Very rare time off and horse rug shopping - no time to spend hours reading old threads, please help!

[bonnysmum]

To cut to the chase. I tried my horse in a 5'9 Premier Equine from the yard's tack room, a little big but generally OK fit so I think 5'9 will be the size for her. What I would like to do just now is get a rainsheet/very light turnout rug that I can add to for winter with liners. Clearly these exist but I'm short on time and don't want to panic buy. Any recommendations of brands/styles for maximum durability and adaptability? And how would the size compare with a PE? Thanks in advance!

ETA meant to say price is also a factor...

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

I think I’d measure properly mid chest to dock before chucking money away on rugs. Derby House is reasonable and you get some stunning bargains like £25 on eBay for turnouts. If you need big shoulders to fit, Shires are my go to for my cob. Shame she’s not a bit bigger, I have some almost new 6’6 for sale!

 

[Sealine]

I recommend Horseware Rhino no fill turnout. You can attach liners if you want to. Can't comment on sizing compared to PE as I've never had a PE rug.

 

[bonnysmum]

I think I’d measure properly mid chest to dock before chucking money away on rugs. Derby House is reasonable and you get some stunning bargains like £25 on eBay for turnouts. If you need big shoulders to fit, Shires are my go to for my cob. Shame she’s not a bit bigger, I have some almost new 6’6 for sale!

I have measured and she came up around 5'6 but I was suspicious about whether I had it quite right and the 5'9 was a decent fit according to the yard staff so I'd probably go with that rather than my dodgy measuring. Also I figured if I start with the lightweight (cheapest) one then if I have the sizing wrong I can adjust from there before getting the more expensive ones.

 

[Squeak]

PE tend to come up fairly big so if the 5'9 was a bit big then chances are she'll be ok in other brands. Any turnout can have liners added to as they can just clip on the back and I've never found they slip.

Recently I've found that Rhino's and Rambo's are the only ones that stay waterproof. I had some shires that were brilliant for a years or 2 max and then they stopped working and I used to really rate weatherbeetas but was disappointed with my new one.

Having said that Rhinos and Rambos are expensive so this weatherbeeta could be worth a punt as it's well discounted down:

Clearance | Weatherbeeta Comfitec Plus Dynamic Combo Neck Lite Rug (fasttackdirect.co.uk)

Also if you invest in a good lightweight then you don't need any other weights of them as you can just add liners instead so the cost of a Rhino or Rambo could be worth it at this stage and only buy the one turnout instead of two cheaper ones.

 

[webble]

PE definitely come up big. I have bought a couple of Swish rugs recently and been pleased with them

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Horseware over PE every time. The Amigo range are reasonably priced but for durability Rambo are the best and the most expensive. I have my 14.1 Connie and 15hh WB both in 6ft Rhinos with liners, they have never leaked and fit both different shoulder shapes really well.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Another horseware vote.
If your on more of a budget though Swish are quite nice they also do liners.

 

[AFB]

I have to size down for PE so definitely measure/try another brand if you can - mines religiously in a 6ft but I have to buy 5'9 in PE

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Mine wears 5ft 9 to 6ft in varying brands (5ft 9 in Amigo and 6ft in Weatherbeeta), but the 2 x PE are 5ft 6 as the bigger ones from that brand swamp her.

Caveat, I haven't purchased a PE in 8 years as quality went down and sizing became odd....

 

[Willowbankstables]

PE come up big. My horses are a 6'6 in most brands but a 6'0 or 6'3 in PE so I'd check with some other brands before you buy.

I would always have recommended Horseware as the best brand, but a Rambo fly/ sweet itch rug I bought in April is already coming apart at the seams and some of the velcro patches are falling off ?‍ That's with only light use from a horse who is not a rug wrecker so I don't know if i got a duff rug or if their quality has gone down generally. I think Weatherbeeta quality has also gone down a lot based on recent purchases.

I've found Ruggles and Shires to be the best quality/ fit/ durability/ value for money. I also bought some no fill turnouts from Equitheme last winter which I have been pleasantly surprised with. Good quality.

 

[bonnysmum]

OK, thanks all. I think I've decided on a Rhino wug (as she has quite high withers) and I'll get a zero fill one and look at the vari-layer liners in due course. But as suggested I'm going to measure her (again!) because I daren't quite commit. The PE 5ft 9' was quite big and if I'd been buying one I'd have gone a size smaller, so I do think she's probably a 5 9' but best be safe!

 

[EmmaC78]

I don't think the high neck wug is designed to be used with the liners. It doesn't have the right attachments at the neck. I suspect the liners would stay in place anyway as long as you clip them on at the back but just mentioning it in case you didn't realise.

 

[Lady Jane]

Rambo/Rhino are the best but I have tried Swish this year. Very good prices and so far pleased but ask me in the Spring after I have used their turn outs for a winter. Much cheaper than Rambo/Rhino and a good generous fit with 1200d outer and good straps and clips. You can get SWish liners but Horseware liners can be attached as well if you have them already

 

[poiuytrewq]

I don't think the high neck wug is designed to be used with the liners. It doesn't have the right attachments at the neck. I suspect the liners would stay in place anyway as long as you clip them on at the back but just mentioning it in case you didn't realise.

This is true. I have used liners with my high neck but they don’t attach at the front so actually may as well just use a cheapo stable rug layer.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Don’t go for a Wug, they ruin the mane. Much better to go for the standard neck and buy a neck cover if you need one.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Don’t go for a Wug, they ruin the mane. Much better to go for the standard neck and buy a neck cover if you need one.

I think it depends on the horse. I use wugs and they don't rub my horses' manes. Full neck rugs however do rub and so I only use them in awful weather.

 

[Peglo]

My TB hated PE as it was so heavy, never mind when wet but their coverage was good as it’s so windy up here. Never had a rhino (yet) but definitely recommend Rambo. She likes it and it’s lasted years! And my less destructive old haffie wears the amigo and I like them. But find they might be neater on a wide chest.

 

[bonnysmum]

I was going by the Horseware website that says the wug is liner system compatible? One thing I did wonder though is whether you can/would still fit a detachable neck over the Rhino wug on particularly bad Highland winter days? Forgot the measuring tape today doh.

 

[EmmaC78]

You can't add a neck cover to a wug. It doesn't have any attachments. If you want the ability to add a neck plus liners you would be better with the standard neck/detachable neck.

 

[bonnysmum]

You can't add a neck cover to a wug. It doesn't have any attachments. If you want the ability to add a neck plus liners you would be better with the standard neck/detachable neck.

OK thanks. Might go back to the standard neck then as you suggest. Is the high withers thing a real problem with regular rugs or just marketing?

 

[poiuytrewq]

I was going by the Horseware website that says the wug is liner system compatible? One thing I did wonder though is whether you can/would still fit a detachable neck over the Rhino wug on particularly bad Highland winter days? Forgot the measuring tape today doh.

Ah ok, mines a few years old. Since liners were invented! But not brand new, perhaps they changed in which case perfect!

 

[Cragrat]

OK thanks. Might go back to the standard neck then as you suggest. Is the high withers thing a real problem with regular rugs or just marketing?

Just marketing My shark fin 17hh Tb is is fine in standard rugs with removable necks. I find they rub his mane less than attached necks.

 

[Cragrat]

This is true. I have used liners with my high neck but they don’t attach at the front so actually may as well just use a cheapo stable rug layer.

Do you find they stay in place ok without the neck loops?

 

[bonnysmum]

For info, Premiere Equine sizes must be eNORmous, because the 5 9' was well big on her but when I remeasured properly she came out as firmly 6 ft and this was confirmed by a test with a Saxon and a Rambo. So there's a cautionary tale for anyone else reading this in future. And if anyone's still interested, I've ordered a Rhino Plus Lite in a 6 ft (on sale, yay!) and I'm crossing my fingers that it fits well.

 

[SibeliusMB]

Another vote for Rambo. Their price tag is but in my experience, absolutely worth it. They don't rub Sig's shoulders and have held up perfectly. Four years of use and still look brand new.