Choosing the Right Summer Horse Rug in Australia
Choosing the Right Summer Horse Rug in Australia
As summer approaches, Australian horse owners face a unique challenge: how to keep horses cool, protected, and comfortable in soaring temperatures. The right summer rug doesn’t just prevent sunburn or insect bites—it also supports coat health, reduces stress, and ensures your horse stays at ease in the paddock. At Delzani, we stock a wide range of summer horse rugs designed for Australian conditions, including breathable fly mesh rugs and lightweight summer flag rugs. Here’s how to choose the right rug for your horse this season.
Why Summer Rugs Are Essential
Unlike winter rugs, which focus on warmth, summer rugs are designed to keep horses cool while still offering protection. Harsh sun can bleach coats, biting insects cause irritation, and constant swishing at flies increases sweat and fatigue. A well-chosen summer rug creates a barrier without trapping heat, ensuring your horse stays both comfortable and protected.
Understanding Rug Materials
Summer rugs are all about balance—providing coverage without overheating. The two most common materials are:
Fly Mesh: Woven with breathable fabric, these rugs maximise airflow while shielding against flies and biting insects. Perfect for humid or insect-heavy regions.
Flag or Cotton Rugs: Lightweight and soft, these rugs offer UV protection and prevent coat bleaching. Ideal for horses that are sensitive to harsh sunlight.
Rug Weight vs Airflow: Why Heavier Isn’t Always Hotter
Many horse owners assume that a heavier rug automatically means more heat. In reality, airflow and fabric weave play a much bigger role in keeping a horse cool. For example, our Barcoo summer rug is made from a durable, flat-weave mesh that allows excellent air circulation. Feedback from riders in hot and humid regions like South-East Queensland confirms that the Barcoo is every bit as cool as a traditional flag rug—but with the bonus of extra durability.
That said, we know most riders prefer to stick with the tried-and-true flag rug when battling the peak summer heat. For horses that need the lightest mesh rug option possible, the Warrego rug is a fantastic choice. It’s made from a lightweight raised weave that’s stronger than flag fabric, offering a balance between coolness, protection, and durability—at an unbeatable price point.
The takeaway? Don’t judge a rug’s summer suitability by weight alone—look at how it breathes and how it performs in real-world Australian conditions.
Choosing a Rug Based on Your Horse’s Needs
Not every horse requires the same type of summer rug. Consider these factors before buying:
Coat Colour: Dark-coated horses absorb more heat, so breathable fly mesh rugs are often the better choice. Lighter-coloured horses benefit from UV-blocking flag rugs to prevent coat bleaching.
Skin Sensitivity: Horses with pink skin or prone to irritation should wear rugs that combine sun and insect protection. Pairing a rug with a fly mask ensures full coverage.
Workload: If your horse is in light work and spends long hours in the paddock, a lightweight, breathable rug is best. Performance horses that sweat heavily may need fly mesh for maximum airflow.
Fit Matters: Avoiding Rug Discomfort
A rug that’s too loose can slip and cause rubs, while one that’s too tight restricts movement and traps heat. Always check shoulder freedom, chest closures, and overall length. A good fit allows airflow without exposing sensitive skin.
When to Rug and When to Leave Off
Not every day requires a summer rug. Extremely humid days with no breeze may be better managed by leaving your horse rug-free but shaded. On sunny, fly-filled days, however, rugs provide vital comfort. Monitor your horse’s behaviour—excessive sweating under a rug means it’s time to reassess your choice.
Pairing Rugs with Other Summer Essentials
For full protection, combine summer rugs with complementary products:
- Fly Masks – Protect the eyes, ears, and face from insects and sun.
- Insect Repellent Sprays – Extra protection for legs and exposed areas.
- Grooming Brushes – Remove sweat and dirt before rugging to avoid irritation.
Final Word: Comfort Is Key
Summer rugging isn’t about covering your horse at all times—it’s about choosing the right protection for the right conditions. With breathable fly mesh rugs, UV-shielding summer flag rugs, and innovative options like the Barcoo and Warrego, Delzani helps you strike the perfect balance between coverage, airflow, and durability. Explore our full range of all-season horse rugs today and keep your horse cool, protected, and happy all summer long.
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Privacy Policy
Delzani is committed to providing you with a high level of customer service. This includes protecting and maintaining the privacy, accuracy and security of your personal information. We are bound by and will abide by the National Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act (Cth) 1988 . This is in addition to our existing obligations under the Privacy Act.
What personal information do we collect and hold?
In the process of conducting our business we are likely to collect a wide range of personal information about you. The type of personal information we collect always includes your name, residential and billing address, email address, telephone or mobile numbers and products and services we provide to you. We don’t store any credit card information on our web site. We pass it onto our bank for processing.
How do we collect personal information?
Delzani collects personal information directly from you when you submit it online at Delzani.com.au . There may be occasions when we collect information from publicly available sources or third parties. This information includes names, email addresses, telephone numbers and social media profile name sourced from permission based marketing activities.
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In order to improve and better our offers and service, we may keep track of patterns of use in the e-mails and social interactions we send. By supplying us your information, you have given us permission to communicate to you via mail, e-mail, SMS, MMS, social media and telephone to inform you about services we deliver relevant to you indefinitely.
Disclosure of personal information
We may use or disclose your personal information to organisations outside Delzani for purposes relating to the management of your account with us. Such organisations include: Service providers who manage the services provided to you; mailing systems which organise delivery of the products you have purchased; live help service providers, maintenance and repair services; market research; and our professional advisers, accountants, lawyers and auditors.
We require these organisations to adhere to strict confidentiality of your personal information and also seek to ensure that they adhere to the National Privacy Principles. These service providers may not use your personal information for their own marketing purposes.
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Delzani takes reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is secure. We have robust systems and procedures in place to protect your privacy whenever we collect, store and use or disclose personal information. We are continually upgrading these systems and reviewing our procedures to ensure the highest standards of security are used to protect your personal information.
How to access and amend personal information
If you wish to obtain a copy of our data privacy policy, access the personal information we hold about you or your personal information is inaccurate, incomplete outdated or to unsubscribe, please direct any queries regarding your privacy rights email sales@delzani.com.au.
The release of information is subject to some exceptions such as information relating to existing or any anticipated legal proceedings, together with exceptions provided by the Privacy Act. Our objective is to respond to any request within a reasonable timeframe and no later than 30 days.
How your information may be shared
Except for the purposes outlined in the Delzani Privacy Policy, we never sell or disclose your personal information. However, we may release personal information under the following circumstances:
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when requested by the courts or laws (for example, a subpoena) or regulation or is requested by a government agency;
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where we deem a company or an individual may be engaged in fraudulent activity or other deceptive practices that a governmental agency should be made aware of; and/or to appropriate persons, where your communication suggests possible harm to others.
Changes in this Privacy Policy
If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes to this document, the home page and other places we deem appropriate so that you are aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it. We reserve the right to modify this privacy policy at any time, so please review it frequently. If we make material changes to this policy, we will notify you here, by email, or by means of a notice on our homepage.
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