I second the Rambos. Hands down. The Rambo original lightweight (no fill) is a great waterproof turnout sheet for rain. Add a layer underneath when the temps dip down. I hate to tell you how old some of my Rambos are. They are really durable. Don’t forget to keep an eye on e-bay. You can find some good bargains.
I have trace clipped horses in a somewhat colder climate (more like 30s to 40s for months). I would highly recommend a medium weight and an unfilled sheet with a full neck. Putting both on at a time will keep the horse plenty warm and DRY in your climate. I don’t want to treat rain rot, so I love the full neck for rainy spring days. It’s a flexible system that has gotten be through MD winters with no issue.
I’ve had good luck with northwind (?) blankets (these are at Dover and have a great warranty) for thoroughbreds. I had a horse who was a pain in the neck to fit. Everything gave him rubs. Rambo/weatherbeta were expensive no-go’s due to fit. the Big D blankets from smartpak also are a decent option, and the smartpak brand has a bunch of different models for horses of different shapes and hold up fairly well.
I have a thin-skinned Appendix mare now, and she has acquired quite the wardrobe.
The one I’m really glad I bought for her is the Weatherbeeta Comfitec Trio - It’s a 100 gram turnout with an additional 200 gram liner, and a neck cover. I use the 100 gram on her a lot, and it’s nice to have the liner in case it gets really chilly. Cheaper and less hassle than having a whole other blanket that isn’t likely to see much use.
I also bought her a Bucas Sunshower sheet, which has mesh lining instead of a regular lining, so it’s more breathable on those days when it’s getting up towards 70. She wore it a lot this spring. More than her regular 0gram turnout sheet, actually.
I’m in Idaho, so she also has a 220 gram and a 400 gram, but I think you’d get by just fine in your area with just the Comfitec Trio and a sheet.
Also, I will put in a plug for Shires blankets. The Stormcheeta line, at least, is really nice. Very heavy duty and well designed, and can be purchased at deep discounts, especially if you don’t mind their Poppy red color. I just ordered a high neck sheet and medium from their Stormbreaker line for my new filly. The Stormbreaker line is lower denier, but I’m hoping everything else is the same quality. I got the sheet for $72 shipped from Horseloverz.com and $105 for the medium on eBay (she’s 2, so I didn’t want to spend a lot on things she’s going to grow out of and/or destroy).
