Rugs

[Jobee]

Hi all
Although the weathers lovely at the moment I'm getting my head around what rugs I will need for winter. Just after suggestions for weight etc for stable rugs and turnout rugs for a sports horse

 

[Shay]

Depends on where you live, what you are doing and how you keep him I'm afraid!! You'll need different rugs if he lives out 24/7 is unclipped and lightly worked than for if he is stabled 24 / 7 clipped out and in heavy work - and any permutation in between. Let alone whether you live in the north where (I presume) it might be colder? Budget matters too!

I have 2 fully clipped in medium / heavy work. day turnout and in the south, so not too cold. One ISH, one cob X. As a minimum if yours is on teh same sort of regime I would say 1 wicking fleece, 1 medium weight turnout (you can layer the fleece under if it gets colder.) You can sleep in the turnout too (actually the horse can. if you try you'll probably be uncomfortable - but you know what I mean.) but I like a medium stable rug as well in case the turnout rips. Personally all my winter rugs are full neck - but you can get Combis if you prefer the style.

That said - you can never have too many rugs! (Or at least I can't). If you have a second turn out - medium or heavy - you have a spare if one soaks through or gets ripped and needs to be repaired. If you have an extra fleece or a stable sheet you can use them as liners to keep the inside of your turnouts cleaner and wash them more often.

But if he is unclipped or stabled or in lighter work he'll need fewer rugs!

 

[Herts05]

Definitely use turnout rugs instead of stable rugs. They keep your horse cleaner as the stains don't seep through. Also means you don't have to keep having them cleaned

 

[ajf]

Again I would invest more in turnout than stable. And a couple of fleeces are invaluable.
Didn't rugs suit different horses -for example Bucas do a range for horses with big shoulders and necks which would be an awful fit on a narrow horse.