Has anyone added leg straps to a Horseware blanket? It has loops for the tail cord, but nothing by the leg to attach straps to. I am not very crafty, and don’t have a sewing machine, but this seems sinple enough. Sew on a ring with dental floss?
Or do I need to ask a blanket clean/repair service? It’s not the money so much as I would like it done ASAP.
I think you need to make sure the D-rings are sewn in or through the thick nylon trim and not though the body of the blanket. I would just pay someone to do it with an industrial machine. A client had it done by a blanket repair person, but not for leg straps, rather to attach the liner. They added straps/nylon tabs for the D-rings.
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When my winter Rambo went out for cleaning, rings were added so that leg straps could be used. I was not happy as it was done without my consent. I was also concerned about the warranty being voided and because of this so I called Horseware to find out.Turns out my blanket was already out of warranty but the rep I spoke with also explained that the design of the the blankets and sheets was specific for a tail cord but NOT leg straps.
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Yep, this is one of the main reasons I buy Horseware - no leg straps!
To add leg straps to a blanket effectively (ie in a position that doesn’t encourage shifting), the front strap attachment really needs to be inside and up a bit. Just adding a front ring to the binding doesn’t usually work well for turnout. This means stitching a ring on through the lining and outer shell (effectively destroying waterproofing), or opening up the whole blanket and adding an attachment anchor inside the liner (expensive and time consuming, also risks destroying waterproofing and definitely voids a warranty either way). Maybe for a stable blanket or cooler it would be fine.
Personally I’d just buy a different brand that accommodates leg straps (a lot do), but if you’re going to do this for some reason, definitely find a good seamstress that understands waterproof material. IME, if a horseware blanket is shifting on a particular animal, the sizing is wrong or the horse just doesn’t fit in that cut. Leg straps probably won’t fix it.
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I hate tail straps because they get disgusting on mares. Yes, the blankets fit correctly.
That said, my 100g blankets are Horseware with the tail straps. They are my only blankets with tail straps and don’t get used terribly often. I will end up buying a 100g for both horses with leg straps eventually.
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It really depends on the fit of the blanket. The front clip, on a blanket that has long sides, needs to be further up than being located at the trim. Most blankets that have the D ring higher up have reinforcement where the leg strap D is located.
You can try the dental floss approach, but in the long run it is probably best to hire someone who knows what they are doing for this change.
(Disclaimer, I know that this style blanket is designed to not have leg straps and use a tail cord, but some people prefer leg straps, no harm in that in my opinion.)
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the strap gets disgusting, and so do the mares’ legs. 
Leg straps all the way.
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A dedicated piggy horse can make even leg straps crusty 
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One runny poop is all it takes. And their tails get trashed, super fun when it’s frozen solid poop danglies. Blech.
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I’ve added leg straps to my Rhinos and Rambos without issue. I had it done by the professional cleaning service that I’ve used for decades and the dee rings were positioned at the hem of the blankets so the waterproofing was not compromised. Granted, all of my Horseware blankets are at least 10 years old, so I don’t know how the placement of the rings would affect current blanket styles.
I’ve had blankets without leg straps blow off over horses’ heads when caught by the wind from the rear - however, the tail had not been put through the loop on the tail flap. (I board my horses and cannot completely control what a stable person will do or not do when blanketing them.) But I absolutely HATE the tail cords - disgusting after a couple of days! I also know of an Olympic rider who puts leg straps on absolutely every sheet/blanket a horse will wear unattended in the stall or for turnout. I followed their example over 30 years ago and have not regretted it.
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I usually take off the tail strap and replace it with nylon twine so I don’t mind cutting it off when required. Never had a problem with chaffing, so something to keep in mind.
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I usually replace mine with the PVC covered tail cords, but have definitely gone the way of haystring in a pinch. The PVC hoses off easy!
I hate undoing poopy disgusting leg strap clips. Mares and geldings, doesn’t matter. They get gross! Half the time they get so clogged with mud and poop they break or require me to take my gloves off to work them free. Only a few brands have big enough clips to function when cruddy.
Tail cords don’t require any handling besides pulling the tail through. To be fair, the only horses whose wardrobe I’m responsible for purchasing are all geldings.
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If you look closely at blankets with leg straps, most of the time the front ring is sewn through the rear surcingle attachment straps. Built in reinforcement, and positioning.
At one point Horseware sold blankets with the front leg strap rings so customers could easily add leg straps if they desired. I think it was a short lived experiment.
I prefer the bum strap myself. I never have to try and get a poop snap undone, or worse, try to unfreeze a popsicle coated snap!
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I do know of one horse where they undid the surcingles, undid the chest, and thought they’d just slide the blanket off the back and the tail would slide through the bum strap. They didn’t know the tail was stuck to the strap and that horse went through multiple fences running from the blanket before they got her stopped.
These were very experienced horse people, just got complacent about haltering and checking all straps were clear before pulling the blanket off. But leg straps make it easy, for me, to take a peek at the undercarriage and know all straps are clear and good to go.
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Manufacturers still make blankets with leg straps because a lot of people like them. There’s no need for stories of disasters caused by taking a foolish shortcut to justify your choice.
I’ve had leg straps tangle far more often than a bum strap, but those horses didn’t have the option to bolt. I still use blankets with legs straps.
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Thanks all! The issue has resolved itself because it turns out in the pile of blankets someone gave me recently after their horse passed had one just the right size and type! So I’ll leave the HW as is for now and only use it in the stall.
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