Have you ever worn a waterproof coat with a sleeveless or
short sleeved t-shirt underneath? Horrible isn’t it? The heat and perspiration
from your bare skin causes moisture on the inside of your waterproof, leaving
you feeling clammy, uncomfortable and wondering if you would be better off wet!
Imagine what a horse feels like…Horses in their natural
state have an amazing coat – it keeps them warm, cool, dry and protected. We
with our, albeit well-intentioned, intervention alter their coat so it no
longer does the job and then attempt to replicate it with rugs.
Rain sheets are rated for breathability, but the
breathability is reduced the moment rain covers the pores, at which point the perspiration
and condensation begins to build up under the rug, leaving the horse with the
same clammy feeling that we humans so dislike.
Most turnouts have a fill layer which enables the moisture
to be wicked away from the skin. If you want to just use a rain sheet, make
sure you put on an under rug to help prevent the build-up of moisture. There
are various innovative rugs out there to help with this problem and to ensure
that you are giving your horse the best possible care.
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