You may have passed by on your travels, seen a field of horses wearing rugs and thought it looked funny. But if you’re a horse fan, you’ll probably know how important rugs can be for their wellbeing.
Wherever you stand on the equine fence, we’ve put together a guide on the different types of horse rugs that are available, explaining how and why they are used. Who knows, perhaps you could learn something new…
Turnout Rugs
Turnout rugs are one of the most common types of rug used. Many specialist stores that stock horse rugs for sale will have a variety of turnout rugs ranging from lightweight to heavyweight. As turnout rugs are seasonal, the different weights go with different temperatures. Lightweight rugs will generally be used in summer, whilst heavier rugs will be used to keep horses warm in colder weather.
As the name suggests, the rugs are primarily used when the horses are turned out. juanhand loan repayments
What does Turnout Mean?
In case you weren’t aware, turning out a horse is when you take a horse from its stall out to a field or pasture in order for it to roam around freely. It will run, play and generally be able to use up unspent energy, leaving it healthy and preventing restlessness.
Frequency of turning out will depend on an individual horse’s age and health requirements, as will dependency on a turnout rug.
Turnout rugs will protect a horse from weather conditions as they roam outside, keeping them comfortable during anything from cold, rain, wind and snow. It will also keep them cleaner if they decide to roll around in the dirt or grass. You may need a couple of different turnout rugs for different times of year, so consider your surrounding environment when making a purchase.
Stable Rugs
For when a horse isn’t out and about, there are stable rugs to keep them comfortable and warm whilst inside their stable. These types of horse rug are especially ideal during colder times in winter and for horses that are otherwise unable to run around and generate body heat to keep themselves warm due to age or other factors.
A stable rug can be a good choice for clipped horses, whose thick winter coat has been shaved off in areas that gather sweat so that they can keep clean and cool if riders/owners plan on training and exercising with them in colder seasons.
Like turnout rugs, stable rugs will also come in varying weights for different circumstances or time of year.
Even if your horse doesn’t use rugs for most of the year, they will most likely need one in winter; either a heavy weight stable or turnout rug, or both depending on things like warmth of stable, horse’s coat, how often they go out and cleanliness reasons.
Sheets, Cooler and Summer Rugs
Rugs used in summer will be lightweight, usually sheets or mesh rugs. These are used for a number of reasons, with mesh rugs or fly sheets being used to protect a horse from flies, gnats and midges.
There are also fly masks that offer varying levels of protection and prevention against these irritating bugs. Both will allow the horse to relax and enjoy being outside for longer.
Using a sheet or rug in summer will also offer a shield from the sun’s UV rays, this will stop the horse’s coat from fading due to sunlight bleaching whilst also keeping them clean and free from dust.
Sheets will keep the horse cool in the summer sun, as they are made of cotton and therefore more breathable. They may be easier to wash too, due to how light they are you might be able to fit them in a regular washing machine, unlike thicker rugs.
Moisture wicking cooler rugs can also be used after exercise to cool down and regulate the horse’s body temperature. Keeping them cleaner and preventing overheating.
Why Use A Horse Rug?
Horse rugs are important for keeping horses healthy, happy and protected during various weather conditions. Various types can keep them cool in summer, warm in winter and clean all year round.
