Horses wear rugs as protective coverings in a variety of settings. It is typically fastened around the horse’s underside and protects its body. Besides keeping the animal warm in the winter, horse rugs serve many purposes, even in the summer. There are several shapes and types of horse rugs, including turnout rugs. Certain rugs cover their main flank, while others shield their entire body, including their neck. Additionally, there are reflective or vividly colored rugs that owners can use to locate or identify their horses, particularly at night. Purchasing a horse rug has numerous advantages; in this article, we list five of them.
Protection From Unsafe Elements
In order to ensure that your horse has the best protection possible, it is advised that you purchase a variety of horse rugs. Lightweight horse winter rugs are ideal for winter, while heavyweight horse rugs are best for the warmer months. Waterproof horse rugs are the best option to keep your horse dry in the rain, and for warmer months, get a summer sheet with UV protection. These rugs are made of breathable cotton that helps the horse stay cool under the sun while shielding their coat from harmful UV rays, preventing fading.
As summer progresses, bleaching is likely to happen to horses with darker coats. Another problem is the sun’s persistent heat in enclosures with little shade. A lightweight mesh rug or a cotton sheet is the best option in both situations. Both can shield the horse from the sun and keep them cool.
Reduce Feeding
For horses to generate the body heat required to stay warm in cold weather, they require a higher feed intake. Covering your horse with a warm rug is one way to reduce feed costs. Purchasing a heavyweight horse rug can help reduce feed expenses and offer warmth during winter.
Protection From Insects
In the summer, midges and flies can be a nuisance. The warm weather may bring in these insects, and bitten horses may experience swelling and inflammation. Your horse may also develop skin conditions during the cold or wet months. Therefore, a horse rug is an excellent option to protect them. Horse rugs come in various styles, as previously mentioned, but if you want to use them to keep insects away, you should think about the following kinds: cotton and mesh rugs. A cotton horse rug provides your equine with total protection since the material is difficult for insects to pierce. Mesh horse rug lets in more air while blocking annoying insects and acting as a sound barrier.
Assist In Maintaining A Short Coat
Nature has mechanisms in place to defend itself. For example, before winter arrives, horses grow their coats more quickly. Their coat would grow more quickly depending on how long the day was. The horse’s coat grows faster before winter because the days are shorter. They will be able to stay warm when winter arrives in this way. However, a horse rug can assist if you would rather keep your horses’ coats short. You can use a light horse rug to prevent their coat from growing independently during the chilly months.
Protecting The Horse From Debris And Dirt
Horses love to play and are frequently involved in rough play, which can expose them to dirt or mud. Since a lot of dirt sticks to a horse’s coat, a horse rug can safeguard their coat and keep it as neat as possible. A lightweight horse rug offers optimal protection, shielding your horse from debris and dirt.
Bottom Line
Most horse rugs can give your horse the best possible protection. Getting several styles of horse rugs that fit each season and a range of outdoor conditions is a reliable way to guarantee your horse is safe and healthy all year. In addition to getting horse rugs ready for the winter and summer, you also need to get varieties resistant to rain and flying insects.
