Need ADVICE: How long do blankets last/ keep their warmth?

[4Martini]

How long do you think blankets stay as warm? I have a going on 6 year old mid-weight weatherbeta Taka that is still waterproof- but last year I found my horse shivering with it in weather that he would not have been cold in before. I'm wondering if after 5 years of heavy use it has just lost some of it's warmth value.

I'm trying to decide if I should replace the blanket with a new mid-weight so I can keep the heavy weight for really cold weather, or if my will be 21 yo this winter is just getting wussier with age. (He gets as much hay as he can eat- nearly a bale a day when it's cold out. So, that's not really another option.)

So- do you think a blanket with heavy use for 5 years loses warmth? Is it worth replacing it?

Thanks!

[slpeders]

As my mare hit 19-20, I noticed that she seemed to get chilled easier and needed blanketing on days she might have gone 'naked' on before, or needed heavier blanketing that she needed before.
That said, they may lose their loft/insulation value too over time -- like an 8 yr old down jacket.
I'll be interested to see what other replies you get because some of my blankets are fairly old. My old girl was pretty gentle on her clothes, which worked out well for the new girl since they're the same size!

[4Martini]

Thanks- I'm just trying to figure out if it is the horse or the blanket getting older that is causing the issue. I am really hoping it's just the blanket!

[Simbalism]

I have several blankets that are older(like 5+ years) and are no longer waterproof. They don't seem to be too packed down as far as loft. I use them to layer. My mare has always been a wuss about cold weather and I continue to use the older blanket as an under layer with something waterproof on top. Don't notice her acting any different, so I'm thinking the blankets are keeping her warm enough. I think it is probably your horse reacting to her age more so than the blanket.

[nadasy]

I've designed and manufactured custom blankets for 20+ years. When a customer wants a blanket made, I always say that their coats are the best blanket, with the exception of older horses, clipped horses, 24/7 situations where there is no shelter or harsh winters.

That being said, I've always marketed my products using the layer method, a liner, a midweight and a cover that is light and as waterproof as you can get without covering them with a tarp.:lol:

Blankets made with good fabrics for the job, good strong thread (not the stuff that rots after the second season because it's made by people who know nothing about animals and sweating). Blankets are made to be changed regularly and cleaned so that the horse doesn't overheat during the day from the cold of the night before.

I've seen horses FLING themselves into mud puddles because the blankets are too heavy and it's too hot for them.

I've gotten blankets that weren't changed in months, truly, and when I laid them out on the deck to start washing them, the buildup of sweat and salt (which rots the fabric and threads), was the perfect outline of the horses body. :eek: YUK. Poor Horses

I think you have to consider the climate and turnout or stable conditions for your horse.

A good blanket should last a long time, providing you've taken care of it on a regular basis. Many of my blankets have lasted years and years even in situations where there are many horses in a field together.

In cold weather I use a pure wool liner (I make these from different weight bed blankets) with an unlined cordura sheet over top) for nighttime in the barn when it's really cold, because they are not in a situation where they are exercising much.

I've studied this for years, with all of my horses and my boarders, and started my business because I couldn't find blankets that 1. Fit 2. Held up 3. They liked and 4. Didn't OVER heat them.

HTH,
Dinah

[cloudyandcallie]

Yes, if you keep your blankets washed and stored, this means don't wash them each fall just before you need them after letting the dirt and ick hang in the barn all summer long, the blankets will last a long time.

I've never had to replace a blanket because of it losing repellency or the filling not being sufficient. I have given away older blankets when I bought new ones.

I wash blankets often, when they get dirty, and don't let horses sweat in them, and I use a cheap humane shampoo, a washer without a ringer, and hang on a line to dry. Never had a problem with blankets, Baker, Rambo and Takas (weatherbeeta).

We're in the south, so I don't layer, altho some people down here do so to keep their blankets clean.:confused: This results in sweaty horses.

[talloaks]

nadasy, how do you clean the wool liner that is next to the horses body?? Does it collect a lot of hair??

[egontoast]

I keep blankets as long as they are repairable and use them for layering. It can stretch the life of an old blanket if you have a waterproof shell to put over it. I got away with delaying buying new rugs for a couple of years by buying waterproof shells which were quite inexpensive to throw over the old rugs for turnout. Layering in itself adds warmth as well because you have the air trapped between the rugs.

it's nice to have the extra options when things get wet.

[nadasy]

Hi Talloaks,
Those I wash as needed in cold water and hang to dry. There isn't too much hair as I groom every day and clip in winter. I work in the South from Dec/May, and have used them sporadically at night with an unlined sheet. If there is much hair, then I use one of those rubber groomas to take it off.

Some of the blankets I've made for my horses are over 50 years old. Hudson Bay blankets that were on my bed at camp in the 50's in the Adirondacks.:lol: They last indefinitely when you take care of them.

Hope this helps, Dinah

[Tilly]

:lol: I wish my winter blankets would last longer than one season for my pony, aka Miss Destructo.

[baysngreys]

"Buy the Best, and Cry Once!"

I know when I wash my duvets, they come out "re-fluffed", the same goes for blankets.
When your horse wears his blanket constantly and lies down on it he's going to pack the insulation down.

I remove them every day in the winter, even if it's only for an hour! Hang it over a fence, inside facing out. It gives both the horse and the blanket time to breathe.
Keeping them clean, repaired and storing them properly in the summer prolongs their use.

All my horses live out 24/7. I never have rubs, rainrot, and some of my blankets are going on 10 years old.

[nadasy]

exactly! You should see some of the blankets I get in to wash and repair. BIB's I've dubbed them. Blankets in a Bag. They are in shreds, or totally unrecognizable as 'horse wear'. Haha I've made an art out of reconstruction.:lol:

I rarely have to repair mine for anything more than maybe a stitch or two here or there. Fit is the key, that and keeping them clean and comfy for them.

Beanie liked the 'V Neck Sweater-Bing Crosby' look, Harry wanted the cool Turtle neck look, Sally didn't care, and Buffalo just needed yards and yards and not much in the way of warmth-He was a draft cross from Canada, so even in NY state he just wanted a liner and hood for the winter if it was really windy and snowing.

Now Harry wants the Bing Crosby look. (He's older now-no let's say he's not a youngster).

[4Martini]

Thanks everyone! Unfortunately as I am a boarder the whole layering thing does not go over well. So I just keep a lightweight, mid weight and heavyweight available to be used based on temp. I have not had problems about the light and heavy weight ones - just the mid-weight one which used to be my main go to has been being used less and the heavyweight more. I worry about him over heating in the heavyweight since it is a 350G full neck- which is awesome when it drops into the single digits and below- but at 20 I'd rather have him in a midweight. Also- his stall is can be drafty depending on the direction of the wind- so I'm thinking a high neck mid-weight might add a little more warmth.