What Are Turnout Rugs?
If you've ever stood at the field gate in October trying to decide what to put on your horse, you'll know the question isn't really "does he need a rug" it's "which one." Turnout rugs are the horse rugs built specifically for that job: living outside, in the weather, for hours at a time. Unlike a stable rug, which only has to cope with a warm, dry barn, a turnout rug has to shrug off driving rain, stand up to a horse rolling in mud, and still let enough air through that your horse doesn't end up sweating underneath it. That combination — genuinely waterproof on the outside, genuinely breathable on the inside — is what separates a proper turnout rug from an ordinary horse blanket.
Every Criterion turnout rug is built around that idea. The outer fabric is a tough, ripstop weave with a waterproof coating, so rain beads and runs off rather than soaking through, and the lining is designed to let moisture escape rather than trap it. Add secure leg straps, a snug shoulder fit to stop rubbing, and reinforced tail and wither areas, and you've got a rug that can genuinely live in the field through a British winter, not just survive an afternoon in it.
Choosing the Right Weight
This is where most people get stuck, and it's worth taking seriously — the wrong weight rug is either a horse shivering in the corner of the field or a horse sweating under a rug that's too warm for the day.
Fill weight is simply how much insulation sits between the outer shell and the lining, measured in grams. A 0g rug (sometimes called a rain sheet) has no fill at all — it's pure waterproofing, ideal for summer downpours or a horse with a thick natural coat who just needs to stay dry. Step up to 50g and you've got a light layer of warmth that suits cooler autumn nights or horses that aren't clipped. 100g is the one most UK owners reach for by default through a normal winter, on a horse that's unclipped or only lightly clipped. And at 200g–300g, you're into proper cold-weather territory — clipped horses, older horses, or anyone who just feels the cold more than most.
A good rule of thumb: think about the horse in front of you, not just the thermometer. A native pony with a thick coat and 300g rug on a mild day will overheat fast, while a fully clipped Thoroughbred in the same 100g rug on a frosty night will be cold. If you're torn between two weights, it's usually safer to go lighter and add a fleece or stable rug underneath on the coldest nights than to buy one heavy rug and have nothing lighter for the mild days either side of winter.
Standard Neck, Detachable Neck or Combo?
A standard neck turnout covers the body only, which works well if your horse already wears a separate neck cover, or simply doesn't need extra coverage up front. A detachable neck rug gives you more flexibility — the neck piece zips or straps on and off, so one rug can adapt as the weather (or your horse's clip) changes through the season. A combo rug builds the body and neck into one fixed piece, which means no gap at the shoulder where cold air and rain can get in — a popular choice for clipped horses through the depths of winter.
