An exercise sheet or rug, also called a quarter sheet, extends from the front of the saddle to the rear of the horse and is used to keep the body of the horse warm and/or dry whilst being ridden in cold or wet weather.
Fleece or wool exercise rugs will keep a horse's back and hindquarters warm when riding in cold weather and are typically used on horses that are clipped in winter and worn either for the whole exercise period or for an initial warm up period and then a cooling down period to help prevent hot muscles becoming chilled.
Waterpoof exercise rugs are designed to keep a horse's body dry when riding in wet weather and a thin waterproof exercise sheet can be used on both clipped and unclipped horses without overheating the horse.
Hi-viz exercise sheets are particularly useful when taking a horse out on roads helping to ensure the horse is easily seen by motorists and other road users from a distance.
Some exercise rugs are designed to be placed under the saddle and not designed to be removed during exercise, whilst others have a cut out area for the seat of the saddle with a fastening at the front which enables the exericse sheet to be removed once the horse has warmed up and then replaced again during the cooling down phase of exercise.
Exercise sheets are measured from the withers to the top of the tail so differ in measurement to other types of horse rugs, although some manufacturers simply offer exercise sheets in pony, cob, full and sometimes extra full sizes rather than cm or inches measurements.
