It’s been a few years since I’ve owned a horse or bought a blanket. I just bought a horse earlier this month and want to get him a mid weight turn out blanket. The old owner said that he had a regular blanket on for a week due to bad weather and started to get rubs around his withers. My instructor wants me to get a high neck blanket to prevent that. I was also reading about wugs and how they can be a better fit for narrow horses. I’ve only used standard style blankets so I don’t know much about the other options. If it helps he is a 15h fox trotter with a slender build. His old owner measured him at 68 for the blanket size. Any information or suggestions are appreciated, thanks!
I only put my gelding in high necks as he gets shoulder rubs too. He’s not chunky but I wouldn’t call him slender either, genuinely large framed.
I have both Rhino and Amigo and I would say the Amigo is a bit narrower on him. Horze’s Avalanche is also a good high neck option. I have had two: one that was destroyed due to a pasture of rowdy jocks and one that has now lasted two seasons. I like the shoulder gussets & length of the neck.
I need someone to combine Horseware’s clip system with the Horze Avalanche fit for my dude and I’d give them all my money.
I have heard & read good things about Premier Equine’s half necks but do know the shipping isn’t cheap.
You’ll find lots of Horseware (Rambo, Rhino, Amigo) fans on this site, including me. Most of my blankets are Wugs. Sounds like your horse is a good candidate if he’s slender.
That said, 68 sounds really small for a 15h horse. One of mine is 14.3 and wears a 75 in Horseware. I had her in a 72 when she first came to me and was underweight. I would look up the measuring instructions and remeasure. Also be aware that Horseware has you measure a little differently than most other brands.
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Thanks guys! I thought that was small too. My 14.1 morgan even took a 72. My instructor is going to help me measure him this weekend.
Remeasure him yourself.
Apologies if you do, but If you don’t know: measure from center of chest to center of butt.
Fleece at the neck can help with rubs.
2 of mine require legstraps to help keep blankets from twisting when they lie down.
I don’t like bellybands as they get soiled too easily & can get peed on by geldings when they do that last Shake & Put Away 
I have a single 100g fill turnout for each of my 3.
Rarely used as all grow a nice coat.
I blanket when there’s heavy snow & that melts on their backs.
If snow isn’t melting, they’re not losing heat, so no blanket.
I had rainsheets, but they just made busywork for me. Natural haircoat does a pretty good job shedding rain.
Maybe the issue was the blanket size more than the cut.
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Avalanche Blankets from Horze have a Triangular gusset sewn ino the neckline at the withers. The blanket isn’t sitting on the withers so you avoid rubs. Fold a “High neck” blanket the long way and put it on the floor. The topline is straight. The fabric at the neck/withers is cut longer, in a curve, so the fabric extends past the withers. It isn’t any higher. There is no room underneath so it will sit on the withers and rub.
I love the Avalanche. In addition to the gusset over the withers there are very long shoulder gussets. There are two sets of T-buckles on the chest that adjust so you can control the size of the neck opening. .They have a huge tail flap. 1200D and very well made. I had a Paint gelding who was built narrow in front. I couldn’t find anything for years that kept his shoulders dry because the neck was cut for horses with large neck/shoulders. These were recommended by a tack stopre owner who used them. My horse was finally dry and warm…
He was on pasture board for 19 years. He spent his last 18 months at a luxury barn with a runout that was always open. Unlimilted blanket changes! He had a huge wardrobe: a total of 7 (watch for sales!): one regular rain sheet, 2 rain fleece (lined sheet), 2 mediums, one medium with neck cover (adjustable, of course), and a heavy-duty parka for blizzards and bone-chilling cold. BO loved the choices.
I personally like “wugs” fine, and acquired mine because it was on sale. But my BM absolutely hates them. Her feeling is that if you need a neck, you need a neck. If you don’t, you can leave it off or leave it back. Which is… fair. She also sees them mess with manes.
So, however much I love my mare’s wug? I also know it pisses off the barn staff.
As for how the blankets fit, there is so much variability. I find Horsewear works well for warmbloods. I also find that “cheaper” brands are not only ill-fitting, but the supposed fill is substandard.
YMMV.
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I haven’t had a problem with blankets rubbing since I switched to Shedrow blankets from Greenhawk. Both their standard cut and their high wither cut work equally well on my wide-chested QH and the narrow TB. But for the QH, I did go one size up for the high wither cut because the neck was too narrow.
Smartpack Ultimate high neck blankets for me - they come with a 10-Year Indestructible Guarantee. Anything goes wrong they replace it free. I’ve tested this and it works!
Baker turnout blankets, or the Big D Sussex.
I love the mid necks. Schneiders has some great deals right now. Congrats on the new guy!
