The Various Types of Horse and
Blankets and Sheets
If you look in any horse catalog or browse through
the blanket section of any tack store you will immediately notice that
there is a wide selection of several different types of blankets. To the
uninitiated the exact use for each of these blankets can be confusing.
Turn-out rugs are exactly what they sound like. Turn-out rugs are
blankets that are sturdy enough to handle the wear and tear of life
outside. They are designed to hold up to the roughest of play. They are
also designed to rip if the horse gets caught on something in their
field.
There are two types of turn-out rugs. The heavy variety are designed to
be used during the cold winter months while the lighter blankets (the
lighter variety of blankets are typically called sheets while the
heavier type are called rugs).
Quarter sheets are strange looking things. Held next to the full size
sheets and rugs they look like somebody forgot to attach the from half
of the blanket. Blanket designers haven't forgotten a thing. Quarter
sheets are designed to hook to the saddle and cover the horses haunches.
These blankets are typically used to keep a horses muscles warm while
the rider
waits to go into the show ring after a rider has finished their
pre-class schooling session. Some riders decide to save money and
instead of purchasing a quarter sheet they simply use their stable sheet
folded in half to cover their horse.
Stable sheets are light weight sheets that are too thin to be used
outside of the stabling area. They are generally used to cover the horse
after its been groomed and bathed. They have the very specific purpose
of keeping the horse clean. Some riders use stable sheets to cover a
horse while it is being transported. Many large stables have their
stable sheets
custom done in their stables colors. Some catalogs and tack shops refer
to stable sheets as dress sheets.
Coolers are another type of blanket that are self-explanatory. Coolers
are placed on a hot horse to help slow the cooling process. They cover
the entire horse, ear to tail. The open design of coolers allows the air
to flow through them. Coolers are typically custom designed in a stables
colors and can be monogrammed. Several shows give away coolers, instead
of trophies and ribbons, as an reward for high point championships.
Fly sheets are blankets that are designed to help keep flies from
pestering their horses. Horse owners can choose between a close knit fly
sheet or one that has a large weave pattern.
Blanket liners are typically designed from thin smooth material that is
designed to slide smoothly across the horses muscles without rubbing off
the hair or chaffing the skin. Typically blanket liners cover only the
horses chest and shoulders where blankets typically wear at the horses
hair.
No matter what type of blanket you decide to use it is important to make
sure that the blanket properly fits your horse.
