How to Blanket a Horse in Cold Weather
- Proper fit (including strap adjustment)
- Proper weight
- Elastic straps
Blankets and sheets must fit well around the neck, not bind at the shoulder, and be long enough to cover the top of the tail. I would not use any blanket without rear leg straps.
All of my blankets have been modified so they accept elastic leg straps with snap ends. The most frequent repair done to blankets is replacing rear straps. You will reduce potential injury to your horse as well as future repair bills by buying blankets with removable rear leg straps.
To fit the blanket properly, be sure there isn't pressure on the withers or that shoulders are too snug. Another common mistake is using a blanket or sheet with an excessively large neck opening. Loose blankets can bind up shoulders and certainly offer little protection to the chest.
If your horse will be pastured or allowed to exercise in their blanket, a turnout design is the best choice. Turnout blankets have shoulder gussets that allow your horse freer movement than a blanket with a traditional cut.
Proper strap adjustment
Every horse is different, but here are a few general rules. Crossed rear leg straps help keep the blanket centered on your horse. If the blanket fits properly, the leg strap should just barely miss the ground when hanging loose from the back of the horse before attaching.
Rear leg straps that are crossed will be adjusted to a different length than those that don't cross. Straps must be loose enough for your horse to easily get up and down, but not so loose that they can catch a hock in a strap and cause serious injury. Rear leg straps made of elastic are much more forgiving if not adjusted just perfectly.
The bellyband, surcingle straps, or belly strap should hang down about four inches below the horse's belly when buckled. Again, this is a general rule. Too tight and the blanket may tear or your horse could get cut by the strap (I've seen serious lacerations from tight belly straps made from webbing material), too loose and your horse could hang a hind leg in the belly strap.
Finally, keep your sheets and blankets as clean as possible and in good repair. Even if your blankets don't get really filthy, if you don't wash them at least a couple times a year the stitching ends up rotting and you will have to get new ones just because they weren't cleaned often enough. Horse clothing is expensive. Elastic straps are the number one way to keep blankets in one piece and ready for the next year; washing when necessary is the second.
