Saturday, March 8, 2014

Tips For Buying Horse Rugs

By Jaclyn Hurley


Horses need comfort while they are being ridden or when they are in their stable. Just like with people what they need to wear will depend on the weather conditions and their own personal level of comfort. With the right approach you can find the ideal horse rugs to suit your animal.

There are various places you can order a rug from. The problem is that whether you buy something from a high street store or a website it is not possible to bring your horse and exactly measure them up against an item. Therefore you need to order a product in advance and take an educated guess that it is right.

It may seem strange but when you want to see if a rug fits you need to place it on without removing any of the tags or packaging. The reason that this is important is because if it turns out that it does not fit then there will be no problem returning it as the product will still be in its original packaging.

You need to know the different sizes in order to be sure that you find something that fits your animal. You measure along the centre of the chest and along the side. This will give you an idea of how large the rug will have to be in order to get a snug fit.

There are three main types. The standard covers the back, hind quarters and shoulders. However it does not tend to cover much of the neck area itself. This means that it is better for horses that have not had their neck hair trimmed or if they are not particularly sensitive to cold.

Half necks stop rain getting under the rug and provide extra warmth. A full neck is best for horses who are particularly sensitive to cold or in the very cold winter months when additional cover is required. The additional benefit of the full neck is that it makes it easier to clean the horse as they do not get mud on their neck. It is also worth checking to see how breathable the material is so that any water evaporates. This is especially useful during the summer months when they could end up sweating more during a gallop.

The half neck is another option. In this instance it provides a bit more warmth than the standard. It also helps to prevent rain from getting under the shoulder area so may be a better option in places with more rainfall. A full neck rug is best suited for colder weather conditions or animals that are more sensitive to the cold. In some cases you may want to choose a couple of rugs so that you are covered for both warmer and colder conditions.

You can order rugs for your horse from specialist stores and websites. If your budget is tight then you may want to look for private sellers offering second hand items. It is recommended that you check and compare a number of sources in order to get the best products in your price range. You should also check online for feedback and advice from other riders and owners in order to get the right rug for your horse.




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