I used Schneider’s about 10 years ago and they always got water logged after a day of rain. Plus they are really heavy and didn’t keep water off their shoulders. So they would get shoulder rubs. And they didn’t breathe. Rambo wugs have always kept the girls dry and they never get shoulder rubs. They get a bath in November then live in either a sheet or blanket until spring. No rubs. No rain rot. No dirt or mud. Plus they breathe so they don’t need to be changed out for a few hours of Warmer weather. So the girls can wear a medium weight and be comfortable with 2 hrs at 50 and then handle lows of mid 20s. But they aren’t clipped.
Schneider's blanket sale - good bargains. But is their claim true? And how about the fit? Questions.
I had one of the ballistic nylon wither relief 80g blankets from Schneider’s that held up nicely, and stayed waterproof. It got a fair bit of use on my old guy who lived out 24/7 in Virginia. My biggest complaint was they never made an uninsulated neck cover for it.
I’ve also had good luck with my Shires and Bucas blankets. Even my 600D Amigo Hero sheet was decent, but it was really more of a windbreaker/stay-clean-when-it’s-muddy sheet. His 1200D Shires integrated-neck sheet was the workhorse.
Smartpack has a 10 yr guarantee on some of their blankets. I had bought a sheet on sale that didn’t stay waterproof and they replaced it: so far so good, and the design is good too.
3 Likes
I have found every time I’ve ordered something other than a Scneider’s blanket, I’ve been disappointed. I don’t face cold temps, but we do love rain in Florida. They have all kept my horses very dry,and lasted for years. Had to replace one last year that was 20 years old. It was still mostly waterproof but all the surcingles, and front buckles had basically rotted off. When they did the underlying fabric wasn’t going to handle new hardware.
1 Like
I don’t love them, but I have one horse that is strange in front, and they are the only brand that fits him good. With most other brands, the neck opening is too big and his chest hangs out. Good for hookers, not for horses. But the blankets really don’t hold up as well as most other brands.
I bought a Schneiders heavyweight last year and never again. Front buckle fell off after a handful of wears. I think my gelding wore it for a couple of weeks before he outgrew it, then I put it on my mare for a few days to wash her 20-year-old Rambo. The front buckle literally fell off in my hand while I was doing it up one day.
@Dr. Doolittle try Premier Equine UK blankets. I used SSTack and Horseware (Rambo, Rhino and Amigo - tried them all) for years until my horses outgrew their blankets and then tried Premier and I am a convert!!! They fit way better than Horseware and come lower on the horse’s sides to provide more protection.
Can’t recommend them highly enough.
I’ve found that all the Schneiders brand that I’ve ordered fit small. I have a horse that is 84" in most blankets, but even the 86" in Schneiders is way too tight in the shoulder for him and sits weird on his belly (too short).
Thanks, @Samantha37 - I actually just ordered some horse boots from them! GREAT prices and CS, though I had a bit of trouble getting my order through (and then they rejected my debit card so I had to use AMEX), but they were quite helpful via e-mail.
Problem is A) we are currently trying to conserve funds until mid-Feb. so I don’t have $100 to spend on a blanket ATM :(, and B) shipping takes awhile from “across the pond”, so I would likely not be receiving the blanket until the end of Feb. Probably worth the investment anyway since I am planning to trace clip her in March, and we will likely continue to have cold weather until spring. Ugh.
Looking at their blankets, they do indeed seem to provide good coverage; they also have generous shoulder gussets. Downside is no leg straps, but hopefully the design is such that they won’t slide around much? Is the waterproofing as good as they claim in your experience?
I just bought a shoulder guard for my mare, and of course! the medium is too small???, so I have to take it back today and get her a large. She is 15.2! 
She now has rubs on both shoulders, Oy.
They are having a good sale right now but they are still probably close to $100 plus the shipping time 
The generous shoulder gussets have been a lifesaver. Both of my TBs have massive shoulders and they get rubs from other brands. They don’t slide despite lack of leg straps on a very active/playful horse. The waterproofing is good - I’ve only had them 2 seasons so I can’t speak to their longevity but my friends who have had them longer swear by them.
What size/weight blankets are you looking for? I have a couple of spares I might be able to loan you in Horseware brand.
Good to know re: rubs and stability! She wears a size 75 (and how does that convert in the UK? Or do they have a chart?) and I’m looking for 200 grams of fill.
Erm, they still use feet and inches in the UK :lol: :lol:
Premier stuff also comes with BOTH a tail cord and leg straps. Maybe it’s dependent on item, but everything I’ve ever looked at has both.
IIRC, VAT is also not removed from the total until sometime late in checkout. Perhaps not until the very end. I know I’ve been pleasantly surprised when purchasing because the total was less than displayed.
1 Like
:lol: The size options listed are 5’6" to 6’9" - so I obviously just need to do the math there: 6’3"=75 inches, yes? Math is SO not my strong suit (which is why I usually just ask Siri to do math problems…)
Good to know about the leg straps! They may not actually be necessary if the blanket fits snugly enough. In the case of this horse, blankets with tail cords (like Rambos) slide around on her. In addition to having a laid back shoulder, narrowish chest and not much wither, she has a tubelike barrel, carries her weight along the sides and not underneath (she is not “barrel shaped”, but kind of more like a Friesian conformation, even though she’s a Hanoverian), so the belly straps on the Rambos tend to still be a bit loose on her even when adjusted to their tightest. AND rugs tend to slide back on her, though Rambos are more “tent shaped” (which is probably why they don’t have shoulder gussets.)
I’ve switched from Northwinds to Schneiders. Very pleased with the quality and fit. I’ve found them true to size as long as you measure per their recommendations.
I’ve had a problem with a couple of things - haynets and a fly sheet - customer service took good care of me. Haynets were under warranty. Called, sent a pic, haynets were immediately replaced, no question.
I think people sometimes forget that quality comes at a price. Want Rambo quality? Pay Rambo prices.
2 Likes
Well, unless Rambo isn’t the best fit for your horse…
:sigh:
I totally agree. I don’t like my sstack stuff as much as my rambos. But it’s been VERY serviceable for me, and I can outfit a horse in an entire wardrobe from Schneider’s for the price of ONE rambo. It’s been a really stellar value for the dollars.
1 Like
Well that just sucks. They have fit every horse I have used them on, when sized properly. Have you tried the original cut vs. the Wug? Sometimes the blanket style fits one or the other better. Rambos are my preferred brand and I try to pick them up on sale when I can.
I only tried one Schneiders blanket and it was a high neck that gapped and just didn’t fit well. I never bothered to try another one. It was a great price and well made but I didn’t like the fit. I do notice the following on other horses at the barn who have Schnieders blankets:
- Loose, stretched out or broken leg straps
- Gaps in front- they just don’t close nicely or stay closed
- They shift a lot
- The hoods come unattached because of the crummy Velcro
So enough to make me not try them again. I just throw the catalogs away or delete emails.
But SIX of my Rambo sheets have failed and have soaked completely through and all within their 3-yr guarantee. :mad: (will never buy another one!)
That’s a bummer.
Here’s what I used to decide which TO would work for my mare:
https://www.sstack.com/resources/sstack/documents/turnout-fit-guide.pdf
I also recognize there’s a range of quality. Some come with a 3-year warranty. Some don’t. Price is one indication. If people want to complain about the products, I’d have to ask which one they’re talking about. Cheap ones? Sure. Maybe they’re crap. No warranty. The Armorflex with the 3-year warranty? That would surprise me.
I have purchased different weights, and have different expectations about whether they’ll shift. The lightweight TO sheets need at least a tail strap so they don’t blow up over her butt in a stiff breeze. The heavier Armorflex TO with some fill and a bellyband stay put.
Just wanted to chime in–Smartpak has a clearance on some of their blankets right now, if you can swing the Ultimate or Ultimate Easy motion on the clearance, they have a 10 year indestructible guarantee. I haven’t blanketed much before, but my pregnant mare has a skin issue this year, and has had to wear one since early October, she has no rubs from these, and they have kept her very dry (outside 24x7). The only time she was wet at all was in the the regular neck, rather than the high neck and it rained all day–she was a bit wet at the neck opening. Switched her back to her high neck sheet, as it was warmer, and she stayed dry after being in the rain for over a full day.
