What rugs do I actually need?

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thatblackfriesian

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I am buying my new horse soon and was wondering what rugs do I actually need? I have seen various of different weights, styles etc. but I am not buying them all :D

My horse is a 14.2hh Friesian X Cob and is currently in a medium weight with neck (200g I think?) and she is not clipped. I want to buy all my rugs spread over the year as and when she needs them but a list of the rugs I need would be really helpful. She will be clipped next winter (trace clip I think) and I don't want her getting cold!! She also has a very sensitive back due to a previous accident which doesnt affect her physically too much apart from that if it's gets too cold it's very senstive and she is a cow to do anything with!

She is out almost 24/7 in summer (7am - 10pm usually) and comes in at night in winter (7am - 5/6pm). She is a good weight rn and I don't want her to get any skinnier. She will be getting fed hay adlib due to gastric ulcers/proneness to colicking and gets fed 2kg of feed a day.

Thank you so much
 
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Congrats on the new horse! :) Sounds lovely.

I don't really bother with stable rugs much anymore as most turnouts are ok to be worn in stable as they are breathable. This is also the best way to dry them when wet as the horse's body heat dries them. So I'd probably get another 200g turnout with neck to interchange with if this is what she wears in winter.

Personally, I love my Shires 100g with neck as it's very versatile - if it's really cold I can stick an underrug underneath but he's mostly warm enough in it as he's not a cold horse.

I'd go for maybe one of the rug liner systems? So you can chop and change as needed.

You'll also probably need a fly rug, a fleece or cooler for after baths and a no fill turnout for mild but rainy spring/ autumn days :)

I'm jealous - I love rug shopping but have banned myself now as mine has FAR too many!
 
Personally I'd aim for a basic wardrobe of a medium turnout, a lightweight turnout and 200g stable rug that is suitable to be used as an under-rug (the Amigo Insulators are good for this). Then you have lots of options:

- Use lightweight turnout on its own
- Use medium turnout on its own
- Put the stable rug underneath the lightweight turnout to make a spare medium if the medium is wet/torn
- Put the stable rug underneath the mediumweight turnout to make a heavyweight if it gets really, really cold
- Use the stable rug in the stable if you want (although most turnouts these days can be used in the stable too)

You might also find a fleece or cooler useful for use after a bath, if sweaty after exercise, if she gets wet for some reason.
 
I don't bother with stable rugs (Bar a fleece). I'd rather a wet turnout rug dry on the horse and be dry in the morning than putting a wet rug back on a horse.

Also, I am an ex rug-aholic! I had over 20 rugs for one horse at one point!

Buffy currently has:

1 x Fleece
1 x Rainsheet
1 x Masta Climatemasta 100g full neck turnout rug
1 x Masta Climatemaste 100g rug liner
1 x Masta Climatemasta 200g rug liner.

Thats it.

It means I only have 2 turnout rugs to get washed and reproofed once a year, the rest go through the washing machine. I love the Masta, I just change the liner as and when I need it, the liners don't slip about, and I essentially have an all in one winter turnout rug. It can be a 100g rug, 200g rug, 300g rug, and you can buy a 300g liner to make it a 400g rug!

It has prooved to be a hardwearing waterproof rug and I love it. I got the whole lot off ebay brand new for less than £200 :D
 
Damnation said:
I don't bother with stable rugs (Bar a fleece). I'd rather a wet turnout rug dry on the horse and be dry in the morning than putting a wet rug back on a horse.

Also, I am an ex rug-aholic! I had over 20 rugs for one horse at one point!

Buffy currently has:

1 x Fleece
1 x Rainsheet
1 x Masta Climatemasta 100g full neck turnout rug
1 x Masta Climatemaste 100g rug liner
1 x Masta Climatemasta 200g rug liner.

Thats it.

It means I only have 2 turnout rugs to get washed and reproofed once a year, the rest go through the washing machine. I love the Masta, I just change the liner as and when I need it, the liners don't slip about, and I essentially have an all in one winter turnout rug. It can be a 100g rug, 200g rug, 300g rug, and you can buy a 300g liner to make it a 400g rug!

It has prooved to be a hardwearing waterproof rug and I love it. I got the whole lot off ebay brand new for less than £200 :D
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I love love love the Climatemasta, its been absolutely brilliant for my pony this winter

OP - try and buy your rugs out of season if you can as they can be so much cheaper, I just bought some heavy stable rugs because the companies are selling off winter stock now and I bought my sweet itch rugs last October
 
I currently have one medium weight turnout rug with neck cover, one without a neck cover, one lightweight turnout and one light/ middle weight blue chill cheata stable rug that I have had for as long as I've had the horse (14 1/2 years). I fully expect that rug to outlive her and probably me as well! She never wears her turnout rug in the stable overnight, as she lives out most of the time so on the rare occasion that she's in at night it's nice to put something different on her! She's rugged more or less all the time over winter and has been wearing her two middle weights together quite a lot recently as she lives on an exposed hillside with no natural shelter other than dry stone walls, plus she's elderly and a bit of a wimp if she gets cold or wet. Keep her warm enough and she is happy out in most weathers!

I like the sound of the Masta Climatemasta - I'd probably go for something like that if I was buying for a new horse. Some kind of cooler is very useful for a horse that's in work too, and I'd always go for a thermatex.
 
I meant to add, try and buy higher denier turnout rugs - eg 1200 denier rather than 600 denier. The higher denier rugs are more durable, less likely to rip and usually more waterproof than the lower denier ones.
 
Mine are out 24/7 in the summer and are not rugged at all (4 x friesians) - I have ride on rainsheets so that I can ride from the field when they are still damp :)

during the winter they have daily turn out (rugless) and then they have a nice thick fleece each and a lightweight stable rug each for if it gets really cold.

They do have a lightweight turnout rug each but I use those for when they are tied up outside while I'm mucking out and intend to ride afterwards :)

None of my rugs have a neck on them. I have a fear of them losing manes!
 
HashRouge said:
I like the sound of the Masta Climatemasta - I'd probably go for something like that if I was buying for a new horse. Some kind of cooler is very useful for a horse that's in work too, and I'd always go for a thermatex.
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I can't reccomend it enough. Not the cheapest but I can tell it is going to last, the liners are so easy to change too as its just velcro. She is turned out with barbed wire fencing along the top row and there isn't even a nick in the rug! Very happy with it.
 
I like to think I'm a minimalist when it comes to rugs. I have
2 x lightweights. They can get soaked through in heavy rain so a spare is always good.
1x 100g
1x 200g
1x 100g liner

All my rugs except one lightweight are Premier Equine so I can attach the liner to any of them to make anything from 100g to 300g. He's a very warm horse and even with a full clip doesn't wear more than a 200g most of the time. I've put the 300g on him for a total of about 10 days in 2 or 3 years. This is why liners are good, you don't have rugs sitting there doing nothing most of the time, by adding a liner they can be used in lots of different weather conditions. I also have a lightweight neck cover and a 100g neck cover which can attach to any of them.

I also have an old fleece for drying him off in the stable and a nice one for outings. I didn't intend to have two but he trashed the old one to the point where I couldn't allow it to be seen in public.

I don't bother with stable rugs, I just leave the turnouts on in the stable.

I'd echo the high denier. Mine is not the most careful with his rugs but the PE 1200 denier have served him really well for a number of years. I think buying cheap rugs is false economy.
 
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I've just been through my rugs.... counted nearly 100 which is truley shameful! so many are not used.
I had loads at our old yard because there was literally no where to dry them out and i bought cheaper 600d types so was constantly changing them as the horses were wet through.
Ive got a Rambo duo with some varied liners for my retired horse and its been all he needed. Never leaks and a different liner or no liner means i have every weight going in one. I'd highly recommend quality over quantity!
 
poiuytrewq said:
I've just been through my rugs.... counted nearly 100 which is truley shameful! so many are not used.
I had loads at our old yard because there was literally no where to dry them out and i bought cheaper 600d types so was constantly changing them as the horses were wet through.
Ive got a Rambo duo with some varied liners for my retired horse and its been all he needed. Never leaks and a different liner or no liner means i have every weight going in one. I'd highly recommend quality over quantity!
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I gave away over thirty to a charity last year and threw away as many again! I'm sure they breed!
 
I'm probably not a great help.. But I "think" I need..
2 x lightweight turnouts (one to let dry if the others wet)
The same with mediumweight
The same with heavyweight.

I also need one 80g turnout for those in-between days.
A full neck cooler and half neck cooler- full neck just for bathing as my boy has heaps of mane.

One fly rug and a stable sheet just to keep him clean.

And his travelling gear.


Thats all I need though.. Not all I have- That's a whole different story!
 
There is no way that this horse needs a 200g rug with a neck, its probably boling hot under it!

My horses aren't half as hardy as that! both connie x tbs both currently in 100g rugs, because they hold out the rain better than a no fill rug!

My 31 yr old mare has worn her 200g less than 10 times this year and my gelding only wore his once, before I got him the 100g rug!

My youngster is only in his 100g rug because his field is really open with no shelter and its been rather windy down there, he has a large bib clip, from his girth line, up to his ears!

agree that having 2 light weights is a good idea as they can get wet through in really heavy rain!!
 
Mine is in rugs all year round, bar the hottest of days. Mostly because she's grey and I try to keep her clean! Because of this, and the fact she tears rugs like nobody's business, I have the following:

2x Lightweight (no fill) turnout rugs for summer
1x Medium weight Horseware (220g) turnout Rug with detachable neck
1x 150g Horseware liner to bulk up the medium weight Rug
1x Heavyweight full neck turnout Rug (450g) for the super cold months (i.e. now!)
1x mediumweight stable rug (200g) to layer under the mediumweight turnout in the case of having to repair or wash the heavyweight; or if it's especially cold and she needs it with the heavyweight when clipped.
1x fleece travel rug for winter travelling
1x travel cooler (Bucas Power Cooler) for summer travelling and post bath cooling.

I try to have one clean Rug ready at all times in case she does something to her Rug, or like happened before the dogs got at it and ripped it!

I like you built all these rugs up over time, however the best time to buy them is out of season, I buy all my winter rugs in summer and vice versa
 
I have two welsh cobs. They are clipped in winter. They both have either a 40/50 turnout, then one has a 100 liner that can be added to that and the other has a 150 turnout. I do have heavier turnouts for both but they haven't worn them at all this year it has been far too warm, I wouldn't have gone out and bought them they are from previous ponies I've had that just happen to fit my current two.

Then they both have a 100 stable rug. Again I do have thicker stable rugs from previous ponies but my current two haven't been in thicker stable rugs for years they would get far too hot.

None of my rugs have a full neck and both ponies have clipped necks and are fine without.

I've then got a couple of summer sheets and cooler rugs for travelling.

I wouldn't go too wild as you can always buy more when you need them. Rug shopping is fun though...
 
mine have stables rugs aswell as turnouts mainly because i ride after work so either way they have to have a cold rug put on their backs and id rather it was a dry one!

horse 1:
heavyweight stable (only when fully clipped not needed this winter!)
medium stable
light weight stable with and another without a neck
fleece
cotton cooler
1 heavy weight TO
1 medium detach neck TO
1 light weight TO

horse 2:
fleece x2 (1 posh for comps, 1 dying!!)
medium stable
light weight stable with neck
2 x Heavy weights TO (rug trasher!!)
1 x medium TO
1x Light TO

im pretty sure he will need another few TOs as always need a spare for when the other one is off being repaired!! plus ive only had him 5 months..... hes yet to build up his wardrobe!!!

#loverugshopping
 
I would say the amount and type if rugs you need very much depend on how you will be keeping your horse.

When I was heavily into showing, my boy had a rug on every day. So his wardrobe had all weights of stable and turnout rugs. Plus thermatex, bath robe, Dustbusters , etc

At the moment he is not clipped and in a very sheltered stable, he rarely wears a rug unless the rain is torrential, then it's just a lightweight turnout.
 
I get by with a LW and MW turnout (MW with detachable neck), 2x fleece for drying off and a fly rug.

I have a smart travel rug but it's not in regular use and he could happily travel in his fleece.

I ditched stable rugs long ago.
 
My answer would be:

Fewer than you think! In fact, my horse has a single rainsheet, and a 100g liner. I also own a thermatex cooler which has been on my horse exactly once since I got him 8 years ago.
He lives out 24/7 and is clipped with a blanket clip from Sept through March, then (depending on weather) the rest comes off.
IME, there's no need to have a second set of each rug to change into. Even in persistent rain, my rain sheet never leaks enough for the horse to get properly wet. If I had a cold horse, I'd probably invest in another, thicker liner, but that's it. I adjust my clip so I never have to deal with a wet horse when it's cold (no need for cooler then). I also don't bother with necks as he had a massive mane, so not a problem even with a completely clipped neck.
I think just start with what you have and buy additional rugs as and when you really need them. I honestly don't understand how people get up to 10s or even 100s of rugs!
 
For my fully clipped horse I have many rugs he could use (!!!) but I tend to use 2 thermatex's (one bigger to go over tack to travel and a smaller one), a PE 200g turnout with a 100 & 200g liner. He also has a Coolex waterproof exercise rug and a witney blanket depending on the weather as well as a lighter wool sheet.

I did buy a HW PE 450g storm buster in the sale the other day because I prefer turning horse out in one rug rather than a rug and liners. Personal choice - I'd prefer to wear a nice warm puffa and one layer than lots of layers with liners.
 
I am down to only ever using 2 Rambo Duos with various weight liners, a rain sheet, a fly sheet, a thermalux and a Masta Cooler. Oh, and occasionally a medium weight amigo turnout if I CAB changing Duo liners. :)
 
We have native ponies, one lightweight turnout each, two heavyweight turnouts, each and two fly rugs each. (We go with 'one to wear and one in the wash' !)
And a reflective excercise sheet each

Edited to add, also have a cooler each
 
My full clipped friesian has... far too many, but some how never enough!

You will gather more over the years, end up with spares etc. There is a difference between what you need and what you have! I will write down what we have, and maybe it will give you an idea as to any you might have forgotten :)

We have..

Quarter sheet
waterproof exercise sheet
fluorescent exercise sheet

Fleece cooler

Fly rug with waterproof top
Fly rug ( normal)

LW stable rug no neck
Medium stable rug no neck
medium stable rug with neck
heavy stable rug with neck

Rain sheet
Medium turn out no neck
Medium turnout with detacha neck
Medium turnout with detacha neck (spare)
Heavy turnout with detacha neck
Heavy turnout with detacha neck (spare)

We use all of the ones above, some at different times of the year :)

Then a few others kicking around in some boxes not really in use.

I "need" a thermatex or some other wicking/thicker cooling rug and another rain / no fill.
 
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I would say the minimum you actually genuinely need is a lightweight and a mediumweight turnout, possibly with detachable necks, and some kind of cooler. Both can be worn indoors and out. And if you need heavier rugs or fly/sweet itch rugs, you can buy them quickly enough as you need them.
I also like to use a wicking sheet thingy as a base layer in the stable so I can bung it in the washing machine each week so at least the layer next to his skin is clean.
My only other bit of advice is to consider buying second hand until you know what brands fit nicely and are comfortable. So irritating to buy beautiful new rugs that don't sit right, pull back etc. but there's nothing actually wrong with them, and they might come in handy in an emergency so you can't really justify getting rid of them. That's how I end up with a shelving rack full of seldom-worn rugs.
If you buy second hand, you can cheerfully donate any surplus to the RDA or whatever, and then if you do decide to invest in brand new at least you know it's going to fit and be comfortable.
 
When my lad came to me on loan he had a fleece, MW turnout and MW stable rug. That was it and he was fine!
I have just counted and he now has 12 rugs and 2 exercise sheets but like most of the others I barely use most of them. I think I need to put some of them up for sale, if anyone wants anything in 7'3" give me a shout ;-)
If I were starting again I would get 1 fleece, 1 rain sheet and one MW turnout which I would use in the stable as well. That would be it!
 
My three have:

turnout rugs (plus spares)
Coolers (plus spares - I've used them a couple of times, they're now collecting dust)
Rainsheets (plus spares)
Witney blankets (also hardly used)
 
Well.. atm I just use a Rambo Duo for turnout and change the liner or take the liner out depending on the temperature. For the stable I'm using either a H/w stable Wug or a lighter Rhino stable rug. So, three rugs in total.
HOWEVER... it's fair to say that over the years I have collected and still have a rather 'extensive' collection of rugs. Lightweight turnouts, fly rugs, coolers, thermatex rugs and of course all the spare rugs incase any get damaged and the 'spare' spares... if you know what I mean... :D
 
I have 6 + a detachable liner and a detachable neck.

I haven't clipped my horse Tb xWb for a few years - he doesn't work hard in Winter and doesn't grow much coat. He lives out, with ad-lib forage and access to a bedded building.

I have:
2 rain sheets -one to wear and a spare, to keep him dry when it is wet/windy and mild as its been here this winter.
2 Amigo 100gs for when it's colder - one to wear and a spare. The Amigos can be used with the liner system so I have a 100g liner and a detachable neck should I need them.
Sweat rug for drying off.
The only stable rug I own is a wool Witney.

I don't use fly rugs I use neem oil to keep the flies off and he stands in if the flies trouble him. He spends most of the summer naked.

If I need to replace any of the turnouts I would like to try a Ruggles lots of people recommend them and I find the Amigos, although a pretty good fit, rub his mane a little.

Good luck with your new horse.
 
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