Hi guys! I plan on making a cooler for my horse using a Suitability pattern. However, for the belly straps, their pattern is different then how I want to do it, so the amount of webbing needed for the project is way more then I will need. Do any of you know how much webbing I should buy to make a belly strap? Thank you!!
Based on your signature, a lot.
It varies depending on the size of the blanket and how you’re attaching it (how far up on the blanket, straight across or angled) and whether you need it to be big enough to fasten over a saddle. I would probably find a similar style of blanket in your horse’s size and measure that for a guideline.
We just use cooler squares, which cover horse from throatlatch to over tail. There are 4 ties in the front. I keep them in place with an elastic surcingle. The elastics are One-Size-Fits-All, with a slider adjustment. They are 3" wide, do a great job holding the tied in front cooler square in place. You can probably find them other places than Dover, but here is one:
http://www.doversaddlery.com/elastic-surcingle/p/X1-2447/#ProductTabs
I would suggest if you are making a shaped cooler like a blanket, you make the angled surcingles that cross under the belly. Maybe you could measure a blanket that fits animal, use the lengths for buying webbing for the cooler. Usually there are replacement sets of fastening hooks and adjustment sliders in various catalogs that would work for your cooler.
You might consider just using the elastic surcingle instead, since animal will probably only be wearing this while “cooling off” a short time. You could put some loops on cooler sides to run surcingle thru while wearing it, hold surcingle in place while not under supervision.
I keep my elastic surcingles in plastic Ziploc bags when not being used daily. Seems to keep the elastic alive much longer than elastic stored without being bagged up. I am talking years! Some of the surcingles I am using now are 12-15 years old, just like new even with frequent use in early spring. Then washed and bagged tightly, stored until next spring use.
Thanks for your help! I think I will try finding a cooler and measure how large it’s belly strap is. Thanks again!
