Re: my mare out on loan; am i being snobby over a rug?

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fruity

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Right my mare went out on loan in July with all tack and rugs etc. The lady who has her is fab and i have no complaints whatso ever as she is the best person i could of ever found for my mare and her needs. Now it turns out that she really could do with a very heavy weight turnout this winter as although she is a Welsh D she had quite a nasty hip injury last september and it now seems that she has arthritus in the joint and in cold weather she gets very stiff ( she's only 7!) i said i'd buy her one as my horses don't want for anything anyway but everytime i go to buy her something the loaner steps in and sais she wants to buy her it,now i've explained if she wants to do that then fine but the stuff would all be hers if anything ever happened. Now the lady is S.African and she's not sure about rugs etc over here as she has never had to have any in her country (she's had horses out there). Now because she really wants to buy this rug i sent her an e-mail stating what rugs fit her well and what ones don't,she's very hard to fit as although she's a 5'9 rug she has a big chest and the chest part never fits well unless they are Amigo's or MT's,now she's got MT's + Amigos in M/W + L/W's so i said it's best to get either one of them and explained why other rugs won't fit her,she had her mane nearly rubbed off by one bad rug and her chest got sore before from one so i'm a bit cautious now,anyway just got an e-mail back saying she's just bought a Knight rider and that it'll be here soon! never heard of this make/anyone got one? i don't know why i've got a prob with this as she is paying for it (although money isn't a problem and i could buy her one just don't want to be a interfering owner as i've loaned before and i know what it's like) am i being silly for no reason? Sorry for the long un important post but i'm getting myself worked up over it and now i'm worried about my mare,think it maybe because i miss her loads and i havn't got round to seeing her in a while. I have a great relationship with her loaner and we are very good friends now which i think is part of the problem as i now feel i can't express my thoughts/oppinions so much as i'm worried she'll find me a nagging pain in the arse!

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cookies and xmas pressies if you got this far!
 
Being a self confessed rug snob I see your pain ....
although the rational part of my head says that its an irrational response
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Are they the rugs that sell on ebay??? I don't know them, but maybe just ask your loanee to keep a close eye for rubbing and if there is a problem, to let you know if it does, so you can buy her a rug from a make that you know won't rub.
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well my new mare has Fal everything as they look made to measure! The mare out on loan came to me with similar rugs to the Knight rider and they were awful,i've just got a funny feeling it's going to be a crap fit on her but i'm just fussing. She hates vests,tried them before,would rather get her a rug that fits really as it's like getting a bad saddle thats awful and putting a nice numnah under neath! She has rugs that fit her great just not sure why she didn't just get one of the rugs i suggested
 
Maybe the woman cant afford the dearer rugs and doesnt know how to tell you. My masta rug would rub Mo if he didnt wear a vest and its the right size for him, it gets him at the withers.
 
Both mine have Knightrider rugs and have had no problems with them with rubbing or leaking etc however both managed to break a surcingle off. However when the first one happened with the cob it was the first night he was in the field with the big lad and the others when we had him and I know Doug has chased him around that day. With the big lad he rolls a lot lol and he managed to snap a surcingle fastening, don't know what on though. I do have anti rub vests but to be honest found no rub problems with the knightrider rugs to be honest so don't use the vests.
In fact two more people on the yard have bought that make this winter, obviously the saddlery recommended them but I have said to anyone that they were good cheap rugs and although I am a believer in that you get what you pay for also, not everyone has £'s to spend on 'named' brands. I know I certainly don't and none of the people at my yard have very fancy brands, just weatherbeeta and so on really.
I would love to be able to afford Fal rugs etc as I saw some really nice ones last winter but I just could not make a case for me personally spending over £100 on a horse rug when there are more pressing financial matters at home.
That is just me though and given different circumstances yes I would buy the better rugs however for all intents and purposes I think so long as the rug doesn't cause discomfort to the horse, fits well and keeps them warm and dry I don't think it really matters how much or how less the rug cost tbh.
Not having a go btw but just saying that the Knight Rider brand does not appear to be a bad rug. Another one I got that was pretty cheap too was one by equipe. It is very thick and keeps Doug warm and dry and yet only cost me £30 for a 7'0 one from one of the outside stalls at Leominster sales last Sept. The Knightrider rugs were £35 each from the same source and all were new.
Caz
 
Having had a pony on loan that didn't work out because of an overbearing owner I'm a little bit biased!

I would say leave it alone. If you want to control everything that happens with your mare you need to take her back and look after her yourself. Otherwise, having found a good responsible loan home for her I think you need to take a back seat really. If you're not happy with the loan home then, from experience, you can just take the horse back whenever you like.

Sorry - you may notice that my loan pony did not work out, and I would never loan a pony, or put one of mine out on loan, again.
 
I am sorry but I agree with some points everyone has made i am affriad!
As long as when the rug arrives it fits nicley it shouldn't be an issue to what make of rug it is!
Ok it maybe a cheap rug, but you never know it may just be one that fits!
I must admit i find weatherbeeta fits my horse well, but it doesnt fit my friends horse, she always uses GFH so it is swings and roundabouts with the fitting!
Perhaps she can't afford and expensive make!
Perhaps she is too proud to say so.
I don't think there is a problem unless it doesnt fit!
You say you can afford to buy one for her, so just buy her one for christmas, then you can say, it never hurts to have two rugs espcially in this weather!!!
And then you will probably find the one that fits best she will use more!!!
 
Nothing bad has happend... so smile!

This loaner sounds lovely, hang on to her
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You are worriying about something that hasn't happend. This rug might be great.

OFFER to show the woman how to fit the rug when it arrives. If you do this is a friendly, helpful way, you can try the new rug on over a fleece and make sure all is well. Take the sharer & your pony a little christmas pressie at the same time, then you have the perfect excuse for going.
 
I agree with the others I'm afraid..... if you really feel the need to buy the brand that you use, do so as a Christmas pressie.... but other than that, leave well alone otherwise you could end up causing tension between yourself and the loanee..... i've had KR rugs before and never had a problem with them! In fact I still have one that is still going strong after three years!
 
When my horse Bails was out on loan me and OH went to visit, he was very happy and the girl who had him was lovely, she did however let his mane gow and didn't trim his heels aaarggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It drove me mad and I was winging on the way home in the car but James gave me a right telling off because he said Bails was happy and well and it did no harm, so my advice is unless the rug is an awful fit and causes problems just leave it, your loaner sounds lovely.
 
why not see how it goes let her wear it for a couple of weeks then go visit and you can check for yourself that its not causing discomfort??

if it is and your not happy with it just explain !! (having had ful and part loans before being honest and upfront is definately the way to go) say to her you dont want to be controlling but you have had the mare a long time so sometimes you do know whats best

you are being are being a bit snobby about it but dont worry i, and many others are exactly the same!! i love rambo i dont think you can get better unfortunately i cant afford all my ponies rugs to be that expensive so she has a few rambo's and WB's. this knightrider might be ok you will just have to give it a chance and see

you sound like you have a great loaner, it will be a shame if the rugs rubs and she is stuck with a used rug which she cannot send back or use but you did try to tell her. let her get on with it a bit, nothing worse than having a controlling loan owner
 
I would let her use the rug, just mention to her to check for any discomfort or rubbing as this has happened with quite a few rugs in the past. Thank her for getting the rug, then if it doesnt fit righ tell her you will get one as she has already paid out once. That way you dont sound like you are just wanting to replace the rug shes bought.

Pop over in a few weeks and check for yourself. After all it may be a perfect fit and you may be stressing about nothing.

I do know how you feel though. My friend shares my horse. I like to buy everything myself, that way I can get him the make and colour I want
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Maybe not the same situation, as at least you have a reason for wanting to get it yourself.
 
I can understand you wanting to keep to the same brands if they fit her well. Amigos fit my boy perfectly and I would consider them cheap compared to lots of other brands! However a Masta doesn't fit him properly at all.

I would either advise her to put a fleece on first to see if the new rug fits correctly or let her use it and see how it goes.

I wouldn't make too big a deal about it as she sounds lovely.

A friend has used Knight Rider rugs and they were fine.
 
[ QUOTE ]
When my horse Bails was out on loan me and OH went to visit, he was very happy and the girl who had him was lovely, she did however let his mane gow and didn't trim his heels aaarggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It drove me mad and I was winging on the way home in the car but James gave me a right telling off because he said Bails was happy and well and it did no harm, so my advice is unless the rug is an awful fit and causes problems just leave it, your loaner sounds lovely.

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LOL - my old horse is on loan to a little girl near me and his mane is now very very long
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But oddly it kind of suits him... Am with your OH
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(and you ) my loaner is lovely - so she can have a TB x ID with a long flowing mane if she wants one... and I guess to the OP - your loaner will make sure there are no probs with the rug, so might as well se how it goes? Am guess your hossy won't mind so long as they are warm and happy
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I don't think OP is being snobby re branded rugs that's just what fits her horse. I'm sure if a £30 brand fitted and done the same job she would be happy with the pony/horse wearing it.

From my understanding of the original post she's just concerned that this rug won't fit as she's never tried/heard of it before and doesn't know the sizing of it compared to MT/Amigos etc.

Agree with suggesting to her to try it over a fleece and if she's still not sure of the fit then offer to pop across and help. It's clear that you have your horse's best interest at heart and I'm sure the loaner appreciates that.

I've found that WB and Masta don't fit my arab at all but Fal are a perfect fit. I did take a chance and try a Riff Raff rug (much cheaper!) and they fit her extremely well so that she now has 2x M/W T/O and a h/w stable rug. I'd still worry about trying other makes on her.

I guess you don't know till you try other brands but sounds like OP is worried about it adding up to an expensive mistake for loaner when OP has already been through a fair few rugs to find that MT and Amigo are the best fit.
 
I think buying your mare your choice of rug as a Christmas present from a 'soppy owner' is a good move...and you could justify it by saying that a horse needs a change of rugs with all the wet weather...
S
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Thanx for the replies,i think i came across as awful! I would never expect her to pay for ANY of my mares things as i mentioned but when i've said i'll buy her this and that the loan lady doesn't take it well,the people that said to buy her one as a crimbo pressie: that's a good idea,i just don't want her to waste her money if it doesn't end up fitting. I hadn't heard of this make before and my mare had had rugs before that rubbed her badly hence me wanting to get her one that i know fits her well i.e) Amigo's,i've got them before for less than £60 for a H/W. She is a fab lady,i just was a bit miffed she didn't take on my advice thats all. It's not about fancy makes of rug it's just that the ones i mentioned fit her well and she is very deep in the chest being a welsh D. I havn't been a overbearing owner hence me posting on here! In fact she's rang me on numerous occasions to tell me what a fab owner i am and how much me and my horse have changed her life! I go to hers for lunch sometimes so we will always be good friends. I visit when 'she' invites me and i very much take a back seat as i know she's in the best possible home i could find.I will wait to hear if the rug is ok,if theres any probs i will just drop a new one off to her which is what said i'd do in the first place. Thanks for your thoughts,i to have loaned before owning mine so i am very sympathetic as a owner,at least i think i am.I fully support what the loaner does and we both have a strong mutual trust which i think in the horse world is very rare.I do feel so bad about being snobby so i've sent Naglets treats for my mare and a pressie to the loaner,i just want whats best for my mare,i am very welfare obsessed with my animals especially since working at a vets!
 
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