Derby House medium Combo Polka Dot turnout rug: review

Despite a couple of features that make this rug a little cheap, it is a fantastic item and great value for money

My first impressions of this rug were that it seemed rather lightweight and I wasn’t overly keen on the gold fastenings, which didn’t look particularly robust. However, I really loved the design and burgundy with white polkadot colour, which wouldn’t be to everyone’s taste.

The rug is made from a 600 denier outer fabric, with taped seams, a 200g fill for medium warmth and is suitable for a clipped horse to wear in the autumn months before it gets too cold. The 6’3″ size I tested fitted my 16.1hh Irish thoroughbred horse perfectly and the shaped neck and shoulder gussets allowed for greater flexibility and movement without chafing. It has two adjustable buckle fastenings on the neck, which allows a better fit and two buckle and clip fastenings at the chest. This rug has cross surcingles and leg straps with a tail flap. My horse came in from the field dry, even after being out in heavy rain, and I particularly like the storm flaps at the base of the neck to prevent water from getting underneath the rug in that area. On a milder day the rug seemed breathable and my horse did not overheat.

In summary, I would recommend this product to a friend. I was pleasantly surprised with how well this rug stayed in place while worn in the field. It is far more robust than my first impressions, it has remained intact despite my horses field antics, and the price tag is also very appealing, at only £44.99. The only alteration I would make would be to change the fastenings from gold to silver, as I think the gold makes it look a little bit cheap.