Horse Blankets

by Owen Jones⁽²¹¹⁾ Red Star

http://the-real-way.com

People who ride horses can be called 'equestrians' although an equestrian is usually thought of as a horse rider in a competition rather than a cowboy. Equestrians ride in competitions such as the Olympic Games and Gymkhanas. These games are usually expensive to enter and so are considered rich people's sports. In these sports the skill of the horse is just as important as the skill of the equestrian.

The health and fitness of the horse and its rider are of the utmost importance. The vet will take care of the horse's inner being and the stable boy will take care of its external care. Part of this care depends on using proper horse blankets some of which are known as horse rugs or horse sheets.

Horse blankets are used to protect the horse from the elements in much the same fashion as we use clothes. Race horses are highly strung animals and can become sick quite quickly if they are not looked after properly. They have to be treated like an Olympic sportsman would take care of himself.

When a horse has been exercising, which mostly means running or jumping, it will develop a sweat. When it stops exercising, it will get a chill unless looked after. This is where anti-sweat or cooling rugs come in. These rugs have a fine mesh weave, which allows the horse's skin to breathe, which means that the sweat will evaporate without the horse cooling down too quickly.

There is also a fly sheet or fly rug which will keep horse flies, mosquitoes and other insects off the horse while it is at a standstill, grazing in a field. The fly sheet can have other accoutrements to protect its neck and head. These additional pieces are known as neck covers, bonnets and fly masks. That full kit provides better protection from insects which can spread diseases as mosquitoes do in humans.

A summer sheet is a lighter kind of rug, which will protect the horse from insects and direct sunlight during the warmer months. They can also be used as travel rugs when the horse is in his trailer.

Under blankets or liners are used under heavier blankets to prevent rub or friction from weighty stable rugs. These under blankets are usually manufactured from wool because it is soft, natural and absorbent.

Stable rugs are used to keep the horse warm during the colder winter months and they come in various thicknesses and weights much the same as duvets come in various tog values.

Turnout rugs are more like overcoats and are long enough to wrap around underneath the horse's belly to protect it from the chill and rain. These turnout rugs also come in various thicknesses for protection against various degrees of cold. Turnout rugs can also be used in the summer, but they are significantly thinner than the winter variety.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on a number of subjects, but is now involved with the Handmade Baby Blanket . If you would like to know more, please visit our web site at Woollen Blankets .

Article submitted Monday, November 15, 2010 & read 149 times.

Owen Jones writes on many subjects and is currently running several websites. He was born in Wales but now lives in northern, rural Thailand.

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» left by Jennifer Stewart (1 year 168 days ago.)

Have you ever visited Siena in Italy? They have a horse race called Il Palio every year, which takes place in the town "square". It's got to be the only horse race of note where horses are allowed to be drugged, and can even win the race even if the rider falls off!
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