Horse Rug Storage Ideas
Getting all the horse rugs you need for your horse is one thing, but how do you store them all? Large, heavy rugs take up a lot of space when not in use, and we often get asked about the best way to store them to keep them protected. Here, we will outline our best advice for storing your rugs and blankets to keep them free from dust, dampness, and uninvited guests!
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Horse rug storage ideas
Before the storage begins, it’s a good idea to think about the best way to organise your horse rugs. Having your horse rugs stored logically will make it easier to find what you need without having to undo all your tidying! There are a few different ways you could organise your horse rug collection:
By type
This is the easiest way to separate your rugs. Keep all stable rugs together, turnout rugs together, exercise sheets together, and so on. This way, you can find what you need for all your horses simultaneously without unnecessarily messing up any other rug types.
Your most used rugs should be easiest to access, with more seasonal types stored out of the way. You can always rotate based on the season to ensure quick access to the rugs you need most.
By weight
Weight is another good option to separate your horse rugs. In winter, for example, you can access all your heavy-weight rugs in one place rather than digging through different rug weights to find what you need.
By size
This organisation method depends on the sizes of your horses. If you have multiple sizes to look after, then organising your rugs this way would be helpful, but it won’t make much sense if your horses are all the same size.
How to store horse rugs
Now you’ve chosen how to organise your horse rugs, it’s time to get storing! There are lots of ways to store horse rugs. You can use anything from an old chest freezer to a big shelving unit to store yours, but here are a few of our favourite ways to organise your horse rug collection.
Old feed bins
Waste not, want not! Used feed bins are a great way to store your rugs. Once you’re finished, just clean them, and they’re ready to go. Most feed bins close tightly enough to prevent unwanted visitors like spiders or mice from making a home there. This storage method is a great money saver and keeps feed bins out of landfills.
Garden storage box
Garden storage boxes are readily available and ideal for storing horse rugs. They’re usually waterproof and can be kept outdoors or in a shed or outbuilding. Some garden boxes come with wheels, too, so you can easily transport a box full of horse rugs from one place to another.
Vacuum bags
This is a great solution if you are very short on space. Vacuum bags remove much of the bulk from horse rugs, allowing you to fit more into your storage space. You can also label the bags to make it easy to find what you need.
Rug racks
A rug rack is a great option for travelling or short-term storage of your horse rugs. If you know you’ll need a rug again within a few hours; you probably don’t want to go through the hassle of vacuum packing it or folding it into a box, so a rug rack will keep it safe in the short term. It’s also ideal for travelling if you’re heading out to shows. The LeMieux ProStable Rug Rack can fit multiple rugs and folds for easy transport.
Storage tips
Labelling
It’s no good organising all your horse rugs to forget which ones are which! It’s worth labelling your different rugs to find what you need quickly and easily. We recommend labelling the rug with the horse’s name and also the rug size in case you need to use it on another horse or lend it to someone else. It may not be the most exciting task, but it will save you time in the long run.
Keep it neat and tidy
We don’t mean to nag, but don’t let your hard work go to waste by letting your rug storage get messy. Folding your horse rugs properly will make them more compact and increase their longevity. A tidy area will also make finding the rugs you need much easier.
Wash horse rugs before storing
We always recommend washing your horse rugs thoroughly before storing them for any length of time. It’s important to ensure they are completely dry before storing them. Otherwise, you risk mould and mildew growing, which can cause irreparable damage to your rugs. For detailed advice on washing your horse rugs, check out our guide.
Horse rugs at Oakfield
Our excellent selection of horse rugs covers all bases. We have everything from lightweight exercise and quarter sheets to heavy turnout rugs to protect your horse in all seasons. We have a fantastic selection of brands, with horse rugs available from LeMieux, Shires, Weatherbeeta and more.
Read next
Horse rug guide: Everything you need to know about horse rugs
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