"Big" Horse Question

[Reijel's Mom]

Hi -

I'd like a nice waterproof winter blanket for my old riding mare and am seeking input on your personal experience with "good ones". Obviously they CAN be quite the investment so I'd like some other horse people to give me their input.

Whinnie is about 25 and after her last equine dentist visit she's not really able to eat hay anymore (had to get rid of one problem tooth too many this time). Anyway, she's in great weight now, eats and digests grass, equine senior, beet pulp, etc. really well, but I've always relied on unlimited access to hay to help my horses keep warm in the winter time. Now that this is no longer an option for my old girl, I'm hopeful that keeping her blanketed on cold nights and very cold days will help her not to have to burn so many calories to stay warm.

She does have 24/7 access to run-in shelter.

So. . .what are your favorite blankets and why? I've only bought one in my life and haven't been very happy with it. It was a cheapy. What I don't like about it is it doesn't stay on a horse well, it restricts neck movement too much, and the way you have to adjust it so it will stay on doesn't appear to me that a horse could lay down very comfortably in it.

Thanks for any input!

Renee in Iowa

 

[Lewella]

The best blankets I've used were custom made by a gal who also custom make mini blankets (she raises QH's and used Jodie French's minis for her mini blanket patterns). She only lives a few miles from me up here in MN . I can PM you her telephone number if you would like! I bought a blanket from her for my old Arab mare a few years back and it was well worth the investment and held up wonderful in MN winters!

Lewella

 

[Marty]

Good questions.

Sonny also is cold in the winter now. He still does not grow a big thick coat so he wears one, day and night a lot. The lighter one during the daytime for turn out and the big one for night.

We usually get BIG D or ones from State Line tack with their brand and also we have a PanAm I think it's called.

I have had bad experiences with some weather proof blankets. They can leak in the seams so you have to watch out for that and also if the neck is not cut right the water will pour in that way too. So I just don't use them anymore and keep him out of the wet in the barn when stuff is falling from the sky.

I still have problems with the fit on many of them. When he leans over to eat, the neck strangels him so I went up a size and same thing. A very wide belly strap does help that sometimes. I need another new one this year and must find something that does not do that. I prefer closed fronts too because of him getting belt buckle sores in the chest.

 

[anoki]

The BEST blanket I've found for waterproof, durability, no shifting on the horse, etc.....RAMBO!!!! Definitely worth every penny!!!! I just wish they made the shoulders a bit bigger for those drafty crosses. I know they do have a warmblood one now, but I haven't been able to find it locally to try out.

I have a Weatherbeeta Taka (I think that's the model). It's alright, but I have only had it one winter, and it has some rips and seams coming apart already :no: and again I don't like the fit through the shoulder on my guy.

I LOVE the Big Ds too!!!! But the water proof ones are hard to find up here (at least I have been told they make water proof ones)....so are larger sizes (I think anoki would wear about an 86-88 in Big D size)....

~kathryn

 

[Marty]

I can't handle the Weethabeeta either and they do fall apart in the stitching plus they are very bulky to handle.

Geesh is Anoki a monster???????? Sonny's only like an 80 or 82. What is Anoki?????????A draft?

 

[Kathy2m]

Scheinders make one that you can adjust around the neck Marty, the price isnt too bad either. I dont use water proof either they just have to stay in. Kathy

 

[laughingllama75]

on the 5 big horses I blanket, I use both weatherbeeta and rambo. I like them both. Never had a problem with stitching, I love the shoulder gussets and neckline of the weatherbeeta Landa and the Landa freestyle. Also the Rambo Wug....no shoulder gussets but lots of shoulder room. We have 1 warmblood all the rest are BIG Quarter horses. Never any shoulder rubbing or mane pulling. I keep 2 different weight blankets for each, as well as 2 rainsheets for each. God knows we will get rain for 8 days at a time here, year round. so it is important to me to keet them dry. Also the freezing sleet in the winter, snow is nothing compared to the driving sleet and wind. God, I love New Hampshire

:

I have tried other brands, but do not like them as well. I hope this helps....

Alicia

 

[Minimor]

Kathryn, you need the Stormshield Big Fella blanket from Schneiders--it's got more room in shoulders & comes in the bigger sizes. Stormshield Big Fella blankets

Otherwise, the Schneiders Stormshield blankets are as good as any, and better than most.

Schneiders Stormshield

Or here is the Schneiders entire selection of turnout blankets: Turnout blankets

The nice thing about Schneiders is they offer a wide range of fits--high necked for one sort of build, the cut back shoulder for another type of build...and their blankets are excellent quality. They fit well, stay in place, and are durable. Their Mini blankets come only in very small sizes & tend to be the adjustable sizing which I don't care for, but their full size blankets are top of the line.

 

[Reijel's Mom]

Thank you guys for all of the great suggestions! I do really want a good weather proof one because if I know bad weather is coming, I do try to keep my mare stalled, but so many times the weather fools me and I'm gone at work. I'd rather not stall her if I don't have to, I like to keep those old bones moving if I can. Sure, she has access to the run-in no matter what, but may not always choose to use it when I'd like her to

Thanks for being such caring horse lovers that take care of their animals and just give them the best and help others that want the best for their animals :bgrin

 

[wildoak]

I use a Weatherbeeta on my old girls when they need to be blanketed. They are out 24/7 with a run in shelter, except for the worst winter days. Forget which model it is but it's a purple plaid and it's been a good sturdy blanket. Came from Stateline - you might be able to get a deal there if they have anything good left, since they are closing out in the next couple of weeks Rambo's are great too.

Jan

 

[Casnos Minis]

Ijust got our bbig horse a JT International blanket. The store I bought it from said they like them. I was also able to get it in the color I wanted LIME GREEN. The tack stores have to order them you can't buy them on line, but theydo have a website : www.JLIdist.com.

Christy

 

[Shari]

Wow... I have had excellent luck with the Weatherbeeta Orican lined rain sheet. They last a long time and fit my grey Icelandic horse well.

Having them come in smaller sizes also make it easier on me. However, they are over sized so you have to take that into account.

Living were I do... I find out which sheets or blankets are "really" rain proof. The NW is a good testing ground.

Many of them out there are not rain proof in my area, even when they are adverstized as such.

I have tried Rambo a couple of times but they just do not fit my Icelandic. Nice feeling sheets though.

Think each brand will fit each horse differently.

Also have one of the purple plaid weatherbeeta's... and it is a Lando model. Use that in the warmer weathered rain. ie 50 & 60*. Use the Orican rain sheet for weather cooler than 50*.

Another very good rain sheet is "horse in Black" & Club dry...but they are rather spendy.

Why would I put a rain sheet on an Icelandic? Because trying to get clay out of her coat so I can put a saddle on is impossible in the winter. Is easier to just put a rain sheet on her to keep that part of her clean.

:

 

[anoki]

I can't handle the Weethabeeta either and they do fall apart in the stitching plus they are very bulky to handle.

Geesh is Anoki a monster???????? Sonny's only like an 80 or 82. What is Anoki?????????A draft?

:bgrin Yup!! He's a monster!!! LOL

He is a PMU foal...Sire was a Percheron cross, Dam was a TB cross. He is about 16.3hh maybe 17...haven't put a stick on him recently....and he has BIG drafty shoulders!!!!

: Way worse than any of the WBs we've had in the barn. We have a bunch of Big Ds that are 82's, but none of them fit the big guys anymore.....Even when they are 'opened up' as much as they can be in front, they are still about a foot too short!!! But I do love how they fit, and we use them as back up blankets! I had one on Anoki when I first got him, but he grew out of that pretty darn quick. He grows out of every nice fitting blanket I've had.....

Thanks Minimor!! I'm gonna check those out!!!

~kathryn

 

[Reijel's Mom]

Off topic but DANG IT, Marty, I'm trying to PM you and can't!!