S
o what should the best dressed horse be wearing this winter? Before you decide, there are
so many factors to consider. Are they stabled or turned out? Clipped, hairy, old, or very young? A shaggy plump pony, or a sleek show hack? Selecting appropriate apparel can be confusing, confronting and costly. Here is a simple overview of a complex market flooded with quilted combos, woolly warmers and padded paddock rugs. But first, remember horses don’t lose heat as rapidly as we do, so just because you may be feeling chilly doesn’t mean your horse is. It’s actually much easier for a horse to warm up than cool down. If they are feeling cold their coat hairs will be standing up – and if they’re rugged and you want to check that they’re comfortable put your hand under the rug to feel if their wither is warm. There are several main reasons why we use rugs at this time of year: to keep our horses warm, dry and clean; and also so we can clip them, thus reducing the risk of over-heating during training or competition and making them easier to clean off afterwards. Although this may sound obvious, always start with lighter rugs and move to thicker rugs as it gets colder. Don’t overdo it when the weather first starts to cool.
Under Rugs Wool: Wool provides warmth without weight by trapping heat in thick natural
TAC K E D U P
fibres while allowing the skin to breath. Polar Fleece: This is primarily designed
Winter rug roundup
to wick away moisture and dry your horse’s coat after exercising, or for use when standing in the float, or while being shod. If worn over long periods some polar fleeces can pull back putting pressure on the wither.
There’s no doubt about it – winter has arrived. And as temperatures go down, it’s time to rug up, writes SUZY JARRATT.
ABOVE LEFT: Burgundy turnout rug with matching neck rug (Available from Leader Equine).
