The very top of neck can get a bit wet when grazing .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
My horses are not in rugs yet and they are still out at night. I hope to keep them out until the end of October or just before. They may need thin rugs a bit before then, I have noticed that some horses have rugs on already in the rain. Mine will be clipped towards the end of October and will need stable rugs for the stable and for in the field I always use rugs with neck covers (unless too hot) and the Shires StormBreaker Combo is a great turnout rug with integral neck cover.
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Winter can be a messy time with horses especially if raining. When the horses come in from the field to go in the stable at night, they need their feet picked out and washed if muddy, their rugs changed, you may like to give them a brush then and check them over before putting on the stable rug. I always like to save time and effort wherever possible and have found rugs with neckcovers to be invaluable, saving on muddy manes.
What is a rug with a neckcover? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
You can get neckcovers for in the stable and for turnout. They are more common for turnout. The rug that I am reviewing is the Shires StormBreaker Combo which has an integral neckcover. Some rugs have removable neckcovers which I always used to think were better. However, since using the Shires StormBreaker Combo, I have changed my opinion. The rugs with separate neckcovers can leak at the neck, but the Shires combo doesn`t. I used to think also that they were more versatile if they can be removed, but now I think that if you are using a thickish rug, you need the neckcover at that time anyway, so no need to pay more for a separate neckcover.
The Shires StormBreaker Combo is new and improved. It is 600 denier Shiretex, waterproof and breathable. It has a ripstop synthetic outer and a 300g filling. It has front leg gussets, cross surcingles, leg straps, 2 breast straps and a tailflap.
The StormBreaker Combo does have a lot of features in common with other rugs, but may have different colours, styles, combinations etc.
Ease of Use. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Shires StormBreaker Combo is easy to put on. The fittings are easy to do up. The cross surcingles are easy to do up and keep the rug in place, even when the horse rolls. Just as easy to take off and it dries quickly so that it is ready to use the next day.
Effectiveness. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Shires StormBreaker Como is fully water proof so that the horse does not get wet. Because it is breathable, it does not make the horse sweat and can be put on if they are slightly damp ie. if you have just ridden and sponged them off and want to turn them straight out.
The integral neckcover is great. Horses love rolling, especially in muddy weather. It is really difficult to get mud out of the mane and having a neckcover minimises this. The only thing is, they can still get mud at the very end, but it is much, much better than none at all. The neck cover comes right up the neck but it is not a thick as the rest of the rug or it would be too hot. When the horse is moving and grazing, it does not stay right up 100% of the time, though it does have very good neck coverage. This is not a criticism of this rug, it is the same with neck covers in general.
The tail flap helps keep the tail dry.
Comfort. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The rug is comfortable for the horse. It has nice lining and the cut is made to the shape of the horse. The filling is warm and comfortable and not too thick. Breathability provides even more comfort for the horse as not to make it sweat. The straps are situated as not to cause rubbing. The front leg gussets (shoulder pleats) are another feature which helps prevent rubbing. Horses can often be seen with bald patches on their shoulders in winter caused by ill-fitting rugs, something which doesn`t happen with mine.
Colours. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Shires StormBreaker Combo is available in :-
Pink Diamond Check Blue Diamond Check Airforce Blue.
See, even horses have blue for boys, pink for girls.
Durability. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The rug is made form ripstop synthetic material making it strong and durable. Most horses will not manage to rip this rug. (There are always some rug wreckers, luckily mine aren`t). The stitching and fastenings are secure.
The Shires StormBreaker Combo is very reasonably priced at £79.90.
I would consider it to be a medium weight rug and heavy weight rugs are more expensive. This is still a good price for a mediumweight Combo. It would suit a lot of horse through winter but some finer ones who are fully clipped would need a thicker one. The advantage of buying a combo is that it works out much cheaper. Rugs without neckcovers are cheaper but you then end up paying £60 for the neckcover alone.
I recommend the Shires StormBreaker Combo. There are lots of rugs on the market but I think this one offers effectivness and value for money. They are available from saddlers and mail order.
More details
Price
£79.99
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