Good rugs last for years, but knowing how to repair horse rugs can be invaluable – especially if your horse is one of those “rug wreckers”.
You can, of course, send your rugs off to a professional rug wash and repair person, but if you can’t manage without it for a few days or want to save money and reduce your horse bills, you can try to repair them yourself. And if you’re feeling thrifty, you can wash your rugs at home and reproof rugs yourself, too.
How to repair ripped rugs
How to approach a rug repair depends on the extent of the damage done. You can use these methods on all turnout rugs, but also fly rugs, summer sheets and exercise sheets.
How to deal with large rips
One method is simply to sew a waterproof patch over the damaged area. You’ll need a specialist upholstery needle and thread (like these on Amazon) to cope with the tough fabric, or an industrial sewing machine. You can buy waterproof fabric (like this on Amazon) in the colour you want, or you may have an old rug at home that is beyond repair that can be cut up to patch up the newer one.
- Spread the rug out on a large table or the floor so that it can lay completely flat and give you the best chance of making a neat job.
- Sew neatly along the rip – back stitch will hold best if you can manage it.
- Seal it with a strong waterproof glue, such Gorilla glue (also on Amazon). You could also use glue to seal a patch in place.
Small patch repair
How to repair small rips
For small nicks and rips, you can get specialist rug repair kits, such as the Stormsure Repair Kit (available on Amazon). These patches (either self-adhesive or with glue) do the job well and prevent the rips from extending further.
If the patches are too small for the rip, try tent repair tape (like this), which can be rolled out as long as you need it, or a tent repair kit (like this one). These typically come in a range of colours.
How to repair broken straps and buckles
A rug repairer may be the best option for dealing with broken straps and missing buckles if you have the time to wait. But if you are up for a challenge, this is when that old, battered rug that you’ve been holding onto comes into its own. You can reuse the buckles and clips on your newer rug if anything breaks.
If the broken straps are not removable, you will need to cut them off first, noting how they are fixed so that you can copy this. Replace them, using heavy-duty webbing (available on Amazon), copying the original fixture. You will need an industrial sewing maching or a very strong specialist upholstery kit to tackle the thick fabrics.
For a quick fix to a broken leg strap buckle, you can buy new carabiner clips (like these ones) or specialist buckles (like these) to attach the strap. Duct-tape over the old broken clip so that it won’t catch anywhere.
Another emergency fix is to use baler twine as a fillet string under the horse’s tail instead of the crossover leg straps. Make sure you remove any trailing straps that cannot be fixed.
In a perfect world, our horses’ rugs would never tear, break – or get muddy – but with a few simple tricks and a bit of patience, you can make them last as long as they were intended to.
- For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website
You may also be interested to read…
Which rug should I put on my horse? H&H’s helpful guide to help you decide
How to wash your horse’s rugs at home – and what’s best to use
How to reproof your turnout rugs at home – and help them stay waterproof for longer
Your horse’s essential wardrobe: which type of rug does my horse need?
A pick of the best lightweight turnouts for changeable weather
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