Saturday, April 26, 2014

Choosing The Best Horse Rugs

By Essie Osborn


Owning horses is a wonderful privilege. Many people save for years to realize their dream of ownership. Most horses are boarded at large barns where they receive excellent care. This involves being fed at regular intervals, having their stalls cleaned daily and being turned out in the field to get some exercise. When horses are turned out in the winter time they often need one or more blankets to keep them warm and dry.

Busy owners may not have as much time as they would like to spend with their animals. Often they have to stop at the barn on the way home to fit in a quick ride. They need to save as much time as possible and having their mount clean and ready to go is essential. Horse rugs really save a tremendous amount of time. Horses love to roll in the mud and although they enjoy this activity it typically leaves them caked in mud.

During the winter months horses grow long thick winter coats to protect themselves from the weather. It is quite amazing how effective these coats are at keeping them dry and warm. Horses can winter out in extremely low temperatures, as long as they are not sick or very old. However, horses that are being exercised or shown will need to have their winter coat removed.

When horses are being used in competition they need to be spotlessly clean. Most riders like to bath their horses the day before a show. They will then need a light sheet to prevent them getting dirty again. Horses instinct tells them to roll in the dirt when they are wet. This helps to get them dry and it also feels good. However, it is a disaster for a show horse to roll when they are still damp as all the dirt and dust will stick to their coat.

It has only been in the past ten years or so that some innovative companies have really gone back to the drawing board and redesigned equine clothing from the ground up. Some of the best new features are nylon rugs that are very easy to care for. They can be machine washed and dried and are very light weight.

The new line of equine clothing also has the crossed surcingle feature. This is a set of stitched in belly straps that cross and are held secure by snaps. In conjunction with detachable leg straps they help to keep the rug in place whilst eliminating pressure on the horses back. This has prevented many of the back problems caused by pressure points and also the rubbing caused by a badly fitting rug.

Horses are very active animals and they like to play rough. Their rug will soon be torn to shreds if they are not made of really high quality fabrics. They also need to fit properly and have plenty of room around the front of the shoulders. A nylon lining is excellent as it helps to prevent rubbing and bald areas.

A good quality rug will protect the animal in even the worst weather. They also come with detachable hoods that cover the entire neck and really help to keep a horse in show condition throughout the winter. Many riders still like to compete in the winter indoor circuit and need their animals to look good.




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