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  Discussion on Blanket shredding
Author Message
Member:
Kiwi

Posted on Monday, Jan 5, 2004 - 7:23 pm:

Help! My TB has taken a liking to ripping my blankets when he is itchy. I board him at a place that has run in sheds and he leans up against a rough corner and preceeds to itch himself until he puts a big rip in his blankets. Needless to say, I've spent over 100.00 in repairs and two new blankets. I've tried a heavy rambo, gortex, a cheapo, you name it, he shreds it! I would turn him out without a blanket, but he is clipped. The owner of the stables is reluctant to switch him to a non-run in shed pasture and I'm getting frustrated. Is there a "repellent" that I could spray on the run in shed to deter his rubbing? I was thinking of that deer spray perhaps to keep him away from the shed. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jan 5, 2004 - 8:56 pm:

If a thorough exam does not reveal a cause of the itchiness so this is something he does for pleasure, I doubt you are going to get him to stop. If he is just going to tear them up turn him out without them, he may do just fine. Judge by whether he shivers persistantly.
DrO
Member:
Jjet

Posted on Monday, Jan 5, 2004 - 11:38 pm:

Sandy, Another possible option: if you know exactly where he does the rubbing (Is it always in the same place at the corner you mentioned?), you might try covering that post with somethng smooth and slick like a large plastic corner moulding for something like a shower stall (or whatever?). I'll bet you could find something at a building supply store that would do the trick. That would let him continue to rub with less chance of blanket tears.
Jan
Member:
Megster

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 6, 2004 - 3:42 pm:

Sandy, I have a similar problem (albeit without the expense of ripped rugs). At our yard, when the horses come in at night, there are always a row of heads over each stable door and then one tail, attached to a bottom that is happily rubbing away (unfortunately belonging to my mare!). Although she doesn't rip her rugs, she is very itchy from time to time and following examinations which have not provided any evidence of any underlying condition, and a bit of trial and error on my part, I have reached two conclusions in the 12 months I have owned her. She itches when she has been over rugged and has become too warm (although 'nice and toasty' by anyone elses standards) and secondly, she has a blanket clip which seems to be itchy when the hair starts to grow back - I guess it probably feels quite prickly, particularly when covered with a rug which pushes the prickly shaved ends of the hair back onto the skin. I have drastically reduced the weights of the rugs she wears indoors and out, and whilst I used to feel guilty watching other owners pile on the layers, she seems much happier as a cool horse, although she still itches when her clipped bits start to grow back. I also always ensure that she is spends at least an hour or so a day without a rug to let her skin breathe which seems to help and she never wears a high neck rug as these also aggravate her.
Sarah
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