Turnout rugs are designed to keep the horse clean and dry when out in the field, and also warm during the winter.

Turnout rugs have a waterproof synthetic outer material and many modern turnout rugs are made of "ripstop" material designed to be less prone to tearing and snagging. The strength of the outer material of turnout rugs is measured in denier and the higher the denier number of a turnout rug the stronger and less prone to ripping and snagging the outer material of the turnout rug, so a 1200D turnout rug would be less prone to ripping than a 600D turnout rug.

Turnout rugs are breathable and so allow perspiration to evaporate and unlike New Zealand rugs, turnout rugs do not normally need to be reproofed in order to retain their waterproof qualities.

Turnout rugs are available in different thicknesses/weights of filling measured in grams that offer varying degrees of warmth to the horse. Lightweight summer turnout rugs have no filling at all, whilst lightweight winter turnout rugs usually have up to 150 grams of filling, mediumweight turnout rugs 150 grams to 300 grams of filling and heavyweight turnout rugs have more than 300 grams of filling.

Turnout rugs are available with a range of neck designs. Standard neck turnout rugs don't cover the neck at all but the turnout rug may have rings or zips that can be used to attach a detachable neck cover so that a separate neck cover can be attached to and removed from the turnout rug as required. Combo or full neck turnout rugs have an integrated fixed neck cover that covers the whole of the horse's neck, whilst high neck or half neck turnout rugs only cover the lower part of the neck.

Turnout rugs are usually held in place by cross surcingles: one passes from the front of one side of the turnout rug, under the belly of the horse and is fastened towards the rear on the other side of the rug and one passes from the rear of the turnout rug, under the belly of the horse and is fastened at the front on the other side of the rug.

Most turnout rugs have hind leg straps and these are fastened by passing one strap between the hind legs of the horse and fastening it to the back on the same side of the turnout rug. The second strap is then passed between the hind legs of the horse, through the first strap, and fastened to the back of the same side of the rug. This way the leg straps of the turnout rug are linked between the hind legs of the horse. The leg straps should be adjusted to allow a hand's width to be placed comfortably between the back of the horse's leg and the strap. If the leg straps on a turnout rug are too tight they can cause rubbing, and if too loose the horse may get its hooves caught in the straps when lying down.

Some turnout rugs lack legs straps and instead have a fillet string attached to both sides of the turnout rug at the rear over which the tail is pulled through. However a fillet string does not help to prevent the turnout rug from slipping if the horse rolls in the way that hind legs straps do.

To ensure that the turnout rug gives maximum protection against the weather any turnout rug should be sufficiently long that none of the horse's belly is visible when viewed from the side and the front of the turnout rug should have a good overlap. Some turnout rugs have pleats in the shoulders that allow for more freedom of movement for the horse.

Turnout rugs are more lightweight than the traditional New Zealand rug and so less prone to rubbing on the shoulders, chest and withers of the horse. However, a turnout rug that is too tight round the neck and chest area will still be uncomfortable and rub the horse.

There are also under blankets and under rugs available to be used with turnout rugs to provide extra warmth. Under blankets and under rugs are often cheaper to buy than heavyweight turnout rugs and so it is usually more economical to buy a lightweight turnout rug for the milder winter months and an under blanket or under rug that can be placed underneath the turnout rug for the colder winter months than it is to buy a mediumweight turnout rug or heavyweight turnout rug in addition to a lightweight turnout rug.