Rugs!

[AHorseofCourse]

New horse needs a complete wardrobe. I have a rain sheet and a fleece so far but can't decide between getting a medium weight and heavy weight turnout or one with a liner system. Will I even need a heavy weight? How do I know in advance? I think humans tend to over rug in general but I don't want Dhorse to be cold.

Also need stable rug(s) and equally as indecisive.

Depends a lot on the type of horse, is he/she clipped. Some feel the cold more than others.
I don't really like the liner systems, bit of a pain faffing about with layers. I wouldn't just have a rainsheet and a heavy though. Then you are going from no insulation to full on radiator.
If a horse is unclipped, a rainsheet can prevent them fluffing their coats up so can stop them keeping their own warmth in. A lot of people use outdoor rugs for inside too now as they are breathable. If you're bringing a horse with a wet rug in the rug will dry much better if its left on the horse overnight (obviously as long as not wet on inside). Otherwise you have to plonk a cold wet rug back on in the morning.
You also have to think about if you want a neck cover, detatchable or not? Some brands are better for chunky horses, some better for lighter horses. Do you want 600 denier or 1200 which are better but more expensive.
You have many joyful hours of trawling through websites ahead of you. Don't be surprised if in a couple of years time you have around 20 rugs for every possible eventuality and some spares just in case!!

That's what I'm trying to avoid! She's an ISH but with very little TB in her. Quite a bit of Holsteiner and half Selle Francais, so not actually much ISH at all.

She'll probably be clipped in winter and in overnight but is going from no fill to 200g too much of a leap? Can't see how anyone avoids getting every possible weight of rug.

What size is she? I have a Horseware rhino lw needing new home works with the liner system so can have what weight you need just add liners!

The rugs with a liner system are wonderful. If I had a horse which needed rugging I'd go with them if I were buying from scratch.

The most used rug on my yard, for all the horses, is a 100gm sheet, bit warmer than a rain sheet and can be left on as a stable rug.

I've had natives and TBs and never used more than a MW, even when the TB was living out over winter, he got extra food for warmth.

I don't rug the native.

With liner rugs, once you've attached them to the outer rug can you put them on and off as though it's one rug or do you need to reattach the liner each time?

Once attached you can keep it as one piece. You'd need to check they are all smooth when you put it back on of course.

My ID didn't wear more than a fleece in the stable all last winter. He wore a LW t/out most of the winter and then went into a MW only because he wrecked the LW. He wasn't in that hard work and had a chaser clip

Apologies, he had an Irish clip, not chaser

I had the following, all breathable:
Lightweight turn out,
Mediumweight stable
Mediumweight turnout
I just rotated and multilayered them. They were all higher neck ones (she had high withers) so no pulling or sliding back.
Other people on the yard had one for about every day of the year. I was taught a bit old fashioned though! Anyone remember big canvas rugs and rollers??! (Showing my age there...)

I do! Last time I owned a horse was over 20 years ago. I saw a chart on Facebook yesterday that advised on rug weights and it's way less than us humans would use, because we feel cold more than a horse. Horse was out last night in a rain sheet and at 7am she was toasty so I'm erring towards getting a 100g for now and see how she goes.

This one.

If you do go for Premier Equine just be aware you need to reproof with their own product. I got mine done at a horse laundry place and the rug is now no longer waterproof.

I am a massive fan of the Rambo duo. It isn't cheap but DH has done his best to destroy it and it is still going strong into the 4th winter. It is 100g and is what he is wearing at the moment. Once clipped he has a thin liner attached and then when weather cools further he has a thicker liner. It's brilliant. Waterproof, breathable and tough. Use it both inside and out as dries far quicker on him.

The other rug that I couldn't be without is a thermatex/cooler. Mine is 20 years old and still going strong.

Anything else is a luxury!

Just about to sell my winter ones in favour of Premier Equine liner system. Hoping I won't regret shelling out all this money

Mine is trace clipped TB who runs hot and the most used rug I have is my Weatherbeeta medium light. Can't remember what fill but probably 100 or so. It seems to last him until it gets pretty cold.

They all live out in lightweight turns outs (M&Ms) so they are kept clean and dry for riding each afternoon.

The exception is the show pony which is in a medium turn out and we can add a liner if necessary.

We have summer sheets for when they are travelled or if stabled before a show but normally but don't take off their turn outs when brought in during the winter evenings. If we change to conventional stable rungs we find the turn outs don't dry and are horrible to put back on the next morning.

We do use UV fly sheets in the summer which also helps to stop to stop their coats bleaching.

Thanks all. I've ordered a Wheatherbeeta Trio which is 100g with a 200g liner.

I use the liner system and don't think I could go back to normal rugs now. They are so much easier to store and wash and for me it does work out much cheaper in the long run.