When it comes to purchasing horse rugs, the size of your horse rug is just as important as the fit. There are a number of things you need to consider when measuring a horse rug size for your equine friend as you do not want it to be too tight or rub.
First off, what type of horse rug do you want? The thickness and material can affect how big or small a rug needs to be in order for it to fit properly. Also, where will this rug go? Does your horse have large hindquarters that might require more coverage than other areas? These are all questions you should ask yourself before heading out shopping for horse rugs. Once you know what kind of rug you're looking for and which area requires extra warmth/coverage (the neck!), check out our rug size guide below - please remember to use this guide is a 'guide' only - every horse is different.
How to Measure Your Horse:
Take a soft tape measure and measure horizontally from the centre of the chest to the end of the rump.
To take a measurement using European sizes, take a soft tape measure and measure from the withers across the back all the way to the top of your horse's tail.
If you already have a well-fitted rug you can always lay the rug flat out and measure the rug instead.
Horse Rug Size Guide Measurements
European Sizing - Back Seam (cm) | Body Length (Feet, Inches / cm) |
|---|---|
55 | 3'0 / 90 |
60 | 3'3 / 100 |
65 | 3'6 / 105 |
70 | 3'9 / 115 |
75 | 4'0 / 120 |
85 | 4'3 / 130 |
90 | 4'6 / 140 |
95 | 4'9 / 145 |
105 | 5'0 / 155 |
115 | 5'3 / 160 |
120 | 5'6 / 170 |
125 | 5'9 / 175 |
135 | 6'0 / 185 |
140 | 6'3 / 190 |
145 | 6'5 / 195 |
150 | 6'6 / 200 |
155 | 6'9 / 205 |
160 | 7'0 / 215 |
165 | 7'3 / 225 |
After you have measured your horse and find you are in-between sizes, always go bigger rather than smaller unless your horse has a narrow chest. If you find your horse is more on the chunky side then you may need to go up a size to accommodate their Neck/Shoulders/Chest area.
Once you have found the perfect rug, make sure it fits correctly:
4-Step Horse Rug Fitting Guide
1. Once your rug is on and done up, check the front, top of the rug, it should sit in-between 2-4 inches in front of the withers so it does not apply too much pressure and cause any rubbing and irritation, then slide your hand down the inside of the rug to the chest straps to ensure it is not too tight and restrictive.
2. Next look at your horse's rump area, the end of the rug should be at the top of your horses tail when they have their head down grazing, if it hangs further down their tail this could be an indication the rug is too big, and if it is showing restrictive and sits further up their rump the rug may be too small.
3. After, take a look at the surcingles under the belly, you should be able to fit a hand width in between your horse's belly and the surcingles, if they are any longer your horse could get a leg stuck when they are rolling if they are too tight the rug could become restrictive.
4. Finally, check the leg straps, this is the same as the surcingles under the belly, you should be able to allow a hands width in-between the strap and your horse's thigh area, when doing up the straps fasten the first strap around the one leg and then when fastening the second strap try looping it through the first strap to keep the strap out of the way of the horse's legs. If your rug doesn't have leg straps but has a fillet string instead, this should be fastened securely with the tail over the fillet string, the string prevents the rug from blowing off in the wind and also coming off when your horse is rolling.
At Upton Equestrian we offer a wide variety of rugs to suit all Horses, Ponies, and budgets with the added bonus of FREE UK Mainland Delivery on all orders over £25. If you need further advice or assistance with purchasing your horse's rug then do contact us at hello@uptonequestrian.com we will be more than happy to help.
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