Matilda wearing her Turn Out Head
My mare Matilda is a total mud monster, and being coloured, she has lots of white hair and mane that I fail miserably trying to keep clean through the winter. I have two Snuggy Hood Turnout Hoods already, but wanted to try the Turn Out Head as my turnout rugs all have neck covers and I wanted to see if it worked as well and gave good protection to the head.
Getting the sizing right with both the Snuggy Hood Turnout Head and Hood is really important, so I took some photos of the fit of my Turn Out Hoods and sent them to the team at Snuggy Hoods who confirmed the correct sizing. There is also the option of a pull-on version or a zipped version depending on what you/your horse prefers. I went for the pull-on one. It comes in a lovely Snuggy Hoods bag with a pretty navy ribbon and there are full details on the Snuggy Hoods website on how to fit it and wash it. Once it arrived, I tried it on Matilda and sent more photos for the team to double check the sizing.
Fit
The Head fitted similar to the Hood, but was marginally easier to put on/take off because there was less material without the neck section. It fitted snug but not too tight, and there’s a Velcro strap either side just behind either cheek bone which helps to keep the hood on safe when the horse rolls. There is also a spare Velcro strap which can be sewn onto your turnout rug which can then attach to the D-ring between the ears of the Head. A Velcro strap under the horse’s jaw also helps to keep it in place.
Performance
The Turn Out Head saves on grooming!
The Turnout Head performed very well. My mare is still living out and with lessons and early morning competitions, I’d give her a bath the night before and then put the Head on to keep her clean and dry when she was turned back out – it worked perfectly.
I can cope with brushing mud off her face, but trying to brush out clumps of wet mud from her mane is nigh on impossible, and I did wonder if the Head would be long enough to protect her mane and prevent that from happening. Luckily, it did. The eye holes are quite large (a good thing to prevent the horse’s eyes being covered) but it did mean after a particularly ruthless rolling session, Matilda did have some mud around the eyes, but that I can cope with!
I also used the Turnout Head when I knew the weather was going to be pretty bad overnight and although the tips of my mare’s ears were a bit damp, the rest of her head was pretty dry.
Quality
The Turnout Head washes brilliantly and dries quickly. The material is robust and overall, it is a durable item. For anyone with a horse who loves getting muddy, these are an absolute must for winter because they save a huge amount of time. The silky lining stops the mane from rubbing and helps encourage it to lie flat on the right side.
Value for money
Your Horse tester Stephanie recommends the Turn Out Head
The Snuggy Hoods Turn Out Head is excellent value for money and a great investment. I recommend them!
Important information
The Snuggy Hoods Turn Out Head is available in black, burgundy and navy.
Sizes: XS-XXL. There is a useful video from Snuggy Hoods explaining how to get the fit just right. View it here.
Price — save 20% at the time of writing! — £30.40 ($33) for the zipped Head; £34 ($30) for the pull-on Head.
