Equestrian Life Magazine September Issue 220

on and turn the horse out straight away –especially with youngsters or nervous horses. Always check all is well with the horse and the rug before you let both loose in the field. The same applies to stable rugs! • Winter turnout and stable rugs are a big investment for any horse owners so choosing the right rug is imperative. Look out for details such as high denier Ripstop materials and extra attention being paid to buckle and strap stitching, as these will not only help save money on rug repairs but also increase the life. www.shadowhorse.co.uk 01628 857 466 Kensington Rugs allow plenty of freedom of movement around the chest area Preparing for Winter with Kensington Rugs With winter fast approaching, it’s time to think about your horse’s winter wardrobe. US rug and accessories brand Kensington Rugs are now available exclusively through on-line retailer Shadow Horse in the UK and with a heritage spanning over 40 years and plenty of experience keeping state side equines warm and toasty, Kensington certainly know a thing or two about rugs! • • • but also offers you two rugging options without the added expense of having to purchase two rugs. • Check over your rugs now before the really cold/bad weather sets in & make sure that they are all clean & in good condition – the last thing you want is to pull them out when you really need them & be reminded that you forgot to send them for repairs & cleaning when you have nothing else to put on your horse! Remember that some brands can be more generous than others with their sizing, so always check with the retailer about any brand you are buying from. Also double check that as long as you try the rug on a clean dry horse with a cotton sheet on underneath, you can exchange it for a bigger or smaller size if the fit is not right If your budget is tight, consider buying a rug with a detachable neck cover. This offers not only a practical solution to our ever-changing weather pattern Chloe Bernard • You should ensure that the chest area is not too restricted by the fastenings especially with the bigger chested horses such as cobs, warm bloods or heavier draft types; you need to allow freedom of movement. We also offer a ‘Friesian Cut’ across our rug collection, which has been designed with big chested horses in mind. All Kensington Rugs are designed to allow plenty of freedom of movement around this area, as well as offering a snug fit around the shoulders. When trying on a rug, always do up the front straps, surcingles and leg straps and check that the rug doesn’t slip too far back, from observing the horse moving around the stable and also check he has plenty of room to put his head down. Kensington Rugs are cut fractionally higher than most other rugs in the market around the chest to improve comfort and fit and help eliminate rug rubs and pressure points developing across the horses wither and shoulder. Another important consideration is that whilst the material must be strong, the attachments should be able to release in case of an emergency. Platinum is precious! 1 to be won! Following on from the successful launch of the Kensington European Cut and SureFit Textilene Protective Sheets to the UK market by exclusive retailer Shadow Horse, Kensington Rugs have introduced a brand new collection called the ‘Platinum Series’, which embraces technical fabric and contemporary design. Available in a medium weight and a heavyweight with optional detachable fully lined hood. This new generation of rug means that the weight is not representative of how toasty it can keep your horse - the intelligent fabric and filling used in the rug’s design means that they can be worn in hot or cold temperatures from -6oC – 22oC dependent on weight of rug and thickness of coat. The rug is styled in a clever, 1680 Denier Ballistic Nylon outer shell fabric. 100% waterproof, this outer shell is threaded through with a Teflon and Lami-Cell coating which helps keep the rug clean and breathable whilst protecting and extending the life of the rug. The rug’s filling is ‘Hollow-Fibre Fill’ which gives the impression of a much denser insulation without the associated weight. This and the rug’s ‘CoolPlus’ lining draws excess heat away from the horse’s skin, helping to acclimatise your horse and wick away any moisture. The removable insulated belly-band significantly helps to keep the horse warm without having to use a neck cover. The rug’s SureFit cut is the best bits of their Traditional and European Cuts, open at the front to enable free movement of the shoulders it is contoured to the shape of the horse to allow for all shapes and sizes with minimal risk of rubbing. Add to the rugs many features a detachable tail flap, semielasticated and removable cross surcingles and leg straps featuring a 2” snap and D’s and front buckle and double click fastenings for security and you can see why Platinum is precious! Sizes: 5’9”, 6’0”, 6’3”, 6’6”, 6’9”, 7’0”, 7’3” Medium weight rug Price: £155 Colour: Teal with Black & Silver Heavyweight rug Price: £170 (neck cover available at £75) Colour: Blue Violet with Blue Violet & Silver Shadow Horse pride themselves on offering the very best products sourced from all over the world and personally test each product to ensure its does what it says on the label and stands the test of time! www.shadowhorse.co.uk 01628 857 466 Kensington Platinum Turnout Range Exclusively From Online Retailers Shadow Horse An ill-fitting rug will cost you more in the long run, through rips, wear and tear and even rug rubs and sores, as it slips, slides and pulls all over the place, than investing in a good quality rug, which should see you through many winters • 74 • TURN TO ENTRY FORM TO ENTER It’s common sense to never simply throw a new field rug www.equestrianlifemagazine.co.uk EL-SEPT13-S5.indd 74 22/08/2013 19:55:00

Equestrian Life Magazine September Issue 220 | Page 74