Horse blankets are covers made of various materials, including cotton, wool, nylon, and polyester, and are intended to offer warmth, protection, or other advantages to horses. They are frequently used to keep horses warm and dry in colder climates, but they can also be used for other things, including bug protection, keeping a horse clean, or limiting sun exposure.
Horse sheets are available in various shapes, sizes, and designs to accommodate different breeds and uses. Others may be used when the horse is stabled or during transit, while others may be worn while the horse is turned out to pasture.
Horse blankets come in various styles, each with a different use. The following are a few of the most popular kinds of horse blankets:
Stable blanket
As its name suggests, a stable blanket is intended for use in a stable. Despite having various lighter options, it is thick, heavy, and heated. Stable blankets come in assorted styles to accommodate the diverse demands and preferences of horse owners.
Turn-out rugs
A horse turn-out sheet helps to stay warm while in the pastures. These blankets are lightweight, toasty, and water-resistant. They have straps to tightly fasten them and keep them from shifting or falling off when the horse moves or rolls on the ground.
Coolers
You use dressage saddle pads to protect your horse and get comfortable when riding it. Similarly, you can use coolers or cool-down sheets after your horse works and is sweating. These aren’t quite blankets but more of a summer cover-up. Your horse can gradually cool off on cooling sheets without getting a chill.
Cool-down blankets fit over the horse’s ears and cover the entire body except for the lower legs. Racehorses frequently receive these treatments after a race. You should never leave a horse wearing a cooler unattended and only utilize them under close supervision.
General recommendations for choosing a blanket
According to research, the weight of a blanket affects how much warmth it provides. Researchers at North Dakota State University demonstrated this by comparing the variations in surface temperature of the lumbar area of covered and uncovered horses before and after exposure to cold thestyleplus.
Lightweight blankets only offer modest warmth. Some horses can utilize them when the temperature is cool but not freezing. In cool weather, a clipped horse might require a thin horse turn-out sheet, although an unclipped horse probably wouldn’t unless the temperature dropped even lower.
A clipped horse may require a medium to heavy turn-out blanket at warmer temps than an unclipped horse when the temperature falls below the thermoneutral zone. These blankets have between 150 and 400 grams of fill.
If there is a rain danger, any horse blanketed outdoors should use a waterproof turn-out blanket. A wet horse will become saturated and chilly in a non-waterproof blanket.
Please keep an eye on your horse when it first dons a blanket. Allowing your horse to become accustomed to the blanket’s feel can help him tolerate and enjoy it funnyjok.
