rugging up with two rugs..random thought

MandyMoo

MandyMoo

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Not CR, but I don't ever venture out of here so....

When you put two rugs on your horses during extra cold weather, do you put the heavyweight under or over the lightweight/middleweight extra layer?

I usually put my horses heavy weights on, and then a lightweight/mediumweight rug on top (depending on the weather) - however today, Socks's lightweight was UNDER his heavyweight because the yard staff did his rugs yesterday and obviously did it that way round instead.

It got me thinking....is one way better at keeping the warmth in than the other? I would have thought having the heavyweight underneath (how I usually do it) would be better as the heavyweight has the best warmth mechanisms within it, and then the extra rug on top just helps to keep that warmth in.....whereas if the lightweight is underneath the heavyweight, surely it isn't as warm??

Random musing whilst procrastinating against my dissertation ! (16,000 words...yawn.)
 
Don't know but if I'm cold at night I get a heavier duvet shoved on top not the other way around.
Logically I would have thought it's better to layer from lightest first as if other rug is so heavy it won't have a lot of impact on warmth if heavy on first and then again you could argue for the better fitting rug to be nearest the horse too. Procrastination here too, will be musing for other answers now.
 
I wouldn't think it makes a difference warmth wise. I usually put the lighter one on first, as the heavier one sits better over it than the other way round, plus my lighter one has neck and the heavier doesn't. Also it doesn't pull so much around the shoulders and strap that way round.
 
Maesfen said:
Don't know but if I'm cold at night I get a heavier duvet shoved on top not the other way around.
Logically I would have thought it's better to layer from lightest first as if other rug is so heavy it won't have a lot of impact on warmth if heavy on first and then again you could argue for the better fitting rug to be nearest the horse too. Procrastination here too, will be musing for other answers now.
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Oh true...I suppose Socks's heavyweight fits him a bit better than the lightweight so is probably more suited underneath...but hmmm I see your point, people DO usually put heavy blackets etc over their duvets if they're cold at night......

Honey08 said:
I wouldn't think it makes a difference warmth wise. I usually put the lighter one on first, as the heavier one sits better over it than the other way round, plus my lighter one has neck and the heavier doesn't. Also it doesn't pull so much around the shoulders and strap that way round.
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Ah yes, actually, I forgot to say - if the lightweight has a neck I do often put it underneath the heavyweight ! But yes I suppose the heavyweight on top might make more sense...


I feel a bit of a div now :p ;)
 
I put the LW on beneath as it's a stabe rug which goes under his MW turnout as he's in the field ;)

In the stable I would always work from lightest to heaviest, as I would put a fleece or sheet on first (which is lightest) then heavier rugs, so I may as well be consistent in my method. I don't really think it matters though.
 
It makes more sense to put the heavy weight on first and then the lightweight as the weight of the heavier rug would squash the lighter rug, reducing its insulating capabilities...maybe? :p

ETS: I only ever layer using stable then turnout rug so don't really have much choice as mine live out, so possibly not the best qualified to comment! lol
 
I put thin layer on first then heavy on top.
Although now have pe rugs so liner is heaviest and goes under the outer. So not sure really think depends if stable of turnouts are layers and which fits best.
 
Honey08 said:
I wouldn't think it makes a difference warmth wise. I usually put the lighter one on first, as the heavier one sits better over it than the other way round, plus my lighter one has neck and the heavier doesn't. Also it doesn't pull so much around the shoulders and strap that way round.
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I'd do this too. I can't justify it tho just seems right to put thin layers on then thicker ones (as I'd do myself) :o:D
 
Not sure if this is of any use to the OP's question, but during the freezing weather, I had my boy in a medium weight full neck with another standard neck medium weight on top, the top layer was freezing solid... Literally! But the one underneath didn't at all, even on the uncovered neck bit... Same happened when I popped a lightweight on top... Like I say I don't know if this has any relevance at all... Probably just me rambling on!
 
You need air in between the layers to hold the heat, so if the heavy weight has a heavy waterproof layer it would probably be better under the lightweight rug. I usually put the slightly smaller rug underneath because if the top rug is tight it will crush the air out off the under layer.
 
I used to put the lighter one on first but have recently changed to putting the lighter one over the heavier one, I have done this because of the rain, I have less heavier rugs than I do lighter ones, keeping the lw on top keeps the heavier rug drier if that makes sense
 
I don't think it matters. I decide by the lining of the rugs (prefer nylon against horse, especially when moulting), size of the rug and mostly by which rug I prefer to get dirty from stable or mud.
 
i dont personally layer turnouts, i use an underrug or a stable rug and then a heavyweight on top ...but if i only had outdoor rugs id put the lightweight on first and then the heavyweight .:)
 
I think I'd put the biggest fit/most waterproof on the outside but otherwise I'd layer with the lightest rug next to the skin and the heaviest on the top. The thicker outside rug keeps the cold out so that the space between the two layers is better insulated from the cold weather and the ligher rug next to the skin is more comfortable to wear.

For people, the base layer is usually the thinnest and the mid/outer layers are better insulated and waterproofed.
 
See I have heavyweight full necks on with mw normal necks ontop. I think the only reason I do this is because I seem to get a better fit, and at night I can just throw the mw rug over the other rug.
 
Hmmm, lots of interesting and conflicting views!!

vallin said:
It makes more sense to put the heavy weight on first and then the lightweight as the weight of the heavier rug would squash the lighter rug, reducing its insulating capabilities...maybe? :p
ETS: I only ever layer using stable then turnout rug so don't really have much choice as mine live out, so possibly not the best qualified to comment! lol
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This is what I originally thought...and is why I put my heavyweight on first - it also means that when the lightweight one gets wet from rain (heavyweight remaining dry underneath), I can whip it off when they come in for a feed and as it is lightweight it'll dry quicker !

FfionWinnie said:
I'd do this too. I can't justify it tho just seems right to put thin layers on then thicker ones (as I'd do myself) :o:D
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True!

digger66 said:
You need air in between the layers to hold the heat, so if the heavy weight has a heavy waterproof layer it would probably be better under the lightweight rug. I usually put the slightly smaller rug underneath because if the top rug is tight it will crush the air out off the under layer.
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Hmm...this is why I put my leightweights on top, so they don't crush the air in the heavyweight under rug :)

skint1 said:
I used to put the lighter one on first but have recently changed to putting the lighter one over the heavier one, I have done this because of the rain, I have less heavier rugs than I do lighter ones, keeping the lw on top keeps the heavier rug drier if that makes sense
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same !



It was just a random musing - I was curious about what others did - seems everyone does different things :p
 
I dress my horse the same as I dress myself - base layers first then add as necessary - I wouldn't wear a jumper then put a t-shirt over the top if I was chilly....
 
Lightest first, then working out to heaviest

So usually: Cotton sheet, LW, HW.

I suppose I get this from how I dress myself, T shirt, jumper, jacket :)
 
I usually put the heavy rug on first as thought maybe the heavy rug squashes the lighter rug and reduces its warmth properties? Probably rubbish though. I doubt it makes that much difference. Mine live out 24/7 all yr round and I just layer turnouts. Sometimes the combo one with neck goes on top of an under-rug, sometimes underneath - just depends really.
 
Lyle said:
Lightest first, then working out to heaviest

So usually: Cotton sheet, LW, HW.

I suppose I get this from how I dress myself, T shirt, jumper, jacket :)
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star said:
I usually put the heavy rug on first as thought maybe the heavy rug squashes the lighter rug and reduces its warmth properties? Probably rubbish though. I doubt it makes that much difference. Mine live out 24/7 all yr round and I just layer turnouts. Sometimes the combo one with neck goes on top of an under-rug, sometimes underneath - just depends really.
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Ah, it does make sense to dress them like we dress ourselves.....but yes I do what you do star !

Probably makes no difference at all, I was just intrigued.....I'm odd like that - random thoughts pop into my head !
 
Depends on the fit of the rug and of course whether its a TO or stable rug (ie. I wouldnt put a stable over a TO)

My preference would be thinner rug under thicker rug tho.Just as it wuld be if I was layering up blankets for myself in the winter!
 
Mine both have a thin quilt rug underneath & their heavy-weight turnouts on top when they are out, the thin quilt stays on & they have a thick quilt rug on top at night instead of the turnout rug, thin layers first then thick, just like I would dress myself! During the week I usually don't bother to change rugs over as it's late when they come in!
 
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