Nexus
Member
After suggestions & opinions for 0g turnouts- brands & ideally specific cuts of rugs that are actually waterproof, which also could have a layer added underneath when required (doesn't get cold enough to need more than 50g to 100g even when clipped out- so 50g are an option as well if they tend to be significantly more waterproof or stay so, for longer than 0g), which don't pull down tight over the wither when the head is lowered for grazing as my girl gets sensitive withers, which then develops into head shaking & tossing in short order even if the cover only goes on part time- which often is not an option over our very wet & windy winters- she is a princess.
I have spent thousands on body work for various modalities over the years (I've even used different people with-in the same modalities to cover all the bases) in case it was something physically off with her causing the wither issue, but none of it has made much, if any difference. So I am confident at this point it isn't a physical issue.
Horse is approx. 15.2hh, 16yrs, a good keeper, of hunter/solid riding horse type (broad chested, deep bodied, well sprung ribs, good sized quarters, with between 8.5" & 8.75" of bone), she has a slightly high wither, but it isn't overly large since her shoulder isn't massive & has been in mostly 6'3 rugs (measures 140cm from wither to tail & 203.5cm from chest to tail), as most the 6'6 rugs I've had her in end up too long from wither to tail & the inside of the back of the rug ends up covered in various degrees of poo & pee depending on the cut or they drag back- again depending on cut. The one exception is a 6'9 equitheme? rug, which bizarrely fits her amazing well, despite being a bit too long in the back. The problem is it is 300g & way to warm for average winter temperatures of 10C-15C, dropping to the 10C to 5C range for the worst weeks/month (it was mislabelled as 6'3 & 100g & bought on sale in a one off shipment of assorted discontinued rugs).
What we do get is a lot of is rain- it isn't uncommon to get 4 to 6 days of constant or near constant precipitation, so it's waterproofness I most need, rather than warmth.
She has never been a fan of getting wet when the temp drops under 20C & in the last couple of years I've noticed she isn't keen on standing in the wind even on fine days when she is unclipped, once the temperature drops down to around 15C either.
I have tried her naked over winter 3 times, but she has never grown much of a winter coat (I have had her since she was born) & once the lower temps & rain set in, she quickly starts to become anxious, getting increasing tense over hours or days (depending on rain & temp), until she has worked herself up to the point of running or pacing the fence line, occasionally calling out despite being in with her herd mates, until she is covered (it is literally like a switch is flicked off the moment a rug goes on, so I know it isn't a training or generalised anxiety issue- it is specific to the combination of cooler temperatures with rain).
The brands available to me are quite limited & I don't want to import as it is far too cost prohibitive. So I've narrowed the options down to the following 4 brands- PE, Bucas & Horseware which I am not at all familiar with in terms of cut or the shapes of horses they fit best & Weatherbeeta which I have used in the past with mixed results- the 100g covers were all fine, some cuts fit better than others, but the lites either leaked badly or simply didn't hold up up to any sort of rain above a light shower or drizzle regardless of denier, but I'm not familiar with their new covers- be it the cuts, what type of horses they fit best now or how waterproof they are.
Weatherbeeta Comfitec range:
Premier Free II lite
Plus Dynamic DUO II
Green-tec 50g
Like the look of both lite covers, love that have 50g, 100g & cotton liners as options, they are well priced (in the mid $200 range).
Horseware:
Rhino Plus Lite 0g Turnout
Amigo Bravo 12 Plus Lite Turnout - DF
Horseware Amigo Bravo 12 XL lite (I doubt this one will fit, as she is not cob or draft enough in type)
AmEco Bravo 1200D Plus Turnout - 0g
Amigo Hero 600D Ripstop Plus 0g
Can only get Rambo summer covers here for some reason- I've tried a friends Rambo Allrounder V-Front 6'6 summer sheet on her & it was miles too big if that helps with horseware fit?
I have to be careful with trying on different cuts as the few stores that sell them here have no returns on used items, so I'd have to be reasonably sure about fit before purchasing- esp at their mid $300 range price tag.
Bucas:
Power Turnout 0g
Power Turnout Big neck 0g
Irish Turnout 50g
The Power Turnouts look good on paper, but are the most expensive on this list by a long way & it seems either people love them enough they keep them or very few people are willing to shell out the $400+ price tag (before adding a neck which retails here for around $150+) as I think I've only ever seen one for sale second hand here.
A friend got an Irish Turnout 50g that came in used condition with a 13.2hh pony she bought for her daughter a few years ago & she rated it really highly on the welsh x arabian riding pony it came with, but wasn't sure how it would fit something with
a wither & she didn't want to spend the $300+ to buy one for any of their other horses when she could buy 100g combos that fit her horses for less than $200.
Premier Equine:
Buster Zero 0g
Buster Hardy 0g half neck (I've pretty much crossed this one off as has no liner attachments & I am weary of her mane getting totally rubbed out with how high it sits)
Buster 40g
Buster 50g
Buster 70g
Titan 40g
The Titan 40g is the only rug in the PE range which is over 900Dn here, the rest seem to be either 800 or 900 denier. They cost about the same or a little more than the Horsewear rugs.
What are peoples experiences & opinions based on the above options please? Has anyone used any of the above brands & models of covers? How do you rate them? Looking for the good & bad, so I have a better idea of which might work for my girl now winter is almost here again.
I have spent thousands on body work for various modalities over the years (I've even used different people with-in the same modalities to cover all the bases) in case it was something physically off with her causing the wither issue, but none of it has made much, if any difference. So I am confident at this point it isn't a physical issue.
Horse is approx. 15.2hh, 16yrs, a good keeper, of hunter/solid riding horse type (broad chested, deep bodied, well sprung ribs, good sized quarters, with between 8.5" & 8.75" of bone), she has a slightly high wither, but it isn't overly large since her shoulder isn't massive & has been in mostly 6'3 rugs (measures 140cm from wither to tail & 203.5cm from chest to tail), as most the 6'6 rugs I've had her in end up too long from wither to tail & the inside of the back of the rug ends up covered in various degrees of poo & pee depending on the cut or they drag back- again depending on cut. The one exception is a 6'9 equitheme? rug, which bizarrely fits her amazing well, despite being a bit too long in the back. The problem is it is 300g & way to warm for average winter temperatures of 10C-15C, dropping to the 10C to 5C range for the worst weeks/month (it was mislabelled as 6'3 & 100g & bought on sale in a one off shipment of assorted discontinued rugs).
What we do get is a lot of is rain- it isn't uncommon to get 4 to 6 days of constant or near constant precipitation, so it's waterproofness I most need, rather than warmth.
She has never been a fan of getting wet when the temp drops under 20C & in the last couple of years I've noticed she isn't keen on standing in the wind even on fine days when she is unclipped, once the temperature drops down to around 15C either.
I have tried her naked over winter 3 times, but she has never grown much of a winter coat (I have had her since she was born) & once the lower temps & rain set in, she quickly starts to become anxious, getting increasing tense over hours or days (depending on rain & temp), until she has worked herself up to the point of running or pacing the fence line, occasionally calling out despite being in with her herd mates, until she is covered (it is literally like a switch is flicked off the moment a rug goes on, so I know it isn't a training or generalised anxiety issue- it is specific to the combination of cooler temperatures with rain).
The brands available to me are quite limited & I don't want to import as it is far too cost prohibitive. So I've narrowed the options down to the following 4 brands- PE, Bucas & Horseware which I am not at all familiar with in terms of cut or the shapes of horses they fit best & Weatherbeeta which I have used in the past with mixed results- the 100g covers were all fine, some cuts fit better than others, but the lites either leaked badly or simply didn't hold up up to any sort of rain above a light shower or drizzle regardless of denier, but I'm not familiar with their new covers- be it the cuts, what type of horses they fit best now or how waterproof they are.
Weatherbeeta Comfitec range:
Premier Free II lite
Plus Dynamic DUO II
Green-tec 50g
Like the look of both lite covers, love that have 50g, 100g & cotton liners as options, they are well priced (in the mid $200 range).
Horseware:
Rhino Plus Lite 0g Turnout
Amigo Bravo 12 Plus Lite Turnout - DF
Horseware Amigo Bravo 12 XL lite (I doubt this one will fit, as she is not cob or draft enough in type)
AmEco Bravo 1200D Plus Turnout - 0g
Amigo Hero 600D Ripstop Plus 0g
Can only get Rambo summer covers here for some reason- I've tried a friends Rambo Allrounder V-Front 6'6 summer sheet on her & it was miles too big if that helps with horseware fit?
I have to be careful with trying on different cuts as the few stores that sell them here have no returns on used items, so I'd have to be reasonably sure about fit before purchasing- esp at their mid $300 range price tag.
Bucas:
Power Turnout 0g
Power Turnout Big neck 0g
Irish Turnout 50g
The Power Turnouts look good on paper, but are the most expensive on this list by a long way & it seems either people love them enough they keep them or very few people are willing to shell out the $400+ price tag (before adding a neck which retails here for around $150+) as I think I've only ever seen one for sale second hand here.
A friend got an Irish Turnout 50g that came in used condition with a 13.2hh pony she bought for her daughter a few years ago & she rated it really highly on the welsh x arabian riding pony it came with, but wasn't sure how it would fit something with
a wither & she didn't want to spend the $300+ to buy one for any of their other horses when she could buy 100g combos that fit her horses for less than $200.
Premier Equine:
Buster Zero 0g
Buster Hardy 0g half neck (I've pretty much crossed this one off as has no liner attachments & I am weary of her mane getting totally rubbed out with how high it sits)
Buster 40g
Buster 50g
Buster 70g
Titan 40g
The Titan 40g is the only rug in the PE range which is over 900Dn here, the rest seem to be either 800 or 900 denier. They cost about the same or a little more than the Horsewear rugs.
What are peoples experiences & opinions based on the above options please? Has anyone used any of the above brands & models of covers? How do you rate them? Looking for the good & bad, so I have a better idea of which might work for my girl now winter is almost here again.
