A horse blanket must fit the horse correct. A blanket that dont fit the horse may cause rubs on the horse, and blankets that does not fit the horse may restrict the movements of the horse. Blankets that are too small for the horse may ride up at the withers or gap at a chest.
Poorly fitted blankets allow horses to sweat through the blanket or may cause the horse to shiver from lack of warmth. It is important to ensure the blanket fits the horse to avoid these problem. To find the correct size of horse blanket for a horse, it is necessary to take a measurement of the horse.
How to Measure and Choose the Right Horse Blanket
Horses height in hand are not the same than the length of the horse from the chest to the tail. You should use a tape measure to take the length of the horse from the center of the chest to the tail head while the horse is standing square. A helper should hold the tape measure to ensure it remains even with the ground.
The measurement should be rounded up to the nearest even inch. A measurement should be taken of the horse each year to ensure that the weight of the horse have not changed. The weight of the horse may change with the seasons, with the horse gaining weight in the winter or losing weight after the show season.
The measurement of the horse will determine the size of the blanket that should be purchased for the horse. Different types of horses requires different types of blankets. Ponies require blankets that are shorter in length to prevent the blanket from slipping.
Draft horses require blankets with gussets to provide coverage for the large shoulders of the horse. A stocky Quarter Horse may require a blanket that is larger in size than a leggy Thoroughbred horse. Use a size chart to find the correct size of blanket for the horse.
If the horse falls in between two sizes on a blanket size chart, purchase the larger size to ensure the horse is comfortabley. The thickness of the insulation in the blanket will depend upon the weather and the type of coat that the horse have. The grams of insulation in the blanket will determine how warm the blanket will be for the horse.
A blanket with 100 grams of insulation will be suitable for a horse in the weather around 40 degrees with a fuzzy coat. However, a horse with a clipped coat will require a blanket with 200 grams of insulation. For temperatures that fall below freezing, use blankets with 300 or 400 gram of insulation.
A blanket with zero fill of insulation can be used when the weather is above 50 degrees and only for the purpose of blocking the wind. Ensure the insulation of the blanket matches the low temperatures that the horse will experience, the coat of the horse, and the horses metabolism. There are different types of blankets that may be used for horses.
Fly sheets are used for horses in the summer and allow for the horse to breathe while avoiding the biting of bug. Coolers are blankets that are used to wick the sweat from the horse after the horse has performed its activities on the range. Quarter sheets are blankets that are used to warm the hindquarters of the horse while the horse is wearing a saddle.
Neck hoods are blankets used to cover the neck of the horse for added protection from the wind. Layer blankets of different types to provide the warmth that is required of the horse without having to purchase blankets that are heavy with insulation. The denier rating of the blanket will indicate the durability of the blanket.
400 denier blankets are light and best for horses that are gentle and spend their time in the paddock. 1200 denier blankets are the most durable and best for horses that may be rough on the blankets. The higher the denier rating for the blanket, the more resistant the blanket will be to rips incurred when the horse encounters fences.
However, the disadvantage of using blankets with higher denier ratings is that the blanket will be heavier. Ensure that the fit of the blanket by inserting two finger under the blanket at the horses chest or withers and ensure the leg straps have a width of one hand’s width of slack. The different brands of blankets may differ in the way in which they size their blankets for horses.
Some brands may run short of the size that is calculated by measuring the horse. In this case, the blanket should be sized to be two inches larger than the calculated size for the horse. Other brands may be true to size with their blankets.
Always read the notes that are provided for each brand to ensure that the size of the blanket is correctly chosen. Wash the blankets using horse-safe soap in a commercial washing machine. Use reproofing sprays to maintain the waterproofing of the blanket.
Store the blankets in a dry and breathable location to avoid the development of mildew on the blankets.
