Every horse owner knows what a wonderful animal a horse is. Of course, tying it down and restricting its movements during rain and winter is not something that any horse owner likes. On the other hand, there is the aspect of protecting the animal too. A good solution to this predicament is the turnout rug. These protect the horse so that it can roam out in the open in all seasons.

There are different grades of these rugs available which you can choose depending on your needs. There are the heavy weight rugs that have over 0.3kg filling to keep the horse warm in real cold wintery conditions. The medium grade rugs have between 0.15 to 0.3kg filling and the lightweight ones have up to 0.15kg filling. The lighter grades are good for summer and to protect against rains while the medium is for cool conditions. So depending on the weather in your area you can choose one of these.

If the seasonal changes are quite drastic, then a single rug will not solve your problem. In that case, you can look at using layers to suit the weather. What you could do is purchase a good quality lightweight rug and some blankets or under rugs. If it starts to get too cold, just cover the horse with under rugs: more than one if necessary and finally to protect from the weather and wetness, cover it with the lightweight rug. That will solve the problem in extreme cold conditions. In summer rain, just use the lightweight rug and it will work just fine.

It is vital that the rug you pick comes with good waterproof solution. Typically, the turnout rug water proofing are quite durable and you do not have to keep renewing it regularly. Another important aspect is the comfort that the rug offers the horse. Since, you will be fastening the rug to the horse, you do not want to restrict its movements in the effort to keep it warm.

If you are using multi piece models, you need to wrap the neck and hind quarters of the horse with separate pieces. In that case, take special care that the main large part of the rug covers all the parts properly. There should be no gaps between the three pieces, else the entire purpose of the rug is defeated.

With the single unit rugs, you must ensure that they fit in properly on the horse. It should not restrain the horse or it would not enjoy the warmth the rug is supposed to provide. These must go well below the belly for real good protection in all weather.

Horses tend to graze near the fence and trees. The branches and spikes on the fences can shear the rug. So go for rugs that are rip resistant.

In conclusion, turnout rug is great accessories to have if you own horses. They are great for all weathers. They can protect your horse in rain as well as winters. A well select rug will give your horse the freedom to roam out in your farm all year round.

Many horse owners choose to use a turnout rug when letting their animals out into the paddock during bad weather. Horse rugs help to protect your animal from cold and rain, without overheating.

categories: horse rugs,horse wear,horse riding,horses,equestrian equipment,pets

Tags: Horses