How to Measure a Horse for a Blanket

How to measure a horse for a blanket rightly is the main point before making any online purchase. It is very important to make sure that your horse is properly covered with a warm comfortable blanket, in cold weather. Most people place a blanket on a horse before taking them out for a ride in cold weather, while others also use a blanket to cover them properly from cold evenings in the stable. To ensure proper and accurate measurements you have to make your horse stand on an even surface. It could be a stable or any leveled ground, it is better to avoid uneven or hilly surfaces. The next thing is to take proper measurements.

Before going to measure a horse for a blanket. Let us highlight some differences between a horse blanket and a sheet.

Different Types of Blankets and Sheets

As the names suggest a blanket is usually used in winters or cold weather whereas a sheet can be used in summers or warm weather. Similar is the case with horses. A blanket is worn to take care of the horse in comparatively cold weather. It has some warm filling in it to make it comfortable and easy to wear.

There are three different types of blankets; lightweight blankets, medium weight blankets, and heavyweight blankets.

Lightweight blankets:

They have only 100 grams of fill which makes them light and are not suitable for cold weather conditions. They are also known as sheets.

Medium and heavyweight blankets:

Medium weight blankets have more than 250 grams of fill whereas heavyweight blankets have more than 300 grams of filling.

Now we can easily notice that lightweight blankets or sheets can be used in summers as well. It is time to go into detail about the most common blanket sheets.

Fly Sheet

Dress Sheet

Stable Blanket

Turnout Blankets

Learn More About Western Saddle

Fly Sheet:

Fly sheets are used to keep horses safe from any kind of flies, bees, and bugs. It is a lightweight sheet, easy and comfortable to wear during a turnout.

Dress Sheet:

A dress is usually worn under a heavy blanket. It is comfortable and a beautiful sheet that can be worn for attraction purposes as well.

Stable Blankets:

A stable blanket is worn inside a stable. It has different kinds of fills. Stable blankets are not usually waterproof. If you want to take your horse outside for a walk, it is better to dress him properly with another sheet to keep them dry and warm.

Turnout Blanket:

A turnout blanket is an excellent choice for keeping the horse warm and dry. It is filled with waterproof material and can be worn outside the stable.

Even though there are different types of blankets and sheets available for different purposes, some companies manufacture special or customized blankets as well. But even for customized blankets, you must know how to measure a horse for a blanket accurately.

How to Measure a Horse Blanket

Well, many people move their horses from warm to cold weather conditions. For that reason, a horse blanket or a sheet is require to avoid any unwanted horse changes. There are a variety of online stores from where you can easily order a horse blanket, but it is equally important to take the right measurements first. Therefore, I will be sharing some useful tips on how to measure a horse blanket.

Stand your horse evenly on the ground

Choose where you want your horse blanket or sheet to end

It is better to choose a fabric measuring tape

Start measuring from the center of your horse’s chest including his shoulders and where you want it to end

Convert your measurements to the best-fit blanket size

It is always better to have someone with you while measuring a horse for a blanket. Furthermore, it is also preferred to make your horse acquainted with the measuring tape. Otherwise, you may use a soft measuring tape or a string to mark and measure later.

For a horse blanket measurement, you can start off from the center of the chest, and go all around the left side of the horse in a straight horizontal line unless you reach the center of the tail. Remember to check whether you have included the horse’s shoulder while measuring the side or not. Then start again from the tail and measure the right side in the same manner.

Now add the total number of inches. It will be the actual measurement of your horse. Almost all horse blankets measure in inches. If you are using any different measuring tape convert it into inches later on.

Another important thing to note is that all horse blankets’ sizes are even numbers. So, if your total inches result in an odd number, convert them to the next largest even number.

Horse Blanket Size Chart

Using a horse blanket size chart is the best way to make an educated decision while buying a horse blanket or a sheet. This is an easy guide on how to size a horse blanket.

Height	Blanket Size
11hh	51″-57″
12hh	57″-60″
13hh	60″-63″
14hh	66″-69″
15hh	69″-75″
16hh	75″-81″
17hh	81″-84″
18hh	84″-87″

After that, the last thing that matters the most is how perfectly the blanket fits on the horse. You can easily check this whenever you take your horse out for a ride. Notice how comfortably he moves. Check his shoulders, wither, and the length of the blanket too. It is very important to make such observations to avoid any accidents.

Parts of a Horse Blanket

Now that you have taken the measurements, you must try it first to check its proper fitting. For that reason, you should be familiar with the parts of a horse blanket.

Belly Straps

Shoulder Gussets

Tail Flap

Leg Straps

Hoods and Neck Covers

Belly Straps:

Belly straps are very important for the horses’ safety. The more the number of belly straps is present on the blanket the safer it is.

Shoulder Gussets:

Gussets are mostly found on the shoulders and legs. A shoulder gusset keeps the horse warm and comfortable while moving freely. It is essential to measure the horse properly to ensure comfortable and free movements.

Tail Flaps:

It is that part of the blanket that protects the tail from wind and rain. Perfectly measured horse blankets have comfortable tail flaps which can even have double hoops closure that might add more protection.

Leg Straps:

Although they are not an essential part of the horse blanket but adding more straps on the legside will allow the blanket to maintain its position on windy days. But it is important to note that any loose or excessively tight strap will cause harm to the horse’s body. It will rub on the body causing wounds or injuries to the horse.

Hoods and Neck Covers:

Hoods are also not an essential component of a horse blanket. But some blankets have hoods and other beautifully decorated neck covers.

Now that we have discussed all the types of blankets, how to measure a horse for a blanket, and parts of a blanket, it is time to discuss another important issue, how long should a horse blanket be?

Remember no same blanket can be use for a horse throughout his lifetime. Every foal will have a different measurement, similarly when he grows up a new and a different size blanket will be needed.

Blankets are used to protect horses from cold and wet weather therefore, all blankets must protect the neck and withers of a horse. The neck opening should not be too tight or wide for a horse as it will cause discomfort for the horse. It may also lead to injuries and accidents.

Additional Tips for Measuring a Horse for a Blanket

·        Whenever you buy a horse blanket always look for its return policy. Whether you buy it online or visit a tack shop, you should be aware of its return policy.

·        Once you have made a purchase and are still not confident about it, it is better to place a sheet underneath the blanket to keep it clean. Even if it gets dirty with hair or something else, it is better to clean it with a brush so that you may return it without any issues.

·        If your horse is not cooperating during the blanket measurement process, it is always better to seek the help of a professional. Some tack shops offer professional horse blanket measuring services that will reduce your stress.

·        You may buy a loose blanket in case you are not sure of its size. But it is not ideal to have a too tight or loose blanket for your horse.

Finally, we can conclude that measuring a horse for a blanket is a quite straightforward task. But it is very important that you should be familiar with how to measure a horse for a blanket. If you are unable to measure it properly, your horse may suffer injuries or face accidents due to improper blanket fittings.