My horse gets blanket rubs on his shoulders every year. He currently wears the Smartpak Ultimate blankets, but also has gotten them with the Amigo Bravo 12s he used to have. I have made him bras similar to the Bossy’s bibs (some nylon, this year’s satin) and he still rubs. What ideas and/or suggestions do you guys have for a blanket that might fit him better? He is about 15.3, doesn’t strike me as all that wide (but the rubs may beg to differ) and of what was probably good but mystery breeding. My guess on breeding would be warmblood +/- some possible pony in the mix. THANK YOU!
My mare can only wear a blanket with a ring closure on the front (Rambo) and gets instant rubs from any with buckles. You can also try out the HUGS blankets. Its not about them being wide, its about the bone location. The top point of the humerus needs to not sit where the blanket creates pressure from the buckles.
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Also, the further forward the blanket sits, the less likely you will be to get rubs. If the blankets you are using are slipping back a bit and the neckline isn’t staying a hand’s width in front of the wither then this may be causing it.
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For me, it depends on the rub. Mine both get a little rub on one shoulder when they are wearing blankets a lot but it’s fairly small & it doesn’t rub to bare skin, just very very short fur. In this case, it’s not hurting them, so I just let it be. I can’t afford to buy different blankets just for fur aesthetics.
If it’s chafing the skin & causing the horse actual discomfort though, then yes, I would pursue other options.
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High neck blankets, maybe a size bigger, done up high around the neck (no slipping back as others say), with a very clean Bossys Bib (the real thing - I’ve tried to make copies but they didn’t work) on a very clean horse with Showsheen-ed shoulders.
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Usually around this time of year, my horse gets rubbed by anything and everything. This year he is sporting a rub on his shoulder. It doesn’t matter if he wears his Wug, ring closure Rambo, his Premier Equine blanket, spandex shoulder guard or bib. The thing still rubs or the bib/shoulder guard somehow rubs him elsewhere too.
Keeping the hair moisturized has helped. I use a moisturizing spray and hair lotion (made for ethnic/textured human hair) on the spot. That helps a bit.
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Agree with the real Bossy Bibs and the HUGS blankets. My mare is uber sensitive (everything causes rubs) and she has done really well in the Hugs blankets this year even without the Bossy Bib underneath. All other blankets have required the Bossy Bib, but it did work 100% as advertised, much to my surprise.
Thanks, everybody. I will look into those suggestions since his Smartpaks will need to go back under warranty this spring anyway.
My queen of rubs wears only HUGS. Shoulder guards, etc. didn’t help her at all.
My big chested gelding got rubs no matter what brand of blanket he wore - until I put him in an authentic Bossy Bib. He hasn’t had a rub since - in over five years. No matter what he’s wearing.
That said - before I found the Bossy Bibs I used to find that applying Show Sheen to the area prone to rubs helped reduce friction and the severity of the rubbing. But only the Bossy Bib eliminated it completely.
BINGO. I was going to suggest the Show Sheen since no one else had, but you beat me to the punch. It’s worked for me on several differently built horses with different blankets that all seem to get some rubbing by this time in the winter.
Tough One makes a blanket with Velcro ‘Snuggits’ on the shoulders. The straps allow you to adjust how snugly the neck of the blanket fits…if the blanket doesn’t pull to the rear on the shoulders, no rubs. There are a few other manufacturers also. I’ve been using them about 10 years or so. Most of my friends prefer them. Halflingers, TB, QH,Morgans., no one has blankets rubs anymore.
Another vote for Bossys Bibs…
