What Type Of Horse Rug Do I Need?

Horse rug season has come around again and that means there are a flurry of new questions

to be asked and answered about which horse rug one should buy for their horse. Horse rugs come is so many types and styles and grades that it can sometimes be a very tricky task working out the best for your horse but hopefully I can help.

The best idea is to have a variety of rugs in various weights so to allow for variations in climate; it is just as distressing for your horse to sweat under a thick rug as it is to have too little protection from colder weather.

Turnout rugs are usually waterproof and breathable and are much more durable than the stable rug. This type of rug comes in a selection of thicknesses namely: lightweight, mediumweight and heavyweight.

Heavyweight turnout rugs are specifically designed for use in winter on finer horses or clipped horses, as these are the most at risk from the severe weather in winter.

Mediumweight rugs can be used for most horses and are great for both the winter and spring/autumnal months. They are sometimes used in conjunction with a stable rug or a fleece rug to give that extra winter protection when the weather can be too extreme.

Lightweight rugs are able to offer good protection in the spring and autumnal months when the weather can be variable.

Difficulties can arise with some horses (Arabs in particular) as they can have extremely light shoulders which can mean some brands of rugs slip back across the back of the horse. If you do experience this problem, the best suggestion is to either select a rug with a smaller neck or find one called a high neck or raised neckline for a better fit.

Stable rugs are the 'indoor' rug for use when your horse is being kept in the stable. I woudl always suggest you buy a good quality thick stable rug as you can imagine being stood in a stable all day is far colder than wandering around the fields.

Ideally a horse owner should look at having range of rugs for their horse. Many people ask questions like:

How many horse rugs do I need?

How many different types of horse rug do i need for my horse?

Have I got too many rugs for my horse?

An example of a horse rug collection might be the following:

1 x Heavyweight Turnout Rugs

2 x Mediumweight Turnout Rugs

1 x Fleece

1 x Stable rug

1 x Thermatex

1 x Travel rug

I hope this has been of some help and that it has answered some of those burning questions.

by: Sally Robins

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