Family Owned and Run - Established 2003 Free Brochure

Your Comprehensive Guide to Horse Clothing

In this definitive guide to horse clothing, we’ll explore essential attire for your equine companion across all seasons. Our guide covers useful advice on everything from lightweight gear for summer comfort and hi-vis safety wear for year-round visibility. Discover how to choose the right clothing to ensure your horse’s comfort and safety in every condition.

Winter Clothing for Horses

To safeguard your horse against the cold and harsh winter weather, it’s essential to equip them with appropriate clothing. Vital winter attire for horses includes:

Heavyweight Horse Rugs

These rugs are indispensable during the cold months, providing warmth and protection from the elements. Made with thick, insulating materials and often lined with fleece or similar fabrics, they keep your horse warm and dry, even on the coldest days.

Insulated Boots

Protecting your horse’s hooves and legs from cold and damp conditions is crucial in winter. Insulated boots, designed with waterproof and thermal properties, help prevent chills and maintain comfort during frosty weather.

Neck Covers

horse neck cover

For additional protection against the cold, neck covers can be attached to your horse’s rug. These covers help prevent heat loss and protect the sensitive neck area from icy winds and rain.

Hooded Rugs

For full-body warmth, hooded rugs are an excellent option. These cover the horse from ears to tail, providing maximum protection against freezing temperatures, wind, and precipitation.

Spring and Summer Clothing for Horses

horses lightweight rugs

As the seasons change, so too should your horse’s wardrobe to ensure they remain comfortable and protected. Here’s what you need to know about dressing your horse during the warmer months:

Lightweight Horse Rugs

Summer calls for lighter, more breathable rugs that protect against UV rays without causing overheating. Look for rugs made from materials that offer UV protection and are designed to be airy and light, ensuring your horse stays cool during warmer days.

UV Protection Gear

Just as with humans, prolonged exposure to the sun can be harmful to horses. Equip your horse with UV-protective gear that covers sensitive areas prone to sunburn, such as light-coloured noses or thinly-haired patches.

Fly Masks and Sheets

Spring and summer bring flies and other biting insects that can irritate and distress your horse. Fly masks and sheets protect your horse’s face and body from insects without causing discomfort or overheating. These are usually made from lightweight mesh materials that allow visibility and airflow.

Horse Livery

Reflective and Hi-Vis Clothing to Protect Your Horse

Ensuring your horse is visible in low-light conditions is crucial for safety, particularly during the shorter days of autumn and winter. Reflective and hi-vis clothing for horses can significantly enhance their visibility, making them easier to spot by drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Here are the essential reflective and hi-vis items to consider:

Reflective Horse Rugs

These are designed with high-visibility colours and reflective strips that catch the light from vehicle headlights and street lamps, enhancing your horse’s visibility during early morning or late evening. Opt for rugs that offer both waterproof and breathable qualities to ensure comfort as well as visibility.

Hi-Vis Leg Bands

Wrapping these around your horse’s legs can dramatically increase visibility from different angles, particularly important when crossing roads or during off-trail rides. They are easy to apply and remove and do not restrict movement.

Tail Guards with Reflective Stripes

Adding a reflective tail guard not only protects your horse’s tail during travel but also increases visibility from behind, which is essential when riding along roads. These guards are typically lightweight and easy to attach.

Hi-Vis Head Collars and Bridle Sets

These ensure that your horse’s head is visible to oncoming traffic, which is especially beneficial when riding near roads. These sets often include fluorescent and reflective materials that significantly enhance visibility.

Infant Horse and Foal Wear

horse halters

When it comes to the youngest members of the equine family, selecting appropriate clothing is essential to ensure their comfort and safety as they grow. Infant and foal wear should be designed with soft, adjustable materials that can expand and adjust as the foal grows. This type of clothing often includes:

Adjustable Foal Rugs

These are crucial for keeping foals warm without restricting their movement. The rugs typically come with expandable panels that can be adjusted as the foal grows, ensuring a perfect fit during their first months.

Soft Halters

Horse Show Clothing

Designed specifically for foals, these halters are made from soft materials to prevent chafing and discomfort, while still being durable enough to withstand playful behavior.

For competitive riders, show clothing must combine elegance with practicality, ensuring that horses not only look their best but are also comfortable throughout competitions. Show clothing includes:

Tailored Show Rugs

Horse wearing a blue rug
Horse wearing a blue rug – a covering that protects the horse from the cold. The horse is looking straight into the lens. A cold, sunny day in winter.

Often made from luxurious materials with detailed finishing touches such as braiding or embroidery, these rugs ensure your horse stands out in the show ring.

Ornamental Head Collars

Crafted from high-quality leather and featuring decorative elements, these collars add a touch of class and distinction during competitions.

Therapeutic Horse Clothing

Therapeutic clothing plays a pivotal role in the care and management of horses, particularly those recovering from injury or requiring enhanced circulatory stimulation. Therapeutic clothing includes:

Massage Pads

These are designed to relax and stimulate the muscles of your horse, helping to increase blood flow and reduce stiffness. These are ideal for use before and after exercise to prepare and recover.

Ceramic-Infused Rugs

Utilising the benefits of infrared radiation, these rugs help enhance circulation and promote muscle and joint health by reflecting the horse’s own body heat back into the body.

Clothing for Pregnant Mares

Caring for pregnant mares involves special considerations to ensure their comfort and health as they carry and nurture their developing foal. Clothing for pregnant mares is designed to accommodate their changing bodies and provide extra support where needed. This specialised attire includes:

Maternity Rugs

These rugs are crafted to accommodate the increased belly size of pregnant mares. They are often adjustable, featuring expandable panels or additional straps to ensure a snug yet comfortable fit that can be altered as the mare’s pregnancy progresses. The design prioritises ease of movement and comfort, ensuring that the rug does not constrict the mare’s belly or cause any distress.

Supportive Belly Bands

Belly bands offer additional support to the abdomen. They help distribute the weight of the belly more evenly, reducing strain on the mare’s back and sides, which can be particularly beneficial in the later stages of pregnancy.

Travel Clothing for Horses

Travelling with horses requires specialised clothing to ensure their safety and comfort during transport. Whether travelling short distances to a local event or longer journeys to competitions or new stables, the right travel clothing can prevent injuries and reduce stress for the horse. Here’s what to consider:

Travel Boots

These boots are designed to protect the horse’s legs from bumps and knocks during travel. They typically cover the legs from the hoof to the knee or hock, providing comprehensive protection. Made from durable materials with padding, travel boots are essential for preventing bruises, cuts, and scrapes. They often feature secure fastenings to stay in place even during long journeys.

Tail Guards

Protecting the horse’s tail during transport is crucial, as the tail can easily get caught or rubbed against the surfaces inside the trailer. Tail guards wrap around the tail and are usually padded to provide protection and comfort. Some tail guards come with a bag that covers the entire tail to keep it clean and prevent tangling.

Poll Guards

Designed to protect the horse’s head, particularly the poll area – the top part of the horse’s head between the ears – which is vulnerable to knocks when loading or during travel. Poll guards are typically made of padded material and fit around the headpiece of the horse’s halter.

Prime Stables family

Connect With the Horse Care Experts

At Prime Stables, we’re committed to being the catch-all shop for all your equine needs. Whether you’re exploring options for new timber equestrian buildings, seeking high-quality equipment, or needing expert advice on horse care, we’re here to help. If you’re planning your next stable expansion or need additional guidance on the best clothing for your horse. contact us today.

Click here to get in touch