Protection Meets Style: A Complete Guide to Horse Sheets and Blankets

A good warm-up gradually raises the horse’s heart rate, increases the amount of oxygen circulating in the bloodstream, flexes the joints and increases the elasticity of muscles. Although horses naturally keep themselves warm when the temperatures start cooling down, sometimes they need extra help to protect themselves from the elements.

What to Look for in a Horse Blanket and Sheet

turnout blanket
Source: sprucewoodtack.com

Keep your equine friend toasty warm during their paddock adventures in the bitterly cold Canadian winter with stylish and comfortable horse blankets and sheets. Even if your horse spends the majority of their time without a blanket, it’s a good idea to keep one on hand in case it turns extremely cold or snowy. When shopping there are some factors to keep in mind.

Understanding the Difference

To enhance your horse-riding experience, you should first learn the difference. Sheets for horses are lightweight and may not have filling, whereas a horse blanket contains filling to keep your horse warm. They come in two types: turnout and stable. Turnout horse sheets and blankets are waterproof and made to be worn outside, whereas stable sheets and blankets are not waterproof and are intended to be used inside. Choosing between so many options available can be overwhelming, but with the best pick you can rest assured that your horse’s wardrobe is well-stocked.

You have a range of coats in your wardrobe because you need options depending on whether it’s raining, snowing, or too cold to go outside, and so should your horse. While there are many different types of horse gear, we’ll focus on two crucial factors: the level of warmth and the presence (or absence) of waterproofing.

Warmth

When it comes to appreciating the value of warmth, consider the stuff you use to “dress” your bed: linens are thin and give little warmth. Blankets, on the other hand, are thicker, cosier, and keep you warm.

The same goes for dressing your horse. Horse sheets are thin and lightweight; however, horse blankets offer significantly greater warmth. Horse blankets, like those on your bed, come in a variety of thicknesses and warmth levels.

A blanket’s warmth is measured in grams of fill (also known as “stuffing”). 0-100 grams of fill are known as light weight blankets or sheets. 150-250 grams of fill are reserved for medium-weight blankets whereas heavy-weight blankets have 300+ grams of fill.

Waterproofness

This is the part where your horse is not like you. While a sweater or sweatshirt may suffice on a clear day outside, if your horse will be outside, a waterproof outer layer is recommended. That’s because even if your horse lays down on seemingly dry ground, horse blankets and sheets can still absorb moisture, and when that damp blanket comes into contact with chilly air, they can make them colder than they were before.

What to Wear and When

Sheet or blanket? Stable or Turnout? If your horse will be outside, you should put on a turnout. Turnouts are designed with special features that make them ideal for outdoor use. These are also waterproof to keep your horse dry and have a heavier fabric denier. 1200 D is the heavier and more durable option, unlike the 600 D- which is a lower denier. However, if your horse will be in the barn, you can use a stable instead. These are not waterproof so you should avoid using them outside.  

Depending on the climate, you’ll use a sheet if it’s warm outside and a blanket if it’s chilly, but your horse, like Goldilocks, likes his blanket to be exactly right. Because each blanket weight is appropriate for different temperatures, you will want to go with the weight that best corresponds to your local weather.

Cleaning and Storing Tips

horse blanket
Source: sprucewoodtack.com

On a cold winter day, the last thing you want to do is dig through piles of blankets in your tack room to pick the proper one for the weather. Fortunately, there are several ways to keep your horse’s blankets neat, tidy, and off the barn aisle or tack room floor during the blanket season. Wall-mounted blanket racks, blanket bars for your horse’s stall door, and blanket bags to hang on your horse’s stall door are some of the options. All of the options require folding your sheet or blanket for proper storage.

When it comes to washing your horse’s blankets, you have two options: do it yourself or use a laundry service. If you choose to do it yourself, you can use your washer or go to the laundrette. If you plan on using a laundrette, call ahead of time to ensure that horse blankets are authorised. It’s also a good idea to do a pre-wash at the barn to assist your washer to last longer.

Simply use a sharp brush to remove any additional hair, mud, or dirt from the blanket, then rinse it out and hang it to dry. Ideally, you should follow the washing instructions provided by the manufacturer and consider using a detergent specifically designed for horse blankets. If you’ve decided that you’d rather not wash them in your washer, many areas offer horse blanket washing services.