FULL BODY SUITS VS INDIVIDUAL BLANKET AND HOOD

[Sunraye Miniatures]

I am currently ordering new sets of blankets for my show horses. These body suits are out now, never have used them. Are they any better than the individual blanket and hood? Or is there hardly any difference?

Thanks!

 

[disneyhorse]

My personal favorite is a slinky hood with a blanket. Seems the most comfortable for my horses, and most importantly keeps them CLEAN!

Andrea

 

[Sue_C.]

Love the full-body suits the best, they slip right on, and don't leave "panty-lines". :bgrin :lol:

 

[Ashley]

Im with Disney. The full body suits dont keep them as clean. And from the horses I have seen, if they lay in poop it goes right through the body suits, but not through a blanket

 

[Crossbuck Farms]

I use both toegether. A full body slinky with a blanket.

 

[nootka]

I like a two piece setup.

The full body suits I've used are a pain to get on the horse, and more prone to bad fit (as in fits the head and neck, but not the body or vice versa).

I love the lined hoods from Supreme Equine, or the non lined for Summer, and then the body suits separate beneath a blanket, but more often than not, I end up only using the hood and blanket, depending on the temperature/season.

Liz M.

 

[mininik]

I just want to say: Please be careful about full hoods of any sort (slinky or NOT). I've heard more horror stories from Mini owners that their horse's hood slipped slightly and hung up over an eye causing severe pain, swelling and sometimes doing permanent damage. I've noticed in many Mini hood styles the eye holes simply aren't big enough and in still other styles the hoods simply aren't form-fitting enough to prevent injury due to even slight maladjustment.

:

 

[hhpminis]

I have used both and if you are going to use a one piece than get one with a zipper under the chin. IMO I like the ability to take it off the face without removing the whole thing but I prefer the one piece as you dont get a ring around the middle of the horse from the girth band of the hood.

They both have there pluses and minuses. The eye holes are the biggest draw back and I have been known to take the scissors to them before. They all seem to fit well when they are new or freshly washed but as they stretch they seem to ride up. The zipper under the chin gives you the ability to "fold" the face part back if needed.

I use the sleezy under a blanket and a headless hood, love the headless hoods! The sleezys used alone will get trashed quickly.

 

[minih]

I just want to say: Please be careful about full hoods of any sort (slinky or NOT). I've heard more horror stories from Mini owners that their horse's hood slipped slightly and hung up over an eye causing severe pain, swelling and sometimes doing permanent damage. I've noticed in many Mini hood styles the eye holes simply aren't big enough and in still other styles the hoods simply aren't form-fitting enough to prevent injury due to even slight maladjustment.

THIS IS SOOO TRUE! We had this happen this past year, I had bought some cheap hoods to use here at the house, when it was still too cool at night I wanted something on their heads, well the cheap one pulled up on his eye during the day while I was at work, got home that evening to a swollen eye all red and drippy! I was horrified, thank goodness I had some eye drops here at the house. His eye is all better now, we were lucky. I use for all my hood uses, those from Star Lake Tack with the velcro under the chin to keep them from riding up. They work great, I have an old pair I use for the barn and the newer ones for shows. I have not had any ride up with these. Oh yeah, BTW I threw every single old hood that did not have the velcro away that day! I could not apoligize enough to my little fellow for the suffering he endured that day.

 

[kaykay]

i like the full body suits with the zipper under the neck. But you can hardly find them anymore. The two piece sets tend to bunch up and move and leave lines.

 

[Southern_Heart]

I like the full body suits with the zipper under the neck. Never had a problem with them. Also I use the 2 piece set and have trouble keeping the hood in place.

Joyce

 

[hhpminis]

KayKay, I have had the same problem but I just ordered some form SmoothEZ and they look great. I have not had a clean horse to try them on but the quality is good and I think they will work great.

smoothEZ

 

[kaykay]

i bought a couple smoothez and i do like them but i seem to have a lot of trouble getting them to fit my horses. they are either too big or too small. my horses must all be in between sizes?

 

[Magic]

The full body suits that I have used tend to gradually get pulled back on the horse, causing the hood on the head to "ride up" and getting in the horses' eyes. I prefer the separate hood since it doesn't have the extra weight and pull from the rest of the horse's body to pull back as bad, and a separate body slinky or sheet when it is warm, and then I add a blanket on top if it is chilly.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I like the full body slinkys. The seperate hood it seems like my horses all the time seem to get them screwed up everytime. All there blankets. The full body they stay really well. The only drawback is the due tend to ride up toward their eyes so you defintelly want it snug enough on their head and loose but not too loose on their body so doesn't pull on them.

 

[Relic]

Just the headless hoods custom made to fit and a blanket now since we did have an eye injury from a slinky left on overnight. But we use the slinkies for daywear when they are watched they don't do a heck of a lot to keep them clean and are forever moving and bunching up even when made to order for that particular horse.