When should I use a medium weight stable rug?

Medium weight horse rugs for sale are generally used when a horse needs extra protection against the biting cold of the autumn and winter months. Although a horse can usually regulate its own body temperature, there is no harm in giving them a helping hand if you struggle to keep their stable well-insulated or temperatures drop below 5 degrees.

However, we recommend fitting your horse with a medium weight stable rug when temperatures start to dip under 10 degrees if they are young, old, clipped or underweight. It can be hard for a weaker horse to keep its body temperature up in winter as there isn’t a lot of room to move around in a stable, so you may find yourself reaching for a medium weight stable rug more often than you might first imagine.

When shouldn’t I use a medium weight stable rug?

You shouldn’t use a medium weight stable rug at all if your horse is classified as a small horse. This is because you’re putting the smaller horse in danger of overheating due to the increased filling in the rug, which can lead to serious health problems.

Similarly, you shouldn’t use a medium weight stable rug as a cooling rug as this can also lead to overheating. A cooling rug serves the opposite purpose to a medium weight stable rug, as its function is to cool a horse down after they have exercised. By adding more heat onto your horse in this way, you’re also putting them in danger of overheating.

Medium weight stable rugs shouldn’t be used in the summer months either. You wouldn’t wear a big, heavy coat in warm weather, so why would you do this to your horse? Although the great British weather is rather unpredictable, this kind of stable rug isn’t at all necessary until temperatures are classified as freezing.

What else is a medium weight stable rug used for?

It’s a common misconception that a medium weight horse rug is only used to keep a horse warm in the winter months, but it can also be used to reduce the need for bathing, keeping your horse looking presentable for longer. A horse without a stable rug is much more likely to need a bath as the dirt, grime, and perspiration from the outdoors sticks to their coat, which inevitably requires more frequent baths or even treatment for a skin condition.

However, when the time does come for you to bathe your horse, you can still use your medium weight stable rug. It will help the horse to dry off gradually so that they don’t catch the shivers as a result of the cold water. It should be noted that if you’re planning to use your medium weight stable rug in this way, you need to make sure that the material it’s made from is absorbent. If not, it can cause more discomfort and irritation to your horse.

What is a medium weight stable rug made out of?

More often than not, a medium weight stable rug is made from around 150g and 300g of cotton filling. This is the midpoint between a lightweight stable rug, which is made up of less than 150g of cotton filling, and a heavyweight stable rug, which is made up of more than 300g of cotton filling. A medium weight stable rug is typically made from a warmer, quilted material, but it can be also made from a synthetic material that helps your horse’s perspiration evaporate. It’s worth considering what you’d rather use your medium weight stable rug for before purchasing, as a quilted rug would be best simply to keep your horse warm, whereas a synthetic medium weight rug would be more hardwearing and better for collecting dirt and water.

How should I clean my medium weight rug?

As your medium weight rug has a cotton filling, avoid putting it into the washing machine. It’s unlikely to even fit and could damage the rug itself.

We recommend that you wash your medium weight rug by hand, using non-biological soap (as this will prevent irritation to your horse’s skin) and cold water. Make sure you use cold water rather than boiling water as hot water may cause damage to the surface layer of your rug. On a synthetic medium weight rug, boiling water can also remove the waterproof sealant.

Using warm water is also a big no as bacteria love these conditions. Whilst your rug may look clean, you don’t know what could be lurking below surface level, and if not cleaned properly, your rug could trigger a skin condition.

If you notice bits of muck on your medium weight rug, you can spot clean it. This involves taking a cloth, soaking it in cold, soapy water and gently scrubbing the areas of visible grime. You can do this as many times as you want, but this doesn’t count as a deep clean.

How should I dry my medium horse rugs?

You shouldn’t dry your medium horse rugs in the tumble drier as this can cause them to shrink and tear (if you can even fit them in the machine in the first place). Instead, we recommend that you dry your medium horse rugs by laying them across a radiator or on a clothes maid so they can airdry.

Can I get medium turnout rugs for horses?

Medium turnout rugs for horses are available for those who want to give their horses an extra layer of protection when they’re out in the field. They’re great for keeping your horse both clean and dry. For a medium turnout rug, we recommend opting for one made from synthetic material. Check out our medium weight horse rug sale for some of the best prices on the market.