Turnout Blanket That Doesn't Slide Backwards on Percheron Neck but Narrow Chest/Shoulders

[eclectic]

I have a mare with the outline of a Percheron (high and deep neck that ties smoothly into the wither, back is shorter than bottomline, wide hindquarters), BUT is narrow through the chest and shoulders. She’s not as long or tall as a draft, so doesn’t fit the styles made for drafts. (she’s 78-82 depending on brand/style).

I’ve tried two Schneiders design blankets on her - the Cut-back, and the “V-Free,” and they both slide backward from their original placement as soon as she walks, so they then create pressure at either the point of shoulder or wither. In the V-Free blanket, I now have the neckline tightened down as far as it will go, and the front buckled as tight as it will get. This keeps the blanket it it’s proper place and makes it look like the perfect fit. However, she can barely put her head down over the front buckles to graze, and when she does, there is tremendous pressure at the wither, regardless of the so-called “pressure-free” design.

I believe some of you have horses with similar conformation - Percheron in outline yet not as big as a draft horse, and narrow shoulders. The perfect storm of attributes to cause blanket to slip backwards and down over the rump.

I was all set to order the latest Rambo Optimo since it’s generous enough in the front to prevent stress on the point of shoulder. But now am having second thoughts. For one thing, it fits the TB in her pasture perfectly - and she’s nothing like him. Secondly, now that I’m aware of what’s happening with the blankets (slipping back), I don’t see why this one might not also slip back, and either choke her or press on the neck or wither when she puts her head down.

I did find one recommendation (for a more drafty horse) in here - it was the Turtleneck design. This one looks interesting, different from all the others. The only thing is it seems to be intended for a true draft-type horse with big shoulders. So the elastic opening might be too big.

Does anyone else have this same problem and have found the blanket solution? I’d very much appreciate your help.
TIA

[akdraft77]

I have a 17.2 hh, 1400 lb Perch/Trekehner. He’s got the narrower build. He wears a 90. I like the big fella blankets I get from Schneider’s best so far. The shoulder gussets cinch up and help with the fit - I just cinch them all the way up. It’s a little loose in the shoulder, but it is the best I have found so far, the quality of the blanket is also VERY nice.

[JB]

Schneider’s Norlund high neck. My WB is built similar to your horse from the sound of it. He’s really wide-barreled, a higher neck with a smooth wither tie-in, but is not terribly wide through the chest and shoulders. 80" blanket, 60" long girth. The V-free fit was good, but still tended to sit back a bit hard on his shoulders. The high neck doesn’t. It may not matter too much which brand high neck, but this one has made a big difference.

[eclectic]

@akdraft77

I have a 17.2 hh, 1400 lb Perch/Trekehner. He’s got the narrower build. He wears a 90. I like the big fella blankets I get from Schneider’s best so far. The shoulder gussets cinch up and help with the fit - I just cinch them all the way up. It’s a little loose in the shoulder, but it is the best I have found so far, the quality of the blanket is also VERY nice.

Thanks akdraft!
It does sound like your horse has the same build - only your guy’s bigger than my girl. The Schneiders 82 is a bit on the large side for her, and smallest size for Big Fella is 84.

The Schneiders she’s in now, however, is the same design as the Big Fellas. I can tell from looking at the marketing pictures – if the draft horse were to put his head and neck all the way down, he would be pressing hard against the front of the collar, causing an equal amount of pressure at the wither.

My girl does need to put her head all the way to the ground to get food. (grass or hay). I guess that design would work otherwise, say if she ate from a hay bunk.

[HungarianHippo]

Have you tried keeping the top bucket on the last hole, but have the bottom bucket cinched up more tightly? Or you can also cross the chest buckles so it’s a V- shape rather than straight across.

My QH/Perch cross does well with the first method. The tighter lower buckle keeps the blanket from sliding back, the gussted shoulders give her freedom of movement, and the looser top chest buckle gives more room to lower her head.

[TWH_Girl]

I would actually try an Amigo, Rhino or Rambo Wug style. They work well for narrow chested horses and don’t slide.

[eclectic]

@TWH Girl

I would actually try an Amigo, Rhino or Rambo Wug style. They work well for narrow chested horses and don’t slide.

Thanks TWH Girl! I’ve been seeing the same recommendations elsewhere, so that really helps a lot! <3

I also think the Rambo Optima might still be in the running. Someone said go with a “mid-neck” blanket - which means the neck falls further in front of the withers, but not as high on the neck as a “high-neck.” This might also serve to minimize the stress on the wither, especially when combined with that deep split between the shoulder and rest of the blanket… When horse puts head down into the V closure, if there’s any pressure on the blanket at that point, it would get absorbed (I think) by the large extra space in the gusset.

Thanks again!

[JB]

@eclectic

Thanks JB! I’ll take a look at the Norlund.

I did like the idea of a high neck, but had found a picture of one - the Horze Avalanche - that obviously has the same throttling thing going on despite the high neck. I.e., the high neck does nothing to hold the blanket in place, and all the pressure is still at the base of the neck and the wither. Although at least it is staying forward enough that the shoulder gusset front piece hangs loosely in front of the horse, so he can walk.

Does your Norlund blanket look like this when your guy puts his head down?

I’ll get a picture today if I can find a time that isn’t raining

[JB]

Trying “upload as attachment” to see how the sizes compare. [ATTACH=JSON]{“data-align”:“none”,“data-size”:“full”,“data-attachmentid”:10270222}[/ATTACH]

[eclectic]

@JB -
Thanks so much for putting up the picture! To my eye it looks like the Norlund is doing the same things as the other Schneider blankets - sliding backward (note it’s low over the tail) until it’s stopped by his shoulder points, making it tight across the chest. When horse puts head down, it then becomes tight at the wither as well.

The angle of his neck looks a bit more comfortable than how my girl’s looks. Her neck is deep so it ties down low as well as high, and is on the short side. On your guy it may not be pulling so tight as to cause soreness.

There’s one thing about the Avalanche picture that makes it interesting - the entire front panel including the gusset has stayed in front of the horse, where it should be. It’s not pressing against the shoulder points at least. It’s likely that horse hasn’t the same shoulders as yours and mine. Also the neck opening is higher up above the front buckles. I’m not sure how that’s accomplished, or whether it’s more or less comfortable for the horse to put his head down.

Yeesh! We can outfit our kids (and dogs?) with snow gear. But finding clothes for the one with the great long neck and nose on the ground - turns out not so easy.

[eclectic]

@HungarianHippo

Have you tried keeping the top bucket on the last hole, but have the bottom bucket cinched up more tightly? Or you can also cross the chest buckles so it’s a V- shape rather than straight across.

My QH/Perch cross does well with the first method. The tighter lower buckle keeps the blanket from sliding back, the gussted shoulders give her freedom of movement, and the looser top chest buckle gives more room to lower her head.

@HungarianHippo -

Hmmmm. I have not tried crossing the buckles. She and I both were running short on patience in the last buckling attempt - stiff buckles, cold weather, horse wanting her grass. It sounds like something I should try next.

Thanks!

[eclectic]

Not her best angle, but it gives you an idea of the neckline I’m dealing with.
(A front angle would show her to be narrow at the chest).

Would the Rambo Optimo even fit around that neck? I’m thinking it would sit about halfway up the mane. Which might be OK? If it stays put? And doesn’t bind? :ambivalence:
[ATTACH=JSON]{“alt”:“Click image for larger version Name: Mya-silhouette.jpg Views: 1 Size: 13.5 KB ID: 10270391”,“data-align”:“none”,“data-attachmentid”:“10270391”,“data-size”:“full”}[/ATTACH]

[Martina]

Hi Eclectic - I use the Rambo Optimo on my 17.2hh horse who has more of an upright neck that is well muscled (but more narrow than a warmblood or draft cross). I bought it because all other blankets–ESPECIALLY the Rambo Wug (and basically any other style with a high neck) is too tight on his mane. I love the Optimo, HOWEVER, it runs quite large and does exactly what you are concerned about, slipping back. I think if we went a size smaller we would be golden.

[JB]

@eclectic

@JB -
Thanks so much for putting up the picture! To my eye it looks like the Norlund is doing the same things as the other Schneider blankets - sliding backward (note it’s low over the tail)

They are fairly genererously sized - low over the tail is how they all sit on mine in their normal size. I could probably go down a size

until it’s stopped by his shoulder points, making it tight across the chest. When horse puts head down, it then becomes tight at the wither as well.
It’s really not tight I also tend to make the top buckle 1 hole looser than the bottom, allowing more room for the neck.

The angle of his neck looks a bit more comfortable than how my girl’s looks. Her neck is deep so it ties down low as well as high, and is on the short side. On your guy it may not be pulling so tight as to cause soreness.
Yes, her low neck tie-in could make a big difference, one that has to be addressed with how things fasten, rather than just the cut itself

[eclectic]

@JB -
Thanks for the responses. That’s useful info.

@Martina -
Thanks!
I did some scrutinizing of pictures of horses in the Optimo last night and came to the conclusion the neck closure, even though it’s a V which is better than the horizontal ties, will be still too tight for her to put her head down. It would work if the back part of the neck opening would slide forward at the same time, but I don’t see that happening without some kind of vent or stretchy stuff that goes the whole way over the wither. Elastic at the neck opening (under the neck) would work too, I think.

I did know they run large - their measuring page says to measure the length the usual way, then subtract 3." It looks like it will stay nice and free at the front, but still bind at the wither when she puts her big neck down. Someone else commented, somewhere, that Optimo is nice but “throttles” their mare. I wish the fastening was lower down instead of right at the top of the neck opening.

---

I looked at the Rambo/Amigo/Rhino Wug styles some more and don’t like that the cut is still so short. She’s a girl that needs more length on the sides.

So now I’m leaning in the direction of Turtleneck. It has elastic around the neck and has been recommended in this forum in connection with draft size horses. A quick check showed they do come in sizes small enough for her, but I haven’t looked closely yet at the design. I think besides the elastic neck it may have an adjustable closure in the front.

I’d never heard of this brand before I started searching in here, I believe they’re sold only from the one manufacturer’s site, not widely distributed like the other brands mentioned. The quality has been said to be high.

[eclectic]

Comic Relief

So, my first search for pictures of horses with head down wearing the Ice Turtle turnout blanket.
I got only this:

[ATTACH=JSON]{“data-align”:“none”,“data-size”:“medium”,“data-tempid”:“temp_55481_1542223562913_678”}[/ATTACH]

[Bing did the search is why - something’s been doing that with my browser]

[eclectic]

BTW … I found this … the Optimo Stable Blanket. THIS would be PERFECT, imo. They just don’t make it in an Outdoor model. Not waterproof/snowproof/weatherproof.

Does anyone think it might work to give this a good spray with a waterproofer? (I have some that’s made for waterproofing tents).

Or could it be covered with a waterproof sheet? Problem is the sheet would have to have the same cut and features or it defeats the purpose.

Note padding at the wither, generous Optimo vent, U-shaped neckline. They should make an outer shell like this !!!

Could I try her in this outdoors, as long as it’s not raining?

[ATTACH=JSON]{“data-align”:“none”,“data-size”:“full”,“data-attachmentid”:10270889}[/ATTACH]

[Gloria]

My Morgans wear Rambo Optimo. They don’t shape like Thoroughbreds, but the Rambo fit them very well. All of them are high headed, deep girth, wide back, big round butt. One has large shoulders, the other two narrow/medium. Not sure how the same blanket fit them all, but it does. It’s the only blankets that fit them. Also, the picture you shows is the Optimo blanket liner. It is designed to go under the turnout sheet so if the liner works for your horse, the turnout will too.

Turtleneck didn’t work for my high-headed Morgans.

Can you not borrow the blanket on the TB and see whether it might work?

Don’t try to make a stable blanket into an outdoor one.

[eclectic]

@Gloria -
OK on not making stable blanket into outdoor one.

The TB in her pasture has a smaller size - 75 to her 78.

The stable blanket - since you mentioned it I re-checked the description and the very last line does say it’s “liner system compatible.” But I don’t think there’s an outer shell with the same design. Odd that the two different designs are both called “Optimo.” Update: I just got off the phone with the place that sells that stable blanket and they don’t have a turnout sheet that matches it.

Salesperson suggested the Weatherbeeta Comfitec. I know I looked at this one already but will give it another look.

Thanks Gloria!

[TWH_Girl]

@eclectic

@JB -
Thanks for the responses. That’s useful info.

@Martina -
Thanks!
I did some scrutinizing of pictures of horses in the Optimo last night and came to the conclusion the neck closure, even though it’s a V which is better than the horizontal ties, will be still too tight for her to put her head down. It would work if the back part of the neck opening would slide forward at the same time, but I don’t see that happening without some kind of vent or stretchy stuff that goes the whole way over the wither. Elastic at the neck opening (under the neck) would work too, I think.

I did know they run large - their measuring page says to measure the length the usual way, then subtract 3." It looks like it will stay nice and free at the front, but still bind at the wither when she puts her big neck down. Someone else commented, somewhere, that Optimo is nice but “throttles” their mare. I wish the fastening was lower down instead of right at the top of the neck opening.

---

I looked at the Rambo/Amigo/Rhino Wug styles some more and don’t like that the cut is still so short. She’s a girl that needs more length on the sides.

So now I’m leaning in the direction of Turtleneck. It has elastic around the neck and has been recommended in this forum in connection with draft size horses. A quick check showed they do come in sizes small enough for her, but I haven’t looked closely yet at the design. I think besides the elastic neck it may have an adjustable closure in the front.

I’d never heard of this brand before I started searching in here, I believe they’re sold only from the one manufacturer’s site, not widely distributed like the other brands mentioned. The quality has been said to be high.

Here is the size guide for Horsware. It doesn’t indicate there is any size difference between a Wug or Optimo or Original so don’t know if that makes a difference…
https://shop.horseware.com/horse-size-guide/