Horse Rugs - For Your Balding Horse

Just kidding...but now that I have your attention, I am going to introduce you to the world of horse rugs or horse blankets. Contrary to the title, a horse rug is not a toupee your horse wears because it is ashamed of its thinning hair! There is a special form and function to the horse rug and they can be very important to keeping your horse happy and healthy. Many people think that nature will keep a horse warm in winter by growing it's winter coat nice and thick according to the climate it is kept, and this is true, up to a point. Consider that most horses receive brush downs on a regular basis and are kept clipped and trim for competitions which may cause a less than suitable coat to grow in for those long cold winter months. Here we have our first and most basic reason to purchase a horse rug or horse blanket for your horses.

As discussed in the previous paragraph, horses naturally will grow in a winter coat just as a dog would, in order to keep warm during those cold months. This is fine and dandy if you let your horse develop naturally over winter, but for those of you who live in exceptionally cold climates and have a hot blooded horse like an Arabian, or for those of you who keep your horses trimmed for competition, then it would be imperative that you provide extra warmth for your horse during winter. A horse blanket or horse rug will serve this purpose very well, in fact that is what they are made for. A horse rug is an insulated covering that covers the horse from withers to rump and some even extend up the neck for further coverage.

There are many types of horse rugs. They are some times called stable blankets, which are generally meant to be worn in the cold barn and are insulated lightly. These types of horse blankets are made from breathable material which allows the skin to breath and prevent sweating while keeping the horse dry and warm.

A combo rug or blanket might offer the greater warmth for allowing the horse to be turned out in the winter, but might also be waterproofed to keep the horse dry in wet weather. This is important because for a horse to be wet and cold is a death sentence, just like it is for a human. A horse blanket that is waterproof would offer full protection from the elements and allow for a much happier horse.

Keeping Muscles Warm

Another just as important purpose for a horse rug or horse blanket is for keeping a sport horse's muscles warm during competition. The muscles of a horse are a complex set of machines working in tandem to produce ultimate results. These muscles must be meticulously warmed up before any competition whether it be dressage or racing. A trainer will warm up the horse properly through a set of exercises, but after warm up and before the actual competition it is important to keep those muscles warm and loose, so a horse blanket is used. If one were not the risk of injury would be far too great and could permanently damage the horse.

This video shows you step by step how to put on and remove a horse rug.  Be sure to keep clear of kicking feet!