Awesome rug guide

Posted in Stable Management

Check out our handy guide to help you choose the right rug for your pony!

Awesome-rug-guide-image

When the weather gets colder and wetter, it’s tempting to want to snuggle your fave pony up in a lovely warm turnout rug when he’s in the field. There are so many factors to consider when it comes to choosing the right rug and it’s important to think about them all before making your decision. Our guide should help you decide… 

What rug weight? 

You can buy rugs in different weights to suit almost any type of weather conditions. They range from rain sheets that just protect your fave pony from showers and don’t offer any warmth, to heavyweights that will keep him extra cosy when it’s freezing cold! Rug weights are usually measured in grams… 

  • rain sheet: 0g
  • lightweight: 50-100g 
  • mediumweight: 100-250g
  • heavyweight: 300g plus

Neck and neck 

You can also get turnout rugs that have a neck cover. These are either detachable, so you can choose whether or not to have it on, or it’ll be fixed, which is known as a combo rug. 

Having a neck cover will keep more of your pony’s body warm and dry. It’s important that the neck’s the right weight and length for him, and some have elastic around the top to stop them from slipping down, too. 

Ponies know best 

Before you reach for a rug, it’s super-important to remember that ponies don’t feel the cold the same as we do! They’re awesome at regulating their own temperature, and can warm themselves up more easily than we can. 

So, if you’re feeling a bit chilly one day, it doesn’t mean your pony is, too! Putting a rug on him when he doesn’t need one, or using one that’s thicker than he needs, can make him get sweaty and uncomfortable.

As well as looking at what the weather’s doing, take into account your pony’s breed, age, condition, health and whether or not he’s been clipped before you decide which rug to put on – or even whether to put one on him at all. 

A rugging guide 

If you want to know what rug to use when, our handy chart should help. Just remember that all ponies have different needs, and this rough guide refers to a pony with a trace clip who lives out.

Pony rugging guide

TOP TIP

Use this table as a starting point and tailor it to suit your pony. It’s important to remember that they’re all individuals and some will feel the cold more than others!

Did you know…

As well as the temperature, whether your pony’s clipped or not and if he has access to shelter, the other things you need to consider include his age, access to forage, body condition, breed and level of work. A native pony with a fluffy coat won’t need to wear a rug as heavy as a Thoroughbred who’s clipped!

Silver lining

Why not consider investing in a rugging system that will suit all of your pony’s needs? You buy one outer rug, then get separate liners of different weights that you attach to the inside to add extra warmth when you need it. It saves on storage space, and could even work out cheaper overall!

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