From going through a really mild start to the year Melbourne has suddenlyplunged into chilly weather and if you’re like me, you’ve found yourself scrambling forwarmer rugs for your horses. Caribu comes to the rescue!

We road tested two winter rugs this time round; the Caribu Alpine 1200 Denier Winter Comboand the Caribu Lined Canvas Rug.

Caribu Alpine 1200 Denier Winter Combo
The Caribu Alpine 1200 Denier Winter Combo is a fantastic waterproof turnout for the longcold winter months.

The Alpine is the donna lined version of the Caribu Eclipse Rain Sheetsthey introduced earlier in the season which have been overwhelmingly successful.

The first thing you will notice is that Caribu don’t sacrifice quality for price.You won’t find any velcro or plastic fittings on a Caribu rug. With stainless chest, neckbuckles and leg straps you don’t find yourself having to replace worn out or broken fittingsin a hurry.

True to form, Caribu continues to use the stronger 1200 Denier fabrics in their Turnoutrange which is more durable and has a longer life than the 600 Deniers.

The new Alpine combos feature a revised shoulder cut and offer more shoulder room. The TentTail flap and removable webbed leg straps now come as standard.

The Turnout has 300 grams of polyfill. As Jane from Caribu told me “Many manufactures offerwinter rugs with 100 to 200 grams of polyfill. This is more for marketing than actualbenefit. The rug generates its warmth by capturing the air pockets in the polyfill lining.Less than 250grams grams of Poly fill offers little insulation effect, there just isn'tenough body to the filling to trap sufficient air and create an insulation layer. It’s notuntil you get upwards of 250grams, that you get enough body in the lining to make a realdifference.”

“Keep in mind that polyfill packs down over time. So if you start off with too small amountof fill to begin with - after a few months you will be holding your rug in your hands and becontemplating buying another one,” she finishes.

The Caribu 1200 deniers feature some of the best waterproofing and breathabilityspecifications for their fabrics on the market.

At a remarkable price of $121.95 for a Combo or $92.95 for a Rug version, these turnouts aregreat value and reflect the benefits of buying direct from the manufacturer.

Guaranteed to keep your horse snug, warm and dry this winter.

Caribu Lined Canvas Rug
The Caribu Lined Canvas Rug offers a good alternative to synthetic turnouts for keeping ahorse that’s otherwise hard on rugs, warm this winter and I have to say that it is possiblyone of the best fitting canvas rugs I have come across in ten years of rugging horses!

Caribu has used a 16oz 100% Cotton canvas this season.

“You can’t beat canvas when it comes to breathability, we have used a 100% cotton fabricthis year which just can’t be beaten for breathability. Unfortunately many manufactures areusing 100% polyester – which isn’t the best option for a horse’s comfort,” Jane says.

The rug features a generous Tent tail flap, belly surcingles, removable webbed legstraps as well as a generous anti-rub lining in the shoulder area. The body area has a Woolblanket lining.

As Jane from Caribu explains “Many canvas rugs are let down by using a cheap felt lining –it’s very important the lining has a high wool content. A thinner wool lining wins handsdown over a thicker felt lining. The wool improves breathability but also plays a leadingrole in creating a barrier between the horse and the canvas which slows the capillary actionof drawing water in during wet weather.”

The Rug version is available for $63.95 and the Combo version is available for $75.95.

Caribu have rugs to suit your horse and your hip pocket. Visit Caribu Horsewear forfull details on both these Winter Warmers.

Comment on this article using the Comment Function below. Discuss this article with otherusers on the Horse Forums.

Follow us on Facebook.

Joomla Templates and Joomla Extensions by ZooTemplate.Com