The Sound Advocate Issue 4, 2021

A Guide to Blan

By Aimee Robinson ment. Turnout sheets and turnout blankets feature waterproof material There is much to consider when seto keep pasture ponies dry. Without lecting a blanket for your horse, waterproof technology, a wet horse including the horse’s age, body con- blanket could unintentionally make dition and coat thickness, to name your horse colder. Stable sheets and only a few aspects. Additionally, stable blankets are ideal for stabled horses across the country experihorses and therefore not made from ence a variety of climates, weather waterproof material. They serve an conditions and stabling environimportant purpose by keeping staments. Luckily, just as our closets bled horses comfy, warm and sleek. hold clothes tailored to the day and season, there are different types Warmth & Durability of horse blankets available, too, so When you are selecting a horse blanyou can select just what your horse ket, you will notice a few number needs when he needs it. sets under the product descriptions, noting “denier” and “fill.” Denier The Basics denotes the durability of a horse For horse owners to best determine blanket or sheet. It measures nylon what kind of blanket and heavifiber density on the outer materiness their horse will need, let’s first al of horse blankets. Denier ranges look at a few horse blanketing basic from 70 to 2400D. The higher the terms, such as “sheets” vs. “blandenier, the more durable it is for kets” and “turnout” vs. “stable.” those tough-on-blanket horses (you might have one or two in mind!) As A horse sheet is lightweight and per- we shared earlier, fill is padding that fect for those mildly cold or windy adds an extra layer of warmth to days. They have no fill. A horse blan- your horse’s blanket. Both with deket, rather, offers fill, which is essen- nier and fill, the higher the number, tially a form of insulation sewn into the tougher or warmer the blanket’s the blanket to add warmth (think of material will be. your winter coat!) The higher the fill number on a blanket, the cozier the Do you know the degree of blanket pony on those cold days. warmth your pony may need and when? Refer to this easy-to-referSheets and blankets come in two ence chart to help as a guide. But varieties: turnout and stable, for keep in mind, a 50° winter day will horses in either respective environfeel much different to a Miami pony 26 • The Sound Advocate • Issue 4, 2021