New horse - what rugs

[EloiseBridgerton]

All being well were collecting a new horse next weekend. We have native ponies who don’t need many rugs, so this just trying to work out what rugs he’ll need. He’s fully clipped, ish. I’m thinking the following. What am I missing?

Stable rug
Fly sheet
Medium weight turnout x 2 (one with a full neck)
Wasn’t going to do a heavyweight as thinking we’ll just layer up.

Thank you!

@midnightstar66 agree 100% but the change of rugs ensures horses are checked over every day and gives the mane rubbing a rest from the hoods doesn’t it ?
Or do you fold hoods back or take them off ?

I don't know anyone who changes outdoor rugs these days in to a stable one

I came to say this too! I'm surprised so many posters before were mentioning stable rugs. Haven't used these for many many years, since the good old days of the 'New Zealand'

I always took hoods off (they dry pretty quick compared with the body of the rug) and always took rug off, quick flick groom where the rug was even if not a full going over every day, and put turnout back on. No smelly stable rug and no soggy turnout rugs not drying out for days on end in a damp barn!

Rug fit can be very variable between companies so it would be good to see what shape your new horse is before spending a fortune and then having to send them back because they don’t fit ..

I was very lucky to win a Rambo turnout rug with two liners a couple of years ago - it’s the best thing ever! The outer layer is completely waterproof and the liners are 100g and 200g - the only time he’s ever needed both liners was the week before last when it was below freezing for days on end.

It’s been so good we’ve bought the same thing for new horse too

The other really good buy has been a weatherbeeta rain sheet which wasn’t expensive and is also completely waterproof - apart from really freezing weather, the coldest our older boy gets is when we get caught out by summer storms - his summer coat is so thin that without a rain sheet he gets soaked very quickly and then takes ages to warm up again.

The one thing I wouldn’t bother with is buying cute/fancy designs on rugs - they’re all mud-coloured within days anyway...