Rugging in Florida is always a bit of a gamble. Some years the temperature barely drops at night, other years it turns freezing and you regret not packing your heavy rugs. This winter has been one of the coldest I’ve experienced here, and I’ve definitely needed more layers than expected to keep the boys comfortable, especially at night and before riding.

Being on the Aloga Team means I’m lucky to have plenty of options to choose from. I brought the Pro Stable 200g as my heaviest rug, along with the 100g and 0g, which I use the most. For turnout, I packed the Pro Turnout 0g, Fly Dry Sheets for rainy days, and of course their daily Fly Sheets. The rugs really get tested with all the rolling in Florida’s black sand, but they’re holding up brilliantly.

To save space, I always pack extra rugs in the horses’ flight bags. That came in handy this year when we had a very cold stopover in Amsterdam I needed those heavier rugs straight away. I also always keep a Pro Fleece in the flight bag to keep their backs warm during loading on cold days. A little tip: detach the tail strap before takeoff so it’s easy to remove once they’re on the plane.

The flight went smoothly, and the five boys travelled well. After two days in quarantine in Miami, they arrived in Wellington where I had everything ready stables set, feed organized, and all prepared for the season ahead.

Now, a few weeks in, we’ve already had a fantastic start. Bertram has been consistently in the ribbons with Darragh Kenny’s horses as well as our own Pacino Amiro, while Qonquest and Kadans have also kicked off the season strongly. If the rest of the circuit continues like this, we’re in for two very exciting months ahead.