Combo or hood attachment

[GG13]

I need to buy a couple more turnout rugs ahead of winter but undecided on whether to go for a combo or one with separate hood.

My current turnouts are all combos but I like the look of the Amigo Bravo which has a separate hood. My only worry is the rain getting in. For those of you who with the separate hood attachments, do they seem to keep the rain out as well as a combo? Do you have issues with the hood flapping where the d rings are?

 

[eggs]

I much prefer rugs with detachable necks and no, the rain does not get in.

In fact I very rarely use hoods these days.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Separate hoods, especially if in different weights, work well and give more options depending on weather conditions.

I don't like or use combo rugs, apart from fly rugs.

 

[Abacus]

I prefer detachable necks for the cool but not cold times of year where you want the flexibility to add or remove the neck in different weather. For the properly cold weather, especially if recently clipped, I prefer a heavyweight combo as I think they fit better than detachable necks. Also the latter tend to break more - I suppose there are more fixings to break, especially if they play with each others rugs.

 

[Widgeon]

I'm going to buck the trend slightly and say I prefer combos, partly because they don't seem to rub a patch of mane out as badly as no-neck rugs, and it's not possible for other horses to break or pull the neck off. That's just me though.

 

[ponynutz]

I also prefer combos because less rubs and mine always manages to get the detachable part off somehow.
Can always be folded back (I use a bit of baler twine to the front buckles to hold it in place if it's particularly windy or they're very energetic).

 

[doodle]

I also prefer combos as the detachable necks i have seen always seem to fold up at the attachments leaving a gap. Horse is spoilt tho and have a combo and standard in lighter weight rugs.

 

[humblepie]

Separate as try not to use a neck cover very often and gives the option of a lighter weight neck on a thicker rug. That said, the heavy weight for really bad weather is a fixed but it was a very good price in a sale. I don't find much problem with getting wet around the joints of the combo ones. Think I have the Amigo Bravo - definitely an Amigo.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I like the 0g hoods even when I'm using a heavier weight rug, or a thicker liner in a no fill rug. It's just to keep the wet off most of the time, with the back up choice of using a 150g hood in foul cold wet weather.

 

[GG13]

Thanks everyone. Interesting those of you that have mentioned the mane rubbing as this is something I want to minimise as much as possible and I thought a standard rug with hood might be there than a combo but seems not

 

[Fieldlife]

I think lightweight detachable rub less, and give more options. Can use lightweight neck with heavyweight rug too.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I'm going to buck the trend slightly and say I prefer combos, partly because they don't seem to rub a patch of mane out as badly as no-neck rugs, and it's not possible for other horses to break or pull the neck off. That's just me though.

Me too.
Tho I don't really use the full neck rugs till depths of winter. Usually make do with no neck 100g rug max till it gets v cold and wet.

 

[Fieldlife]

Me too.
Tho I don't really use the full neck rugs till depths of winter. Usually make do with no neck 100g rug max till it gets v cold and wet.

I am not a fan of muddy manes and necks in winter. Once rug on, I tend to include no fill neck. Though have yet to start rugging, which is very late for us, as it is still so mild here. He's being clipped 3rd November, so then will rug.

 

[Horseysheepy]

I've gone against my usual trend of buying combos and bought detachable necks.
I like the flexibility of them but I have found bits of broken mane in the metal bits that you fasten the neck onto, and they do fold back a little allowing rain in, so for heavy rain, I'd use the combo as a go too rug

 

[Surbie]

You could perhaps look at the different makes and how the necks attach? I am stuck with Ruggles as my horse is a tank (no real complaints about that other than the colours aren't to my taste). One of the really good points is that their detachable necks have really sturdy lengths of velcro either side of the neck, so not as flappy as when attached to d-rings.

 

[Fransurrey]

I have one of each, as my boy is quite hot, so he wears combo during winter (0 g or 50 g), plus a Bravo detachable for when he's got a fresh clip but it's a bit warm for a full combo, or it's a sunny but cold day. It does fold at the base of the neck, but there's enough overlap that rain doesn't get in.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I am not a fan of muddy manes and necks in winter. Once rug on, I tend to include no fill neck. Though have yet to start rugging, which is very late for us, as it is still so mild here. He's being clipped 3rd November, so then will rug.

Lol, B had an Irish blanket (my take on it, half face, whole front off to saddle and curve round front of saddle taking belly off up to trace/high blanket line to point of stifle as a useful working clip) 3 weeks ago, desperately due a re clip, but I'm holding off at present due to life stuff.... she's only worn a rug twice in the 1st couple of days after clipping, still warm and cheerful enough without one.

 

[GG13]

You could perhaps look at the different makes and how the necks attach? I am stuck with Ruggles as my horse is a tank (no real complaints about that other than the colours aren't to my taste). One of the really good points is that their detachable necks have really sturdy lengths of velcro either side of the neck, so not as flappy as when attached to d-rings.

I can’t remember what brand it was, but I had one with the velcro attachments 3/4yrs ago and that was terrible for letting the rain in. It’s one of the reasons I’ve stuck to combos most recently but I do like the idea of having more flexibility with a separate hood and being able to change the weights too.