Bucas Smartex reviews

[Horsekaren]

I keep reading things that say do not put a rug on a wet horse. Now the boy lives out i have no choice sometimes i need to do this. He is fine with cold dry weather buy he can shiver in prolonged rain.
I popped his rambo on him when he was damp and he dried under it. I put a swish fly/ waterproof over back on him when he was damp and it now smells like damp washing, i also tried cheap fleece lined rug last winter that worked but now stinks! so i am guessing its not as breathable.

I often ride in the rain but dont have hours to stand around waiting for him to dry.
Are the Bucas smartex rugs really ok to put on a wet horse (not just damp but wet from being in rain for 3 hours? Can they dry under them if it is still raining?

Im toying with the idea of getting one but only if they really are the bees knees. Does anyone have one? what is the sizing like? are they worth the money? and are they a bit warmer than a 0g?

If anyone has a 6'3 or 6'6 they are looking to sell message me

 

[milliepops]

I found the fleecey lining to be a hair trap and it just annoyed me.

All mine have Rambos.
I put rugs on wet horses.
I put wet rugs on wet horses if need be it's fine so long as your rug is breathable which most of the decent ones are.

 

[ihatework]

I found the fleecey lining to be a hair trap and it just annoyed me.

All mine have Rambos.
I put rugs on wet horses.
I put wet rugs on wet horses if need be it's fine so long as your rug is breathable which most of the decent ones are.

Ditto.
I really dislike the fleece lining.
Rambo turnouts win all day long

 

[dogatemysalad]

I've had one for years and it's been so useful. On those days when you have a cold wet horse, it dries them off, keeps the horse warm and they don't have a soggy rug next to their skin.
I just have to buy a larger size for my new horse because the old faithful doesn't fit him and I miss it.

 

[Horsekaren]

So even a hairy cob with a big winter coat (who technically shouldnt shiver in rain lol) soaked through to the skin would be fine if i threw his rambo rain sheet on him over night? he would dry underneath despite 12 hours of continued heavy rain on top of the dry rug on a wet horse? haha i know thats the worste example of a situation i just dont want my rambos to smell like old wet washing.

Fingers crossed its a yes and i can stop worrying every time he gets caught in a shower in autumn

And yes fleece lining, i thought sounded great, its gross! never again!

 

[milliepops]

I absolutely would throw a rambo over a hairy horse if it was wet through and needed a chance to get dry.
I did exactly that with my oldies in the winter, they grew mammoth coats but when we had days of relentless wet and wind one of them got too cold and I chucked her rug on to give her a break. Couple of hours later she was warm and dry ( bit too warm when the rain stopped!)
I just hang their rugs back up in the shed when not in use, I think provided you get the rug properly dry again before storing it won't smell any more than normal

 

[Squeak]

Could you put a separate fleece or cooler rug underneath the turnout? I've never had a problem with rugs smelling because of it but have to make sure it's a good enough quality cooler/ fleece rug that it doesn't pull back on their shoulders.

 

[Horsekaren]

Could you put a separate fleece or cooler rug underneath the turnout? I've never had a problem with rugs smelling because of it but have to make sure it's a good enough quality cooler/ fleece rug that it doesn't pull back on their shoulders.

I could but when i am slipping about in muddy field in the dark its a bit of a faff just wanting a throw on and go solution... followed by a good nights sleep not a disturbed one worrying if he is chilly or over heating

 

[Leo Walker]

My Rambo Optimo has a fleece liner that you can clip in and out. Its small and easy to wash so would be ideal for what you want. It doesnt slip about and throttle them like fleece rugs do either!

 

[McFluff]

Agree with the others - Rambo on wet horse is just as good as the fleece lined Bucas. The fleece lining did get too hairy (I have the stable rug version), so I ended up reverting to her Rambo. The other point is that I have found the Bucas tight across the shoulders - doesn't fit my WelshD at all.
I have a Rambo Airmax cooler liner that seems to do a better job than fleece. Not sure you can buy it on it's own - I got it with a 50g turnout rug.

Edited to add a link to the Airmax liner https://shop.horseware.com/product/rambo-airmax-liner/

 

[JGC]

Gosh, this thread has come just at the right time for me - I had some Bucas Smartex rugs for my previous horses and they do dry them brilliantly, but I need a different size for my new horse and she's 6'0 ish but with huge shoulders, so I'm not sure the Bucas will fit, plus I didn't love the fleecy bit which gets all the hairs stuck in it! But this is my first pony who will live out virtually all year and I ride before work so getting wet is a real issue. I've just ordered a Rambo thanks to you lot

 

[JGC]

Also, the Decathlon dry rug is fab and will get them pretty dry by the time you've pottered around with picking out their feet, putting your stuff away etc.

 

[wiglet]

I found the fleecey lining to be a hair trap and it just annoyed me.

All mine have Rambos.
I put rugs on wet horses.
I put wet rugs on wet horses if need be it's fine so long as your rug is breathable which most of the decent ones are.

Same for me - much prefer Rambo rugs.
Although I loved the snug front 'click n go' fastening of the Bucas, I found the actual rug NOT to be self righting and often found my horse in the field with her rug hanging to one side. Shame really because they are a well made rug

 

[Horsekaren]

Sticking with the Rambo i didn't realize the Bucas was fleece lined, i thought it was some sort of magic material.

I have a rambo waffle rug i used to use as a stable rug, would that do the same job as the airmax liners? i was thinking if i snip the belly straps off it will be the same? the 0g rambo is the original without the liner system. Would it slip out without all the attachments and no belly straps?

 

[Arzada]

So even a hairy cob with a big winter coat (who technically shouldnt shiver in rain lol) soaked through to the skin would be fine if i threw his rambo rain sheet on him over night? he would dry underneath despite 12 hours of continued heavy rain on top of the dry rug on a wet horse? haha i know thats the worste example of a situation i just dont want my rambos to smell like old wet washing.

We've had to do that a few times. A sweat scraper gets the worst off, rug on, horse fine, rug fine. Rambos

 

[Meowy Catkin]

If your horse is the right shape and fits either the normal cut or big shouldered/wide neck cut perfectly, they are great rugs. I'm lucky as my chestnut mare is the right shape because the first rugs I bought her were a Bucas Smartex Rain and a Bucas cooler in the Ride-a-way sale in 2006 approx. They are still going strong now and the stay dry lining is much better than a normal bog standard fleece type fabric. It does collect hair but I've not found it an issue.

Any decent quality, breathable rug is OK to put on a damp horse IME, it's not like it was with New Zealand rugs.

 

[Leo Walker]

I'd buy a fleece liner and just sew some D rings in the right place so you can attach them. There was some cheap non branded ones on Kramer, they fit my Rambo. A full size fleece is very likely to end up with the bottom of the sides filthy and wet.

 

[Auslander]

i've got an older Bucas with the stay dry lining, and I really like it on a clipped horse. Hate it on anything with hair, as the fleecey bit gets so clogged up.
Had a livery with an old girl who lived in her Smartex all winter. She was always warm and dry underneath it, but my GOD, the smell of that bloody rug was unbelievable (Owner doesn't believe in getting turnout rugs cleaned). I took it off her when the owner wasn't around, and scrubbed it to within an inch of it's life, then dried it out thoroughly, and it still absolutely reeked! Mine doesn't, but my horse is clipped, clean and my rugs get cleaned when they need it!

 

[JGC]

I think I must be very old-school as it had never occurred to me that you could put a rug on a wet horse - unless it was a stable rug that you put on inside out over a thatch of course

 

[BlackRider]

Loved the bucas smartex - great on a wet horse, and also to stop them getting sweaty.

If anyone wants a 5'9 one let me know as I've got one to sell.