulder and gradually moving it to get it where I want it, no chucking at this stage! If I 'd had a problem I would have course have gone back to something less scarey, but on the whole mine now are home bred and trust me not to do anything nasty to them to tend to be accepting.
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