5 tips for better blanketing

Your horse will appreciate your following this advice when selecting and using his blankets this winter

1. Check the fit of blankets each year, even if the horse has worn that particular garment before. Changes in a horse’s weight and fitness can alter a blanket’s fit. A blanket that is too small can pinch or rub painfully, while one that is too large can become an entanglement hazard as it slips out of place. For a quick check of a blanket’s fit, slip your hand between it and the horse’s withers. Your hand should slide in easily. Do the same type of check at the shoulders and over the hips. Finally, watch the horse graze while wearing the blanket to make sure he can lower his head fully without a chest buckle pressing painfully into his skin. Adjust the belly straps so they hang no lower than three inches below the horse.

A horse who sweats underneath a too-heavy blanket can become dangerously chilled when the temperature drops again.

2. Consider getting your horse “underwear.” Even properly-fitting blankets can lead to hair loss on a horse’s shoulders from friction as the horse walks. Stretchy Lycra garments worn beneath blankets can help prevent this.

[Disclaimer: EQUUS may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through links on our site. Products links are selected by EQUUS editors.]

3. If you have multiple blankets of different weights for your horse, consider marking them according to the appropriate conditions for their use. For instance, you can sew a brightly colored patch on the shoulder of each blanket marked with the temperature range for which it can be used. You could also attach a luggage tag with the same information to a buckle. Such easily referenced information will make blanketing easier for barn help or friends lending a hand.

Click here for the answers to the most common blanketing questions. 

When to remove blankets

4. If temperatures fluctuate, blanket for the anticipated high of the day. A horse who sweats underneath a too-heavy blanket can become dangerously chilled when the temperature drops again.

5. Remove blankets daily, or at least every other day, to get a good look underneath. Skin diseases, weight loss and even injuries can go unnoticed under blankets and will be more difficult to deal with if they are not discovered right away. 

Don’t miss out! With the free weekly EQUUS newsletter, you’ll get the latest horse health information delivered right to your in basket! If you’re not already receiving the EQUUS newsletter, click here to sign up. It’s *free*!

CATEGORIES

TAGS

SHARE THIS STORY

Related Posts

COVER EQ_EXTRA-VOL88
Do right by your retired horse
COVER EQ_EXTRA-VOL87
Tame your horse’s anxiety
COVER EQ_EXTRA-VOL86 Winter Care_fnl_Page_1
Get ready for winter!
COVER EQUUS Key 14 Equestrian Vacations_fnl_Page_1
Equestrian vacations

NEWSLETTER

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Country*

Additional Offers

Additional Offers
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.