Rugs with liners or separate rugs?

[Bobthecob15]

New horse has arrived and zero rugs, so debating whether to go for something like a 100g turnout and a selection of liners...or 2/3 separate rugs of 100g, 200g, 300g etc?

If we go down the liner route which brands are good? Is it worth spending a bit on a decent 1000 denier 100g rug? I can't decide! I imagine she will be clipped from about October anyway so perhaps the 200g one would be better to spend the money on as she'll be wearing it for a lot of winter.

For stable rugs I was just going to get a 200g and a heavyweight option for the worst of winter.

Thanks!

 

[MereChristmas]

Finding a shape that fits is the hardest part.
I have Rhino turnouts mostly but use quilts of required thickness underneath if needed. I stitch a loop of tape vertically above and below the quilt fastening and thread the turn out fastening through then clip the rear D rings together by the fillet string. I’ve not had anything move and it is cheaper than branded liners

 

[eggs]

I find the best combo for me is 50g outer (I having been using Swish) and then different weight liners. It is really easy to just pop a liner in the washing machine and they dry really quickly.

I have a pile of 400g and 300g liners which basically are unused with the 100g and 200g getting a lot of use.

It seems that all liners are pretty interchangeable - I now only clip on at the back and tend not to bother with the velcro tabs up near the withers.

I used to use Rambo Duo so my liners are mainly those but I do also have PE and Weatherbeeta liners.

I find with the 50g rug it is really useful for those very wet but not cold days as a no-fill often leaks.

 

[marmalade76]

You need more than one outer rug incase one gets damaged or waterlogged. I do like liners & layering. You won't need a heavyweight unless your horse will be clipped out or is particularly thin coated.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I buy shires or weatherbeeta turnouts and use liners the shires swish and Derby house ones fit in both rugs, I try to buy high denier no fill or 50g in the weatherbeeta if I can but the shires rugs although thinner I get a good few years out of them, I tend to buy detachable necks as I don't use neck rugs that much.

All my liners are 50g or 100g which I find is enough as they both have a 300g turnout for really bad weather I've had those years as they don't get much use.

I really like the liners I can fit 2 in a large laundry bag to wash in the machine they wash well dry quickly, and the horse has a nice clean rug on every week they will also go on most of my stable rugs as well.

 

[Abacus]

I have a couple of different outer rugs (50g, 100g and a heavy one for the old boy) and lots of liners. I find this works well and is very flexible. I don't bother with stable rugs any more, I haven't for years.Mine live out anyway but when the did come in, I didn't bother changing the rugs - better to stay in them and the rug dries overnight and stays warm, rather than putting it on wet/cold in the morning.

 

[Mrs G]

I like the idea of liners (esp the idea that you can wash them - but only if you have a washing machine that can take them and you have somewhere to dry them - I dont!) Also the practicality of them is different imo; I have separate rugs in 100g and 250g (a couple of each weight to rotate), with these I can go from 100g to 450g just by choosing to layer a couple of rugs. With liners - if you want to increase the weight you have to take the rug off, then change the liner, then put the rug back on - which is a faff in a windy field or you're in a rush! I also dont bother with stable rugs - horse stays in outdoor rug (stable rugs just absorb pee/poo whereas waterproof turnout rugs dont get so stinky!)

 

[Squeak]

I like the idea of liners (esp the idea that you can wash them - but only if you have a washing machine that can take them and you have somewhere to dry them - I dont!) Also the practicality of them is different imo; I have separate rugs in 100g and 250g (a couple of each weight to rotate), with these I can go from 100g to 450g just by choosing to layer a couple of rugs. With liners - if you want to increase the weight you have to take the rug off, then change the liner, then put the rug back on - which is a faff in a windy field or you're in a rush! I also dont bother with stable rugs - horse stays in outdoor rug (stable rugs just absorb pee/poo whereas waterproof turnout rugs dont get so stinky!)

Just relating to a couple of your points in case it would make them useful to you. I've found that the liners have been small enough to fit in any washing machine so they are really easy to wash and they can just go on a normal clothes rack (if you're really limited for space you could stick to 100 and 200g rather than the bulkier 400g).

Also they don't need to be harder to change than separate rugs depending on how you use them and if you have a well behaved horse then they can be much easier - for example, if I want 200g on the horse overnight and 100g on the day then I'd use two 100g liners at night and in the morning I'd just unclip the top liner and pull it out the back of the outer rug so you don't even have to take the top rug off (much quicker than a full rug change) and in the evening I'd take off the top rug, put on the 100g liner again and then put back on the top rug. It also stops the horse getting cold and always having cold rugs put on. If you use the shoulder tabs then they are a bit of a faff but I've never had them slip as long as they've got the front straps and tail clips done.

Re the OP, as you can probably guess from what I've just said - definitely liners, they were a game changer for me. I'd go for a really good outer as you can then use it all winter and if you go for a lightweight then you can use it throughout the year with or without liners.

If your horse is going to be out 24/7 in all weathers then a second outer would be worth it for really bad wet weather, the second one could be a lot cheaper as it would only be a back up.

 

[Bobthecob15]

I should probably mention horse is on livery, so I really don't want something that is a hassle to change quickly as the YO probably won't thank me for it!

 

[SEL]

I bought liner rugs and have really, really struggled with them rubbing.

I think its because there is a level of adjustability with just the outer rugs - especially across the chest - that just isn't there with the liners. Plus once you add a liner the whole thing becomes that bit tighter everywhere.

I had Big Horse for the Appy and I moaned the liner was tight compared to the outer rug. They told me I should have gone draft horse sized outer instead of regular but I have the draft horse size packed away because it used to belong to M so tried that on her and it was massive. Her regular outer rug fits well its just the liner is so tight around the neck it chokes.

Similar issues with Swish and Weatherbeeta with the ponies so I'm not bothering with liners any more. Plus if they've been out in 100g during the day in winter and you want to pop 200g on overnight then actually its easy to either strip off the 100g and put a fresh rug on, or sling a second outdoor rug over the top.

 

[soloequestrian]

Similar - I'm not keen on the liners because they always seem tight across the chest. I've not dared try them without doing the chest strap up because I worry that the front flaps would fold backwards. Prefer separate rugs.

 

[ApolloStorm]

I love the liners!
Ive had weatherbeeta ultra tough and Rambo duo (albeit second hand) and I rate the fit of the weatherbeeta more but I think the Rambo wins out on waterproofness as I had the WB leak quite badly where there is a seam halfway down the side of the rug!
They’re not interchangeable liners as such as the shoulder tabs don’t fit each other’s metal bits but when we had -8c over night I did some layering and it never moved with the back clips in!
If you can afford to shell out defo go for the newer Rambos, And I would also recommend another outer incase one gets wrecked! I have 100g and 200g but could do 50g and 100g also.

 

[bouncing_ball]

I bought liner rugs and have really, really struggled with them rubbing.

I think its because there is a level of adjustability with just the outer rugs - especially across the chest - that just isn't there with the liners. Plus once you add a liner the whole thing becomes that bit tighter everywhere.

I had Big Horse for the Appy and I moaned the liner was tight compared to the outer rug. They told me I should have gone draft horse sized outer instead of regular but I have the draft horse size packed away because it used to belong to M so tried that on her and it was massive. Her regular outer rug fits well its just the liner is so tight around the neck it chokes.

Similar issues with Swish and Weatherbeeta with the ponies so I'm not bothering with liners any more. Plus if they've been out in 100g during the day in winter and you want to pop 200g on overnight then actually its easy to either strip off the 100g and put a fresh rug on, or sling a second outdoor rug over the top.

I used big horse epic, draft style 6ft6 outers and liners and find both a good fit.

 

[motherof2beasts!]

Personally I think the rambo duos are great, £££ to start with but actually if you add the cost of 3/4 other rugs it’s no more. I have the 50gram duo which came with a 100 gram liner and 200 gram, I’ve never had to use the 200 as have a warm cob. It’s never washed and the most waterproof/indestructible rug I’ve ever had. I do like swish too but comes in a close second to the duo x

 

[Northern Hare]

I should probably mention horse is on livery, so I really don't want something that is a hassle to change quickly as the YO probably won't thank me for it!

Ah, that changes things in my experience. If I was doing my horse myself I would have much preferred the liners, but he was on full/part livery and it was far quicker for the yard staff to layer on another rug if it was particularly nasty outside.

 

[Jambarissa]

I have zero fill, 50g and 100g rugs then 50g and 100g liners. Gives so many options and all but the 100g rug will fit in my washing machine.

Big horse shop also do normal horse size rugs if you don't have a chunky horse.

 

[fidleyspromise]

I've never really used rugs but had an Amigo for the harshest days of winter.
The last couple of years my horse has had a Rambo Duo on and I love it. I've had no rubbing, fits lovely across chest and length. It's 100g outer and I tend to have a 100g liner on (the first winter she needed the 200g liner and at one point the 300g liner).
Once my new boy has finished growing he will get a Rambo Liner system too.

 

[Fjord]

Last year I put a stable rug under the outdoor rug and it worked nicely.

 

[spottypony90]

I find the best combo for me is 50g outer (I having been using Swish) and then different weight liners. It is really easy to just pop a liner in the washing machine and they dry really quickly.

I have a pile of 400g and 300g liners which basically are unused with the 100g and 200g getting a lot of use.

It seems that all liners are pretty interchangeable - I now only clip on at the back and tend not to bother with the velcro tabs up near the withers.

I used to use Rambo Duo so my liners are mainly those but I do also have PE and Weatherbeeta liners.

I find with the 50g rug it is really useful for those very wet but not cold days as a no-fill often leaks.

I have a 0g swish which I love and am planning on doing this after years of having hundreds of rugs! I may end up buying a spare outer rug too in case one gets damaged or anything.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I love the liner system. I've got horseware liners in weights from 100g to 400g for my Rambo rugs. My outer rugs are 0g or 100g. The liners wash and then dry easily indoors if necessary.

If it's too much of a faff for the livery yard to swap liners , then have two outer rugs with different weights of liner in. Presumably the livery yard can cope with choosing between a lighter or heavier overall weight of turnout rug depending on the weather. Then you can still keep on top of washing the liners.

My outer rugs go to the rug laundry annually. The liners get washed weekly if they are in daily use.