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How to avoid rug stress

You are neither too hot nor too cold without clothes at a temperature between 28 and 30 degrees Celsius, which is your thermo neutral zone. For a horse with a winter coat, this zone is between -5 and +15 degrees. The comfort zone for a horse with a summer coat is between 5 and 25 degrees. A clipped horse feels best at a temperature between 10 and 20°C. 

The type of rug your horse needs depends on several factors. The housing, is your horse clipped or not, does your horse get cold easily and the condition of your horse. These are all factors you need to take into consideration.   

Do you choose a stable rug or an outdoor rug?  
As the name might suggest, an outdoor rug is for outdoors and a stable rug is for in the stables. If your horse is outside 24/7, an outdoor rug is a good choice. An outdoor rug is waterproof and a stable rug is not. If your horse is outside during the day and in the stables at night, you can choose to have a stable blanket in the stables and an outdoor rug outside. But if you do not have the opportunity to change rugs, it is useful to go for a well-breathable outdoor rug. A breathable rug is important because it allows your horse to get rid of excess heat and not sweat too quickly under the rug. 

Outer fabric of the rug  
Rug strength is expressed in fibre fineness, using the yardstick denier. The higher the denier, the stronger the rug is. If you have a horse that quickly destroys its rug, choose a higher denier. If you want an extremely strong rug, you will soon find yourself in rugs from 2000D or ballistic nylon, which is a special strong fabric that will not tear through a hole. The most common strength of a horse rug is 600D. 

Blanket stress   
Are you someone who is often experiencing rug stress due to fluctuating temperatures? Then a Bucas rug or a Rambo Autumn Series is just the thing for you. Bucas has created a special temperature range for each rug. So you can see at which temperatures each rug is suitable. The most advanced rug from Bucas is the Power Turnout rug. This rug comes in 3 different thicknesses: light, medium and extra. The Bucas Power Turnout has a stay-dry fleece lining so that moisture can be wicked away quickly. It is also made of high-tech materials. The insulating properties and extremely strong outer fabric of ballistic nylon make this rug almost indestructible, which is why Bucas gives a 3-year warranty on this rug!* 

Rambo also has an all in one rug design, this innovative Rambo Autumn Series is ideal for mid-season use for horses prone to overheating. Reduce the need to change your horses' sheet during unpredictable weather with this technical turnout. Lightweight, waterproof and highly breathable the hybrid fabric application combines technical softshell, durable 900D polyester, and mesh panels across the chest and shoulder area to promote superior air circulation. A removable 100-gram liner and a detachable neck are included!

Clipped horse  
A clipped horse needs a blanket to keep itself warm, because its natural blanket has been removed. It is best to shave your horse when its winter coat has fully developed, to avoid problems with shedding. Usually this is around mid-October, but of course this also varies from horse to horse. Make sure you have a clean horse, well-functioning clipper, sharp blades and shaving oil.

Unclipped horse with a winter coat  
As a rule, unclipped horses only need a blanket when the outside temperature drops below -5 degrees. Be careful though, because the wind (and rain) can make the wind chill significantly lower than the actual temperature. Cold wind or prolonged precipitation can therefore be a reason to use a rug. The warmth of a rug is determined by its filling, expressed in grams; the thicker, the warmer the rug. The table below is a guide to choosing a rug. 

Unclipped horse with a summer coat   
If you do not want to have your horse clipped, but also not with a thick winter coat. You can put on a rug early on to prevent a thick winter coat from forming. The comfort zone of horses with a thin coat is between 5 and 25 degrees.  So they do not need a rug very quickly, but it is nice to protect them from strong wind and lots of rain with a rain rug.