Heavy Duty Rainsheets - recommendations needed.

[lifeishorsesarelove]

I have a mare that thinks rainsheets should be used as Kleenex. I’m on my fourth sheet for her in the past year; and she’s also wrecked an Amigo midweight, too. I am considering going to route of a “nicer” rainsheet for her. I already buy 1200D and she shreds them, with varying degrees of success. It isn’t her buddies, she’s come out of her stall with her clothes falling apart, and gone through several buddies and all of their clothes seem fine.

Her heavyweight is a Baker, which has held up well, but I don’t like the cut of it on her. The rainsheets generally start to come apart at the stitching/seams, Ex. multiple body panels in various colours, or the surcingle straps. I’m hoping that maybe a more expensive sheet will be tougher in these areas.

So, since I have a friend coming to visit from the states in a few weeks, I am hoping to order a sheet and have her bring it to me in Ontario. Looking for recommendations for your most bullet proof, hard wearing rainsheets. I need it to fit a 15HH, broad shouldered QH, who wears a 75" in most brands. If you have suggestions, please let me know how your horse is shaped so I can get an idea of fit.

Are the Smartpak blankets pretty hard wearing? The Rockin SP line intrigues me. Should I go for broke and buy something at the Rambo price point, or am I doomed to replacing rainsheets constantly?

Do they make carbon fiber blankets yet?

[KBC]

B Vertigo 1680 turn out sheet, My mare has not killed her yet, that and her Weatherbeeta 1680 are the only things she has not yet manage to destroy.

78" fits my 16’1hh draft cross mare…

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[OneTwoMany]

We’ve had great success with the Rambo turnout sheets. We have on average 8 warmbloods blanketed during the cold weather and in the last 5 years, we’ve only retired one blanket. Sometimes you can find a good deal on a gently used one on ebay.

[WildandWickedWarmblo]

Buy the Rambo. Make sure you buy the neck rug that is compatible with it.

[lifeishorsesarelove]

@KBC

B Vertigo 1680 turn out sheet, My mare has not killed her yet, that and her Weatherbeeta 1680 are the only things she has not yet manage to destroy.

78" fits my 16’1hh draft cross mare…

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Does the B vertigo come in an uninsulated/no fill? I’m only finding the 250g fill version online.

I don’t need to replace her others yet, just the rainsheets… the Baker will do until she wrecks it, and its 300g, and then I have a 200g stable, a 200g Amigo(which needs repairs), and I generally have a rainsheet for her too. That usually gives me the flexibility I need - just looking to upgrade to a harder wearing rainsheet because those take the most abuse.

[fordtraktor]

For a 15 h stock type horse, I think your best bet for durability is the “Big D Magnum”. it is half the price of a Rambo. I have 2 – one is 7 years old and in perfect condition, the other is about 5 years old and perfect. The waterproofing is still great on both as well. It is 1680 denier and tough, tough, tough.

I had the older one on my filly who absolutely shredded a Rambo fly sheet and managed to break the front and wiggle out of her Rambo wug. Only the Big D still looks perfect…it is a blanket that doesn’t always fit WBs well but it is made for QH types. (I have one of those too, a 15h QH who wears the newer one).

Mine are both 76s. Horse wears a 75 in Rambo comfortably so you might want to size up rather than down (they are in 2 inch increments like most Qh sized blankets).

I have been disappointed in the waterproofing on newer Rambo sheets. I have a Rockin SP fly sheet and found it to be lowish quality and rubbed shoulders.

[lifeishorsesarelove]

@fordtraktor

For a 15 h stock type horse, I think your best bet for durability is the “Big D Magnum”. it is half the price of a Rambo. I have 2 – one is 7 years old and in perfect condition, the other is about 5 years old and perfect. The waterproofing is still great on both as well. It is 1680 denier and tough, tough, tough.

I had the older one on my filly who absolutely shredded a Rambo fly sheet and managed to break the front and wiggle out of her Rambo wug. Only the Big D still looks perfect…it is a blanket that doesn’t always fit WBs well but it is made for QH types. (I have one of those too, a 15h QH who wears the newer one).

Mine are both 76s. Horse wears a 75 in Rambo comfortably so you might want to size up rather than down (they are in 2 inch increments like most Qh sized blankets).

I have been disappointed in the waterproofing on newer Rambo sheets. I have a Rockin SP fly sheet and found it to be lowish quality and rubbed shoulders.

https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/big-d-magnum-turnout-sheet-6482

Am I looking at the right blanket here? This looks like its marked 1200D?

Part of what scares me with the rambos is that they’re 1000D and I’ve seen what she can do to 1200… and if she trashes a Rambo original, I may cry hysterically for a week. They cost more than she did.

[fordtraktor]

@lifeishorsesarelove

https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/big-d-magnum-turnout-sheet-6482

Am I looking at the right blanket here? This looks like its marked 1200D?

Part of what scares me with the rambos is that they’re 1000D and I’ve seen what she can do to 1200… and if she trashes a Rambo original, I may cry hysterically for a week. They cost more than she did.

That’s the one, I thought it was 1680 but it’s been a while since I actually bought them! Whatever it is, it is nothing like the Amigo and Rhinos. It also has a mesh lining which I like…they are hard to find nowdays and so much nicer than nylon.

I actually have a Weatherbeeta Original 1680 with a few holes in it…the Big D really does wear like iron. It isn’t the fanciest sheet and I don’t love the front closures without snaps of any kind, but it is the one I put on destructive horses here for sure! But the Rambo is a different fabric so the lower denier is actually more durable than it sounds. I have not had problems with the Rambos getting holes…it is just the waterproofness I don’t love/wears out faster in the newer ones. The old ones were good for decades but I have 2 in a row lose waterproofing in less than 2 years which I think unacceptable for a sheet at that price.

[Ruth0552]

Will Smartpak honor their 10 year warranty on the ultimate turnout sheet in Canada? Then you could just send it back for a new one if shipping isn’t prohibitively expensive.

The Rambos wear pretty well but I recently had one lose it’s waterproofing after 1 washing. They did end up honoring their 3 year warranty on waterproofing, but they do not have one for general destruction.

Next time I buy a new rainsheet I’m buying the SmartPak Ultimate one so I can send it back for a new one when it, inevitably, fails to be waterproof or gets ripped.

[Uncorked]

I love the Smartpak Ultimates…have one of every weight now. My guys are in a group of 5 geldings on 50 acres of woods and pasture. These have held up very well - the oldest are now on their 3rd season. The only thing I had go wrong was one of the front buckles broke and within 2 days they sent me a new one (buckle) I highly recommend this brand. You know it might help if you were to put a heavy duty flysheet over her clothes?

[raff]

The Rhino+light has the toughest outer i’ve had so far. It’s polypropylene instead of polyester or nylon , so while the denier is 1000 it’s very strong. Don’t know re q horse fit though.

[ace]

Rambo or Big D. I haven’t had a Big D rainsheet, but the winter blankets are great

[luvmyhackney]

I’ve found the big D blankets are on par with Weatherbeeta’s. I love my Weatherbeeta turnouts, they seem to last forever. I did get my guy over pulling on the chest part with a little rip last though. He was a fast learner.

[Unfforgettable]

Try this, on sale from Schneiders, 1680 denier. https://www.sstack.com/horse-blankets-and-sheets_waterproof-turnout-sheets_contour-collar-euro/stormshield-contour-collar-ballistic-extreme-turnout-sheet/

[betsyk]

I’m in love with a Tough-1 rainsheet I bought last year. It’s the highest denier they make with an adjustable neck. My mare is shaped sort of like a giant Morgan and she doesn’t use the adjustable neck things at all, but it fits her roundness really well. It’s also the only rainsheet we own that’s actually reasonably waterproof - better than Smartpack and Weatherbeeta, and at least as good as Rambo/Rhino.

[fanfayre]

It’s not so much the denier count, that’s for waterproofness, it’s the type of material that gives it the strength. Sounds like you need something that’s made with ballistic nylon.
Rambos (not Rhinos or Amigos) or Weatherbeetas are 2 brands I know that have ballistic blankets. Look carefully at the details when choosing. And the Stormshield @Unfforgettable linked is ballistic too, so may be a good choice at 1680d

[lifeishorsesarelove]

@fanfayre

It’s not so much the denier count, that’s for waterproofness, it’s the type of material that gives it the strength. Sounds like you need something that’s made with ballistic nylon.
Rambos (not Rhinos or Amigos) or Weatherbeetas are 2 brands I know that have ballistic blankets. Look carefully at the details when choosing. And the Stormshield @Unfforgettable linked is ballistic too, so may be a good choice at 1680d

Now, see, THIS is super helpful. And explains a lot.

The Stormshield may be what I end up settling on!

[AdultAmmyJumper]

I love the Bucas rain sheet, you can get them at Greenhawk now. I used a 78" on a QH gelding that wore an 80" Shedrow for other blankets, it fit him very well. I find them to be roomy in the shoulders but they also have a “big neck” option if your horse is particularly broad. It also stood up to his rambunctious field mates, you can see some bite marks (scratches) in the fabric but absolutely no rips or tears.

http://www.bucas.com/product/smartex-turnout-6/

[LauraKY]

@Unfforgettable

Try this, on sale from Schneiders, 1680 denier. https://www.sstack.com/horse-blankets-and-sheets_waterproof-turnout-sheets_contour-collar-euro/stormshield-contour-collar-ballistic-extreme-turnout-sheet/

I had the best luck with Schneider’s. Completely switched over from Rambos and Amigos. They also hold their waterproofing better and you can run them through the dryer on low to revitilize the waterproofing.

[skipollo]

I have a SmartPak Deluxe medium and light (no fill.) They’re always on sale, and for the price they’ve held up well. Don’t pay full price for them—not worth it. The hardware is flimsy, and overall it’s a decent blanket but not the best. If you want SmartPak, go Ultimate and AVOID the Rockin SP line. I got one for my QH. It’s awful. It’s cheap, too short top to bottom so it fits like a mini skirt, hardware is no good. This is the Classic line, so maybe the Ultimate or Deluxe is better, but honestly the cut is so horrible on him. It’s a stock horse blanket that doesn’t fit a stock horse.

If if I had to replace his sheet right now, I’d be looking at Horseware. I probably wouldn’t buy SmartPak again unless it was a great sale.