I’ve bought 2 turnouts in the last 4-5 months. Just got one of them. Both are fairly large - a 78 for my 2 y.o. coming 3 TK filly and one (81) for her dam. They are different brands and both are too tight through the shoulders but fit everywhere else. WTF? Has anyone else had these issues? What brand is roomy enough through the shoulders. These are big girls but not unusually so. The coming 3 y.o. could probably go to an 81 next year - hopefully someone else’s problem. The last one is a Derby and I don’t remember what brand the other one is. TIA
After trying multiple brands, I stick with Weatherbeeta (Weatherbeeta, Saxon, Genero) for my animals–best fit through the shoulders, best waterproofing, best durability, and reasonable prices.
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Some of the blankets marketed for quarter horses are roomier in the shoulders. Check SmartPak and Schneiders (sstack.com).
I’ve had good luck with the SmartPak Deluxe turnouts. Normally I don’t like their in-house products, but the blankets are actually pretty nice. They’re durable and the waterproofing has been great for mine, and they have plenty of room in the shoulders/don’t cause rubs. They’re similar to Weatherbeeta Originals (not Freestyle or Comitec.) I have two Freestyles that didn’t fit my medium-boned and large-withered OTTB but they fit my chunkier and wider QH. You can almost always get SmartPak blankets on sale. I also bought a Rockin SP turnout for my QH, which is their stock breed line. 0/10 do not recommend, it fits like a mini skirt (his belly hangs out) and the neck gapes SO badly that if it was raining, his shoulders would get soaked.
I just bought a Dover Northwind on sale recently, and I’m saving it for next year but in trying it on, it seemed very roomy in the shoulders without being baggy.
I’ve tried Amigos several times over the years and always hate them. They’re narrow in the shoulders and the materials/waterproofing are subpar.
We’ve had several Rhinos that fill well in the shoulders. My mother has a Rambo that also fits nicely all over, but they’re considerably more expensive.
I had a Shires sheet a long time ago and it was surprisingly nice. It was really cheap, so I was expecting a so-so product, but it actually fit my horse very well all over. Unfortunately he tore a hole in it and also outgrew it.
I have three weatherbeeta turn outs for my horse. The rain sheet is a comfitec I believe and two medium weights one of which is the high neck genero. I can’t recall the model of the other medium but it is a standard neck. While they don’t rub, they could be roomier in the shoulder. The high neck model fits the best. The rain sheet fits the worst and I will not be buying another. They are both 81s. Boy has matured a lot in the past two years and will be getting 84s for next winter. Boy is a big shouldered Friesian cross.
Rambo wugs are cut large and you can keep an eye out on FB for used ones for sale. I tried an Amigo wug on my horse that wears Rambo wugs and was shocked at the difference in fit through the shoulders and had to return it.
My SmartPak Ultimate is very generous on a currently narrow young WB and they have an adjustable neck type as well.
Schneiders adjusta-neck were too tight at the front closure.
I haven’t used Weatherbeeta for years since they shifted side to side so bad and my horse kept destroying them. I do remember them fitting ok through the shoulders.
I have my two Morgans in Weatherbeeta and have never had a shoulder rub (and they are very active - always moving). I’m not a fan of the Genaro or Saxon line, but the regular ones are great.
I haven’t ever had an issue with the blankets shifting, but my friend bought one this year and it shifts on her horse quite a bit. But so does everything else, so I think it’s how he’s built.
I would agree that Rambos usually fit well over big-shouldered beasts. I’d also recommend Premier Equine: you can order direct from them (they’re in Britain), and the prices are quite good, even with shipping. And they ship fast. I got my Irish Draught mare (16.3 and broad) one of their turnouts in December and I’ve been very pleased with it.
I bought a heavyweight Premier with hood on sale earlier this year. I agree will definitely accommodate big shouldered beasts. Thankfully it’s been so warm here I haven’t need it much but given the fit seems unlikely it will rub. Even with shipping it was about 1/3 less than a heavy weight Rambo with hood and IMO seems as good or better quality than the Rambos of old. I’ve been so disappointed with the quality of newer Rambos I switched to the Amigo Bravos, tighter in the chest for big WBs then Rambo and a lot more so than the Premiere. The Amigo Bravos do well for my WB/TBx and the waterproofing has held up better than newer Rambos.
