Horse Rugs Are Excellent Protection Against Extreme Weather

By Katrina Wheeler


During extreme weather conditions, the safety of your animal should be a top priority. Horse rugs provide additional protection during those times. Many times horses require supplementary support for warming up, cooling down, staying warm and dry. These covers allow freedom of movement while protecting them from harsh, inclement weather.

Placing a blanket on your equestrian friend is much easier than you would think. There are clasps, clips and straps to allow you to keep the blanket in place once it is properly positioned. There are straps that wrap around the belly, straps that go between the back legs and fasten to the sides and straps that wrap around the chest. These strategically placed straps assure you that the animal will not be able to remove the blanket easily. Covers come in a wide variety of colors, weights and styles. Thicker weighted coverlets are for the winter months, while the lighter weighted ones are for the warmer seasons. Some will even provide protection against mosquitoes and flies.

During the winter months, your animals will be able to stay warm and dry using these coverlets. Most are warm and water proof in order to prevent your animal from becoming wet during snow or rain. Additional protection is also available by attaching a neck cover.

Fabric choices will affect the weight of the cover. There are water proof, anti-sweat, cooling, fly and turnout blankets. Each type serves a different purpose and their weights will vary based on that purpose.

Turnout blankets are great to use when your equestrian friend is out to pasture. Stable wraps are excellent when he is locked up in the barn. Fly sheets are perfect for summer days when the flies are out. Cooling wraps are used to help a horse's temperature return to normal after exercise. When determining what type of blanket you want, remember the physical needs of your animal as well as the climate in which he will reside.

It is imperative that your horse be dry before blanketing. Placing a blanket on a damp animal can cause him to become ill. If he is damp, use an anti-sweat sheet to absorb moisture before placing a turnout or stable blanket on him. Make sure you remove the anti-sweat sheet first, otherwise the exterior blanket would hold the cold, damp sheet against him which could cause severe problems.

Blanketing an animal too soon can keep it from growing a winter coat. It is best to allow the winter coat to grow first. Use the blanket only when it is absolutely necessary. If you use a blanket too early in the season, your horse will have to wear it until warm weather returns.

Horse rugs are the perfect accoutrement for extreme weather conditions. Providing exceptional care for your equestrian friend is a top priority. Determine what size, type and weight will best fit your animals needs. Regardless of whether it is summer, spring, winter or fall there is a rug for every occasion. There is one additional benefit as well. They will look adorable wearing their winter jackets.




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