StormX Original 50 Combi turnout rug

StormX Original 50 Combi turnout rug

As a showing enthusiast, I was delighted to open the StormX Original 50 Combi turnout rug from Hy Equestrian to find it was a stunning purple colour with yellow and black detail, similar to the iconic Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) colours. It was certainly an eye-catching rug that I wouldn’t get bored of seeing my horse in.

I tested a 6ft rug on a 14.2hh Dales pony mare. She is a stockier stamp of native with hair but is fit and in working condition. It was a true 6ft in size and fitted her perfectly.

The StormX Original 50 Combi is priced at £64.99, which is a good price if the rug lasts the full season and beyond, though there are cheaper 50g fill rugs on the market.

This was an out and out lightweight rug with little fill, suitable for wetter, warmer conditions, or it would even be handy to pack in the lorry in preparation for showers or damp temporary stables when out and about at competitions.

Hy confirms that the rug is “ideal for use on milder days” and that the “50g filling provides some extra warmth and the 600D waterproof rip-stop material will protect them from the weather”.

I, therefore, wouldn’t recommend it for an extremely cold winter’s day, for a horse who needs more protection from the cold or if you had a finer, clipped horse. However, it is ideal for those days when the sunshine comes out unexpectedly, or if you need to rug a native with a thicker coat. It would be great for when the weather is changing, too, and you’re worried about the temperature rising later in the day.

The rug was deep on the mare and provided her with plenty of room to move around in the field and there was no concern about rubbing. The back end of the rug over the tail and quarters was slightly too big on this horse and this could possibly cause some concern that the rug could slip around if the surcingles were not done up tight enough. A dart in the back of the rug might help to make it more secure around the rear end. During use this rug has stayed put on the mare, so I would definitely recommend for owners of natives or chunkier breeds.

Possibly, choosing two sizes and then finding the ideal fit would be a good solution. Hy Equestrian also provides a handy size guide on their website so you can measure your horse’s back and body lengths to find the perfect size; spending a few extra minutes doing this could be beneficial.

In terms of ease of use, the front buckles have been hard to do up — the pin takes some manoeuvring to get into the desired hole, which impacts the practicality of the rug and means it takes quite a while to put on.

The neck was a great fit on this pony, with plenty of room for movement and it looked as though it wouldn’t rub the hair underneath. I would recommend this rug to owners of natives and stallions as it is very true to size and there was plenty of space; there isn’t a need to size up as you might do normally to accommodate the extra neck size and crest. It also sat nicely below her ears and wouldn’t irritate the horse while she was grazing.

Verdict

A good, well-priced choice of rug for natives or horses with more coat, and for the warmer, rainy days which can sometimes take us by surprise. However, the poor quality front fastenings make it hard to put on.

View now at amazon.co.uk, viovet.co.uk, rideawaystore.com or equus.co.uk

Who tested these rugs?

Alex Robinson joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor and features assistant. She graduated from University of Leeds in 2016 and has freelanced for specialist equestrian magazines, including The Native Pony Magazine and has contributed to the National Pony Society annual journal for the past few years.

Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the show scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and Olympia and has extensive knowledge of current issues in the showing world and the horses, ponies and riders who compete. She has a rare insight into the sector that comes with riding amongst the best at top level. She has produced a variety of rides to the highest level and has a passion for bringing on youngsters through the ranks. She has several ponies, mainly natives of all types, on the yard and rides most days each week before work.

At H&H Alex is responsible for the all aspects of showing coverage and is continuing to cement its place as the leading publication for both reports and current showing news. When not writing, she will be found competing her own ponies on the county show circuit.

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