Blanket Sizing

[Cbonadeo]

When you guys buy a blanket that you expect to periodically use a liner under, do you buy your horse’s normal size for the blanket or do you size up one?

I’m looking at a new blanket for the pony, who normally wears a 63 (I have a minor blanket hoarding problem, and Rhino has an adorable berry color pony blanket on the market, and you know how it goes…). We’ll be back where it’s actually cold next winter (Kansas), and I apparently lost her blanket liner when I moved from NY (sigh), so I’m looking at liners as well (she’s normally pretty furry and I don’t think she’d need a heavy blanket often, so I figure I’ll get more use out of a good medium with a liner for the really frigid nights in Jan/Feb).

I’m leaning towards her normal size for the blanket since I don’t expect to use the liner too often, but I figured I’d ask and see what people think before spending the money.

[RedHorses]

For me it depends on the horse. I have two horses. One gets his blankets sized as is. I rarely use a quilt under his turnout, and when I do it doesn’t make his turnout too small. The other has quilts and rainsheets, no insulated turnouts. He has rainsheets, plural, because he is right on the cusp between sizes. When he needs a rainsheet, or his 100g quilt he wears a 75" Rhino original. As soon as he needs 200g or more then he gets a 78" Rhino original on top. They are the same blanket in two sizes. The 78" is too big if he’s not wearing anything underneath, and the quilts stick out (get wet, and freeze) from under the 75".

From my observations, a very large percentage of owners buy blankets too large for their horse and an extra layer underneath won’t make it too small. There was a bit of advice going round for years that buying a blanket a little big was “nice” for keeping your horse warm. :rolleyes: I hope it’s stopped, but a lot of people decide their horse is size X no matter how the various brands and models actually fit. (Shedrow made a mistake on one of their blankets for this winter and I had to buy an 80" to get it to fit like the two 76" Shedrows he already has.) Poor horses. :no:

[Cbonadeo]

@RedHorses Yeah, she can be anywhere between a 60-66 depending on the brand, and heaven forbid it’s a brand that uses odd sizing like 62 or 64 :rolleyes: (flysheets seem to be the worst for trying to get one that fits correctly!). I’m looking at a brand that I already own a lighter version of though (Rhino), so at least I know she’s normally a 63 in that brand lol (although her other blanket is a wug, and this one I think has a normal cut so may sit differently…).

I suppose I’ll go with the 63 again for both the liner and the new blanket (and make sure to try on the blanket before storing it, just in case the different model fits differently and I need to do an exchange!).

[RedHorses]

My boy with the two Rhino originals can wear a 78" Rhino Wug rainsheet with nothing underneath. It is not as big on him as the 78" Rhino original, but is bigger than the 75" Rhino original. If you’re going from a Wug to an original the 63" should have room for a liner. I think the Wug style tends to sit further forward than the original cut.

[x-halt-salute]

I buy my horse’s normal size in Rambo and Amigo Bravo blankets, and they always work fine with the liners (in the same size). The liners do not stick out from under the turnouts. I’d assume Rhino is similarly cut/fit to completely cover the Horseware liners (isn’t there just one Horseware liner line that goes with Rambo, Amigo, and Rhino, after all?). Less of a sure thing if you use a different brand of liners, but still likely to work in the same size.

If the liner is only for occasional wear, that would clinch it for me in getting the blanket in the size known to fit. Your plan sounds sensible.

[TWH_Girl]

Same size. When you buy a Rambo Duo it comes with a liner and it’s the same size as the turnout part. I’d get a Horseware liner as you’ll have better luck with the liner and blanket working and fitting properly together.

I have a blanket hoarding issue too, so I totally get it!

[Cbonadeo]

@TWH Girl

I have a blanket hoarding issue too, so I totally get it!

I mean, they come in so many colors, and you have to have at least one spare for washing days, and then what if the spare gets soaked or torn and you haven’t washed the other yet? You need three! And then… and then… Did I mention that I buy a ridiculous amount of cute pink stuff for the pony? :lol:

I have a winter jacket hoarding issue for myself too, so there you go I guess :rolleyes: (I’m excited to be moving to KS from TX, I’ll get to wear my winter clothes again! XD)

ETA: a cute photo because I can And also to complain that she tore up her old turnout sheet today, so I have to buy one of those too (an on-sale smartpak sheet, because I can’t justify spending twice as much on a Rhino wug sheet even if it does match her heavier blankets and would look adorable on her…)

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[TWH_Girl]

@Cbonadeo

I mean, they come in so many colors, and you have to have at least one spare for washing days, and then what if the spare gets soaked or torn and you haven’t washed the other yet? You need three! And then… and then… Did I mention that I buy a ridiculous amount of cute pink stuff for the pony? :lol:

I have a winter jacket hoarding issue for myself too, so there you go I guess :rolleyes: (I’m excited to be moving to KS from TX, I’ll get to wear my winter clothes again! XD)

Must be kindred spirits because I also have a jacket issue. Lol

[JB]

I buy the right size for the horse. Adding a liner, or putting a sheet over a medium, or a medium over a heavy, doesn’t change things significantly enough to warrant a size up IME. At worst, it’s a leg strap length adjustment.