Derby House Elite Stormsafe Fly Rug review

Derby House Elite Stormsafe Fly Rug

This waterproof fly rug rug is designed for those awkward days when the flies are biting but showers are forecast. Choosing the right rug for your horse during British summer is always a challenge as the weather can be so changeable. One minute the sun is out, the flies are biting and your horse is grateful for his fly rug – the next it’s tipping it down, and your horse is staring dolefully at you as his (often surprisingly heavy) sodden fly rug resembles an old dish cloth on his back.

Step in the Elite Stormsafe Fly Rug from Derby House. With a 600D ripstop topline panel to protect your horse from sudden rain showers and a 300 denier inter-locking nylon mesh to protect your horse from biting flies, this rug offers the best of both worlds when the weather is due to be changeable.

First impressions of this rug were that it was generously sized and fitted well. The fastenings appeared to be robust and of good quality. The rug is lined up the neck over the mane and across the shoulders to reduce the risk of rubbing and this appeared to work.

The touch and close loop fastenings under the neck stayed done up and the tabs at the end of each made them easy to thread through the loops as well as grab to undo. The neck portion is generously sized and so provides good coverage right up to the horse’s ears when the horse is grazing.

The chest fastenings were robust, adjustable and had a choice of positions so this rug should suit both broad and narrow chested horses alike. They were also easy to use.

The rug is quite deep and the cross-surcingles are positioned fairly low so this provides some protection to the horse’s belly area, even though the rug does not have a dedicated “belly” cover. The cross-surcingle fastenings feel solid and they are secured to the rug with a clever piece of elastic inside the webbing to allow the straps to “give” a little, without any risk of them pulling loose. The straps can be adjusted to size as normal.

The rug has a large tail flap, which offers protection from both rain and flies, and comes with a clip-on adjustable fillet strap, rather than rear leg straps.

The rug did keep the horse dry during light summer showers, as well as protecting him from flies. Unlike many fly rugs it did not become incredibly heavy when damp and dried quickly. It did not rub or slip and all of the fastenings proved up to the task.

Unfortunately the 600D rain strip did suffer some damage during “play-time” in the field as can be seen in the picture above.

I think if I was looking for a rug for a horse that is on individual turnout then this one would be ideal. However, if I wanted a rug of this type for a horse that was playful and turned out in a group, I would look for something similar that has rain strip in a more robust material of a heavier denier.

Verdict

A great multi-purpose rug that is good value for money and ideally suited for horses on individual turnout or without playful field buddies!

In the UK? View now at rideawaystore.com
In the US? View now at rideawaystore.com

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