TO rug with no chest straps?

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Overgrown Pony

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Hi guys

I always find that chest straps must be uncomfortable for the horse when the head is down to graze. They tend to dig into the base of the neck.

Does anyone know of any clever designed rugs that don't have this issue? I know Rambo rugs have the straps stitched on at an angle which looks much more comfortable but they're so expensive. Eurostar do a TO and stable rug with a crossover chest that buckles at one shoulder but again it's extortionate :(

Cheers
 
I can't think of the brands names but my old work had a load of these type of rugs, they imported/exported to America so they picked them up there. They are normally the quarter horse designed rugs so that may narrow down your search a bit. I did ask them once why they used those type of rugs, simple answer they are a lot cheaper over in America then here! If you find any post a link and I'll see if I can remember the names, :)
 
I know they do a rug for foals with no front buckles.
You lift the rug over the neck, but with a bigger 6'6 etc rug, this would be quite heavy.

Apart from buying the Rambos etc, which are excellent rugs and worth the money, why not enlist the help of a rug repairer?
The adjustments can be done simply and cheaply.
 
We've got some rugs on the stud where you just slip it over their heads (like dressing a child!). Takes a min to master, and the horses don't mind at all, in fact they are often very good and lower their heads for you. (talking 16h TB broodmares type)
 
My friend bought a Canadian tb and all her TO rugs had no chest straps. Apparently it's common in Canada. Personally I don't like them as you have to fit the whole rug over the horses head. Easier said than done on a 16.2 in a 6ft 3 rug...
 
I've only seen over the head rugs/closed front in America, I'm afraid. Don't know if it would be worth having some imported, im lucky enough always to get a hefty bill when I import things :rolleyes3: whereas other people I know rarely do, lol.

I agree though with Love, I'd struggle getting them on my big horses (Im pretty short) :p
 
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My horse is 17.3hh so i'd really struggle to fold up a HW TO sufficiently to get it over his head.

I do have a no name brand LW stable/under-rug that has no buckles and goes over his head but it's do-able as it's just a light thing and he's very good about it.

I was thinking more of the cross designed chest straps or straps that are round on the shoulder.

Cheers for the replies guys.
 
Have you tried diffrent brands of rugs? - they are all cut differently round the neck and so fit differently. If I ever try a new rug I check this area as well as sticking my hand in under the rug at the withers to check that there any pull on the withers is mimimal when they have theirhead down...

Personally I find weatherbeeta landa originals pretty generous in this department...
 
Horseware, who make the Rambo, also have a budget range called Amigo which are the same design but a fraction of the price.
I only use Amigo rugs now as I've found through expensive experience that they are the only rugs that don't rub on the withers or cut across the chest, for all my horses at least.
 
Is it the Amigo Mio you use and love?

LittleBlackMule said:
Horseware, who make the Rambo, also have a budget range called Amigo which are the same design but a fraction of the price.
I only use Amigo rugs now as I've found through expensive experience that they are the only rugs that don't rub on the withers or cut across the chest, for all my horses at least.
Click to expand...
 
The Bucas rugs are very nice around the neck.

They also do an extra big neck size if needed although if your horse is finely built, just go for the regular neck as the big neck would slip and rub on the withers.

I have the Rambo quarter horse stable rug with the closed neck which is absolutely lovely. Its light and easy to put on. Definitely one of my favourite stable rugs. They do a TO version, I think, but I can't find a UK web site that sells them.
This is a link for the stable rug; http://www.wholehorse.co.uk/acatalog/Rambo--Quarter-Horse-Stable-Blanket-Closed-Front-ABHWC3.html
 
I leave the top strap which is next to the neck loose and do he second one to the correct tightness. This lets my pony put his head down easier. It still shuffles back a bit by morning though so I was considering adding in a piece of elastic so it would stretch when his head was down but stay tight when his head was up to stop the rug catching on things.
 
Find a rug you like and fits well.
Either yourself, or ask a saddler /rug repairer, to remove the buckles and stitch the front together.

To put it on, put the bit where the buckles used to be over the head and down the neck to the withers, then spin it the the right way up. Dead easy, even with heavy rugs, and horses soon get used to it.
 
another vote for the Amigo rugs. i have their turnouts and about to invest in their stable ones too.

Funnily, back in the 90's i was a manager at a livery yard in london, i have a horse under my care who was imported from the states, a quarter horse, and with him came this fantastic closed front rug that i just popped over his head and fitted like a dream. never seen one before or since but after reading this thread ive been enlightened that this is quite a common american design.
Wonder why it has never caught on with the UK rug manufacturers. As Cragrat says, putting them on is easier than you'd think.
 
All rugs need breaking points, the thought of no straps at the front to break if the rug ended up under the horse worries me, a broken rug is annoying but far better than a seriously broken horse, so I certainly wouldn't be changing the fastenings too much.

I also recommend the Amigo rugs, they do not seem to pull on the withers or chest but are best for finer types.
 
I have never seen closed front turnouts over here, only stable rugs and summer sheets. I don't personally know anyone who has or uses closed fronts rugs of any description. When I used to have horses coming to my stables from Germany, a lot of the horses came with closed front indoor rugs so there must be somewhere in Germany or the Netherlands who sell them. Again, the closed front ones from Germany were all indoor rugs.
 
Bucas have a 'wrap-around' style, and some Rhinos (cheaper than Rambos) have the V closure. I know they are expensive, but worth every single penny IMO. My horses live out, and last winter went through in the same rug, dry and warm without getting a single rub mark. That was in the Rhino Wug with V closure system. I have recently bought a Bucas, and so far that has fitted really nicely too.
 
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