What is the point of stable rugs.

When Rambos came out in the 80s (wow 30 years ago now, where do the years go!?) they revolutionized rugging. I haven't used stable rugs for years now. I have some that I bought way back then (Rambo insulators, don't know if they even sell them nowadays) and the only time I ever use them is under turnouts if we have super cold -20 or lower days, and only on some of my thinner skinned TBs.
 
Just brought my horses in. Felt under rugs, all dry as usual.
Outside of rugs only damp.

Why would I take it off when they're already snug underneath?

I honestly thing it's only an issue with
a) bad quality rugs that leak
and
b) people that use it as an excuse not to groom, take rugs off regularly to let skin breath or to take rug off to check for condition!
 
I agree. If my horses went out everyday in winter then they would live in their Premier Equine TOs. However, they don't, in fact they've been in pretty much 24/7 this winter so it's stable rugs all the way for me :)
 
Forgot to add that I actually just have 1 x 40g PE turnout rug for each of my horses, so when I do turnout I just take whatever stable rugs (or none if cold) according to the weather and pop the turnout on top, so only takes 2 mins.
 
I barely use stable rugs anymore either. I've got one who comes in at night (will be out full time soon) also on rubber mats and he got his stable rugs absolutely filthy so I now just leave his turnout on, much easier. The only time I really use them is for travelling and standing about at shows!
 
I rarely change rugs unless the temperature is fluctuating wildly. Remove to check over and replace. Much easier for mornings and surely warmer for the horse not to be changed over if it's very cold.
 
I don't have any stable rugs any more and I really don't feel the need to have any. I have lots of turnout rugs, and I am able to swap them around if one is particularly muddy and/or soaking.

I take the rugs off my horses every day and give them a quick groom in addition to riding them most days.

2 main reasons I like having them in turnouts - firstly I have a grey and its a good stable stain preventer, and secondly I am in a big hurry in the mornings and it saves a huge amount of time if they are already in there or there-abouts the correct rug to get turned out in in the morning.
 
Leviathan said:
The point of a stable rug is not too lose heat through the top rug providing you use the correct under rugs - fleeces sheets.


Not penetrating through to the next layer. When i slip my hand under the outer stable rug and the inner one the air is cold and the surface of the under rug is cold , the only warmth is between the horses body and the lining of the bottom rug.

I do not mean under rugs fleeces etc I am referring to two rugs designed to be worn on top of others. These rugs have an outer layer designed to be on the outside.

I do not like adding weight to a horses back through using 3 stable rugs. Since doing my BHS exams I was taught not to do this for reasons explained. Many is a night when liveries come up and have 2 stable rugs on and I tell them to feel under the outer one, they say its not warm - exactly I said is my point. So now they have proper *under rugs* which are designed to go under a rug .

Weight is something I refuse to do on my horses like one of the liveries here (5 layers)., Mine have 2 max

MY horses do not get weighed down with loads of rugs to keep warm, they have their combination I use which keeps them toasty
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I regretfully and shamefully admit I have no qualifications in rugging. But my horses haven't died or keeled over yet.

Let us agree to disagree :cool:
 
It tends to vary depending on the temperature and the weather.
If the rug is wet then I will change it and if its colder at night then I add layers/ change rugs.
However, I have 2 greys and I have noticed if they sleep in their turnout at night they don't get half as many poo stains as when they are in their stable rugs. Their stable rugs always look a mess and get stinky so quickly because they absorb the excrement. Their turnouts seem to repel it more.
 
Totally up to the owner.
But I don't like seeing horses in their out door rugs in their stable.

Dirty, wet etc.
Most of the time I see it,Its laziness!
The horse hasn't been checked underneath the rug for injuries, rubs etc.

I think of it like putting my horses in their pjs in their beds for the night!
 
My waterproof coat is far more high tech and breathable than even the best turnout rug on the market but I wouldn't wear it to sit and watch tv if the house was cold. I would put a warm jumper on instead or wrap myself in a blanket. How many of you would wear your coat in the house?

No matter how breathable a turnout is it will never be as comfortable light and breathable as a stable rug so I change rugs. The weight alone is a good reason to change rugs.

Plus I like a neck cover on turnouts to keept the wind and rain off but don't tend to bother for stable rugs where the horse alrwady has protection from wind and eain.
 
Mine stay in their turnout rugs, it is easier!

And if they're wet they dry faster and the horse stays lovely and toasty in their rug. I check under their rugs and they have a brush etc and rug goes back on.
 
Just because some of us (including me) don't use stable rugs, it doesn't necessarily mean we are 'lazy'. Even if I am in a rush, I always make a point of checking down all 4 legs, and run my hands under their rugs to check for any injuries/oddities. They always get a full groom before exercise too.

I understand it is personal preference, but at the end of the day I don't see how a human sleeping in a coat can be compared to a horse in a turnout rug. We are a different species with different needs and comforts. I wouldn't particularly like to stand in a field all day, but I'm not going to strap my horses in the car with me so they can come and jolly around doing what I like to do all day... :)
 
I think comparing a turnout rug to your out door coat is a a bit strange.
When you come in to a house its usually 10 degrees warmer or more than out side, then you can move around a house that at least 50-80m sqaure, when you go to bed and lie in one place you put a duvet which is about 12-13.5 tog.
When you put a horse in a stable you are taking away its ability to keep warm by moving around and removing its self from draughts. The stable may only be a 3-4C higher than outside, plus it has to stand in one place for a least 12 hours.
My old pony hates being in a stable and has free acess to one if he choose to go in. He will lie down in mud, and loved a kip in the snow. Looking in the field at where the ponies sleep they like the mud patchs but my old mare like likes the straw bed in the middle of the field, they do not choose to sleep in the stable.
So you have to bring your horse into a box that is 16m square which straight away restricts his movement and make him stand and eat where wees and poos, reducing his ability to keep warm and making sleep in his s***. Then you decide to take off that the nice breathable waterproof coat that will help him mainatain his tempreture and protect him from the s***. Horses by choice will not sleepin s***
At least if you use a good quality breathable turnout rug as a stable rug the next time it rains it will wash it for you.
 
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I understand the argument for changing rugs, but I still don't see the point in stable rugs.

One of my horse's wears a turn out rug in the field, and when he comes in at night I change his rug, into what also happens to be a warmer turn out rug. Why does he need a stable rug?
 
Sometimes I do leave outdoor rugs on. I certainly don't neglect to check my horses over!
The person who said that layering rugs only adds to the weight because the air between the rugs remains cold is totally wrong.
Trapped air is a good insulator I.e it doesn't allow heat being given off from the body to move away from the horse. You wouldn't expect it to heat up (that would mean it was conducting the heat away from the horse)

Drying rugs on a horse also doesn't take the heat from the horse. The horse doesn't generate more heat to dry the rug, provided the wet hasn't seeped into the lining & therefore isn't making the horse cold.
That said if the rugs have received a real drenching I have to take them off & dry them.
 
glamourpuss said:
Sometimes I do leave outdoor rugs on. I certainly don't neglect to check my horses over!
The person who said that layering rugs only adds to the weight because the air between the rugs remains cold is totally wrong.
Trapped air is a good insulator I.e it doesn't allow heat being given off from the body to move away from the horse. You wouldn't expect it to heat up (that would mean it was conducting the heat away from the horse)
Click to expand...

I thought that trapped air was a great insulator, for houses too i.e cavity wall insulation :D
 
I like using a stable rug as mine only has a medium stable when it's cold as the stable is much warmer and protected by the wind etc so could end up over heated if heavy weight left on etc.

Also can check for cuts etc. also I think it helps manners, having to be tied up and wait whilst i groom and change rugs etc

It also stops poop from going on them and as they don't have to be waterproof it can be chucked in the wash at home rather than paying.

It is a personal preference, but i do only buy them when they are a reasonable price. I paid £25 from derby house.
 
i used premier equine turnout rugs, i used to change them into stable rugs but really cant see the point in it anymore, there turnouts are warm breathable and say can be used inside and out. saves me time in the morning! and there coats are shinier than ever with no rubs ect
 
Mine have all got stable rugs. The shetland (clipped because she's sweaty and she stinks if I don't) always comes in with mud dripping off the bottom of her turnout so I change hers so her little legs dry out faster. The big uns' stable rugs came with them but are only used as extra padding on cold days. I do take rugs off and brush down/condition check every night but they go straight back on - dry much quicker that way.
 
I only use stable rugs as an under rug when it's really cold (now!) I check my horses when I take the rugs off to ride then after ... they go back on, I couldn't be bothered to change them night and day ... a waste of time imo :)
 
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