Rugs for chunks and avoiding mane rubbing out on fat neck...

tobiano1984

tobiano1984

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My cob is 15.1hh tall and 19hh around - we've managed to get by with normal rugs until now - he's just turned 6, and in April he fitted his Amigo lightweight (no neck) rug just fine, tried it on him yesterday and can barely do up the chest! The wide bit is his shoulder - his neck is mahoosive and he has a proper ploughing chest (don't tell him, he thinks he's a warmblood). So the Amigo cuts into his neck just in front of the wither and is also a bit restrictive in the shoulder/chest. He's 6'3 and the rug otherwise fits him - he has a good apple bottom and a decent belly, but this hasn't been a problem as he's not that long.

I've always had an issue with full neck rugs rubbing his mane out at the base of his neck - about 6 inches worth. I assume this is for the reasons above although lots of people I know have this problem with non-chunks so might be rug design?

So - my shopping list is -

lightweight turnouts - poss 1 without neck and one with
mediumweight full neck - I like the ones with elasticated polls as most necks seem to slide down and they get muddy anyway

I also would love any advice on stable rugs that keep them clean - he's predominantly white and stains soak straight through his quilted rugs.

Recommendations pleeeease!!
 
seem to be saying it a lot recently but ruggles!

Goof is very square, old fashioned sort of WB and to top it off very cresty due to being entire. His Amigo and Weatherbeeta rubbed but Ruggles give him enough room with the front chest clips on the loosest setting.
The neck covers are old fashioned and a bit flappy/gappy but its that looseness that stops them wrinkling up and rubbing IMO.

Bruce is neither square or entire but has had approx 4 inch section of mane missing for about 6/7 years since a premier equine turnout rubbed it horribly and made him bald :( its started to grow back since i swapped his fly rug and turnouts for ruggles :)
 
I have 2 big boys, one in particular is very big in the shoulder. I find Fal and Premier Equine rugs really good fits. Neither are cheap but if you can find decent second hand ones, Fal in particular as the older ones are much better quality they're well worth it.
 
Masta do have large neck openings. Weatherbeeta (Freestyle) have narrower necks but still a lot of room in the chest and shoulders; my 14.2 6'3" is in those. Funnily enough only one of his - the MW turnout - rubs his mane, despite being the same design as the HW and XHW. Thankfully I bought the detachable necks so we don't use the one for that rug.

ETA - the best thing you could do is try as many different makes as possible on. I would say Amigo were useless for wide chests and big shoulders, but that was over 8 years ago so maybe the design has changed.
 
Thanks folks - I've spoken to Ruggles and they said they'd recommend a non-combo rug for a deep shoulder/big neck (i.e. a detachable neck) as apparently that's what causes the mane rubbing.

My only reservation - a livery at my yard had Ruggles rugs (although they would be 3 years old probably so may have changed) and I didn't take to them because a) the tailflap didn't seem to stay down (I like the skirt ones that don't move, this one was always over the horse's back and he got a wet bum!) and b) the neck rug was very flappy - again turned inside out and was easily grabbed by other horses. I know this will always be a slight issue with detachable necks, but the Amigo necks seem to stay put much better.

Any thoughts? Maybe the newer ones have improved!!
 
the neck covers on the LW do flap and gap a bit, better on the MW and HW as more padding to weigh them down but you have to accept that a neck cover loose enough not to rub WILL be loose enough to move in the wind etc.

i have an amigo XL fly rug on goof and it fits well but because the neck velcros on, it stlil wrinkes on the neck line...fortunately on the fly rug the neck is so light it doesnt rub but i suspect on anything else(lW MW etc) it would rub as the wrinkles will have more weight to them.
 
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