Lazy Heart Livestock

Horse Turnout Blankets

Once wild animals, Horses have been tamed by human beings and are treated virtually as pets. Their owners provide food, safety, and protection from the weather elements.

We are going to discuss the various aspects of winter horse rugs and their use. The strength and size of this animal allow it to survive in low temperatures. Horse rugs are still important to owners for proper care. A number of factors must be taken into account when choosing a rug for your animal. Some of these are fabric type, design and sizing of the garment. Other factors are the horse’s age, health, and weather conditions. For inside use a Stable rug will be all your animal will need. These provide relatively good warmth for stable use. For out door or turnout use the turnout rug will allow more movement and be able top with stand the elements better than a stable rug.

Various fabrics are found in the construction of winter horse rugs. Nowadays the contemporary blanket may be made of fabrics like nylon. Sometimes these fabrics are used in conjunction with fabrics like wool or cotton. The modern horse rug is built of layers of materials. There is a waterproof outer layer. Against the horse’s skin is a comfortable inner layer. Heavier insulation between these layers provides the warmth. Horse rugs can be made in several different styles known as water resistant, waterproof, and breathable. There is a subtle difference between water resistant and waterproof, which the horse owner should be aware of. The inner layer of a water resistant blanket can retain moisture from the horse’s body. A waterproof rug is made to block all moisture from entering or leaving the garment itself. It is more suited for rainy weather but does not allow sweat to escape.

You can avoid the accumulation of water from the horse’s body by using a breathable rug. Better air movement is provided for your animal’s comfort. Sizing the winter horse rug can be an important issue. Choosing the correct rug materials for your horse and then having it not fit properly defeats the purpose of the rug. If the blanket is too loose proper warmth is not attained. If the blanket is too small this will create chaffing and discomfort for your animal. You will need to get several measurements from your horse. Check the distance from his chest to his tail. Measure from his lower neck to the tail. Measure from the middle of his back down to his belly. Then go shopping for the perfect winter horse rug for your animal. Local Horse Tack supplies are a good place to start. Alternatively you may want to search online.

You can expect to encounter pricing from $40 to over $200. In addition to picking the right rug for your horse there are other things you should do. Check your horse after he has worn the blanket for a while. Monitor any possibility of rubbing or chaffing or excessive sweat buildup. Also it is just as important to wash and sanitize these blankets just as you would your own bedding

For more pet articles visit Just About Pets

does this look like a good winter Horse Blanket?

http://www.horse.com/TOUGH-1-600D-WATERPROOF-POLY-TURNOUT-BLANKET-BES31.html

my horse is 15 or 15.1 hands 4 years old and a quarter horse. i have to measure him but if it fits do you think its good? we live in the sfbay area california it gts muddy where i board at and it rains sometimes we can get about 30 degrees farenheit at night but that’s like the lowest and the extreme normally around january time. he is at a perfect weight right now. thank you

http://www.horse.com/Weatherbeeta-Landa-Original-Standard-Neck-Medium-BEA06.html
I have one similar to this one. ^^

If you don’t like that one, try this one vv

http://www.horse.com/Orican-Basic-Medium-Weight-1200D-Blanket-BEA04.html

I LOVE Weatherbeeta Blankets!! They are very nice. I’ve had mine for about 3 years and they have really held up well. They are also a brand AQHA recommends.

Hope this helps!

How to Choose & Use Horse Blankets : Overview of Horse Turnout Blankets