Ditching the fleece

F

fuzzymooch

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 July 2015
Messages
119
Visit site
Any one else diched the fleece? Got down this morning to find big guy had ripped the bum off his. I wasn't too upset as it's started to stretch and I was already thinking a new one was in order. Guess he thought so too.

Then I realised this will be my 4th in 6 years! I thought back through my rug life and realised just how many I've had since my first pony and was staggered it averaged out at aprox a fleece every two seasons! And not just one brand, they've all warped, torn, lost a chunk.

I looked at my old thin faithful masta I've had for 6 years and thought, hey I bet that's worn so thin now it wouldn't be much warmer (started as 100g) rather than buy ANOTHER fleece maybe I'll get a nice new 200g and demote the masts to 'fleece' position.

Anyone else ditched the fleece? And if so how'd you get on.
 
I'm not a fan of the fleece unless it's a travel rug or cooler that will only be worn for a short time. i don't think they make for comfortable stablewear. The bedding sticks all over which i'm sure makes the horses feel itchy and they don't have side gussets in which i think are restrictive for laying down and getting up. I definately prefer a super lightweight rug (like 80g filling) . i know alot of people just keep day rugs on so that they dry and they aren't getting a cold rug on their backs in the morning but stable rugs are lighter in weight and somehow just seem more comfy.
 
Never used a fleece, I have a heavy cotton stable sheet for keeping horse clean or a cooler rug if they are warm and need to cool down slowly.
 
yep I can't remember when I last put a fleece on a horse. The old style waffle coolers are better IMO if you want something sheet-like (the ones I've got are man made fibres so wash up better than a cotton sheet).
 
Thanks booandellie. Guessing that the masta will be about that now. I'm a pj /outdoor rug changer, the big guy gets brushed every night anyway so he's got to get his outdoor stuff off, plus he seems much happier in his PJ's :). Some horses I'm sure prefer to be left but mine isn't one of them :).

Looks like I'm off shopping for a new medium weight :).
 
I only ever used fleeces for short periods - cooling/travelling/farrier in the winter, I find they always stretch awkwardly back behind the withers if on overnight etc
I now use an old wool rug from ebay on my clipped horse for any of the above reasons, or if he has to be in during the day for whatever reason. Lovely and thick, doesn't stretch and no static!
 
I think they're great for cooling off a horse or for drying them when they've had a bath, or for travelling. I would never use them in the stable except for the aforementioned. Most of all, I would never use one as an under rug. I think they are very uncomfortable, pull back and dig into the withers.
 
Hate em too! I had one very briefly, but it slipped back and rubbed his withers, and I had to dodge several exposions when we both got static shocks when I took the damn thing off (he blamed me, not the rug, and wouldn't come near me afterwards!)
I'd definitely go for a heavy cotton sheet, or a thin stable rug instead.
 
Wagtail said:
I think they're great for cooling off a horse or for drying them when they've had a bath, or for travelling. I would never use them in the stable except for the aforementioned. Most of all, I would never use one as an under rug. I think they are very uncomfortable, pull back and dig into the withers.
Click to expand...

Yep! I have one ancient fleece I use for when she has been bathed and it gets a bit chilly or to wick sweat off after a ride. I am more likely to use a cotton sheet to travel in or a thin stable rug, like a 50g one or something.

I do like layering in winter but I bought a Masta Climatemasta where the liners are firmly in place with the way the rug is fitted, much more comfortable for the horse IMO.
 
Last edited:
I really did not know that people use fleeces as stable rugs .i have only ever used them for travelling vet visits things like that .
 
I got fed up with shaving sticking to fleeces. I bought thin Mark Todd lightweight stable rugs from Burghley last year. They are fab, the shavings don't stick and I can get them in the washing machine! Highly recommend.
 
ihatework said:
I really can't understand the fascination with fleece rugs, horrid things, especially when used as stable rugs!
Click to expand...

I have a suspicion that much of it is anthromorphism with people thinking they are soft and fluffy like human pyjamas! I do find them useful for travelling in, cooling off, at shows etc. But I wouldn't use them overnight nor use them as an under rug for the reasons stated above!
 
I hate wearing fleeces myself, they make my eczema flare up and I get all itchy. Plus the hair, oh the hair! sticks to them so badly. They also aren't windproof so generally useless IMO!
I think they are cheap and cheerful, come in pretty colours and so they are kind of fun and disposable... but I can't be doing with them :lol:
 
Yup, only for travelling and even then only if it's too warm for the Thermatex but not warm enough for the summer sheet. If I have to use something fairly lightweight for any length of time, I use either my thermatex (as a last resort as bedding does stick to it a bit) or a very light stable rug. I'm not sure how light it actually is, but my 100g liner for my turnout rug feels at least twice as thick.

I did have a lovely jersey material rug a few years ago but when my horse went on holiday livery at a local yard they decided to re-clip him (it was February and he did have a bit of re-growth but I didn't ask for this) and they obviously left the rug on him while clipping. It came back plastered in white hair and was ruined. They charged me (a lot) for the pleasure too. We've never gone back there.
 
Last edited:
Bubblewrap said:
I got fed up with shaving sticking to fleeces. I bought thin Mark Todd lightweight stable rugs from Burghley last year. They are fab, the shavings don't stick and I can get them in the washing machine! Highly recommend.
Click to expand...

I have 100g stable rugs/under rugs from Amigo and Maxima Equestrian - they can be used on their own or fit nicely under a turnout rug, and as you say they can go in the washing machine and I find if I wash them in the morning they are dry by night time and can go back on the horse. They don't rub and they don't slip back either - a much better option than a fleece in those circumstances.
 
I won a masta fleece at a dressage comp with my little Tb. It was too big for him so his big 17.1 ' brother' had it. It lasted a week, the front buckle fell off!. I don't stable in fleeces now. I only travel Tb in one in the cooler weather.
 
I only use them to dry off a wet/sweaty horse.....but I do like watching the water droplets form on the outside....
 
Thanks all, big guy is happy in his old now thin masta :). I'm shopping for a new medium weight and the fleece has been binned. Don't need it for travelling (got a cotton travel sheet) and if he gets sweaty he has a good old fashioned sweat rug. So glad I'm not the only one ditching the fleeces :)
 
I am pretty much the only person on my yard who doesn't use them as a base layer in the stable, because they wick any sweat away from the horse. I do like a base layer that I can wash regularly but much prefer a cotton type sheet, my favourite is the rambo helix which is a fab rug, washes up beautifully and seems to stay put fairly well. Have a bucas sheet that comes a close second.
 
Last fleece i bought lasted a week - wasnt too impressed as it was one of the nice thick newmarket style ones. Luckily managed to salvage it by turning it into a homemade exercise sheet for when she's clipped. Have yet to actually use it though. Grumps is now in a simple cheap waffle until the hair comes off on tuesday - the OCD in me brushes all the shavings off it every morning when i take it off but i rather her ruin that then anything else. I dare not think of the state her T/O would be in if i left it on overnight; for a horse who wont roll in the field god knows what she gets up to at night.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top