Choosing a Turnout Blanket
Turnout blankets make me crazy. I am the blanket psycho at my barn. As soon as the weather starts getting colder I start to sweat.
- When do I put the turnout blanket on?
- What weight blanket do I use? Should I change to a heavier one?
- Should I use one at all?
I admit I still don’t have it down pat, but I can try to help you by giving you some information about blankets so you won’t sweat away your winters like I do. First of all, if your horse is going outside you want a turnout blanket not a stable blanket. A stable blanket is not waterproof and is for your horse if he is inside and needs some warmth inside the barn. A turnout blanket is waterproof and will keep you horse warm and dry all winter long.
A key word to learn when looking for a turnout blanket is denier. Denier is a measurement used to identify the fiber thickness of the individual threads making the material used to make the blanket. Denier is also used to measure the fiber durability of the material. The higher the denier the more durable the fiber.
With this said, on to looking for a turnout blanket. To begin with you want a good one that will last more than one winter and definitely more than a few weeks. By this I mean you are putting this blanket on a 1000 pound animal that has the tendency to act like a big overgrown three year old child. Even if your horse is the most reserved animal in the world, someone in that pasture is an idiot.
I can (and have) put a brand new blanket on my horse in January and by March it is still clean and looks brand new. He doesn’t like to roll in the mud and even dodges puddles if possible. His buddy, on the other hand is a fun loving mess. If there is a mud puddle he’s in it. He is the type of horse that just wants to play and if he is ignored he will poke, bump and nip at anyone close to him. This is where the denier comes in. A blanket of a high denier count for the outside cover of the blanket (usually nylon) should not tear when pulled by a set of horse teeth.
As far as durability goes here are some things to look for:
- If your horse is going to be out with horses that might bite or pull at blankets or if your horse is hard on his turnout blanket look for a durability rating of at least 1600D or more.
- Durability of around 1200D should hold up to most turnouts with other horses.
- If the durability is around 600D your horse should be easy on his blanket as well as the others he is out with and the turnout should be occasional or monitored.
With regards to the warmth of the turnout blanket there are various weights. These weights are on stated in the catalog or online when looking for a blanket:
- An extra heavy blanket would be best suited for a horse that has a short coat or is clipped during the winter if the temperature is subzero to -15 F.
- If your horse has a medium or full coat go for the heavy weight blanket if the temperature goes down to subzero or -15 F.
- The medium weight blanket is good for temperatures of 15 F to 30 F (again if your horse has a medium or full coat).
- Above 30 F. there are lined or unlined sheets that they can wear.
The lining in many of the blankets is nylon and/or polyester. Some companies might measure it in denier (example – lining – 210D nylon) but most that I have seen measure it in grams, stating 200 grams polyester fill and nylon lining, or 300grams of fill. Checking the fill and how thick it is doesn’t seem to be much of a concern to me because when you buy a blanket you are choosing a heavyweight , medium weight , or light weight blanket already so you pretty much know the warmth of the blanket as stated by the manufacturer.
Turnout blankets come in different styles. Some go over the head so there is no opening by the chest which helps with drafts. Others have claps in front and usually some Velcro on the flap under the claps, again to prevent drafts as well as tail flaps in the back, also to prevent drafts. Which one you use is your preference. Some blankets have gussets in the front by both front legs for a more comfortable movement. There are higher necks on some to help protect from rain or snow dripping down inside on your horses body.
Some turnout blankets have a belly band that goes under the horse and attaches on the opposite side of the blanket instead of surcingle straps for more warmth. One brand wraps the two front pieces around the horse’s neck and clasps high up on the neck. It “hugs” the horse in the front and there are no ‘shoulders’ to worry about in the front . The choice is yours. You have to find the one you think best fits your horse. They should all have leg straps that wrap around the back legs of the horse. Some people criss-cross these straps which means they go from the back left of the blanket to the opposite side in front of the right leg of the horse and the same with the other side. Other people attach the leg strap from the back to the front of the same leg.
I criss-cross the straps because I believe it helps to hold the blanket in place a little better. Just make sure the straps are not hanging too low to have a leg get caught in them as well as not too tight to rub the inside of the legs.
When you buy a turnout blanket you measure your horse from the middle of his chest to the middle of his tail. The number of inches corresponds to a blanket size.
Blanket sizes are in 2” increments: 66 (pony), 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 84, 86, 88 and 90(draft horse)
Measuring gives you the size of the blanket , but you must consider other things. Does your horse have small shoulders, how tall is he, is he high in the withers, etc. When you chose a blanket you have to try it on your horse and see what it looks like on him. Some blankets may be the correct size but the neck is too big or the shoulders are rubbing and the length is way too long. Read all the information about the blanket. Some say they are for certain breeds or a larger size horse, etc. Bring the new blanket to the barn with an old bed sheet. Lay the sheet over your horse and try on the blanket. If it fits, great, and if it looks like a kid wearing his grandfather’s winter coat, the bed sheet has kept the blanket clean so you can return it and try again.
You can also buy a separate liner to go under the turnout blanket. If you are looking for extra warmth there are polar fleece liners that wick the moisture away from the body or just fleece liners. These come with clasps in front or closed over the head style. The sizes come in small, medium, large and extra large. They correspond to blanket sizes - small 70 -72, medium 74 – 76, large 78 -80, extra large 82 -84. Other liners you can buy are the stretchies. These help protect your horse from a blanket that might rub off some hair or just to help keep him clean. You can purchase a stretchy to just cover the shoulder area or a full body one to cover his whole body. These also come in sizes small, medium, large and extra large.
What you have to remember is your horse should be as comfortable as possible in this blanket. He will be wearing it all day and night during the winter because most barns don’t take blankets off at night and put them on again in the morning before turnout .
These are all things to think about when looking for a turnout blanket. It’s not as overwhelming as it seems. There are many great places to shop for blankets on line or in catalogs as well as stores. Most of the information is right there with the blanket. Remember your horse already comes with a coat and doesn’t need the warmest of coats out there. They rather be cooler than too hot. You don’t have to buy the most expensive and shouldn’t buy the cheapest. Find a good quality brand name blanket and everything should be fine.
