[Acadianartist]

Harley is blanketed all winter because of health issues. He needs his blankets (my other two aren't blanketed). The problem is that in the last year or so, he's been getting some pretty unpleasant rubs. Mostly on the shoulders (near the front, both sides), but also on his back! He isn't wearing a blanket much right now since the weather is slowly warming up, but he'll still need his rain sheet when the weather gets messy. I was using a shoulder guard, but it hasn't helped. This is happening with several blankets. I think he must be moving differently (more gingerly?) because this wasn't happening before. His blankets have shoulder gussets. This is happening even when he is just wearing his fleece cooler.

I feel like he needs a full-body liner under his blankets. But before I start googling and throwing money at this problem, I thought I'd check in here to see if anyone has had this problem and found a reliable solution. Thanks.

 

[COWCHICK77]

I wish I had a really simple answer like buying a certain brand or fit.
One of my mares is old school QH bull dog built and her neck ties in a little low so she gets rubs on the chest and where her neck ties in. After trying a few brands and styles. I found the SmartPak blankets offer her the most room in the shoulders and have enough cut out of the neck line to accommodate her lower neck without it rubbing all the hair off. As much as I love the Schneider blankets even their style recommended for QH didnt fit her and would rub her shoulder and wither.

Bay horse has a taller wither, lean, narrow in the chest and I had problems with blankets rubbing his withers. The neck holes were too generous and while the blanket fit everywhere else the blanket would slide back and rub the withers. His solution was the high neck styles. I ended up with a $50 Rugged Ride from Chick's that fits perfect.

For me, it was kind of an expensive trial and error trying to find fit and durability for horses that are turned out 24/7 and like to play and tear up stuff.


How is Rusty built? Do you have friends with some different brands and styles of blankets to try on him?

 

[Acadianartist]

How is Rusty built? Do you have friends with some different brands and styles of blankets to try on him?

This is for Harley, my daughter's Arab, not my Appy, Rusty

Harley has narrow shoulders and a short back, like most Arabs. He has 6 blankets currently, and they all seem to rub somewhere, but mostly on the shoulders. It's more of an eyesore than anything, but when I noticed the hair on his back (way back, near his rump) was irritated last night, and I could actually feel the heat coming off that spot, I was a little more alarmed.

Trying on other horses' blankets is not a great idea right now since we're in social isolation. And in any case, I'd have to try each blanket on for several days to be able to tell.

I'm thinking of buying a full body liner, just hoping for suggestions of good ones because our shoulder guard didn't help much.

 

[COWCHICK77]

Sorry about mixing Rusty and Harley!

I agree the timing is bad for trying blankets, I was thinking maybe before next winter but that is tough to do if he needs to wear them for a couple days to test them out.

That is a bummer(and expensive!) to have six blankets and none of them really work.

Hopefully someone has some suggestions!

 

[Acadianartist]

Sorry about mixing Rusty and Harley!

I agree the timing is bad for trying blankets, I was thinking maybe before next winter but that is tough to do if he needs to wear them for a couple days to test them out.

That is a bummer(and expensive!) to have six blankets and none of them really work.

Hopefully someone has some suggestions!

No worries! They just have a very different build. And Rusty has hair like a polar bear and no health issues so he is nekked

We had a -22 Celcius nights a couple of days ago here, so Harley may still needs a blanket now and then. But yeah, we're almost done with blanket weather.

The 6 blankets work, but they all create rubs in various places. Some have a high neck, some low, etc. So my conclusion is that it isn't the blankets, it's how he moves in them. Thus the idea of a blanket liner.

I'm looking at Bob's Bibs right now... they come highly recommended, but they look a bit flimsy.

 

[phantomhorse13]

Phin was a hot mess when it came to getting rubs on his shoulders. I tried multiple brands with different closures and gussets and linings and cuts. I tried a sleezey shoulder protector, a fleece shoulder protector, and a nylon shoulder guard (all this over the course of a few years). Nothing worked.

By dumb luck, at the end of last season he managed to break two of the surcingle strap buckles at the same time (he is my accident-waiting-to-happen horse) and in frustration I tossed on George's blanket because it was hanging in the barn and I didn't have another in Phin's size. George's was a size bigger .. and somehow that did the trick.

I am still not sure why having a slightly too big blanket has stopped the shoulder rubs, as I would have expected that to make the neck part move even more. But it worked, as Phin has worn that blanket all of this winter and not a broken hair. Go figure.

 

[Acadianartist]

Phin was a hot mess when it came to getting rubs on his shoulders. I tried multiple brands with different closures and gussets and linings and cuts. I tried a sleezey shoulder protector, a fleece shoulder protector, and a nylon shoulder guard (all this over the course of a few years). Nothing worked.

By dumb luck, at the end of last season he managed to break two of the surcingle strap buckles at the same time (he is my accident-waiting-to-happen horse) and in frustration I tossed on George's blanket because it was hanging in the barn and I didn't have another in Phin's size. George's was a size bigger .. and somehow that did the trick.

I am still not sure why having a slightly too big blanket has stopped the shoulder rubs, as I would have expected that to make the neck part move even more. But it worked, as Phin has worn that blanket all of this winter and not a broken hair. Go figure.

Wow! I think Harley's winter blanket is just a little too big for him. Still rubs. But yeah, I agree, I think fit has a lot to do with it. It's a shot in the dark though, trying to find one that won't rub. I don't want to order a brand new blanket in a bigger or smaller size just to find it's no better. I could try Kodak's winter blanket on him, but I think it would be wayyy too big since it's a size bigger than his. Might be worth a shot though. Thanks.