A rug that saves you money in petrol? No wonder H&H brand development editor Sarah Jenkins is besotted with Mark Todd Air Mesh Combo Fly Rugs
I was given a Mark Todd Air Mesh Combo fly rug and liked it so much I bought one for my other horse and old pony, too.
It’s a standing joke in our family that any change in the weather is noted not in celsius but in rug change requirements for the horses. “Oh, the temperature’s dropped a bit since this morning, a good summer sheet’s worth, or maybe even a Thermatex I’d say. Sarah?”
Ha, bloody, ha.
With the increasing cost in petrol, I’ve toughened up over the years and decided against the need to nip up to the yard every two minutes to switch rugs. Plus, with Britain’s ever more fickle weather, I don’t think I could hold down a job that way.
That’s why, with the horses all living out for the best of the summer months, I’m all for a “combo” rug. One that I don’t need to change if the temperature fluctuates 10°c in a day. One that seems to reflect the sun off their backs when it’s 24°c, but retains their body heat when it drops to 10°c at night. One that even withstands a light shower.
Yes, really, this rug is a godsend.
OK, it can’t stand up to a heavy downpour, and I’ve been caught out when the forecast has read “occasional passing showers” by which it meant “relentless sodding rain”.
In these instances, the rugs weigh down and the horses shiver, I hotfoot it up to the yard but it’s too late — the rugs will now take an eternity to dry in the barn. But I can’t blame Mark Todd for that. I should just do the recycling ever more ardently in order to combat global warming single-handedly.
The belly straps are Velcro so do up in a jiffy. The clips on the neck are dead easy, too. There’s a Velcro loop at the top of the neck I’ve never felt the need to do up. And the crossover leg straps stop it flapping up in the wind.
The rug doesn’t rub, possibly on account of the nylon lined shoulders, and is a generous fit with no scrimping on fabric, so flies have very few access points.
I’ve tried many a flyrug over the years; few even fit one horse. This one fits all three equines (in different sizes of course), from a 13.2hh native to a 16.2hh middleweight via a 15.2hh Thoroughbred. I really do love it.
Mark Todd Air Mesh Combo fact file
Brand: Mark Todd
Product: Air Mesh Combo
Colour: White with blue and tan detail and grey mesh
Sizes: 5ft6 – 7ft
RRP: £53.99
Do you have flyrug that you really rate? Tell us about your favourites via the comments box below…
