Choosing Horse Rugs the Easy Way

The range of horse rugs available in the market is vast. Making a choice can be a daunting task to a new horse owner.

Having a variety of rugs in different weights allows for the variations in our climate. It is distressing for a horse to sweat under a thick rug or to have too little protection from the cold and rain.

• New Zealand rugs Once the only Turnout rug available. They 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.

• Heavyweight Turnout Rugs are designed for use in the winter, particularly on fine breed horses or those that have been clipped. Lots of turnout rugs are now made of breathable material.

• Fleeces now come in lovely bright colours, designs and are very versatile. They can be worn as light stable rug, travel rug or under a turnout or stable rug for additional warmth.

• Lightweight Rugs offer adequate protection in autumn or spring when the weather is variable and not too extreme and can also provide a solution for the more hardy or thicker hair types during the winter. Some rugs have a fleece lining for extra warmth.

• Stable Rugs are available in different weights and are also 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! With limited exercise, they often feel the cold more.
• Summer Sheets, generally are not waterproof. They are used generally to keep your horse clean!

• Coolers are used after exercise and are useful for drying your horse. Or they can be used under a turnout or stable rug on cold days.
There are combination rugs available in the market which you can use outdoor and indoor. They are made of breathable material which will absorb the moisture.

Flectalon and Thinsulate material helps to retain the body warmth of the horse. Nylon is a very important ingredient in most horse rugs and it is chemically treated to make it breathable. Extra care should be taken to make sure nylon used does not cause excessive friction on the horses.
The rule of the thumb is , a stabled horse needs warmed rugs compared to a outdoor active horse. Often neck covers can be separately purchased to give that extra warmth to the horse. The new innovations in the horse rug industry are waterproof, magnetic and holistic rugs.

Performance
For safety reasons, rugs are not designed to with stand extreme pressure. So fabric will rip on sharp protrusions and tear when trodden on, or if legs become entangled in straps. Better for the rug to give than the horse's legs!

Also:

For horses or ponies that have problems with the rug slipping off backwards, there are rugs with smaller necks, high necks or raised necklines for a better fit