Helpful Information:
Gone are the days of little or no choice when it comes to rugs for your horses. Seems now there is a million choices to be made, below we will explain a few of the basics.
Ripstop: refers to the type of fabric the rug has been manufactured from. This fabric is designed to limit a rip or tear. The weave of the fabric ensures the rip or tear will be kept within a small area rather than running the full length of the rug.
Denier: generally speaking Denier is used for heavier winter weight rugs. The larger / higher the Denier number usually means the stronger the fabric is. Therefore, a 1680 Denier would be a heavier more robust & waterproof fabric than say a 600 Denier
Filling: is the term used for he amount of fill the rug has, or the thickness of the inner padding. The fill is usually measured in grams per square metre or known as gsm. Some lightweight rugs like stable rugs have very little fill in them while the heavier winter weight rugs can vary froma mid range of 150 gsm to the warmer rugs being 300 gsm or sometimes even more.
Waterproof: the outer fabric (shell) is usually referred to as Waterproof. A rug labelled as waterproof should keep your horse dry in bad weather, owners still need to be mindful that as a 'fabric' and not a sheet of plastic in certain conditions some seepage may be evident around seam lines etc.
It's always a good idea to have a spare set of rugs you can change your horse into on those extreme days where the rain never seems to stop.
Care: All horses are different, some horses have the same rugs for years, while others can trash them in a matter of minutes! Rugs should always be stored dry and folded when not inn use. A good stiff brush to remove all the dirt and debris is a good idea before putting them away at he end of the season. Generally speaking heavy rugs are not washed so it's a good idea to keep a cotton sheet against your horses skin, not only for their comfort but a cotton can be washed & changed weekly keeping your more expensive winter rugs spick & span for years to come.
Rug Types Explained .....
Summer Sheets: Are a lightweight rug predominately used in Summer to reduce the risk of sunburn to your horse while giving protection from flies and bugs. Sheets are also often used all year round under heavier winter rugs so they can be washed on a regular basis keeping your expensive winter rugs cleaner on the inside while keeping a fresh clean rug against you horse's skin.
Combo's: are a rug (either winter or summer) that has the neck rug permanently attached. These rugs are great in the dead of winter as they also eliminate the gaps and holes that allows the chilly winter winds in.
Fly Mesh: is a lightweight fine mesh that allows a lot of air flow around your horse's body while still giving them protection from the harsh summer sun.
Polar Fleece: a super warm lightweight rug hat can be used in winter under a waterproof rug for added warmth. Polar Fleece gives a lot of added warmth with very little weight, so a great rug for he older horse looking for warmth and not weight. Ideal also as a stable rug, or while travelling - just make sure they have legs straps if being used in this manner.
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