Have you ever thought about blanketing your horse in the cold weather months? When should you change to a light, medium and heavy weight blanket? Have you ever wondered what the difference is between blankets, sheets, and turnouts? What size blanket does your horse need? There are so many different types of horse clothing out in the market place today it can be confusing and difficult to choose the right option for your horse and his management situation.

Generally speaking, most horses can benefit from blanketing but it does become a management issue for the owner or stable manager. Older horses, young horses, sick horses can all benefit from wearing a blanket that keeps them warm and dry, thus expending less of their own energy to keep warm in the cold winter months. Blanketing your horse takes a committment on your part, once you start you should follow through the cold season with the blanketing regime. However, if you are unable or unwilling to manage your horse’s wardrobe than your horse is probably better off with just his own coat. If you do decide to blanket, the type of blanket you should have for your horse really depends on the management situation and the temperature/environmental factors. Below are a few guidelines of how and when to blanket your equine friend.

If your horse is stabled most of the time you can get away with using stable blankets and sheets which are usually less of a monetary investment. Stable blankets and sheets do not have to be waterproof and as sturdy as horse clothing that would be used in a turnout situation. Here is a temperature guideline (in Farenheit) for blanketing your horse in a stabled environment:

50-60 degrees F – Stable Sheet or Nothing
40-50 degrees F – a lightweight blanket or sheet
30-40 degrees F – a midweight blanket
20-30 degrees F – a heavy weight blanket
10-20 degrees F – a heavy weight blanket and hood
10 and below – consider layering with a double blanket

If your horse is turned out, or lives outside you will want to make the investment in a good set of turn out sheets. Stable blankets and sheets will not have a long life expectency out in the field or paddock. Turnout sheets are usually made of heavy ballistic waterproof nylon and usually involve technology for breathability while your horse is outside and active. In addition, turnouts usually have several surcingle straps (2 or 3) and leg straps to keep the blanket in place when your horse decides to take a roll. Here is a temperature guidline (in Farenheit) for blanketing the turned out horse:

50-60 degrees F – nothing
40-50 degrees F – Lightweight Turnout Sheet
30-40 degrees F – midweight turnout sheet
20-30 degrees F – mid-heavyweight turnout sheet
10-20 degrees F – heavyweight turnout blanket and hood
10 and Below – heavyweight turnout blanket and hood layered over a fleece cooler

In addition to temperature, the right size and fit is also very important to your horse. Most blankets today are measured based on the horse’s side measurment. This is the measurement taken from one side of your horse from the center of the tail dock to the center of the chest. This is a guideline. Just like human clothing the fit and cut varies quite a bit from manufacturer to manufacturer. If you are not familiar with a brand and its cut – ask someone at your stable or your favorite tack shop. Already at the tack shop and forgot to measure your horse? Blanket size can be guesstimated by height of the horse. However, a height estimate does not take in consideration the build of the horse which can also impact the measurement.

If anyone has a favorite brand, or information on fit, or other helpful ideas on successful horse blanketing please post your comments.