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R
The right rug for your horse
Does your horse need a rug? How do you know if a rug fits or doesn’t fit your horse?
SHOULD I COVER MY HORSE?
Every horse is different and although some
rugs will work better than others, several
factors need to be taken into consideration
when selecting a rug for your horse.
Horses were not designed
to wear rugs.
The fact that humans have domesticated
the horse has meant that horses needed to
adapt to a new lifestyle. Therefore, it is even
more important that a rug does not restrict
that natural way of the horse – in terms of
movement and breathability.
It is not recommended that
horses are rugged 24/7
Restriction causes stiffness and potential
longer-term skin, muscle and skeletal
problems. An obvious sign that your horse’s
rug is restricting movement is loss of hair in
certain areas.
Most common area for hair loss is in the
shoulders and wither. Observe your horses’
movement without rugs on and you will
see how far they stretch their legs forward.
Coupled with the amount of time the horse
has its head down grazing, the amount of
pressure on the chest, shoulder and wither
region is extremely high from a restrictive
rug.
AVOID OVER-RUGGING
To explain the importance of not overrugging, one must understand the mechanics
of how a horse removes heat from its body.
1
Homeostasis is the maintenance of a
constant internal environment of a cell or
organism, despite fluctuations in the external
environment of that cell or organism. If
homeostasis cannot be maintained by a
horse, ill health or even death can result.
2
Sweating is the mechanism by which
horses remove heat from the body. If
sweating is prevented from occurring by,
for example, an impervious rug which does
not allow the heat to escape, the horse will
overheat and develop heat stress. In other
words, the horse effectively begins to cook in
its own juices because homeostasis cannot
be maintained and then the body systems
will start to malfunction and break down.
Think twice before deciding to
rug your horse 24/7
Once you start rugging you need to be in a
position to be able change/remove rugs to
ensure your horse is comfortable and not
heat/cold stressed. If you have doubts about
being able to do this due to work, family or
distance commitments, then leave horses to
grow their own winter coats to keep them
warm and provide shelter in their paddocks
to provide protection from the elements.
Clipped Horses Horses that have been
clipped are a different story and require
very careful rug management. They must
be rugged adequately for day and night
temperature/weather variances.
Key points:
•
•
•
Ensure that the rug fits – not too tight or
restrictive and not too big.
Consider using natural fibers in the
material rather than synthetics to allow
proper sweating and breathing to occur.
Make sure your horse is rugged
appropriately for the weather conditions
and the environment the horse is in.
3 POINT rug FITTING CHECK
How to check if your horse’s rug fits or doesn’t fit
1. Standing square
Stand your horse square, have someone hold your horse while you stand back and do a walkaround. If the rug is too short over the rump or looks to bunch up anywhere over the spine or
shoulders, the rug is too small and will be worse when the horse goes to graze. If neck is too
large and the rug is falling back off the wither then the rug is too big and will cause wither
sores
2. Head down
a. Allow your horse to graze or eat hay on the floor. Observe if the neckline is cutting into the
chest and whether the rug slides up over the rump. It any of these two occur, again the rug is too
small.
b. Check the shoulder area of the front leg that is further forward. If it is too tight or if there are darts/
seems directly on the pressure point, your horse will eventually get shoulder rubs and long-term
potentially sore.
c. Check the back of the legs where the leg straps are connected. If the leg-straps are cutting up
between the legs, loosen the leg straps. You should be able to fit a fist between the strap and the leg.
Do not make it too loose as the horse may get its leg caught up in it or caught on other things in the
paddock or stable.
3. At a trot
Either on lead or free in a paddock, observe your horse at trot. If the rug slips either sideways or
backwards, the rug will cause incorrect pressure on the wither and shoulders.
Leg-Strap Adjustment:
1. Too Short
2. JUST RIGHT
3. Too Long
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2011
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Saddletops
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R
horse management
and training
How to measure your horse
Getting the right size rug for your horse is not always an easy task with the number of different options
available in the market today. Unfortunately, the majority of horse rugs are made offshore and there
will be a slight difference in sizes depending on the manufacturer. Although two rugs from the same
manufacturer may be labelled the same size, they may fit differently due to the cut/design of the rug.
OFF THE SHELF - the best way to determine the size required is to measure your horse using a long tape
measure or a piece of string. Have another person help so that the measurements are not affected by the
horse moving around. Making sure that your horse standing square take one end of the measuring tape
or string and place in the middle of the chest at the point of the “V” (see pic left) and have helper hold
in place. Gently pull the other end of the string/tape-measure along the side of the horse towards to the
back and take to the end of rump. Observe the measurement on the tape measure or if using string, mark
the end point and then measure against a ruler/measuring tape. It is very important to measure both
sides of your horse. Reason is, if your horse is not standing square, you will get different measurements.
Remember to measure twice (or more) to ensure you get the right measurements. If the measurement
is taken in cms or inches, convert to feet to get the rug size (in Australia). For example, if you measure
180cm, then the converted rug size in Australia is 6’0”. Note that this does not take into account the
variance in fit due to the cut and design of rug.
CUSTOM-MADE - Ensure you request a Measurement Guide. Some manufacturers offer a measurement
service for local clients. Several measurements will be required, such as the height, neck, body length
and drop of barrel. Ensure that the rug maker seeks these measurements. It is also useful to provide
information about the type of horse, e.g. breed, body type and sex. The more information one can
provide about the horse, the better the rug maker can customise your rug.
How to shop for a good rug
Shopping for a good rug is like shopping for good clothes. If you purchase clothes that are uncomfortable and do not fit, you end up tossing
them aside. It is the same with rugs. Therefore, some key factors to consider before purchasing your rug:
• Make sure you know what size you are after as sales staff will not know your horse.
• Check the material and consider the environment your horse is in and what would suit the conditions best.
• Check the quality of the fittings. Ensure pressure points (webbing) are reinforced and angles look right.
• Make sure the tailflap can lift up to allow the horse to lift its tail straight up. Restriction in this area can cause serious spinal problems.
Most importantly, make sure you speak to someone knowledgeable in the shop if you have any questions. Ask them if they use the rugs they
sell? First-hand experience with the rug in question and knowledge of horses will provide the best answers.
Click here to read the Clayton et al. research study about wither pressure of rugs.
This Fact Sheet may be reprinted and distributed in this exact form for educational purposes only in print or electronically. It should not be used for commercial purposes in
print or electronically and should not be republished on a Web site, forum, or blog without written consent from Horses and People Magazine.
Contact [email protected]. Published by Horses and People Magazine © Copyright 2011 Saddletops Pty Ltd.