When the rain is driving down and you’re sliding through mud to catch your horse, who is wearing a drenched turnout rug, it’s easy to question why it was such a good idea to own a horse at all. But with our five tips for staying sane in the rain, miserable winter weather can be a little bit more bearable.
1. Prepare your gateways
Taking action sooner rather than later is your best bet when it comes to not spending all winter dealing with excessively poached gateways, but if it’s already too late for that, there are things you can do to fix muddy gateways in horse paddocks. Options include laying down hardcore or field mats designed to prevent poaching (like these ones on Amazon) in the gate area. A cheaper option is to use electric fencing to section off the gateway so horses don’t always wait in the same area.
If your horse is not rugged up, keep an eye on their skin to check they are not suffering from rain scald. If they are susceptible to the condition, prevent it by using a suitable weight rug and ensuring there is a field shelter or natural shelter so that they can escape the rain.
4. Make a plan for drying rugs
Establish a drying area with rug racks (available on Amazon) for soaked rugs and make the most of any sun we do get to air them. Many owners will leave turnout rugs on their horses when they come in, as long as the water has not leached through to the inside, allowing the horse’s natural warmth to aid the drying process. Or invest in a dedicated rug drier to dry your rugs for you.
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Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
