Highlander Plus by Shires Fly Rug Fly Combo White

For comprehensive coverage against biting insects, the Highlander Plus fly rug features a generous neck cover which stays over the poll even when grazing. The adjustable belly flap and large pleated tail flap also help keep the horse fully covered. 80%* UV blocking upper fabric protects against sun burn and sun bleaching. Further features: maximum coverage against biting insects anti sun bleach deep leg gussets twin chest straps with buckles three adjustable belly straps adjustable fillet strap loops for leg strap attachment. *Effectiveness may diminish over time. Test carried out in accordance to BS EN 13758-1:2002+A1:2006.

When buying any rug for your horse to wear, fit is key, and should never be underestimated. If you’ve bought the most amazing rug with a whole range of features it could potentially cause more harm than good if it is ill fitting.

The good news is that it is not hard to achieve a good fit - here are our top tips:

Measure your horse before you go out to your order. This can be done with a tape measure. Simply put one end of the tape in the centre of your horse’s chest and the other end on the horse's buttocks where you would expect the rug to finish.

Horse rugs are sized in centimetres, inches or feet and inches - make sure you check what size rug you are getting as a 66" will not fit a 6'6" horse.

The rug should fit well over the withers and the shoulders so that the horse can move freely without the rug slipping back.

The straps should be tight enough to hold the rug in place, but not so tight that they cause the rug’s shape to distort on the horse’s back. If too tight they may cause pressure points around the horse’s chest and wither area.

Cross surcingles should be fastened so you can fit a hand’s breadth between the surcingles and the horse’s body. This means that the straps are tight enough to prevent legs becoming caught should the horse lie down, but not so tight to cause discomfort.

If the rug has leg straps, they should be fastened so that the left strap is passed around the left hind leg and fastened back to the left side. The right strap should then pass around the right hind leg, loop through the left strap, and then fasten to the right side. There should be about 4-5” between the strap and the horse’s leg to prevent the rug slipping without causing the horse any discomfort.