What are Shires rugs like ?

debsflo

debsflo

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i only tend to use Weatherbeeta and Horseware rugs and know they fit my mare. Local tack shop is having 50 % off rug sale but they are mainly shires. Any thoughts on quality and fit please. Mare is a chunky warmblood normally in a 6 6 rug.
 
I have a shed full of Fal, Horseware, Masta (although I gave that one away in September), PremierEquine. And the only one my horse ever wears is his Shires Tempest :D

Best value rug I have ever bought :)
 
I love the indoor ones.....one of the chill Cheeter ones I've had for 13 years!:D
Just brought the long necked 300g indoor for old mare and its still great quality.
 
I have a couple, found they come up correctly sized but much better suited to a wider horse - good for chunky types, didnt fit my TBX mare at all well, I have mainly horseware rugs which fit very well and are true to size

Also may just be me, but IMO shires don;t stay waterproof for very long!! I have a heavyweight and a lined 1200denier sheet and both were allowing water to seep through within just a couple of months ( with not very frequesnt use at all and weather wasnt horrendous either) so don;t honestly think I would be buying anymore, sorry to be negative,

plenty rug sales on online though if you hunt around, I just snapped up an Amigo mediumweight with neck for £45 ! :-)
 
I am really happy with my shires tempest rug. It has done its second winter now and never slips. Great value for money. I had a masta the same time but it has not lasted as well.
 
In terms of waterproofness, I have one Tempest Lite doing its third winter, one doing its first, and hoss's girlfriend is doing her first winter in a 180g Shires with neck. Both live out 24/7 in all weathers.

Not a single leak. And this is the west of Scotland, where English rain comes to learn how to really get things wet :D
 
I love my Shires Tempest lightweight, it's really good quality. Only trouble is, I can't use it :rolleyes:! It's a 6' and on both 6' horses I've tried it on, it's been waaaay too long (as in hanging too far down) meaning that the surcingles are dangerously low. I'd have to have it altered to fit.
 
It's a 6' and on both 6' horses I've tried it on, it's been waaaay too long (as in hanging too far down) meaning that the surcingles are dangerously low. I'd have to have it altered to fit.
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Ah, now that's interesting! Both of mine are big long legged horses (17hh ISH and 16.2 TB) and they both take a size up in the Shires from e.g. Premier Equine. So I know they fit both big (length) and big (chest/breadth) horses, but from looking at them, I can imagine they might swamp a smaller horse.

Mine, alas, is such a good doer that after turning onto the autumn grass he ate so much that the surcingles were straining under his giant belly :o Thank goodness, he has deflated a bit now!
 
I've got a Shires Typhoon half neck, and its fab. Was reduced from £110 to £49, and it fits my big chaps shoulders nicely. They do come up big - mine is a 7ft, and Alf usually wears a 6"9 - and it is much too long for him, but doesn't move much anyway. It's great quality - I didn't realise how great until another livery on the yard bought a new turnout in the same price bracket, which feels incredibly flimsy in comparison.
 
I found Shire rugs very good value for money. Best fitted to chunky horses/ponies, large neck. Tough outer on outdoor rugs.
 
For some reason i believe ive been told in the past that shires & weatherbeeta are the same rugs & if not i would say they are v.very simular.Love them.x
 
I love them too. All our horses have big chests and are middleweight types and they fit great. Done at least 3 winters without any leakage, but they are cleaned, reproofed and stored well each year.

My only criticism is I wish they were deeper (went round belly more, however I have two fatties) and had a deeper tail flap.
 
Mine have a shires all neck turnout each & they also have the shires tempest & I have found them to be fab rugs & very good value for money :D
 
Ive just been looking at these, the tempest too. Used to use the Highlander on my last horse which was great but seemed to small for my new boy in his usual size??? So do they come up big or small. My boy is inbetween sizes in a Rambo, so Im not sure whether to go up a size or down??
 
Can't speak for all of them but, I have had quite a few and love them, nicely cut, last years, no leaking, slipping or tearing. Not too expensive either.:D
 
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