Horse blankets 101: What care does a horse blanket need?

September 2, 10:55 AMEquestrian ExaminerLinda Ann Nickerson

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Mid-winter horse blanket care may include simple scrubbing with a stiff brush.

Although horse blankets traditionally were made exclusively of wool and wool blends, these equine garments may now be found in a plethora of high-technology fabrics. These new textiles have greatly simplified the care and maintenance of horse blankets.

Caring for a horse blanket

An outdoor turnout blanket should be removed from the horse, when the equine enters the stable for the evening. This is particularly important, if the horse blanket has become drenched with rain, snow or mud.

Horses in unheated barns (or those kept on pasture board) may wear their blankets throughout the cold-weather months. In such cases, horse blankets must be checked regularly (at least once daily) for slippage, tears, unfastened straps and other potential hazards.

Laundering a horse blanket

Horse blankets need not be laundered often. In fact, excessive laundering may damage the waterproofing treatment and fabric integrity of a horse blanket. Hot water temperatures, bleaches, stain removers and harsh detergents can wreak havoc on an all-weather horse blanket.

Most often, a simple spot-cleaning is sufficient for mid-season touch-ups. A vigorous brushing with a stiff horse brush may remove dirt and debris from a horse blanket.

A single cleaning at the end of the season is usually enough for horse blankets. These equine garments may be professionally cleaned or washed in industrial-sized laundry machines. (Some public Laundromats do allow equestrians to wash horse blankets, if they ask.)

Horse blankets should be washed in cold water with a mild soap – or no soap at all – and rinsed thoroughly.

A waterproofing treatment should be reapplied to horse blankets after laundering.

Drying a horse blanket

A hot-air laundry dryer may prove harmful to a horse blanket. The best means of drying equine apparel is to hang the blankets on sturdy clothes lines or over fences to drip dry.

Even a slightly sweaty horse blanket should be allowed to hang to dry before it is folded for storage on a stall door, blanket rack or stable shelf.

Mending a horse blanket

A torn horse blanket may prove hazardous to an energetic horse at play. Horses do tend to nibble on one another’s blankets, so tears do occur. Mend holes and tears in a horse blanket by patching them promptly with sturdy fabric. Reaffix detached bindings , and replace missing leg straps, as needed.

Storing a horse blanket

Clean and dry horse blankets may be draped on a blanket rack, hanging in the barn’s tack room or another clean and dry spot at the stables. Alternatively, a horse blanket may be folded into a neat square and tied with twine or string to store it in a bin or on a shelf for future use. Horse lovers who care for multiple equines often tie identification tags on horse blankets, including blanket sizes, owner’s names, and horse names.
 

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