How to Make a Horse Rugs
Although horses are generally outdoor animals, not all horses are suited for the outdoor climate in the summer and winter months. Rugs help to give protection from the sun and insects during the summer and provide warmth during the winter months. You can make your own horse rug any style, color and design that you desire.
Materials Needed:
- Tape measure
- Pattern drafting paper
- Fabric
- Fasteners or buckles
- Wide webbing
- Elastic webbing, D-rings, and clips
- Measure for the horse blanket size starting from the chest to the point of the hindquarters. This will give you your blanket size with measurements in inches. To get the back size of the blanket measure the center back measurement from the horse withers to the tail. The final measurement that gives you the length is from the withers to just bellow the barrel of the chest. To allow for a seam, add 1 inch to all the measurements above.
- Lay your pattern drafting paper out flat. Create the rear part of the blanket by setting down the length of the back measurement first. Once you get the length, you should see a short line on top, a connecting line at the rear, and a longer lone on the bottom of your pattern draft. Mark the halfway point for the measurement of the length of the blanket. To make an area for the neck, create a curve at the front of the blanket to connect the half-length mark to the front of the center back mark.
- Choose your fabric after you have created the pattern. If this rug is going to be mainly used outdoors, than a waterproof outer layer is a good idea. For cooler or indoor rugs, fleece is a good material to use. Make sure that the fabric is durable for the horse.
- Double the fabric if you can, and then lay the pattern's back measurement right along the centerfold. Pin the pattern to the fabric and cut it out. If you cannot double the fabric, cut two different pattern pieces, and then stitch them together only along the back seams. Check the fit of the rub not before you finish making the rug and its straps for the rug.
- Sew the binding to the edges of the blanket, once you have made sure the fit of the rug is good. If the rug will be left on the horse for long periods of time, you should at least ad one surcingle strap and a tail or leg strap, for durability. To hold the front of the rug closed add a fastener or Velcro.