Made your own horse rug?

[Kenzo]

Just wondered if anyone has done this, as in an outdoor rug.

I was reading an advert in a local magazine, design your own horse rug competition, think it was with WBeta but don't quote me, winner gets the rug put into production, or made for the winner...something like that anyway.

Got me thinking, wouldnt it be great to design your own rug, picking all the best features from other rugs you've had in the past and putting them all into one fantastic rug, the type of material, the fastenings, the gussets, the cut, extra padding around the wither/shoulder area, how the rain drains off, how it shapes around the neck, the clips....the list goes on.

If you have made your own rug, does anyone have any pictures?

Did you buy the pattern of th net? or do it from a previous rug?

Was it more hassle than its worth?

I can only presume you already had a heavy duty sewing machine etc.

 

[JoG]

My mum used to make rugs for a very bizarrely shaped pony i once had....these used to be a company who would sell you all the material and the webbing for edging/spine strips and the buckles and cross surcingles.

It meant that as a colours obsessed 10 year old my pony had EVERYTHING in "my" colours!!

 

[fatpiggy]

I've made two. One from a kit where all the bits needed were supplied and I just sewed it all together and put the binding, surcingles etc on, and one which started life as a pure wool blanket which I bought in Oxfam for £2, then used an existing well-fitting rug as a pattern, bought the fixtures and fittings and again, sewed it all up. You do need to buy proper industrial thread which is much thicker and stronger than domestic, plus have a good machine if the fabric is quite thick. My Mum's old Singer, circa 1930 did a grand job!

 

[WoopsiiD]

My dad....quite tight.....dug a tent out of a skip and fashioned it into a T/O. It was dire. Needless to say I wasn't too upset when it was trashed!

 

[MagicMelon]

I've actually got an idea for a rug of sorts, but I dont want to tell on here as I have dreams of making it into a business! lol.

 

[Umbongo]

My instructor used to be a seamstress? (spelling?) and used to make new turnouts from all the old ones pretty much...bit patchwork but did the job.

She also used to make stable rugs from curtains and things! I will always remember the little gelding I used to ride in a pink flowery curtain rug

 

[diamonddogs]

I haven't made an actual rug, but I converted a W/B Orican combo into a neckless just after Christmas - she'd torn it down one side (not badly, but bad enough so I couldn't sell it on) and I needed a heavyweight without a neck for when it got warmer. I unpicked the binding then cut the neck off, using a well fitting fleece as a pattern, then put the binding back on, and finished it off with a piece of fake sheepskin on the withers. I even managed to patch the tears with the neck material. The best bit was findng out that the main fabric is rubberised on the back, so reproofing's just a matter of giving it a quick spray over the surface. It still won't fit in the washing machine though.

My latest project is making a hi-viz exercise sheet, using the same fleece and a numnah as a pattern. All the bits and bobs, including reflective tape, came off eBay. I've got plenty of fabric left over so might even have a crack at making some leg bands as well.

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

Yes. I used to work in fashion, and learnt how to use all the industrial sewing machines. I was allowed to stay on after work, and I'd make rugs, numnahs and all sorts of things for my horses. I could have made turnouts as we were Goretex approved and we had all the seam sealing machines, but it would have been expensive to use the special goretex sealers and goretex fabrics, and I didn't want to ask for tooo many favours, so I never made turnouts.

Here's a fancy dress outfit I made (1st prize). It was years ago I did this, and I've got photo's of my other rugs that my horses wore, but they're in albums at my parents house.