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The New Zealand Rug is designed to keep the horse warm and dry when out in the field during winter. It is a traditional waterproof Turnout Rug made from canvas or waxed cotton and often green in colour.
However, unlike modern Turnout Rugs the New Zealand Rug is heavy and bulky and so can result in rub marks, or even sores, on the chest, shoulders and withers of the horse. Some New Zealand Rugs lined or padded fleece areas designed to prevent sores occurring on pressure points or alternatively a Shoulder Liner can be worn underneath the New Zealand Rug to prevent rubbing occurring. In any case the New Zealand Rug should not be too tight round the neck and chest area.
To ensure that the New Zealand Rug gives adequate protection against the weather the rug should be sufficiently long that none of the horse's belly is visible. Some New Zealand Rugs have pleats in the shoulders which allow for more freedom of movement and some also have optional attachments such as neck covers to give extra protection from the winter elements.
New Zealand Rugs normally have a good overlap at the front with front fastening straps providing maximum protection against the elements for the horse.
The rug is held in place by a surcingle and/or hind leg straps. Hind leg straps help to keep the rug from slipping to one side after the horse has rolled and should be fastened by passing one strap between the hind legs and fastening it to the back onto the same side to which it is attached to the rug. The second strap is then passed between the legs, through the first strap, and fastened to the same side to which it is attached. This way the leg straps are linked between the hind legs. The leg straps should be adjusted to allow a hand's width to be placed comfortably between the back of the horse's leg and the strap. If the leg straps are too tight they can cause rubbing, and if too loose the horse may get its hooves caught in the straps when lying down.
New Zealand rugs need to be re-proofed once or twice each winter to ensure they remain waterproof and it is best to have two rugs so that they can be used alternately when one is drying or being reproofed.
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