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Best Type

crehberg
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Dec 4, 2005, 10:09 AM

Post #1 of 12 (2516 views)
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Best Type	Can't Post

What is the best type of blanket for a normal sized horse?

JimHess
Silver Member

Dec 4, 2005, 8:22 PM

Post #2 of 12 (2513 views)
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Re: [crehberg] Best Type [In reply to]	Can't Post

I could be flip and say the best blanket is a good winter coat and a little extra fat. The best blanket depends on why you are blanketing. Is the horse clipped? Or is this to keep him warm 'till he dries after exercise? Is the horse inside or out?

-Jim

lkvaughan
Member

Dec 5, 2005, 12:22 PM

Post #3 of 12 (2500 views)
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Re: [crehberg] Best Type [In reply to]	Can't Post

my personal prefrence is to go allong with Jim, the best blanket is a good winter coat...but that being said i do blanket

several reasons:
1) my 19yo trakaner will NOT grow a winter coat- he will shiver when he is cold- so he gets blanketed...
2) my colt gets blanketed when it is wet AND cold- he is supposed to be putting energy towards growing not keeping warm...
3) most of the rest of the herd doesnt get blankets- they all have good winter coats and are healthy, fat and sassy
4) older horses- everythign just doesnt work as well as it used to... giving them extra protection makes them healtier and happier (particularly for arthritic horses)
5) if you are working your horse through the winter and need to clip them (full, trace, blanket, ect..) to keep them from getting overheated &/or chilled from excessive sweat...

some good blankets are Weatherbeta, Riders (Dover's brand) and Shires ( I realy like the shires!) If you are using them during turn out make sure they are the strongest nylon- dont get anything under 1200D or you will have to repair/ replace it... go ahead and spend the extra money- it will pay off in the long run

my trakaner gets a sheet (all of them are breathable waterproof) if is in the 40's, a medium if its in the mid 30's-upper 20's and a heavy (or medium and sheet/ polarfleece) if its below 25- in alabama it doesnt get much colder than that... but if it did i would layer more.... he lives outside all the time and has access to pleanty of shelter and hay...

hope this helps!
kelly

(This post was edited by lkvaughan on Dec 5, 2005, 2:39 PM)

Mark4510
Silver Member

Dec 5, 2005, 2:13 PM

Post #4 of 12 (2495 views)
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Re: [lkvaughan] Best Type [In reply to]	Can't Post

Kelly, Jim, or anyone,
Do you use belly bands?

Thanks,
Mark

lkvaughan
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Dec 5, 2005, 2:27 PM

Post #5 of 12 (2491 views)
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Re: [Mark4510] Best Type [In reply to]	Can't Post

i have never used belly bands... probably because i dont remember seeing them on the types of turn out blankets i use (dont they usually come on stable blankets??) my guys arent stabled unless they are injured or its REALY nasty out... so no stable blankets....

ours come down so the sides of the blankets go below the belly, and have surcingles to secure them (allong with leg straps)

i do like the blankets with the tail flaps (although they do need to be cleaned more often)

we have also used the spandex sleazys in the past- althgouh now i have found blankets that fit well and dont rub so i dont need them....

(This post was edited by lkvaughan on Dec 5, 2005, 2:38 PM)

Mark4510
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Dec 5, 2005, 2:36 PM

Post #6 of 12 (2490 views)
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Re: [lkvaughan] Best Type [In reply to]	Can't Post

Right. We would use them for stable blankets. We have a fleece cooler that has a belly band and I think I am becoming a fan of them for stall use.

Our turnouts are just as you describe.

Thanks Kelly

JimHess
Silver Member

Dec 5, 2005, 7:09 PM

Post #7 of 12 (2486 views)
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Re: [Mark4510] Best Type [In reply to]	Can't Post

Kelly- I agree with all your advice on blanketing. Except for the temperatures, that is. I guess it's all relative. In Maine we consider the temps you mentioned fairly balmy. I think as a rule, the horses tend to get acclimated to the local temps, although some, like your Trakehner, don't seem to get it. Coincidently, we had a young Trakehner that was a hard keeper. He seemed to be okay with the cold, but we had to feed him more and different feed than the rest to keep weight on. We prefer to leave our horses' winter coats natural, but it is a pain getting them dry if they get sweated up. Except for post-exercise, we seldom blanket unless a horse is sick. As you mentioned, we watch for shivers, and let that be our guide. We hate to blanket any more than is absolutely necessary, 'cause it's interfering with nature, to a degree. When it gets cold out, the horse will fluff up it's coat, creating insulation. Putting a blanket on flattens out the hair. Not to mention the horses you see all bundled up on a beautiful day 'cause the owner didn't get around to taking their blankets off.

-Jim

JimHess
Silver Member

Dec 5, 2005, 9:19 PM

Post #8 of 12 (2482 views)
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Re: [Mark4510] Best Type [In reply to]	Can't Post

Mark, when you say belly bands, do you mean the rear surcingle, or either one? We use the terms belly band and surcingle interchangeably, and we like to use front and rear ones to try to keep their blankets on. Our horses tend to be pretty playful and love to depants each other, plus roll around. Some of our blankets come with just one on the front, others come with two. A couple have the leg straps. When we put their wool coolers on we usually put two surcingles on.
Thanks for the kind words on my horse. He's a good guy. I hate to say it, but unless I get extremely lucky someday, I think he's my once in a lifetime horse.

-Jim

lkvaughan
Member

Dec 6, 2005, 10:04 AM

Post #9 of 12 (2477 views)
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Re: [JimHess] Best Type [In reply to]	Can't Post

yeah they do get acclimated to different temps... and cold in alabama is probably summer in maine! lol :)

my sister "imported" a TB from TX to NE TN- and he gets a little thicker coat each year... although its still no where near as thick as the others in the herd

luckily my old guy is an easy keeper- he just doesnt grow a nice thick fluffy coat- so he gets spoiled- i did have TB that was like yours, grew a nice coat, but had to feed him a special diet to keep weight on...

and i agree- i HATE seing horses all bundled up in the middle of the day just because someone didnt get around to taking their blankets off.... out of the 8 in my herd right now my Trakehner is the only one that gets blanketed regularly.... but they have pleanty of shelter and food to keep them warm too

when i went to feed last night (it was about 30 F) he was waiting for me at the gait to get his coat on- talk about spoiled :) but nice to be wanted

oh- the temp guide i mentioned is just for night- i almost never blanket in the day unless it is cold and wet/ cloudy or VERY cold (for AL in the low 20's- then all he would get is a sheet)

Mark4510
Silver Member

Dec 6, 2005, 6:18 PM

Post #10 of 12 (2466 views)
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Re: [JimHess] Best Type [In reply to]	Can't Post

Jim, the belly bands I am talking about are a wide strip of blanket that goes just behind the cinch area and is about 12-18 inches wide. Not only does it work to keep the blanket on but it also is insulated so it helps keep that part of thier belly warm. It also keeps the blanket closer to them so they dont lose warm air out when they move around.

As mentioned...probably best for stabled critters.

On another note...I dont like to see folks through a sheet on a horse at night thinking it keeps them warmer. I dont think a lot of folks know that it works just the opposite. If you are going to blanket you have to blanket to the point where they will be warmer than thier hair will keep them. A simple sheet does not allow them to fluff up thier fur to build insulation. It keeps it compressed and close to thier sides and they end up colder than if they had nothing.

I hear you about your horse. I get pretty attached to most everyone that comes through our place and especially the ones that are ours. I like 'em and mostly think I learn more from them than I ever teach them. I am not a hand but I try. And I am darn sure lucky to be married....otherwise how would I know when I was wrong? Sly

Mark

JimHess
Silver Member

Dec 7, 2005, 12:02 AM

Post #11 of 12 (2459 views)
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Re: [Mark4510] Best Type [In reply to]	Can't Post

Now I understand what you mean by the belly band on the blanket. We have one blanket that has a belly band, and it gets secured with 3 velcro strips. It is a very warm blanket, it's thick and quilted. It also has a closed front, so you have to put it on over their head. That can be a problem, because in the winter the air gets dry and there's a lot of static electricity. As you're sliding it on and off over their head they can get shocked, which they do not appreciate. I've thought about taking it to a tack repair shop and having them cut the front and add some kind of fastener, but once you get it on it's toasty. I suppose maybe you could spray the blanket with that anti-cling, anti-static stuff. We actually don't use that blanket very often, it's the "heavy artilery" for extreme temps.

-Jim

Cowboydoc
Member / Moderator

Dec 24, 2005, 12:56 PM

Post #12 of 12 (2433 views)
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Re: [crehberg] Best Type [In reply to]	Can't Post

The two best brands I think are weatherbeeta and rambo. www.equusnow.com has a good one that is called the Shire's.

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