REPLACE OR REPAIR?
It’s inevitable that over time your horse’s rugs will show the signs of wear and tear. But when do you need to repair and when do you need to replace? Mandy Adams from Newmarket Stable Care offers her advice
Stable rugs can be repaired and washed many times, and are usually subjected to much less than turnouts, which means they will last for years and years if you keep them clean. On turnout rugs, the waterproof membrane coating on the back of the outer material will eventually start to break down with use and age. This may become obvious only if there is a tear in the material and you can see that the membrane has come away from the material. Sometimes you can feel this through the lining and padding.
When it becomes clear that your rug is no longer waterproof, it’s important to assess the cause. Take time to look over your rug for damage to the outer fabric — sometimes this won’t be obvious until it’s clean. Even the tiniest hole will let in water, and although there isn’t much that can’t be repaired you have to bear in mind, especially with turnout rugs, that if any repairs involve stitching you are putting tiny holes into the rug, which will compromise how waterproof it is. Even reproofing may be less successful. It’s at this point that it is more cost effective to consider purchasing a new rug, rather than your horse getting wet and cold as the rug will no longer offer him the protection he needs. You can, of course, still use the older rug as a stable rug or keep it as a spare.