What type of rugs do you need for a horse? And when and why do you use them?Thanks
I believe the Christ Puncher has experience tanning horse hides. I'm not sure if they've ever been used as rugs before. Hopefully he'll see this question and shed some light on the subject.
I have tried rugs for a horse in the past but it was a disaster. Indoor-Outdoor synthetics are better but still a royal pain. I finally surrendered and started using straw.
I use a 1200D winter blanket with extra insulation on cold days, and a 600D winter blanket with regular insulation all day, every day, beginning february to start help them shedding out. He also get's a hood, but it gets checked and adjusted several times/day as they can become a hazard. During summer days, my horse get's a fly scrim with UV protection, and a night he get's a polar fleece rug with double front enclosures and crossunder belly straps (which becomes a royal pain to keep clean, but it keeps him warm and cozy at night.) After showers or getting sweaty, he get's a square polar fleece sheet that just loops on the halter and in front of the neck. Rainy/drizzly days he gets a water proof turnout, and on cold rainy days he gets the polar fleece underneath the water proof turnout. I get lots of rugs and sheets and blankets from reining, so he has quite a variety for all weather conditions. For other horses that don't get checked several times throughout the day, I would suggest not blanketing unless necessary. A lot can go wrong with blankets, and horses are always getting in trouble haha
You don't NEED any kind of rugs. My horse gets a cotton sheet during the day to keep flies off as she gets nasty bites, a rainsheet I only use when it's raining and cold as she likes to stand out in the rain even though she has a shelter. If it's hot I don't bother, and a light winter blanket only because she was always blanketed before I got her. I tried to leave it to the last minute for her to grow her winter coat but she did not. If you feel that you must rug get something 600D+ at least, harder to rip.
Your horse does not need rugs. Nature outfitted him with a very good winter coat. You blanket to keep the animal from growing a heavy coat (It never worked for me that I could see) You blanket because the animal is clipped You blanket because the animal is wet from a work out and you are cooling him in cold weather. You blanket because the animal is shivering. Once you start blanketing you must do so for the entire winter. After the first winter I opted to just ride more carefully and not cause my horse to sweat. I still cantered and jumped but I kept it short and with a lot of walk to keep the horse cool.
