Which Horse Rug do I need?

The range of rugs available can be daunting to a new horse owner; if you still feel unsure about your purchase after reading the following guide please e-mail us for advice

Having a variety of rugs in different weights will allow for variations in climate; it is as distressing for a horse to sweat under a thick rug as it is for a horse to have too little protection from the cold.

• Heavyweight Turnout Rugs are designed for use in winter, particularly on finer Horses or those that have been clipped. Many turnout rugs are now made of breathable material.

• Lightweight Rugs offer adequate protection in autumn or spring when the weather is variable and not too extreme and can also provide a solution to rugging more hardy, or hairy types through the winter; some have a fleece lining for extra warmth.

• Stable Rugs come in different weights & are available from lightweight Fleeces to 12 Tog Duvets; even if your stable is sheltered you will probably need a stable rug as a stabled horse is quite often colder than one that is turned out! Just think how you feel on a cold day if you are sat around at home, probably colder than if you were out for a walk.

• Summer Sheetsunless otherwise stated, are not Waterproof; they are designed basically to keep your Horse clean!

• New Zealand rugs, once the only Turnout rug available, are made from a thick canvas material that is waxed to provide some shower proofing; they can be re-waxed. They are practically indestructible as they are so strong and many owners swear by them for all-year-round use.

• Coolers are used after your horse has exercised and will ‘wick’ moisture away from his skin – similar to rapping yourself in a towel after a bath! They can be put under a turnout rug or stable rug on cold days.

• Fleeces are incredibly versatile and come in gorgeous colours and designs. Used as a substitute to a Cooler they can also be worn as light stable rugs or for travel and can be put under a Turnout rug or Stable rug for added warmth; no Horse should be without one!

Some Horses / Ponies have extremely light shoulders which results in some rugs slipping back across their backs. If you experience this problem we suggest you either select a rug with a smaller neck or one with a ‘built in’ or ‘grown on’ high neck or raised neckline for a better fit.

Performance
For safety reasons, rugs are not designed to withstand extreme pressure. Hence, fabric will rip on sharp protrusions and tear when trodden on, or if legs become entangled in straps, remember if a rug gets caught on anything, be it a fence or on the horses own legs, if the rug doesn’t give something else will.

Many people have complained that a rug should be tougher, which would you prefer a ripped rug or maybe a horse with a broken leg?