A Comprehensive Guide to Buying the Right Horse Blanket

A Comprehensive Guide to Buying the Right Horse Blanket

How do you know which is the right horse blanket for your horse?

The weather is starting to cool down, so our thoughts turn to how to keep our horses comfortable during cold, inclement weather. You want to be sure your horse is warm and dry, but with the multitude of blankets available to choose from and the expense incurred when buying one, you need to be sure you get the right one for your horse.

Here is a guide to help you decide on the right horse blanket.

What kind of blanket should I buy?

There are literally hundreds of different styles and types of blankets available, and they can be very expensive. So, you should first ask yourself: Does my horse need a blanket at all?

Most horses can survive year-round, outside, even in extreme climates, provided they have adequate body hair and a place to shelter from the wind. In higher elevations or very exposed pastures, an unclipped, old or horse with a thin coat could benefit from extra protection in the form of a blanket. A horse that has been clipped (hair removed from its body) MUST wear a blanket while it is turned out during inclement weather and while stabled. Horses are better at generating body heat in the pasture as they can move around more. A stabled horse is more likely to feel the cold unless the stall is adequately insulated.

Once you have decided your horse needs a blanket, you must ensure you get the right one.

There are basically two different types of horse blankets:

Stable Blanket

Stable blankets are used, as the name would suggest, while the horse is in the stable. They are NOT waterproof and should not be used outside. They are generally made of a quilt-type material and fitted to the body. Hoods, usually sold separately, can also be used for complete coverage of horses with a full-body clip.

Turnout Blanket

Turnout blankets are waterproof and come in two different types: standard or combo. A standard turnout blanket covers from the withers to the tail, whereas a combo also has a detachable hood to cover from just behind the ears down to the withers.

What size blanket do I need?

How to measure a horse blanketTo know what blanket size to buy, you need to measure your horse. If possible, get someone to help you with this.

  • Stand your horse squarely on a level surface
  • With a flexible tape measure, measure from the center of the horse's chest (over the high point of the shoulder) to the rear of the hind leg (level with the point of the buttocks)
  • If the size you measure is not available from the manufacturer, round up to the next size

Will it keep my horse warm enough?

Blankets are generally filled with either Polyfill or Fiberfill and measured in grams. The amount of filling will determine how warm the blanket will be. Knowing how much fill your blanket will need is decided by the following factors:

  • The environment in which your horse will live. Take into consideration not only the weather but also his accessibility to shelter.
  • The condition and length of your horse's coat and whether or not he is clipped

Below is a chart to help you decide how much fill your blanket will need:

Fill Warmth
Sheet - no fill Provides protection from wind and rain
100-gram fill Light warmth
150-gram fill Light to medium warmth
200-gram fill Medium warmth
250-gram fill Medium to heavy warmth
300-gram fill Heavy warmth
400-gram fill Very heavy warmth

Can my horse wear the same blanket all winter?

It would be very convenient for all concerned if your horse could wear the same blanket all winter, and some do. However, some days are warmer than others, even in winter (especially if you live in the lower states). Therefore it is a good idea to have at least two stable blankets and two turnout blankets.

Below is a chart to help you decide when to use which blanket:

Temperature Horse with a Full Coat Horse with a Body Clip
50 - 60° F No blanket Sheet
40 - 50° F No blanket Light to medium blanket (150-250g)
30 - 40° F Sheet or light blanket Medium to heavy blanket (200g-300g)
20 - 30° F Light or medium blanket Heavy (300-400g) or medium (200-300g) with blanket liner
Below 20° F Medium blanket Heavy (300-400g) with blanket liner

Will the blanket be strong enough not to rip?

Some horses can wear the same blanket season after season, and some are so destructive they only have to walk out of the stall, and the blanket is in pieces. No matter how much care you take to keep your horse safe while turned out, accidents can happen. One thing to consider is the strength of the outer material, also known as 'denier.' The thicker the material, the stronger it will be.

The following chart will give you an idea of how resilient your blanket will be:

Denier Strength
210 Very light strength
420 Light strength
600 Medium strength
1200 Heavy strength
1680 Extra heavy strength
2100 Super heavy strength

Now you know which kind of blanket you need and how warm and strong it needs to be, all that is left is to decide what color to buy. Nowadays, that's another subject. Remember, your horse doesn't care what color or design the blanket is, but he will be more content if he is comfortable and warm (not too hot) during the winter. Happy shopping!

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