Caring for your horse rugs

Caring for horse rugs is an important investment. A horse may need multiple rugs depending on their type, management, or “job”. So you’ll want to make sure those rugs stay in good condition in order to get the most out of them. Here are some useful tips for caring for your horse rugs…

Why Use a Horse Rug?

Rugs can be used for many reasons, such as:

• To protect your horse from weather like rain and wind during turnout
• To keep them warm in their stable or whilst travelling
• Keeping them clean, comfortable and dust-free before competitions
• Wicking moisture after bathing or exercising 

Even if not used between spring and autumn, most horses will have rugs for the winter months at the very least, with turnout rugs being the most used.

Reasons for Cleaning

Looking after your rugs not only helps them last as long as possible, but it’s important for the welfare of the horse. Keeping the rug clean keeps your horse clean – as well as healthy.

A full wash, either by yourself or by a professional should be done when you can, perhaps at the end of the season when not in use and before you store it away.

For rugs that are being used daily or continuously, it’s a good idea to wipe the inside regularly with a damp cloth or sponge to help prevent the build-up of grease. If the underside of the rug becomes greasy enough, it can cause skin irritation to your horse, it can also increase the chance of rubbing to their coat, mane, or tail.

An alternative idea is to use a cotton sheet or a very lightweight stable rug, such as our 50g standard stable rug, as these can be put in a washing machine regularly to prevent any build-up of grease. 

Check them Over

A good first step when caring for your horse rugs is to check it over regularly for any holes or damage that could harm its effectiveness. Make sure there are no issues with the straps or anything else that could cause discomfort or pain to your horse.

You may be able to make some repairs yourself, depending on your sewing skills. If not, professional cleaners may also offer a repair service.

How to Wash

Many horse rugs, especially winter rugs, may be too large for an ordinary household washing machine. This will mean that the rug will not be able to move around in the drum, which is important for fully cleaning. So unless you have a heavy duty commercial machine that can handle such tasks, it may be best to contact a professional horse rug cleaning service.

If you are washing the rugs yourself, always check the instructions for how to wash the rug, and always make sure you use non-biological products, as biological cleaning products can lead to skin irritations to the horse as well as damage the proofing.

No matter how muddy your rugs get, we wouldn’t ever recommend scrubbing them with a brush as doing so could damage the fabric. This is especially the case with turnout rugs, as scrubbing it could affect the proofing.

Taking Care of a Turnout Rug

Due to the proofing properties, turnout rugs need to be treated carefully.  We would recommend taking it to a professional rug launderer or using an appropriate washing machine for rugs. 

If you do have your own machine, be sure to use non-biological products as well as good quality rug wash and reproofing products made for turnout rugs. 

Exposure to the elements over a season can wear on the waterproof elements of the rugs, so you can either have them reproofed at the same time as a clean by a professional, or you can buy proofing products like sprays and do it yourself.

Drying and Storing

In all cases, rugs should be allowed to dry naturally in a well-ventilated environment. Letting them air dry outside will freshen them up before you store them away. Drying them in a shaded place is an extra safe way to make sure that excess sunlight doesn’t cause damage.

Don’t use a tumble dryer as it could damage the rug due to high temperatures, the spin could also cause damage to the material.

Make sure the rug is fully dry, as storing whilst still damp could result in the growth of mould and disintegration of the stitching and/or fabric. The rugs we sell at Ruggles come with a zipped bag that has handles, so it’s worth keeping these to store the rugs when they’re not in use.

To protect the proofing on turnout rugs, make sure to store them in a cool, dry environment away from sunlight.

When is a Good Time to Clean?

We would recommend that turnout rugs be fully cleaned at the end of the season, with regular wipes of the underside lining during the season to prevent the grease build up that can irritate your horse’s skin. 

Try to do this daily, or at least when required, make sure to check regularly as the longer you leave it, the more likely skin irritation will occur and the harder it will be to clean. A horse’s coat produces natural grease every day, it contributes to a healthy and shiny looking coat but excess build up of this can rub between the rug and the horse’s skin.

Even if you get a professional wash, keeping up regular maintenance is best for both the horse and the rug. So follow the steps above and you’ll have a long lasting, good quality rug and a healthy, happy horse.