Choosing a Suitable Stable Rug for your Horse

Stable horse rugs are designed to keep your horse
warm, protected and clean when stabled. There is
a massive range of stable rugs available on the
market, each offering various key features, all
of which need to be considered when purchasing a
stable rug.

Your biggest decision may well be surrounding
the level of warmth offered by the rug. This is
dependent upon the amount of filling inside the
rug. The filling, often referred to as weight,
will vary from lightweight (no to 110g of
filling) to mediumweight (120g to 250g of
filling) to heavyweight (above 250g of filling).

Your requirements in terms of weight will
depend on the time of year, your horse's needs
and the location in which your horse is stabled.
For example a horse that feels the cold in winter
will need a thicker rug than a hardier horse.
Equally, if the horse is stabled inside a barn,
this is usually warmer and hence the horse
requires a less heavy rug than when kept in a
stable that's open to the elements.

Another key choice is whether to purchase a
'standard neck' stable rug or a 'full neck' or
'combo' version. This difference between these
is how the rug is cut at the neck. A 'standard
neck' rug starts at the horse's withers and
therefore does not cover the horse's neck.
'Combo' or full neck horse rugs, which cover the
horse's neck from the ears, offer greater warmth
and protection. However some standard neck
stable rugs offer the option of a separate neck
cover, which can be added onto the rug, enabling
you to adjust the coverage as the weather
changes.

One main consideration when choosing the style
and weight of stable rug is whether your horse
has been clipped or not. You will need to
replace any coverage that has been lost through
clipping. This should be taken into account when
making the choice between a full neck and a
standard neck stable rug.

The depth of the rug will also affect how much
warmth it will provide the horse with. This
shape will vary with style and brand. As many
economy rugs are less generous, spending less
can be a false economy as you may find that the
rug does not offer the coverage and protection
that your horse requires.

The 'Denier' of a rug describes the strength of
the outer fabric; the higher the Denier the
tougher the material on the outer of the rug. As
a stable rug is not open to the elements or as
much potential damage as a turnout rug, they
tend to have a lower Denier rating. However, as
with turnout rugs, a stable rug with a higher
Denier is likely to be tougher, and hence may
last longer. It is important to remember that
stable rugs will still rip if placed under
sufficient pressure; this is as a safety
mechanism to prevent your horse from being
injured.

Stable rugs offer a wide range of fixtures and
fittings to help keep them securely in place.
This is important as your horse may roll in his
stable, causing the rug to slip. Most stable
rugs will feature chest straps, cross surcingles
and leg straps as well as any closures for the
neck cover. Ensure that these attachments are
done up correctly to avoid the rug coming loose
or rubbing.

There are also additional features that can
help improve the comfort of a rug; an essential
consideration as your horse is going to be
wearing this piece of equipment regularly and
for significant periods of time. Look for
anti-rub linings, particularly at the shoulder
as this is a high risk area for chaffing, and
shoulder and neck gussets, which allow for
greater freedom of movement, especially
important for when the horse lies down and then
stands up!

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For a wide range of stable horse rugs at great
prices, please visit
http://www.EquestrianClearance.com

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