Which blanket does your horse need?
There are many options of blankets to keep your horse warm in winter. But do you know the differences? Here we present 6 different types of horse blankets:
The pasture blanket
The pasture blanket is the most commonly used blanket. It is waterproof, made of robust material and available with different filling quantities, so that you can choose appropriately depending on the temperature rise or fall. They are also hard-wearing and therefore ideally suited for the pasture and the wind and weather conditions there.
It is advisable to invest in a blanket with a medium-weight filling and one with a thick filling so that you can adapt it for changing weather conditions.
The rain cover
A rain rug is exactly what the name suggests: a waterproof but lightweight blanket that keeps wetness from your horse through summer or winter rain. It is not lined so that the horse does not sweat and the rain rug can be used as a light, additional insulation over non-waterproof blankets.
Horses with a healthy, natural coat do not necessarily need a rain rug. For a vital, healthy and adult horse, rain is usually not a problem. However, if your horse is older, still very young or showing signs of discomfort, a waterproof rain rug is always a good idea.
The stable cover
A stable rug is similar to a pasture rug, but not waterproof. It is the most commonly used horse blanket in any stable.
Ideally, you should have blankets of different warmth levels in the stable so that your horse feels comfortable in different temperatures and weather conditions.
The cooling blanket
A blanket for cooling down is a must. This type of blanket should cover most of the horse's body and is usually made of a high percentage of wool.
These blankets are designed to draw moisture out of the horse's coat while not insulating, allowing the horse to cool down without catching a cold.
These blankets are especially useful if your horse is sweaty after a ride. Instead of washing away the sweat, use a cooling blanket to wick the sweat away from the body. This allows the coat to dry and protects the horse from draughts at the same time.
The quarter cloth
A quarter sheet is a useful, flexible blanket option while your horse is warming up for a workout or ride, or even cooling down and returning to the stable.
Sport horses or even leisure horses should always warm up their muscles first and cold winter air can sometimes be a shock to stable-used animals. The quarter rug thus covers the horse's lower back and rump and allows it to warm up its muscles gradually, but also does not weigh it down too much.
The infrared ceiling
Infrared heat is part of sunlight. The healthy infrared C light helps the cells to regenerate or repair themselves.
It has been proven that infrared therapy promotes blood circulation in the skin and supplies injured tissue with oxygen and nutrients. It helps relieve pain, inhibits inflammation and protects against oxidative stress.
An infrared warming blanket is therefore a great solution to keep your horse warm while enjoying all the benefits of infrared heat. If you choose a mobile, wireless blanket like Outchair's portable warming blanket, you can be sure that it will not restrict your horse's freedom of movement in any way.
Above all, always make sure that the electric blanket is suitable for outdoor use and waterproof, so you don't have to worry about it getting wet or dirty.