Ponyo Horsewear Rugs: Not Just a Pretty Face!

Are you considering buying a Ponyo rug for your little floofer, but concerned they may not be as long-lasting as they are beautiful? Be assured that here at Team Ponyo we never compromise on quality for the sake of style, and we've created this blog to prove why our rugs are a little different from the average patterned rug out there.

Our top priority when designing our rugs, believe it or not, was not the eye-catching patterns. That came second after quality, fit, strength and durability. Following a lot of hard work, we are really proud of the product we've created and we believe that our rugs are the highest quality patterned rugs on the market. 

So, why do we care so much about the strength of our products? Our founder's 23-year-old part-Connemara, part-rug destroyer has ripped and trashed more rugs than we can remember over the years, so we know the importance of investing in high quality rugs which last.

We use only the best quality 1200D ripstop outer fabric, which is extremely durable, waterproof and breathable. It undergoes thorough industry standard testing before it gets turned into rugs, to make sure of this. We have Ponyo patterns printed at the world's leading waterproof fabric printing centre to ensure a long-lasting quality.

But the strongest material in the world can still be let down by weaknesses in other parts of the rug. We also use strong, high-quality metal clips and attachments that won't deteriorate within a few uses, plus thick, durable thread to reduce the likelihood of any rips at the seams.

A perfect fit, every time

We have also spent months perfecting the fit of our rugs. Our personal pet peeve is when rugs are cut too low at the front and rub the horse's chest and shoulders, reducing freedom of movement and causing discomfort. Our rugs come sufficiently high at the shoulder to ensure a great fit. What's more, owners of both narrow and wide-shouldered horses have been impressed with the adjustability of the chest fastenings, allowing horses of all shapes and sizes to wear the rugs comfortably.

We want all horses and ponies to be able to run and play in the field and unleash their inner Ponyo whenever, wherever, so we added a generous shoulder gusset to allow for this — no matter what funky shapes they decide to throw!

The neck covers have been designed specially to improve comfort and cover as much of the neck as possible — don't you hate it when a horse puts his head down to graze and suddenly 75% of his neck is not covered? Our neck covers also have a generous overlap onto the rug’s body, with D-ring attachments placed further back than on a standard rug. This means that there's no chance of any rain getting in there, even when the horse’s head is down which, let's face it, is most of the time!

Details, details, details

One of our favourite design features is the velcro flap at the chest. This clever addition not only looks great, as it features our logo, but also ensures the rug stays perfectly in place and reduces pressure on the chest straps and attachments, meaning they'll last longer too. Oh and have you noticed that all our rubber logos match the colours of their rug? Satisfying.

A lot of people have also asked whether or not the neck covers will rub away their show ponies' luscious locks. Rest assured, we took this into consideration during the design process, and opted for a silkier lining to reduce the likelihood of any rubbing. Show season, here we come!

If you have any questions about the style, fabric, quality or fit of the rugs, please feel free to email us on info@ponyo-horsewear.com or contact us via Instagram or Facebook @ponyo.horsewear — we love chatting to our customers and we'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.