You want to keep your horse warm, but you don’t want him to sweat and certainly want your horses’ blanket to fit properly. Jeffers Equine has constructed a complete horse blanket guide to ensure that you are properly choosing, fitting and caring for your horse blanket.
How to measure your horse blanket:
- First, ensure that your horse is standing square.
- Starting at point (A.), place the end of the measuring tape at the point where your horse’s neck meets the center of his chest.
- Draw the tape along the widest part of the shoulder & then continue along the side of the horse.
- End your measurement at the edge of the tail (B.). It is very important not to go to the center of the tail as this will give you an incorrect measurement.
If you end up with a measurement in between blanket sizes, round down to the smaller size. Purchasing a horse blanket too large can cause it to shift during turnout. It can also cause the horse to get caught up in the blanket which will cause rips or injuries to your horse.
How to care for your horse blanket:
Your horse’s turnout blankets may need to be cleaned from time to time—and certainly after each season.
Some horse blankets can be machine-washed at home, depending on the capacity of your washer & machine specifications.
The Rambo Horse Blanket Wash is a special cleaning concentration for all horse rugs and blankets. It’s 100% biodegradable, environmentally-friendly formulated and safe to use on all synthetics, canvas, cotton, poly-cotton, polyester, acrylic, and denim.
- Remove excess dirt, mud, and hair.
- Remove all detergent buildup from your detergent dispenser.
- Place your blanket in a mesh wash bag to contain all straps and buckles, protecting them from damage.
- Machine wash your blanket in cool water (maximum 85°F) on a gentle cycle using mild soap for a blanket-cleaning wash.
(IMPORTANT: Always follow the manufacturer’s washing instructions. Also, don’t use a washing machine with an agitator)
- Do not use detergents or fabric conditioners as you risk compromising the waterproof and breathable coating.
- If you find that the water no longer beads off the surface of your turnout, re-waterproof your blanket to add durable water repellency and revitalize breathability.
- Line-dry your blanket; never put your blanket in the dryer.
Check your blanket manufacturer’s recommendations. If you are in any doubt, seek out the services of a local professional blanket-washing business to care for your blanket.
Which horse blanket should I use?
One of the most frequently asked questions received has to do with blanket weight. More specifically, horse owners want to know which weight blanket to use for certain temperatures. This is a tough question to answer because every horse is different, but here is a chart to serve as a starting point.
This list does not take into consideration wind chill or precipitation so you will need to factor those into your decision. This is particularly important for horses who are clipped and/or live outside. You will also need to take into account your horse’s body condition; thinner horses may require warmer blankets.
In general, you want to keep your horse warm, but you don’t want him to sweat.
Blanket temperature chart:
| Average Temp (°F) | Unclipped Horse | Clipped Horse |
| 60° | Nothing | Nothing or lite turnout (no fill) if rainy &/or windy |
| 50° | Nothing | Lite turnout |
| 40° | Lite turnout | Medium turnout w/ standard or high neck |
| 30° | Lite to medium turnout | Medium turnout w/ high neck or neck cover |
| 20° | Medium turnout | Medium turnout w/ neck cover |
| 10° | Medium turnout w/ standard or high neck | Heavy turnout w/ neck cover |
| 0° | Medium or heavy turnout w/ neck cover | Heavy turnout w/ neck cover or double blanket |
| Below 0° | Heavy turnout w/ neck cover | Double blanket w/ neck cover |
Jeffers Equine has your horse covered with the perfect horse blankets to keep him/her warm during the colder months. A wide array of unique blankets to choose from to fit your needs, whether medium weight horse blanket, lightweight horse blanket, or heavyweight blanket.
For additional information on how to properly measure for a horse blanket, please see video below:
For more information or any additional questions, please contact equine specialist Kim Cahill.