My horse doesnt like her rug being pulled forward.?

Question

When i pull my horses rug foward (after it has slipped back) she puts back her ears and turns around as if to bite me. I dont think she would bite me but its a bit scary having a huge horse turn around at you with ears right back.

I only just got her so she might just be testing me out but if anyone has any good ideas to try id love to hear then.

thanks in advance.

~XoX~

Answer 1

Lift the whole rug up and lay it down too far forward and then pull it towards the back 'till it sits in place. Horses coat grows down and backwards and pulling it to the front only rubs it all the wrong way. I imagine Soooooooooo uncomfortable. You might sometimes be able to get away with grabbing a handful at the wither and back and lifting the whole rug up off her back to the right place again if you are tall enough. But since she has objected to the rug being pulled forward already she will remember and you'll not get away with this short cut for a long time.

*** Better still invest in  a Horseware wug and you won't have that problem of the rug slipping anymore

Answer 2

For the same reason that when you should put a saddle pad on in front of the withers and slide it back before saddling, if you don't, the saddle along with your weight just pulls on the hairs under the saddle pad the whole time that you are riding...always flatten down the hairs by putting anything like a saddle pad, a blanket, whatever on in front of where it is to rest and slide it back, to smooth the hairs, this is very important as it can even eventually cause soreness, then sores...if you need to readjust either your saddle or a blanket (rug) remove everything, brush your horse and make sure all hairs are lying flat, them put them back on again, being careful to slide backwards, protecting the direction of the hairs.

Answer 3

This gets a good hard pop on the neck.  No horse gets to lay their ears back at a person and show aggression.  First rule in horsemanship is that no horse is allowed to do anything dangerous without getting disciplined.  The discipline will depend on whether the act was deliberate or accidental.  If accidental it may simply be verbal reprimand or a tug on the lead rope to get the horses attention, but when intentional it needs to be a pop on the neck at the very least.  Laying her ears back at a little thing like that is intentional.  The nest few times pop her on the neck with your hand.  If that doesn't do it, jab her in the shoulder with a fist (not a punch more like a hammer motion).

PS if you just got her this habit is especially dangerous.  She is testing you to see if she can get by with going further.  If you keep letting her do this she will eventually reach around and bite you.

If she is snaking back then you can use the bump method.  Have something in you hand like a cane or handling stick and let her bump into it when she reaches back.  Give it just a little added force so that it bumps her pretty hard.

One thing I took this to mean she does this while still on the ground, before she has ridden.  If you are pulling it forward after riding then yes there may well be a sore or discomfort.  Check you saddle fit.

Answer 4

You aren't suppose to pull her blanket forward while it is in contact with her back.  You need to take the saddle off if it is on and then lift the blanket up completely off her back then place it back down on her back but make sure the blanket is up on her neck or just past her withers.  Then you want to pull the blanket back into place.  When you pull her blanket forward without picking it up off of her it hurts her.  She is getting her hair pulled and her skin.  You always want to go with the way the hair grows.  Same goes for grooming.  Brush with the way the hair grows.  Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Hi there!

I just read your "rug slipping" question.  I am wondering if you might be pulling your horse's hair as well when you are pulling the rug.  The hair should be laying flat at all times.  If you could lift the rug "UP" and then reposition it.  I am also wondering if the rug is the right size for this horse.  Are their buckles in the front of the rug.  Can you put them in another notch to keep the rug in place?

Answer 6

You are not supposed to pull rugs forward as it rubs all their coat in the wrong direction - something that all animals absolutely hate.

If it slips, take it off and put it on at the front and pull it back in the same direction as the hair.

No wonder she gets cross with you!

Answer 7

You need to sort of lift it forward not simply pull - unfasten it if you must or tie her up and take it right off and put back on again.

If you just pull it will pull her coat in the wrong direction and you can imagine that's not going to be very comfortable.

Answer 8

Don't pull the rug forward against the way the hair grows.  It is very irritating to the horse.  If you must readjust it then lift it off her back and place it where you want it.  Perhaps it is time to re-evaluate the fit of her rug.  It may be the wrong size or shape for her since it keeps sliding back.

Answer 9

Some horses dont really mind it but a horse I used to share always did turned round with her ears back and her tail swishing because she was really ticklish!!

Anyway, I do agree with everyone on here about not pulling the rug forward, just lifting it off her back and then moving it forward...OR undoing it and then lifting it forward.

I have answered to suggest that you could try a surcingle to stop the rugs from slipping - I put one of these around my horse over the top of her rugs (especially the lightweight ones) and no matter what he does (rolling, playing etc!!) it doesnt slip!

A surcingle is useful for all kinds of things but one of them is to keep a rug secure!! It is simply a strap of synthetic materials such as nylon or elastic which fastens around the horses girth area. That should help you...no more scary horses!!  : D

Answer 10

I agree with Kate would you like to get rubbed up th wrong way im only new level one so i cant rate her thumbs up

Answer 11

Like an ill-fitting pair of shoes that makes your feet sore--or creates a blister on your little toe--a saddle can create a sore on your horse's back if it doesn't fit right. A girth sore might show up the first time you ride your horse in the spring. This could seem strange because you used that same cinch all last summer and it didn't cause a problem. However, your horse is soft and fat after his layoff and his skin is more tender. I suggest getting a Limpet Anti-Slip Horse Saddle Pad.

Answer 12

Most horses hate their blankets pulled forward because it pulls their hair the wrong way. If you can't take the blanket off, try lifting it along the spine as you pull it forward. Start at the rump and pull some forward, then gently pull the rest forward. If you keep your elbows up your horse can't bite you as easily. It will run into your elbow and it is like self disipline. Hope this helps. I do it in the winter alot. I have over 30 horses and it would take forever to go out there and adjust every blanket by removing it completely.

Answer 13

My mare is exactly the same, gets nasty when I brush her hair in the wrong direction and pull up her rug, and I dont blame her, im sure it would be very uncomfortable.

if your strong enough, when you need to pull the rug forward grab the top of it at her wither and her  bum and lift it up, then pull it forward, should make it more comfortable for your horse, and the rug will sit better when you drop it back down.

Also if the rug is slipping down its probably ill fitting, too big, or not done up tight enough. It can slip over the wither causing pressure and pain on the wither.

You can try buying a your horse a bib to help the rug sit better.

Good Luck

Answer 14

My pony hated it too...Its because when you pull it forward you force the hairs in her coat to go the wrong way, and animals (especially horses) hate this because it HURTS. Have you ever had the feeling when you have your hair in one position for ages, but then you try to brush it the other way and it kills? thats what it feels like for her.

I know its scary when they get angry.

Try to lift the rug more so than pulling it. That way it won't grab her sensitive hairs and hurt her.

Horses rarely ever "test you out" well ok, they do, but usually there is a much simpler explanation for their behavior. When she does things like that, stop and think "what might i be doing wrong? What might she be feeling?" If you think of something, try and correct it, if it doesn't work and you honestly have NO idea what it could be, maybe she is "testing" you after all =)

edit:

DO NOT HIT HER this will cause her MORE pain and she will hate it even more when you pull up her rug because she'll know that not only is she going to have pain right through her back but also on her neck! She has a reason for the aggression, don't punish her!!

Answer 15

It is not surprising.  You are pulling her hairs and tweaking her skin when you pull it forward.

Best way to deal with this is fold the rug in half or three until you have the front end uppermost looking as tho it is inside out.

Place the rug part way up your horse's neck and unfold the rug forward so it is higher up the neck and then gently unfold.  Do up the front and slide the whole backwards towards the tail.  Do up circingle or roller and leg straps - which should always be clipped up or tied up to prevent banging horse's legs.

Check that there is enough padding on the chest and whithers.  This might be giving her pressure which maybe another reason why she is not happy with her rug.

I should think this will help after a few times of trying.

Easiest way with the folding is to fold the back end towards the head and the front end toward the back and you will have it ready to replace when the time comes.  Also make sure she is completely mud, ruffle free.