I have not needed to buy a blanket in probably 10 years. My weatherbetas finally fell apart. Any suggestions on the best name brands that will last another 10 years?
The nylon lining on the insides of the newer blankets doesn’t look like it will last.
I have had the best luck with Rambo and Rhino blankets.
The best blanket is one that fits your horse.
I have a gorgeous high neck original Rambo I got second hand in excellent condition but it’s too tight in the neck for. Y mare. I did get a chest extender piece.
Horseware Ireland has fantastic waterproofing in their Rhino & Rambo lines, I don’t have an Amigo so can’t attest to that. The Rhinos seem to fit the narrower horses a bit better whereas I like the Rambos for slightly stockier ones. The Wugs are made for horses with high withers and narrower shoulders. I believe Rambo Optimo and Amigo stock horse are sort of like smaller lines of blankets within Horseware Ireland’s Rambo & Amigo lines for horses that need a roomier fit? I think there’s also something they make Sure Fit blankets for another kind of horse build but have never tried them.
Schneider’s also has a couple different cuts like V-Tek, V-Free I think, etc for different shapes. They also have some blankets with belly wraps.
SmartPak has a 10 year warranty on a good amount of their blankets, no idea how long they usually last but they seem nice.
Definitely get a good measurement of their blanket size incase it changed. Seems like a no-brainer but I made the mistake of just eyeballing whether they had gone up/down a size and I ended up having to buy more blankets in different sizes.
i’m a believer in Rambo- some I’ve had 20 years, now granted we don’t use them as much as those of you up North but still, none have anything broken or bent or worn out and no rips or tears.
I do believe they’re worth the extra money.
Anything Horseware is the way to go. Nothing compares in fit or value.
I still like my Weatherbeetas, even if I only get five or so years out of them. But I’ve leaned heavily to the Schneiders Challenger blankets. Wear well, fit well, and if you can find them on sale, not horribly expensive.
Horseware Ireland…I usually go with the Amigo line - it’s a nice balance between cost and durability and seems to always fit my horses well. Rhino seems to run tighter in the shoulder/neck. I will do the Rambo if I find a good buy. I’ve used the Mio line when I needed something inexpensive for a youngster who was going to grow out of it quickly…the quality of the Mio line is not as good as the Amigo/Rhino/Rambo…but it’s much cheaper. The Rambo blankets have held up over years of use so the added cost does pay off (assuming your horses are the normal level of wear/tear).
Fit is definitely important! I’ll speak contrary to COTH gospel, I’m not a fan of Rambo stuff, seems to be sized for mastodons & priced for Springsteens, lol, but I have been extremely happy with my Smartpak blankets (I’ve used the guaranteed Ultimate line, bought when on sale, for many years with success), great, durable blankets that fit my horses well. I also had a SP Deluxe that I used for 5 years & sold with the horse with at least a couple more years left in it. I also have an old Centaur that will not die - it has to be at least 10 yrs old & it still looks perfect, I can’t believe it, I know I paid less than $100 for it. I never buy anything that is less than 1200 dernier, that does seem to help with longevity.
I did just recently buy a schneiders blanket on sale for the first time. I’m ok with it, I guess- material seems sturdy, I do really like the techno-fleece insulation. But I don’t like the adjust a neck, it leaves gaps if you need it on the tighter settings for a narrower horse. It would be more of a pita to return than it’s worth, so I’m accepting it as a compromise but wouldn’t buy that design again. We’ll see if it lasts, I’m skeptical about the back seam, but time will tell.
Rambo. Hands down. Every one of mine was bought secondhand for a reasonable price: some new, some heavily used. Even the heavily used ones are still in great shape.
I’ve also had really good luck with the Amigo Bravo line from Horsewear Ireland.
I echo every positive thing said about about Rambo above. They’re just fab, nothing compares. Spendy but worth it!
I’m a big fan of the Schneider’s VTek Warrior blankets. 1680 denier, lifetime warranty, adjustable neck for the narrow, high withered types. It’s the only blanket that I’ve found that holds up to my hard playing young horse.
I tried SP Ultimates for him last year and they tore like tissue paper. Never again.
Rambo. They’re crazy expensive, but you can find them on sale and they can’t be beat for quality. They’re roomy and durable, and everything about them is leagues beyond any other brand/line of blankets.
For a more affordable option, I’m happy with SmartPak Deluxe and Ultimate. Ultimate comes with a 10-year warranty no matter what, if your horse shreds it on the first day, you can get a replacement for free. I don’t love the neck rug attachments for either of these, they tend to flip up when they’re eating so there’s a gap on their necks that isn’t covered.
Northwind by Dover is a major disappointment. Cheap materials, poor stitching. The blanket material itself feels fine, but the Velcro/straps and stitching and hardware are cheap. My horse is not rough on his blankets, but his Northwind is disintegrating, and it’s only two years old.
Amigos are also very cheap and narrow through the chest. The materials are bad, the fit is bad, and the waterproofing is bad. I’ve had several, so it wasn’t just one fluke.
Rhinos are also nice. The drop is a little shorter and I don’t like their neck rugs (too short) but other than that, they’re a nice quality.
Weatherbeeta Originals (if they still make them) are nice, simple, and affordable. I have some of the Freestyle blankets (I don’t think they make them anymore) that I’m not impressed with, especially as they’ve aged. Some friends of mine have the newer Comitec line, and they really like them. I have no first hand experience with them.
I haven’t noticed a difference in the nylon lining of yesteryear vs the nylon lining today.
I currently use Weatherbetta and Smartpak blankets, I plan on buying new blankets every three years when out of warranty as needed. So far my Weatherbetta sheets/blankets are going on 6 years and the newest ones are on their second winter. The Smartpak blanket I got this season is not holding up like my other blankets. Already has a small tear in the fabric.
Rambos only fit the QH and he hates blankets, so seems like a loss. The other two are narrow and they slide everywhere.
I bought my gelding in 2001. He is 16hh, age 27 now, and does not look or act his age. He is built narrow in front. I found some good blankets, very plain but very well made. They fit nicely. I got them on sale from a tack store in Michigan for about $60 or so. He was on pasture board for 19-1/2 years, which can be tough on blankets. The waterproofing weathers away and they fade. I bought a half-dozen. When I tried to replace them they were no longer made. I tried numerous brands but could not find anything that fit his neck correctly. His shoulders were always wet. I tried Weatherbetta, Pessoa, Smartpak, a few other brands.
I called the store and the owner I dealt with 20 years ago was still there. Her choice is Horze Avalanche. She said they fit her horses well so they should fit my horse. I was suspicious looking at them online. Horze doesn’t have a very good reputation for quality. I saw them at Equine Affaire and was impressed. I suspect they are made in Europe for another company. They have some features you don’t see elsewhere. There is a gusset over the withers so they don’t rub. Huge tail flap, very deep shoulder gussets. They have 2 sets of double T-buckles on the chest. I can adjust them so his shoulders are dry. He is retired now, pampered in a new barn with a stall always open to a run. It has a nice overhang. They do unlimited blanket changes year-round - fly sheets included. I added a medium with neck hood to the collection. Also have heavy duty parka for very cold or very snowy weather. Plus medium, rain sheet, and 2 rain fleeces. Initial purchase was buy 2, get 1 free and they carried them out to the car. Watched for sales and got the medium with hood for $115 (Cheshire Horse). Found the rain fleeces on sale. I send them all out annually for washing and waterproofing, less than $50. They do repairs also. My collection that didn’t fit went to the refuge barn 5 minutes from home.
He is old at 27 and I am old at 73. He is aging better than I am. It’s a relief that barn staff takes care of blanketing so I don’t have to go to the barn when the weather is bad.
Northwind by Dover used to be amazing, but then something changed and they became cheap in all respects. If you see someone selling one that they’ve had sitting around for 10 years, snatch it up otherwise go with something like Rambo.
I never had Northwind blankets, but I used the regular Riders International from Dover. They used to be such a great deal. I have ones that are pushing 20 years old, and while they have lost a little waterproofing, they are still in good shape and well liked by the horses. They were always my preferred blanket.
But I agree with @lintesia that something changed. The price increased and the quality seemed to go down a bit. The last ones I bought were a bit leaky with some shoddy stitching, definitely not worth the price increase. Plus they seemed to shift around more than in the past.
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