Gag Bits

Gag bits are seen a lot less in modern times, but were widely used on strong horses before the advent of the more modern bits. Continental style bits are often referred to as gags incorrectly, as a true gag has a much more extreme action.

Gag bits come in a similar pattern to traditional snaffle bits, but with one key difference - the cheeks have a hole top and bottom to allow a specially designed gag cheek piece to pass through the cheek as opposed to being buckled directly onto the bit ring.

The gag cheeks are usually made from all leather, of leather with a nylon core, the later often being preferable from the effect point of view as the release is quicker and more obvious to the horse than an all leather gag cheek which is less malleable (although aesthetically more pleasing than nylon it could be argued).

The action of a gag bit is to raise the bit up in the horses mouth, thus exerting potentially a great deal of poll pressure, and pressure on the corner of the horses lips. The mouthpieces also influence the effect the gag has on the horse, a jointed will also give strong bar and palate pressure. Gags should only be used by experienced riders with sympathetic hands, as their ability to raise the bit in the horses mouth is extreme and could potentially cause injury if used incorrectly.

Shanked and Curb Bits - Kimblewick Bits

Kimblewick bits are often used on ponies or horses with smaller heads as an alternative to a pelham.

The Kimblewick bit still uses the curb action but to a lesser degree as there is not so much poll pressure and leverage. The exception to this is the slotted cheek kimblewick bit, which has 2 slots in the cheek giving 3 possible options for the reins, either around the bit ring as is usual, or in the upper most slot which lessen the effect of the poll pressure and curb use, or the lower slot which gives the effect of a short shank, and greater poll pressure and curb use.

The slotted Kimblewick is the bit most usually seen on ponies and horses ridden by competent adult or child riders as it can be severe in the wrong hands. The standard Kimblewick cheek is a plain ring, and used with one pair of reins.

The mouthpieces most commonly associated with Kimblewicks are the mullen mouth or Cambridge/ported mouth, the kindest mouthpieces in general, and the jointed Kimblewick. As with the jointed pelham, the jointed Kimble wick lessens the action of the curb and although useful for some horses that dislike excess curb pressure the action of the bit is compromised.

The Kimblewick is a useful bit for small strong ponies, and especially is used with an elastic curb chain to minimise the risk or too much pressure, can be safely used (under supervision) by novice children on strong ponies.

Shanked and Curb Bits - Pelham Bits

Horse Bits with a curb chain often have a shank for added poll pressure as well. Bits that have a shank and a curb are often some type of pelham horse bit, which is classed as a fairly strong bit. The pelham family of bits work mainly on the curb groove and utilize poll pressure to gain control of the horse, particularly in exciting situations such as in company.

Rugby pelhams are often used as an alternative to a double bridle in the show ring for horses that do not have a mouth big enough to comfortably use the combination of a Weymouth and bradoon at once. The rugby pelham has the addition of a loose ring attached, which gives the appearance of a double and work slightly less directly on the mouth than the traditional pelham.

Common mouthpieces in either the rugby pelham or plain pelham are mullen or rubber covered mullen which are considered the mildest, Cambridge mouth or port mouth which are ideal for horses that need a little extra space for the tongue, and jointed or French link.

A jointed pelham or French link pelham work well on some horses, but less so on others as their action is somewhat of a compromise with the action of the curb being lessened by the broken mouthpiece of the bit. The shank provides quite a strong poll pressure in all cases, and all pehams should ideally be used with double reins to allow the rider to control the signal to the horse more precisely. If the rider cannot manage double reins, pelham roundings should be used to gain a half way effect, but the disadvantage is that the curb will always come into effect whether needed or not.

The Continental Cheek Bit

The continental bit is know by many names including the bubble bit, dutch gag and 3 ring bit. Some confusion can arise as the correct way to refer to a bit with 4 rings in the cheek i.e. a small top ring, large main ring and two further small rings, is as a 3 ring bit. This bit is often called a 4 ring bit, and the shorter style continental bit as a 3 ring (only one small ring top and bottom) which is incorrect and can lead to much confusion!

Continental bits were invented to try and emulate the effect of draw reins on show jumpers in the ring, and as such should not be looked upon as a particularly kind bit (especially with some of the more sever mouthpieces) as they are capable of a lot of leverage and hence poll pressure.

Being a cross between a pelham and a gag, often referred to as a Dutch gag this cheek causes the bit to raise up in the horses mouth slightly as the true gag does, but also asks the horse to lower at the same time through the use of poll pressure which can send quite a confusing signal.

They are not as strong as a pelham, and there is no doubt that some horses, particularly those that need persuasion to break at the poll, do seem to like the action of the cheek as it gives control without a curb action.

The 2 ring continental is a more modern addition and has become very popular for horses that do not need the strength of the 3rd ring and thus does away with the bulk of a spare ring. Correctly, both the 2 or 3 ring should be used with two reins, one on the main ring, and another on a lower ring to ensure the action is properly monitored by the rider. Care should be taken with fixed mouth versions of this horse bit as they can tend to ‘stick’ in their action and not release immediately which can cause confusion and fear for the horse so are best avoided if this is the case.

Full and fulmer cheek bits

Most commonly seen on young or green horses still learning to bend and flex, as the long cheek of the bit puts pressure on the whole side of the face when pressure is applied to the rein. These horse bits also have the advantage of not allowing the bit to be dragged through the horses mouth if the horse opens their mouth wide or yaws a lot in resistance to the riders aids. These horse bits should be used with fulmer keepers which help to keep the bit safely in place against the cheek piece, and also have the added advantage of allowing the bit to exert a little poll pressure to encourage a rounder outline when pressure is applied.

The full cheek is the eggbutt version of this type of cheek, again more suitable for novice riders as less unintentional vibration will be felt by the horse. More experienced riders and more highly schooled horses often prefer the fulmer cheek, which has a loose ring (no chance of pinching as it is well away from the horses lips) so enables clearer communication between horse and rider.

Again, I feel it is important to look at these bits as a stepping stone or temporary measure wherever possible in order to make sure the horse and rider do not become dependent on the effect of the full cheek to make a turn. Once the horse has a good understanding of the seat and leg aids involved in making a turn, the horse should be schooled in an eggbutt or loose ring bit instead.

The eggbutt cheek

The eggbutt cheek was the next step on from the loose ring- a more complicated closed joint that does offer some advantages in certain circumstances. The primary advantage was to prevent pinching of the lips in the days where the loose ring bits were badly made. It should be noted that a badly made eggbutt with a loose joint can also cause a nasty pinch, so again this highlights the need for careful selection of what you put in your horses mouth! The eggbutt bit is generally suited to more novice riders that are less steady with their hands, as the cheeks lessen the effects of the tiny vibrations from the riders hands which are often unintentional whilst the rider is still learning their balance.

For more experienced riders a loose ring is normally preferable as a finer and more subtle signal can be communicated to the horse. The variation on the eggbutt cheek is the less commonly used D cheek. Primarily used by racing yards, this cheek is almost more similar in action to a full cheek, giving a flat ‘edge’ to encourage the horse to turn his head but without the danger of the long shanks of a full cheek to get caught up. The D cheek is a more positive cheek than the eggbutt, and should only be used on a temporary basis when possible to avoid the rider relying on the use of it to turn the horse. As soon as the horse is more responsive to the leg and seat aids to turn, and listening to the bridle the horse should be stepped back down into an eggbutt or loose ring to progress the horses schooling more correctly.

The different basic cheeks available on bits and their uses- The loose ring

Conventional horse bits have 5 commonly seen groups of cheeks namely the loose ring, eggbutt/D, full/fulmer cheek, continental cheek, shanked bits. The two most popular are the loose ring and eggbutt, and all common mouthpieces are available in one cheek or the other. It has been said that the mouthpiece of the bit is for the horses comfort, the cheek is for the rider benefit which can be true in some cases. The loose ring is one of most commonly seen cheeks, and ideally used on youngsters and by more experienced riders with steady hands. The loose ring bit has the benefit of enhanced communication with the horse, which is beneficial if the rider has good hands and a careful contact. However it can also detrimental in wrong hands with a rider that moves inadvertently as the horse will feel every little vibration down the reins be they intentional or unintentional!

Some people are wary of loose ring bits, as there is a common misconception that modern loose ring bits can pinch the lips of the horse and make them sore. When bits were first mass produced they were made with a flat ring passing through a round hole, and it was possible for the horses lip to get trapped and pinched with such a large gap ensuing. With modern horse bits, in almost all cases (there are still some very badly made imported bits with loose joints out there to which this doesn’t apply) the ring is round with a round close fitting hole which makes all but the absolute finest of skin impossible to trap. Horse Bits should be checked regularly for signs of wear, as joints can stretch, especially if there has been undue strain placed on them when a horse has trodden on its reins for example. Symptoms of pinching are the horse reacting to a contact sharply, or marks on the inside or outside of the lips.

Riding gloves

Gloves for horse riding are often an over looked piece of riding kit, but in my opinion quite a vital one!! The obvious riding clothing is the riding hat, jodhpurs and riding boots, but for often only a little extra cost, a pair of appropriate riding gloves ride and one you would rather forget.

Gloves that are made for riding differ slightly from conventional gloves, the basics being a good grip on the palm to allow the rider to keep hold of the reins. There is nothing more scary than losing control of a horse because the reins slipping through your bare hands! Good quality riding gloves like the Roeckle Ulla glove will be thin enough to give feel, but tough enough not to wear quickly even when using rubber grip reins. They will be reinforced between the little finger and ring finger (to help the glove resist wear where the reins are held) across the palm and sometimes around the edge of the palm by the thumb too. They need a stretchy comfortable back and good fastening to prevent rubbing and twisting whilst in use. Again, as with everything investment in a good quality pair of riding gloves will mean comfort and years of good service from your horse riding gloves.

Gloves enhance the grip, which is essential on reins made from plain leather. On reins that have good grip such as rubber grip reins or continental web reins, the gloves serve to protect the riders hands from the reins which can easily cause rubs and blisters due to their abrasive nature.

Lastly, riding gloves can also serve the simple purpose of keeping the riders hands warm, this is especially important with young children who quickly loose the feeling in icy little fingers which is very painful for them! Cold, numb fingers are also very difficult to use effectively, and efficient and safe riding is greatly hindered by frosty fingers (and not very pleasant either)!

Chaps and gaiters

With such a multitude of equestrian products available to riders today, it can often be quite confusing as to what certain commonly seen riding clothing is used for. A common question we are asked is what the difference is between chaps and gaiters is.

Chaps are the most commonly seen form of riding leg wear other than jodhpurs, and come in two types; full chaps and half chaps. Full chaps are usually either made from suede or a waterproof material, and similar to riding trousers cover the whole leg. Full chaps have zips extending down the outside of both legs to enable the rider to get them on and off easily, and stop at the top of the leg at the back leaving the posterior free for added ‘feel’ in the saddle. The waist is adjustable usually at the front and back to provide an ideal fit. Half chaps are the far more popular option of the two, and only covers the portion of the leg below the knee to the ankle. The zip fastening on half chaps is again on the outside of the calf, and there is usually an elasticated panel just behind the zip to allow the half chap to conform to the riders leg and give a close fit (which is essential to the success of the chaps- a loose chap will spin or slip down resulting in a rubbed or sore leg). Half chaps are usually made from suede, faux suede or neoprene which all provide protection and a comfortable fit but do not look as smart as smooth leather which is why half chaps are used for general everyday. Gaiters are similar in design to the half chaps, but are made from smooth leather and have the zip fastening down the back of the leg which allows a much neater fit.

Gaiters are primarily used for competition to give the impression of a long leather riding boot (when used with an appropriate short jodhpur boot) but can be used for everyday riding if desired. Gaiters generally cost more to buy and look worn more quickly due to the materials they are made from (and the position of the zip makes them slightly more tricky to get on and off too!) so we usually recommend half chaps for everyday riding and gaiters kept for competition use. One good pair of jodhpur boots is often enough for everyday and best use, as the gaiters cover most of them and as long as the toe is not scuffed the overall appearance will be neat.

Riding boots versus short boots and half chaps

Often a common question especially from new riders, is which is better; long riding boots or short riding boots and half chaps? In an ideal world, a pair of long leather riding boots made from boxed leather with a flexible ankle are ideal to ride in, but the price and functionality (having to change into them everythime you ride and out again after) is normally prohibitive!

The problem with long rubber riding boots, is although they often look and fit the calf as well as some leather boots the flexibility in the ankle is missing which can be a great hinderence especially for new riders struggling to attain the correct leg position. Riding instructors tend to prefer young children to wear jodhpur boots so they can see the position of the childs leg more easily (it is easy to draw your heel up inside a long rubber riding boot and yet from the outside it looks as if your heels are still level thus giving a false impression!) and teaches them the feel for the correct leg position more easily.

Usually the best solution is a pair of robust jodhpur boots, or even a good quality yard boot that is safe to ride in coupled with half chaps. This gives the riders calf protection from the stirrup leathers, but allows far more flexibility in the ankle which helps with achieving a natural leg position more easily. Suede half chaps also help the rider to grip with the calf more effectively with I always find a help, particularly on more lively horses! With a yard boot, it is simple to just put the chaps on before riding and remove them after, without the need to replace your footwear.

Mucking out equipment for use around the yard and field

There are a multitude of handy gadgets available to the modern horse owner, but choosing a few good mucking out tools wisely often saves money and time in the long run. As with everything, it is always cheaper in the long run to buy the best you can afford, and this is especially important with stable equipment that is going to get regular, hard work. For the stable, there are different forks designed to work best on different types of bedding, such as the fynalite shavings fork, which logically works best on a shavings or aubiose bed. The fynalite forks are very tough and have sprung steel heads which resist being bent out of shape (I haven’t managed to break one yet and one of ours is 10 years old!) and don’t wear particularly even when used on concrete floors. Cheaper shavings forks we tend to find last on average 1-2 winters before being virtually unusable, so being only 2 - 21/2 times the price, the fynalite forks really are a very good investment!

The straw forks for long fibre beds are also very tough, with lightweight handles and 4 hardened prongs for ease of use. Shorter adults often find the children’s funky fork an ideal tool with its shorter handle and lighter weight, but all the quality of the full length version. For the field, no horse owner should be without an equine manure scoop, also known as a horsey poop a scoop! This consists of a large ½ bucket on a metal handle, with a separate metal rake. These are now available in a wide range of bright colours as well as the standard black, and come in two heights, standard and tall manure scoop (for taller riders). If you are fed up from an aching back whilst ‘poo picking’ your field, invest in an equine manure scoop and you will never look back!

More Horse Toys

There are a number of horse toys available for horses to play with in the stable and field, and some of these can be especially useful if your horse has to be confined for long periods for reasons of illness or injury, such as a tendon strain or laminitis.

The most ideal toy is the Snak-a-Ball, which is a hard plastic ball designed to be used with pony nuts of similar, and encourages the natural foraging behaviour of your horse. You may have even seen some slightly more unusual animals using them in zoos as they are very tough and very useful for other animals such as zebras, monkeys, anteaters and other more exotic species to use! The pony nuts are put in at one end and the stable toy has to be rolled and manipulated by the horse in order to get them to drop out of the other end. This is an ideal way to encourage trickle feeding and prevent bolting of the food which can lead to choking, which can be a problem especially with greedy ponies.

Other useful toys include the tongue twister, a sturdy plastic ball that swivels and is attached to a wall and can be filled with 2 little Likits (Likits are described in a previous post). When the horse tries to bite the treat, the ball swivells away and the horse has to work to get hold of the tasty reward. Stable toys for horses help to enrich the equine environment and ensure the horse remains mentally relaxed which also aids a quick recovery.

Keeping your Horse Entertained with Stable Toys

There are a number of stable toys for horses on the market, but as well as being fun for your horse to play with, they also provide some important enrichment to your horses environment. It is often unavoidable to have to confine our horses for a number of reasons such as stabling at night during the winter, but this is essentially a very unnatural and sometimes unnerving position for a prey animal such as a horse to be in, so it often helps to provide some form of entertainment for them to distract them and make them feel at ease.

The most popular stable toy is probably the Boredom Breaker, a simple but effective toy consisting of a smooth plastic ball suspended from a rope with a pair of plastic plates designed to take a "Likit", a hard, sweet tasting horse treat available in a number of flavours.

Little likits can be inserted either side of the ball itself which provides further amusement, as the horse wants to bite the treats but has to work hard to get even a few licks. This helps to pass the time, and most horses enjoy the challenge of trying to seize the tasty reward, but make sure you place the toy away from a wall or most horses are clever enough to quickly learn they can trap the toy against the wall and get a good bite of the treat!

These stable toys can also be useful for horses that weave or kick the door. In this case it is usually ideal to place the toy in the doorway so that the horse encounters it when he looks out of the door which will often then distract him from the intention to perform a vice.

Types of Metal Used in Horse Bits

Many hundreds of years ago, horse bits were made from metal alloys which often included nickel or copper. Over the years, stainless steel was discovered and bit production was moved over to this much cheaper and stronger material which seemed to offer the ideal solution.

Nickel is know not to be the ideal material to have in bits as it can be prone to snapping without warning, and causes allergies in some horses in the form of small pimples around the lips and mouth.

Copper however, although soft can be very useful when mixed with other metals to give a much more palatable taste.

Stainless steel is very strong and can be formed into almost any conceivable shape, but to a horse is essentially a very ‘dead’ metal. There is no taste to it and is very difficult to mark which indicates its hardness. This tends to have the effect of drying the horse’s mouth and often causes a tense or rigid jaw in response to the very inert metal in their mouths. If you were to put a stainless steel fork in your own mouth and suck on it for a few minutes, you will see how it is very difficult to keep the saliva flowing when there is no taste stimulus.

Copper and sweet iron are commonly seen in horse bit production today, and with the modern thinking, there is good reason to think that almost every horse would prefer to be bitted in a bit made from one of these metals that is able to oxidise and has a ‘taste’. It is also said that these metals when used in conjunction with each other produce a minute (and harmless!) electrical charge that also helps to stimulate saliva production in the horse mouth, which helps to prevent cracked or split lips and a sore or hard mouth.

Modern bits such as Sprenger and Myler utilise these metals in their bit designs, and with the anatomical design of the mouthpieces tend to offer the horse the most pleasant bitting experience possible.

Neck covers for horse rugs: When to use them

Neck rugs are a fairly recent addition to the modern ranges of horse rugs, and most horses will have neck covers for at least one turnout rug if not more. The better made neck rugs such as those by Weatherbeeta or masta will be cut generously to allow total freedom of movement for your horse, and also have features such as anti rub linings to prevent manes from being damaged and stiffening strips to prevent the neck cover from falling down in use.

Neck covers are suitable for almost every horse to wear and are particularly ideal for horses with fully clipped necks. A large proportion of a horse's heat can be lost through his neck on a cold day, and by having a rug with a neck cover on it such as the Weatherbeeta Tri-Star you will help to avoid a cold horse. Horse that have cold necks also tend to grow the hair back faster on their necks than the rest of their bodies which leads to more frequent clipping. The best neck covers zip onto the rug and are usually supplied with it, for example on the Orican turnout which keeps the warmth in, and the rain out. They feature a gap over the withers to help prevent pressure and are easily removed when not required.

Separate neck covers are available for some turnout rugs and stable rugs and they usually have a fairly universal fixing consisting of 3 points of attachment, one either side and one at the top and so are compatible with most rugs that have 3d shaped rings near the neck of the horse rug. It is always best from a fitting as well as an aesthetic point of view to choose a neck cover made for the rug you are using on your horse, as this will ensure the product will perform to its maximum for years to come.

How to check if a horse rug fits correctly

The fit of your horses stable or turnout rug is very important not only to his comfort, but to the longevity of the horse rug itself. A well fitting rug does not have to endure unnecessary strain on the material or stitching that can lead to leaking or early failure of the seams, and obviously from the horses point of view a badly fitting rug can be uncomfortable or even painful if left to rub for long periods.

Ideally, the rug will be lined with a smooth material such a breathable nylon which glides easily over the horses coat and helps to prevent the rug from being caught over the horses wither and causing strain. Many modern horse rugs from equine rug manufacturers such as Weatherbeeta , Masta and Mark Todd use this type of material in their turnout rugs to improve the perfomance of them which is why it always pays longterm to buy the best rug you can possibly afford, such as the very popular Weatherbeeta Taka , or Masta Check-Teck turnout .

When the rug is put on the horse, it should be placed slightly further forward than necessary and the front done up before being slid backwards into position. The surcingles should then be tightened to allow a hands width between belly and strap. There should easily be a comfortable hands width between the chest of the horse and the front of the rug, and the top of the rug should be sitting well in advance of the withers so there is no chance of it pulling back and behind.

When the horse is in motion or grazing, the rug should finish just at the top of the dock, and the rug should not look as if it is straining on the horse at any point, but moving over the top of his coat. Sometimes even with a correctly fitting rug (especially when in moult) horses can start to get bald patches on their chest or shoulders, and shoulder guards or anti-rub vests are very useful to use under the rug to help alleviate this problem.

How to measure your horse for a rug?

Modern horse rugs tend to be fairly similarly sized between makes, and excepting the very cheap imported rugs (which tend to compound the issue by being badly cut) most horse rugs are fairly easy to measure for.

Rugs are measured along the bottom seam, so to find the ideal size stable rug the easiest way is to use a piece of string or bailing twine to measure from the centre of the horses chest (roughly where you can feel the horse breastbone) horizontally around his shoulder, along his side and just past the last point of his rump. You can then measure this on a tape measure, ideally in inches to give you the size. Horse rugs are measured every 3”, and if your horse is between sizes, for example 6’2” it is usually best to go up to the next size which would be 6’3” in this example. Stable rugs without a neck are best bought at the measured size, as are cooler rugs, sweat rugs and fly rugs without necks.

Most Turnout rugs and any horse rug including stable rugs with integrated neck covers are best bought one size larger to allow greater freedom of movement for your horse. Although sizes tend to run true amongst the different popular makes of turnout and stable rugs, the cut is sometimes slightly different and can suit different shapes and sizes of equines.

Mark Todd turnout and stable rugs have highly adjustable fronts and large shoulder gussets, and are especially deep which makes them generally a good choice of rug for any large chested or hunter type horse. The Weatherbeeta rugs have a good range of fitting, and will fit most middleweight horses as well as finer types such as Arabs and Thoroughbreds. Masta rugs are a very adjustable and deep fitting rug, and fit middleweight to larger horses best, but can adjust down to fit finer horses nicely too if required.

The development of Turnout & New Zealand rugs for horses

Turnout rugs are a staple part of any modern horse’s wardrobe, but are a relatively modern invention in the horsey world. The modern turnout rugs for horses are descendents of the ‘New Zealand’ rug traditionally made of canvas. The New Zealand horse rugs were the original turnout rugs produced and available commercially some 30 years ago, but had a reputation of leaking like a sieve in heavy downpours and weighing a ton when heavy! The canvas turnout rugs were also prone to ripping, but this was the only viable material to make an outdoor horse rug from at the time so horse owners put up with it until the more modern materials available today.

The synthetic materials in use today were introduced around 12 years ago, and at first were met with disdain by some in the horse community who couldn’t see how such a light thing could possibly keep their horses warm! At first some of these more modern materials were not without their problems with leaking rugs and horses sweating under their rugs, but within a few years these modern ripstop cordura and nylon based fabrics quickly became established as superior in many ways. A modern turnout rug such as the Weatherbeeta Taka or Masta check tech turnout are very different rugs from the ones available even 10 years ago.

The modern horse turnout rug is fully waterproof and breathable, is lightweight even when wet and has effective filling that means turnout rugs can be less bulky for the horse to wear yet still supply the same tog (warmth) factor. Shoulder gussets have been designed and re-designed to allow freedom of movement, and fastenings are placed in the optimum place to keep the rug from slipping behind the withers and rubbing (a common problem in early horse rugs, which often led to fistulous withers!). Coupled with the more modern linings which tend to be nylon based and thus slide over the coat more effectively, the modern turnout rug really does offer the best protection for your horse in inclement weather.

Welcome to The Saddlery Shop’s first official blog!

Most of the blogging will be done myself, Lucy Nicholas - one of the directors of The Saddlery Shop and I hope to be able to cover a wide range of horsey subjects covering everything from booting barefoot horses and bitting to how to choose a winter rug. Look out in the horsey press too, as you can often see my ‘two pence’ worth in the equestrian press such as Horse and Rider or Horse and Hound.

With winter approaching, horse rugs seems to be a good place to start, and many horse owners with be dusting off their rugs and sorting out which turnout rugs are suitable for the inclement weather that no doubt is just around the corner! Horses, like humans, ideally need a wardrobe of horse rugs to cover every eventuality, and having the right rugs will help any horse owner to sleep more peacefully knowing their horse is snug and warm in a good rug. Our horse rug department has an extensive range of rugs from leading manufacturers such as Masta and Weatherbeeta and prices all below RRP. We stock 1000’s of horse rugs so you know you will get the rugs you need when your horse needs them most, as we dispatch them from our warehouse and are not reliant on our wholesalers stock like a lot of companies.

It is possible to cover all eventualities, without having quite as many clothes as the average horsey female (which most horsey partners will be very glad to know!) by using rugs to layer up and do more than one job. To ensure your horse has a rug for all seasons, the following is a suggested list:

• 1 Lightweight turnout (no fill or 100g max)
• 1 Mediumweight turnout (approx 200g-250g)
• 1 Heavyweight turnout with optional neck cover (approx 300g +)
• 1 Mediumweight stable rug
• 1 Heavyweight stable rug (with optional neck cover if draughty)
• 1 Fleece or similar cooler
• 1 Under rug

It is always advisable to have spare rugs in case one gets damaged or soaked through unexpectedly, so it is always wise to look out for a second hand bargain to keep for an emergency too if possible. This combination will allow you to cover all weather and temperatures with the use of layering if necessary, travelling and cooling your horse down and keeping him warm after exercise at any time of year.