Recommend me a sweet itch rug

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bumblelion

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Need to buy a sweet itch rug. Don't want to spend over £100 as he's a rug trasher and they don't appear to be the toughest of materials! He's quite a big boy too, chunky ID, 17hh and takes a 7"3 rug so anyone who has a horse of this size with a SI rug, please tell me what you've got!! He sweats up very easily so if you could recommend me one that has good wicking properties that would be great too!
Was looking at the premier equine one at the weekend and also the rambo one. I'm pretty sure the rambo one won't fit as their normal rugs don't as too tight on the shoulders (although fit my tb a dream!) and I have no experience of premier equine, so size wise I have no idea!
 
Misinterpreted said:
This one http://www.rideaway.co.uk/MASTA-BUG-RUG/default.aspx
There's a couple of horses on our yard with them, and they're great.

I've got a rambo Hoody, which I like, but that's more expensive
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Thankyou! See I love the Rambo's but they just don't fit him! Do you know if the face mask on the masta ones are detatchable? He normally wears an equilibrium full mask as it protects his nose from sunburn! So was hoping to find one that just went up to the ears! I would probably stretch to about £120 if the rug was right, just won't want to spend hundreds, on say a boett (looked and for his size they're £220!), in case it gets trashed within the week!
 
I have a rambo hoody on my mare. She is v broad in the shoulder and neck (though not slight anywhere!). Although it shouldn't, it actually fits her really well and despite wearing it 24/7 from end march to end oct it doesn't even rub her. If you shop around you should be able to get it for only a couple of £ more than your budget.

My girl trashes everything, lives to roll and gets v hot - yet this rug is a) still alive at 2 years old with weekly runs through the washing machine and b) she doesn't even sweat up in it!! I do still put a little netex itch stop cream on her udders as the rug doesn't cover this, but the rug and cream (a pot lasts me more than one season) work brilliantly together.

I would def get one that covers up to and inc the poll as I found that one that doesn't only slips down leaving a tasty strip of mane and neck! I just put her mask over or under it and it seems to cause no probs.
 
I swear by the Hy Guardian rug. My chap is around 16.3, takes a 7ft rug and is a chunky build (think shire or ID x). These rugs fit him like a glove, give excellent protection and are reasonably priced - around £45-£50 so not too bad if they have to be replaced. They are a silver type material and I've never had a problem with him getting too hot.
The neck stays in place and doesn't slip. They also come with a free face mask but i've never used this bit.

Can't recommend enough :)
 
ThePony said:
I have a rambo hoody on my mare. She is v broad in the shoulder and neck (though not slight anywhere!). Although it shouldn't, it actually fits her really well and despite wearing it 24/7 from end march to end oct it doesn't even rub her. If you shop around you should be able to get it for only a couple of £ more than your budget.

My girl trashes everything, lives to roll and gets v hot - yet this rug is a) still alive at 2 years old with weekly runs through the washing machine and b) she doesn't even sweat up in it!! I do still put a little netex itch stop cream on her udders as the rug doesn't cover this, but the rug and cream (a pot lasts me more than one season) work brilliantly together.

I would def get one that covers up to and inc the poll as I found that one that doesn't only slips down leaving a tasty strip of mane and neck! I just put her mask over or under it and it seems to cause no probs.
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See that's what I like about Rambos they're much tougher than many of the other rugs. Maybe the hoody's are different then, fit wise? I'v always found the other rugs are much too narrow and they're not adjustable at the front but maybe the hoody will be a better fit then. I too use the nettex itch stop cream, it's really good. Yeah, if it covers the poll, that's great but so long as I can use his face mask (for his nose!!) also, that's the main thing!

He's just started to develop sweet itch, noticed he's began rubbing his tail out, so hoping to get him covered up before it gets worse.
 
bumblelion said:
See that's what I like about Rambos they're much tougher than many of the other rugs. Maybe the hoody's are different then, fit wise? I'v always found the other rugs are much too narrow and they're not adjustable at the front but maybe the hoody will be a better fit then. I too use the nettex itch stop cream, it's really good. Yeah, if it covers the poll, that's great but so long as I can use his face mask (for his nose!!) also, that's the main thing!

He's just started to develop sweet itch, noticed he's began rubbing his tail out, so hoping to get him covered up before it gets worse.
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I was worried that it had no adjustment at all on the chest fastening, I just couldn't see how it could possibly fit (esp since I have a mountain of rugs bought for her that don't bloomin' fit her!) but fortunatly it does! It does leave a tiny triangle of bare coat at the top of the chest fastening which attracted the flys so she just gets a sploodge of itchstop there too.
 
Solar said:
I swear by the Hy Guardian rug. My chap is around 16.3, takes a 7ft rug and is a chunky build (think shire or ID x). These rugs fit him like a glove, give excellent protection and are reasonably priced - around £45-£50 so not too bad if they have to be replaced. They are a silver type material and I've never had a problem with him getting too hot.
The neck stays in place and doesn't slip. They also come with a free face mask but i've never used this bit.

Can't recommend enough :)
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I'v just had a look at them and they look good also. It's good to know yours doesn't overheat in it. I had the vet out yesterday and whilst she was here I asked her to look at his tail. She said the most important thing I can do is to get a rug that doesn't overheat him as he's such a big boy and overheats very easily! She said otherwise he's better off without it on on certain days!
 
rambling said:
A friend of mine has had the Rambo Sweet Itch Hoody for about 10 years now , worn 24/7 in the midge season and its still ok.
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Ok, so lots of rambo lovers out there! Including myself! Will buy one and hopefully it will fit! If it gets trashed then I think the guardian one will be good or even the masta bug rug, as they're pretty cheap so can just keep replacing them!
 
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Have a look on the premier equine website, they do a sweet itch buster rug. The sizes go up to 7'3". Also if you look in the sale bit they have some not quite perfect ones in there.

I've just ordered one for my 16.3hh shire x cob who hasn't got sweet itch but is being eaten alive by horse flies ATM. I've ordered him a 7'3" out of the sale bit, apparently they just have a few loose threads but are otherwise ok. Have paid £49 xx
 
My horse suffers from those pesky bloodsuckers in his ears, so I made ears for my Rambo hoody, sewing the foots of tights into the ear holes!

He's also very allergic to horsefly bites, so I added an extra rouched layer of mesh over the top of his back and saddle area, so they can't stab him through the rug, which they do!

Here he is, in full body armour :D BTW he's a 17.2 chunky TB and it fits him fine.
SANY1122.jpg
 
Misinterpreted said:
My horse suffers from those pesky bloodsuckers in his ears, so I made ears for my Rambo hoody, sewing the foots of tights into the ear holes!

He's also very allergic to horsefly bites, so I added an extra rouched layer of mesh over the top of his back and saddle area, so they can't stab him through the rug, which they do!

Here he is, in full body armour :D BTW he's a 17.2 chunky TB and it fits him fine.
SANY1122.jpg
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Hey great bit of rug DIY. What a good idea with the tights over the ears. Defo going to be doing some alterations to mine tonight! :)
 
would you be able to squeeze him into a 7ft sweet itch rug from snuggy hoods? they have them 50% off at the moment. Or dont know if this code still works on the premier equine site but try typing FB611 in the box at checkout for 25% off all full price items. Hope you find something :)
 
Montysmum said:
would you be able to squeeze him into a 7ft sweet itch rug from snuggy hoods? they have them 50% off at the moment. Or dont know if this code still works on the premier equine site but try typing FB611 in the box at checkout for 25% off all full price items. Hope you find something :)
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Thankyou, just posted on your post actually! will look tonight at them!
 
bumblelion said:
Thankyou, just posted on your post actually! will look tonight at them!
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I have to admit that even with the discount I wouldn't go for one of these.
OH and I recently spent over £400 on a pair of these for both of our girls because they cover so much of then, including their udders and we couldn't find another rug like this.
They don't fit either of our girls well, the udder covers work better as poo shoots or wee catchers, they pull back alot as they are stretchy and I have already had to fix the unravelled sewing on one of them. I have a turnout hood and it is the best thing ever, unfortunatly I can't say the same thing for their sweet itch sets, which is a shame as the design is really good, it just needs tweaking to be useable. I pass my snuggy hoods one over and use the rambo sweet itch hoody all the time.
 
ThePony said:
I have to admit that even with the discount I wouldn't go for one of these.
OH and I recently spent over £400 on a pair of these for both of our girls because they cover so much of then, including their udders and we couldn't find another rug like this.
They don't fit either of our girls well, the udder covers work better as poo shoots or wee catchers, they pull back alot as they are stretchy and I have already had to fix the unravelled sewing on one of them. I have a turnout hood and it is the best thing ever, unfortunatly I can't say the same thing for their sweet itch sets, which is a shame as the design is really good, it just needs tweaking to be useable. I pass my snuggy hoods one over and use the rambo sweet itch hoody all the time.
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Another vote for the rambo's!

I'v just uploaded a couple of photos of him, do you think the rambos will fit?
 
IF you can find one ........ coz they're like hens teeth - a Pessoa Sweet Itch Hoody is fabulous.

Mine's had his for the past two years - he's gone on working livery where rugs frequently get trashed quicker than at home - and its still going (with some minor repairs)!!!

I think I got mine from an on-line sale in the autumn, think it was Robinsons.

Even better than the Rambo one IMO.
 
PiebaldPeril said:
IF you can find one ........ coz they're like hens teeth - a Pessoa Sweet Itch Hoody is fabulous.

Mine's had his for the past two years - he's gone on working livery where rugs frequently get trashed quicker than at home - and its still going (with some minor repairs)!!!

I think I got mine from an on-line sale in the autumn, think it was Robinsons.

Even better than the Rambo one IMO.
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I shall look into pessoa, thanks!

The trouble is I'll probably have to order in as my local shops only tend to stock masta and weatherbeeta and I need him in it pretty sharpish before it gets worse. That's why I need to make sure it's likely to fit as to have to send back and get another takes time!
 
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