rug for Shetland?best brand /fit

staceyn

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So I have a million rugs for my 8.2hh Shetland and none fit again so 4horse rugs are not wide enough on the neck too short on the belly but long enough at 3"3 or 3"6 . I have tried a amigo foal turn out also in 3"6 perfect but the belly straps won't fasten as its a flap with Velcro. So does anyone know a brand that will have a better fit . Not rugging yet but preparing for the winter. Thanks in advance :-)
 
My shetland is clipped out for driving.. I find that the small weatherbeeta's (not foal size) and the cuddly ponies and cottage craft rugs are lovely quality and fit. My shetland is in a 4'0 so may not get above rugs in anything smaller. Personally I wouldn't rate dinky rugs as for the price I wasn't keen on the quality. Also Ruggles on Ebay have lovely rugs although I only have a fleece from them!
 
The driving Shetland clipped and rugged I can understand, but otherwise why rug a Shetland!!! Its designed for scottish winters. Its not a teddybear or a My Little Pony!!
 
Wow lol what's with all the grief , yes clipped don't think al ask anything again lol I asked what brand rugs have a good fit not if other people think my horse needs it
 
I don't have a Shetland but I've got a donkey. Weatherbeeta are great! Have also got some Mark Todds but they start at 4'6 and are a little deep. Her heavyweights are Amigo and Rambo rhino pony, all fit well. L
 
Wow lol what's with all the grief , yes clipped don't think al ask anything again lol I asked what brand rugs have a good fit not if other people think my horse needs it

If yours is clipped then fair enough. I just can't stand seeing rugs on ponies that are designed to withstand bad weather, one of the reasons so many get lami nowadays, I'm sure.

No need to take such offence or say you'll never ask anything again! The fact that most shetlands don't need rugs is still true.. I apologise as you were so upset at my reply.
 
Have you tried Dinky Rugs ? ; they seem to specialise in tack and rugs for ponies and miniatures and shetlands for every occasion.
 
Didn't mean to sound offensive he got very sick nearly died of pneumonia last year as a foal and had to be rugged when he was all fluffy all winter so I get very protective lol, other then that I can understand why, . It's very hard to find any in his size this year cause he has filled out a lot, he was in a 2"9 when I first got him but the Shetland rugs seem to be really long along his back and too short , thanks more rug brands !
 
my shetland is hunter clipped so all off bar the legs. he goes out all day whatever the weather and comes in around 4 pm. he is naked at all times though i rub him off with a towel if it has been wet! he is never cold. he is clipped cos he gets too hot/sweaty/ smelly then itchy/then grumpy! even when wet it never gets down to skin level. he would hate a rug! he was made to live in the shetlands! please do not rug in appropriately horses realy hate being too hot! at most he might tolerate a rain sheet!
 
fairly understandable reaction from the OP - she didnt ask IF her pony should be rugged. Obviously there are occasions when even a Shetland needs a rug, why oh why do people feel the need to ask others to justify themselves?

Anyway... Rhino Wugs fit mine like a glove, also the IVhorse is good from theponytackshop website http://www.theponytackshop.co.uk/

sorry i dont have better ones of her in the IVhorse
nomnom.jpg
2012-05-09125504.jpg


Rhino - expensive but worth every penny
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The driving Shetland clipped and rugged I can understand, but otherwise why rug a Shetland!!! Its designed for scottish winters. Its not a teddybear or a My Little Pony!!

It's a lot milder than the shetland isles here in the midlands at the min. I clipped mine out because she was constantly sweating all last week, and it made her itchy enough she broke my five bar gate by rubbing on it. Sometimes needs must. I'd rather clip her out and put the right rugs on than have her lose condition from sweating all winter and coming down with stress related lammy.
 
Cuddly ponies but I think they stopped making them. I would love another one for my clipped cushings pony but can't find one. They never move or rub.
 
fairly understandable reaction from the OP - she didnt ask IF her pony should be rugged. Obviously there are occasions when even a Shetland needs a rug, why oh why do people feel the need to ask others to justify themselves?

Anyway... Rhino Wugs fit mine like a glove, also the IVhorse is good from theponytackshop website http://www.theponytackshop.co.uk/

sorry i dont have better ones of her in the IVhorse
2012-05-09125504.jpg

If I could like this post, I would - not only for the reply (totally agree, the OP did NOT ask if she SHOULD rug!) but for the freakin' adorable photos :D I've never seen shetland rugs before - I nearly melted :)
 
Some poeple are so opinionated on this forum... Beggars belief how some constantly fail to answer the question being asked, and make comments that are NAF all to do with them...
I rug my Shetland - he's 27 next spring, has Cushings and has been stabled at night all year round for the last 10'years. He feels the cold, and caught a chill many years ago - I choose to rug, others don't - well good for you, I respect your choice, now kindly respect ours - sorry, but it does bug me

Anyhow, now my rant is done... OP, mines in a 4ft 6 Amigo no fill, but he also has a Rambo heavyweight for when it's honking, wet and very cold in the same size.
He used to wear cuddly ponies, of which I have a no fill and a 200grm, again both 4ft 6. They are for sale, as I changed to the Amigo as it's quicker for mum in the mornings as she doesn't have to do legs straps up. I've just sold the Rhino Pony high neck as it was too big on the shoulder - in hindsite a 4ft 3 would have been better.
I recommend you google lots, as you can get some bargains if you shop around sometimes.
I'm another who, as much as i love their stuff,'think
The Dinky Rug rugs look expensive
 
Oh that's a laugh, rugging a shetland in foul winter weather causes laminitis! Shetlands can survive foul winter weather but so can all native breeds, many/most non-natives, most dogs, cats, and indeed you and I. Yeah, we'd shiver, lose weight and be miserable but it wouldn't kill us! But just because we or they CAN survive rugless, does that mean it's fun? Or they like it? Of course not. It's just as miserable for a shetland pony to be standing rugless in torrential, horizontal, driving rain as it is for any other horse. Or person. And although shetlands have a double coat, a soaking wet shetland will take days or even weeks to dry out. And one final thing, broad backed shetlands can get rainscald at the drop of a hat because the rain just pools on their backs. Have some compassion guys, offer the same standard of care to your shetlands that you would to any other horse or pony! As regards rugs, I try to take mine off as often as possible because, sorry to say, most rugs for shetlands don't fit properly. Also they flatten the thick coat and stop the air-trapping action. So mine are rugged in rain, just no fill or fleece lined, but usually naked in cold dry weather. They do fine on it before anyone tells me it's cruel to rug/unrug. Dinky rugs are ok but I find still mean on the belly depth and grossly over priced. Ruggles are very good but I find you need to order 1 size lower and they don't do tiny sizes. My miniatures need 3'3".
 
Maybe I'll not admit that my Shetlands are spoilt rotton and all wear middleweight rugs ...

:D :D :D

I have big standards and they all wear between 4ft6" and 5ft. 3 are in Amigo's, 3 are in Mark Todd rugs - they fit really quite well surprisingly! One is in a Shires full neck :X My indoor clipped mare wears a full neck cotton under rug, a fleece and a middle weight stable rug at the moment. She has a heavyweight stable rug for when it gets really cold.

Although these ponies were originally designed to withstad anything, humans have changed them and not all can deal with any weather. We have made them more pansyish.
 
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