Getting Your Horse Used to Rugs

In Response to a Question from Leanne:

My horse is scared of rugs... help!

Hi Leanne,
What you need to do is desensitize your horse to the rug.
The way to do this is to use approach and retreat.
It is best to start in an enclosed area, but not anywhere too small.
A stable or yard is ideal. Put a halter and lead rope on him.
First spread the rug out on the ground and the roll it up. Start at the back of the rug (tail end) and then roll the rug up untill you have a long tube. That way you will be able to unroll it on the horse, instead of "throwing" it on.
Hold the lead rope in one hand and the rug tube in the other hand.

Step 1. Hold the rug out to your horse to smell. As soon as the horse moves its nose towards the rug to smell it, immediately take the rug away again.
Keep repeating this so that the horse learns that going toward the rug means the rug goes away from it.
The gets the horse thinking it is in control of the rug, it knows that if it moves toward the rug, the rug will go away. If the horse thinks it is in control of something it will not be scared of it.


Step 2. After you have repeated this stage plenty of times, then see if your horse will let you rub it on the shoulder with the rug. Take the rug away before the horse moves. (this might be straight away). Then repeat this stage until the horse will stand still while you approach it with the rug and rub it on the shoulder, then retreat. You want the horse to know that standing still is the way to get the rug to go away, not by freaking out.
When the horse will tolerate this on one side, try it on the other side.

Step 3. Now you can increase the rubbing on the shoulder and see if you can rub the rug over the horses back and neck. Remove the rug when the horse is standing still. If the horse tries to move away, keep holding the rug on it, and keep gently asking it to face you, as soon as it stands still then take the rug away.

Step 4. Now repeat step 3 until you can rub the horseall over the neck and back with the rug, do this on both sides.

Step 5. Now do the same thing gradually progressing to rubbing over the horses hind quarters. Make sure you only take the rug away when the horse is standing still.

Step 6. Place the rug tube over the horses withers, then unroll it so that it is covering the horses back and hindquarters. Then take the rug off, by sliding it over the hindquarters. Only take it off when the horse is standing still.

Step 7. So now your horse can tolerate the rug on its body. The next part is to get it used to the rug flapping. (The rug will flap if your horse canters around in it, so you need to desenstize it to this before you leave the horse with a rug on.)

To do this stand next to the horse and hold the rug in one hand the lead rope in the other. Gently flap the rug. As soon as the horse sniffs at it stop flapping. If your horse just stands there, then stop flapping anyway and take the rug away (retreat). Repeat this gradually getting the horse used to more vigorous flapping. If the horse moves away, gently keep pulling it to face you and keep flapping the rug until it stands still, then stop flapping and take the rug away. Repeat this on both sides of the horse.

Step 8. Your horse should be used to being handled around and between its back legs, before you attempt to do the rug straps up. If the horse is not used to this, then use approach and retreat until it doesn't mind.

Step 9. When the horse will stand still while you flap the rug vigourously, then you can progress to this step.
Roll the rug into a tube again. Then gently throw the rug over the horses withers, letting it land there. Keep throwing and removing the rug until your horse stands still, then retreat away from the horse with the rug. Repeat this many times on both sides of the horse.

Step 10. Throw the rug on the horse as in step 9. Unroll the rug. Do up the straps and then let the horse go in a small enclosed area. Leave the rug on the horse for half an hour or so, (if it is not too hot), untill the horse does not mind it. When you go to take it off make sure the horse has a halter and lead rope on.

You could improve this process by incorporating clicker training....


Good luck, let me know how you go,

Kind regards,

Georgia Bruce