Questions about Rugs!

[fleabitten]

Has anyone got a jute rug for their horse? If so, what do you think of them compared to modern stable rugs? Can you still get them?
Have read in most of my books that they are very good value and warm.

Does anyone use a roller or surcingle with rugs on their horse?

Sweat rugs - what do you use? Do you use the 'string vest' type, or a 'waffle' type or something else? Why? Is there a difference.

(I only realised by reading these books that you are supposed to put a thin sheet over the top of a sweat rug with holes - i always thought it was used on its own!)

Can you still get wool rugs? Anyone use one? What do you think?

Thanks!

[solomon]

Seen jute at car boot sales but don't know anyone who still uses them. My cooler is a premier equine bamboo nano cooler, nothing over the topof it. Also have fleece for colder days and recently bought the premier equine premtex cooler eek! Lots of sweat rugs for one horse!

[haffyfan]

wool rugs are very warm but I suspect would feel itchy possibly. I adore traditional 'whitney' [gold stripe] blankets/rugs. A wool exercise sheet in whitney is the nearest I've ever got as they are so expensive. Rambo is making fleeces in it now I've seen but very pricy considering they are fleece not pure wool.
They are a pig to clean as you can imagine and require dry cleaning.

Rollers/surcingles create pressure in my opinion....when I was younger it was quite common to use blankets under stable rug for extra warmth folded into triangle on neck and then back and held by a roller. I have used this system but only ever used jute rollers with padding....not perfect but I think better than the elasticated ones which must be pretty bad for pressure.
Jute held poo like you don't know what! Modern rugs are easy to manage as lightweight, machine washable and due to this generally more hygenic and available in different weights of course to suit the weather/horse in question.

Any cooler is basically wicking the moisture away so i don't really think type is overly important as long as it does it's job. Was always taught to thatch when younger, then use a string vest (only type on market or at least that i knew off/were readily available at low price) and another rug over top inside out (so lining didn't get damp or bits of straw on it and would bbe useable when horse dried). These days if the need arose I ahve both fleeces and waffles but tend to use them as under rugs[or on rare occasions for travelling as we don't go out in public much] if very cold more than anything

[fleabitten]

Thanks guys, those are really useful replies!

The whole under blanket thing i never knew about either! I didnt know you could put a blanket under the rug and then fold it back, until doing this BHS course! If i had have knew all this stuff when i had Connie...!

[fleabitten]

Another question!

Would you rug more if horse was standing in stable or more if horse was out in field? Thinking that if standing in stable horse isnt moving about to keep warm so you would put more rugs on but read that if you rug too much in stable can make horse susceptible to chills?

Thoughts?

[solomon]

Depends why they are in. Think over rugging in winter a big problem. People seem to anthropomorphise a lot in winter. They are horses. If mine was in 'cos it's snowing outside he might get an extra layer, mainly I go by his ears. I also watch the weather forecast particularly the air temp more than before I had a horse.

[haffyfan]

I would agree with your thoughts Flea but the type of stabling and weather conditions, as mentioned by Sol, also play a big part.

Mine live out now but before we moved here Murph had to be stabled at night in winter...they were 3/4 height breeze block built into the front half of a barn so drafty. Even though unclipped he needed two rugs on a regular basis but less when turned out. However if they are in Americian barns I could imagine it getting a bit stuffy if the ventalation is poor hence may not require as heavy rugging.

Sol's right about problems with over rugging, how many horses minor colic because they are overheated!

I think people don't consider the conditions on a daily basis and rug accordingly they just use the same rug every time cos it's spring or cos it's winter etc when infact over a day or two the temp lows can be significantly varied.

I mean this winter the lowest we saw here was minus 19.5, whats that almost 15 to 20 degrees below the average sort of temps seen that time of year usually and about 40 plus below what we have experienced a little earlier in the summer. They are more hardy and able to cope than often we give them credit for.

[fleabitten]

Thanks for the replies, was really helpful

[ceej]

re rugging in winter - I think the most important thing is to keep them dry if you are worried about them getting cold - i think rugs are far too weighted. My two never had more than a lightweight on last winter although they were in at night. The only horse I have ever seen cold was because it was soaked, not because it was snowy outside!

[scattymare]

I agree Ceej. Ed was out every day last winter and never had more than a mediumweight on and she had a high trace clip. She was always warm. Most days she just had a rainsheet on to keep her dry and that was sufficient. Obviously she's a toughie Welsh though so different for some - though someone needs to tell her that as she's convinced she's going to melt in the rain!!

[jane]

Wool rugs are wonderful in the stable, they are breathable, warm but will not overheat your horse. They are not itchy either.
I have a lot of old woollen blankets, brilliant for wicking sweat away either over a string vest, or under a fleece, only takes a short while. I buy these in second hand shops, the modern woollen blanket costs hundreds of pounds for a decent one, those older members of the groups will remember the old cream, pink or blue satin bound ones we all had as children.

[fleabitten]

Thanks for the replies, ceej scatty and jane. I do agree about the rugging problem - i feel like i have a better understanding of the whole reasons and process now. And i do think that we would be far safer going back to new zealands and jute rugs and woollen blankets - i think its far more straightforward and may help to avoid over rugging - i think today there are too many options about which thickness of rug and then a lot of owners dont have much knowledge about rugging properly (i know i didnt really know much except for the basics) and then they over estimate how cold their horse is and like to think of them wrapped up. I think everyone should have a knowledge of the old fashioned way of rugging as i think it does help to give you a greater understanding of it all.