A versatile and robust turnout rug that’s still perfect one year on

Our reviewer loved this rug and believes it to be something that will last and last

I have now owned the Horseware Rhino Plus turnout rug for over a year and I can genuinely say that it is still as good as new. I have used the rug religiously for 2 winters, and due to the removable liner it has also been my go-to rug in autumn and spring.

As previously mentioned, my horse, Harry, is very good at destroying rugs, however even after all this time he has not managed to damage it. The only thing that has broken on the rug, through general wear and tear, is the rubber stopper on the surcingle (see picture below), however this doesn’t affect it in any way and is easily replaced.

Read my initial review [published May 2016]:

I tested this rug in 6’6”. The first thing I noticed about the rug, before even getting it out of the bag, was its attractive appearance – the colour of charcoal with light purple check was ‘masculine’ enough for my gelding.

Now, Harry is a bit of a mud monster. He is the sort of horse that will fully cover himself in mud, despite having a rug on – we just don’t know how he does it. In addition to this his main pleasure in life comes from detaching the neck from his rugs and hiding them in the field. So, I thought that if this rug passes the ‘Harry test’ we really are on to a winner.

I began testing this rug before Christmas, when it was still cold and very muddy. I tested a medium weight, 200g fill rug with an additional liner to bring it up to a nice heavyweight. These liners are available to buy separately (from £50) and after testing the rug I strongly recommend that you do, as they make for a much more versatile rug.

When putting the liner on Harry I thought that it was perhaps a bit shallow, and maybe it could have done with being a bit deeper. However, once I put the rug over the top this was not an issue. The liner attaches securely to the rug at various points via liner loops and fitted him nicely, with no risk of rubbing.

The rug itself fitted very well, although I did think that the detachable hood looked very large. It soon became apparent that this is what Harry needed – he is yet to discard it in the field. Therefore I strongly agree with the description that reads ‘surefit neck design with V-front closure to give freedom of movement to graze’.

The rug features reflective strips at the front, which were especially useful in the winter when catching the mud monster from the field. Additionally the rug has leg arches and three secure cross surcingles to help ensure the perfect, secure fit.

Harry has remained warm and dry throughout the winter and the rug stood up to all of the wind and rain that we were lucky enough to experience.

In addition to this he hasn’t sweated up if the weather suddenly decided to take a sunnier turn.

The beauty of this rug is that as we came into spring I was able to remove the liner and be left with great medium weight and saving us from buying an additional rug. In my opinion, it’s definitely worth investing in a Rhino with a liner, as you essentially get two rugs. Harry has not managed to damage the rug at all and it has even remained relatively clean after months of wearing it (see below). He continued to wear it into spring, and is still doing so.

My only criticism is that mud managed to get on the inside of the liner (I told you he gets mud everywhere). The image is the result of him rolling in a muddy spot. This did not pose a problem; he did not get wet and I easily cleaned the rug with a baby wipe.

Overall this is a smart, well-fitting rug that oozes quality. I feel that it will last him for years to come, which is what I look for when buying a rug. I would strongly recommend this to anyone looking for a versatile rug that can take you from autumn through to spring. My yard owner told me that she would disown me if I gave this rug anything less than a 10.

Verdict

I am pleased that this rug has remained in perfect condition and am confident that it is a good investment for any horse owner looking for a durable, robust and versatile rug.

Details

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