Blanket choice?

[2DogsFarm]

@Simkie

I disagree about the need for a no fill sheet. I haven’t used one in years. The 100 gram is far more useful, IMO.

I found out the same.
Midwest Winters mean the occasional Polar Vortex with Sub-Zero temps.
Even so, I rarely blanket my Herd of 3:
20yo Hackney Pony
18yo TWH
6yo mini
When I do, blankets are waterproof turnouts with nylon lining, 180g fill.
I got each a waterproof sheet (no fill), used them once & said Heckwiddit!
Horses are turned out w/access to stalls & if they want to come in from the rain, they can.

For horse & pony I got Kodiak brand turnouts from Horseloverz.
Going on 2yrs & look brand new, though used so rarely I’m sure that helps.
For the mini, a Tough-1 blanket is 3yrs old & sadly outgrown. He was 2-1/2 when I bought it & now shows Plumber’s Butt :o

[Shagyas_Rock]

@wildlifer

I love my rain sheets (no fill) & so do the horses. I would recommend that - I have never used a 100 g blanket (in NC with trace clipped horses) & I doubt OP would even need that much in TX. Modern sheets are breathable & there is plenty of air space beneath them, they aren’t lycra compression suits, so they do not cause extra chill problems. I use them as a barrier to wind & rain (horses live out with a shelter, but that doesn’t mean they choose to use it, lol), they work great. If I lived in the NE, I might choose differently, but in the South, I will always use a sheet first.
”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹
As for what type, it depends on how hard your horse is on them. I don’t even bother with anything less than 1200 D fabric, I’ve learned the hard way it won’t last. If your horse lives alone, you may get away with less. I know this board has a love affair with Rambo, but I have a 10-yr old Centaur blanket going strong & another 5 yr old Smartpak Deluxe that has no problems, I also have 2 of the SP Ultimate sheets I bought on clearance that are very nice & heavy enough material to provide a bit of extra insulation. It’s not necessary to spend $400+ on a horse blanket unless you just want to.

You are quite right - there is a sort of blind loyalty to Rambo blankets - I guess if you’re going to spend over $400 on a blanket, you have to rationalize it somehow. However, the blanket industry has caught up, and are competing quite successfully with Horseware for durability and longevity. They simply can no longer claim to be the only brand to last 10 years or more. I have blankets of various brands including Schneider and Weatherbeeta that are going on 15 years old and still waterproof and tear proof.
I recently discovered Bucas- amazing blanket - and they have leg straps - which keep the blanket closer to the hindquarters and don’t get covered in poo - and they are over $150 less expensive than Rambo.

[Simkie]

I love Rambos because they a) don’t rub a single one of my horses b) have the v front clips and c) have a tail cord. Not a single other brand I’ve tried does those all things. I’ll pay the $$$ for that and the longevity.

[Renn_aissance]

@Toblersmom

This sounds like just the ticket. Hopefully there will still be stock and sales when our lockdown lifts, if not I can just keep an eye out for another sale or good-condition used, it’s not like I’ll need it for a long time. It was up to 87 here today!

Check Adams Horse Supply - they had 100gm blankets in stock last weekend when I was browsing their site, and they may still be on sale with coupon code “hope”.

[Montanas_Girl]

In my climate, a no-fill sheet gets WAY more use than any other weight. For unclipped horses, that’s often the only “clothing” I buy - they wear a no-fill sheet when it’s raining just above freezing or in freezing rain, so that their coats stay dry (which is all they need to stay warm). For my clipped horses, it’s an essential wardrobe staple!

I have Arabians, so Rambo/Rhino/Amigo style blankets absolutely DO NOT fit well - for whatever reason, those lines (which are already cut uber generously when it comes to drop length) don’t scale down the drop length in proportion to blanket size. For example, I had to buy an Amigo sheet for my current filly because I couldn’t find one in her size (66") in any other brand, and the drop goes all the way down to the middle of her cannons, even though the chest-to-tail length is perfect. Meanwhile, her Schneider’s medium weight, also a 66", fits perfectly. I try very, very hard to buy only Schneider’s products when possible.

[stb]

@Simkie

I’ve just never had a circumstance where clothing was necessary and 100 grams was too heavy. Really, I’ve seen the opposite–if it’s wet and chilly enough for any sort of cover, a bit of weight is more appropriate.

”‹”‹”‹”‹I’m not saying that they don’t need blanketed in the wet. I’m saying that a 100 gram turnout is better suited than a sheet for those conditions.

This has been my experience, as well.