WINTER is not far away and, with light hours reducing, many horses will have now started growing their winter coats.

Buying the right rug for an individual can be tricky, as not all horses are the same shapes and so it can be beneficial to try out rugs made different manufacturers to get an idea of your horse's shape.

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 - some tips:

n Measure your horse before you go out to your local tack shop. 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.

n 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.

n When you've bought the rug, take it home and try it on your horse over a clean summer sheet - make sure you leave all the tags on.

n If the rug fits then remove the tags and use, if not, you might be able to return the rug to the retail outlet you purchased it from as long as it is in a saleable condition - check with your retailer at the time you purchase the rug.