Did you read PART ONE??? Good. Now we’re square, continue onwards!
Criteria #1 for blankets: durability (for antics such as these)
“Blanketing is my favorite thing ever!” said no person, ever. I know, it’s a drag to have to deal with blankets in every way possible. You have to change them due to the fluctuating temperatures all day and all night, you have to repair/replace them when your rogue horse decides he needs to be naked, and you have to find a laundromat that won’t kick you out when they become encrusted in mud.
However, blankets are important to the health and well-being of our sport horses during the winter, and knowing your facts is cool, I promise you. Last week, we discussed when to blanket, and why to blanket. This week, we’ll discuss blanket styles and proper blanket fitting.
Just about the only fun thing about blanketing is the actual purchase, the creation of your horse’s wardrobe, if you will. I will freely admit that I’m slightly addicted to having every possible blanket for my big horse, if only because he is a Prince, and he obviously needs more clothes than I do. There are so many options! Good lord, there are options for weight, latching, leg straps, and don’t forget color! Blanket shopping is exciting and fun, but it can also be a daunting task. With so many different styles, weights and technical terms, it can be tough to know where to begin.
First step? Measure your horse. This is easy, but a lot of people get the wrong size, which can result in ugly blanket rubs, blankets falling off and getting trampled, or generally unhappy horses. Make sure you get the right size! Here’s a quick video from our friends at SmartPak (they know everything!) about how to measure your horse for a blanket. From mid-chest, to mid-tail. Easy!
Next we want to select the style, but what kind? Again, the options can seem overwhelming, but here are a few tips to help you narrow them down if you’ve never bought clothing for this specific horse. A lot of it comes with personal knowledge of your horse. I have one horse who has a HUGE shoulder, and he can only wear blankets that have the half-hood, and he has to have a size bigger than he measures, just because his shoulder won’t fit. But I had to find it out the hard way, by buying the wrong blanket a few times.
*Note* All of these are simply suggestions, but by no means is it a true guide that makes a perfect fit for every horse. Each horse is different!
IF….
- Your horse is thin or narrowly built, look for blankets that are streamlined in fit. You can more easily get away with ones that don’t have any neck coverage. Weatherbeeta is a good brand for these types of horses, and they won’t drown in them.
- You have a big and tall horse, like my boy Nyls, you’re gonna want to look at Horseware Ireland’s Rambos. They are positively the only thing that my horse can fit into, and they are very roomy for those with bigger shoulders or hips. I also find that the Baker blankets fit the big boys well for stable blanketing.
- You own a chunky monkey (think Quarter horses or ponies), you want the blanket with room, but without the length that comes with the Rambo line. Big D blankets, and Horseware Ireland’s Amigos are really good for this body type because they offer the room in the body, but they don’t drag down to their knees.
Also available, adorable matching doggy blankets!
So now you’ve looked at a few brands, let’s talk about some other factors to consider, like leg straps or horses that get weird blanket rubs no matter what you seem to do. Some blankets have three straps underneath the belly, some have two. Some have leg straps that criss cross between the hind legs, and some just have a short strap that goes underneath the tail, so what do you choose? My question for you is, how much of a Houdini is your horse? If you’ve got a cheeky bugger on your hands, go with as many straps as you can handle buckling for the extra security. However, if you’ve got a fidgety, nervous or touch horse, you might want to skip the hind leg straps so you don’t spend time fiddling around back there every day.
What about neck styles? If you’ve got a horse with big shoulders, high withers, or wither rubs, go with the high neck blankets that come about halfway up the neck. The scooped style really relieves pressure on the withers, and it allows lots of room for big shouldered horses. Then you’ve got to think about the neck closing style. There are closed front “hug” type blankets that are great for layering purposes, not as many buckles upon buckles that the horse has to struggle against when they put their head down to eat. There are some that even go up and over the head, but those aren’t super for anything but your most unflappable types. Horses that get shoulder rubs should try v-front blankets, like the Rambo Wug or Rhino Wug, because they are cut a little higher over the shoulder and neck, which alleviates a lot of pressure.
If you’re looking for durability, and need a blanket to stand up to a naughty horse, look for the “denier factor”. Turnout rugs should indicate their denier. Amigo turnout is 1200 denier (pretty durable), while the Big D Heavy Magnum is almost indestructable at 2100 denier. Look for ballistic nylon and ripstop exterior fabrics to keep your sewing machine in the closet this year. No patches for you!
Now, get blanket shopping Eventing Nation! And while you’re at it, pick up some adorable matching dog blankets, because let’s be real, everybody wants their dog and horse to match.
