Help me find a Rack for Blankets

[Nezzy]

My BM needs to find a Rack that will help hold and dry 12 wet/damp horse blankets at a time. Or a couple smaller ones that can work side by side. Does anyone know where to find these? just something to hang them up and keep them out of the way.

[missamandarose]

I just did a quick Google search for "horse blanket racks" and this site popped up:

http://www.tackroomorganizer.com/blanketbars.htm

There are a few different things that might work for your BM. I personally like the wall-mounted swing arm types, but there is a "tree" as well.

[Nezzy]

when i do a search i get racks for Saddle Blankets. I mean racks for FULL horse Blankets. There are a few of the swing-arm type. I was hoping to find a tree like that or something similar.

[Nezzy]

i think i found a good one.

http://www.horse.com/Equi-Racks-Wall-Mount-Stable-Blanket-Rack-BRE03.html

[Sparky Boy]

i think i found a good one.

http://www.horse.com/Equi-Racks-Wall-Mount-Stable-Blanket-Rack-BRE03.html

I'd think you could make that pretty easily.

[E D]

I had a welder make two for me. Think department store clothing racks. It is about six feet high and six feet long, elongated A shaped triangle frames welded with the point at the top. Each frame was braced in the middle, just like an A. Three six foot long heavy pipes join the two triangles together at each corner. He suggested that we put expanded metal on the base where the base of the triangles and the two lower corner pipes all join to form a rectangle - good for additional storage. Then I had him weld open hanger shapes (think wide based triangles with a "neck" to attach to the top, missing one side of the triangle) to the top pipe, made with a curly end at the open end so as not to be dangerous to man or beast. I also had casters welded on the corners of the bottom frame to roll in and out for storage every season. He even made me some additional hangers to add to the frame for sheets, pads, fly sheets, etc., that just snap over the top of the frame for warm season horsewear that doesn't take up as much room. This thing is so strong, I have towed it down the street behind my truck. For the heavy winter or turnout blankets to dry, you would have to space the hangers out to provide for air to move between the blankets. I think he charged me about $125 for each one. They have been heavily used for about eight years now. What I like best about it is that the hangers don't move while you are trying to hoist a large blanket up on to them - they are welded in place.

[Nezzy]

E D, do you have a pic? I think i understand what you are saying. it would be nice to have one that is moveable.

[Trevelyan96]

DH made my blanket rails out of conduit attached to wooden block with the conduit holders. I would think you can make something similar using 2x4's to make the brackets (like shelf brackets) and attach the conduit along the top of those. Hang the blankets by the chest closures. Come to think of it, if you hung one of those at each stall, you'd basically have room for every blanket in the barn to dry out.

The problem in my barn is that I have too many options to hang thing from, so I let dirty laundy (saddle pads, towels, sheets, etc.) accumulate more than I should. :(

[lily04]

I took an old ladder and suspended it from the ceiling with 4 ropes (picture a pot rack in the kitchen). I buckle the chest over each rung. I keep a stool next it because unless you are aver 6 feet tall you wont be able to hang the blankets high enough.

[LauraKY]

DD just gave me a brilliant idea. She saw it at a barn where she was a working student. They hung plant hangers (you know the outside hanging plant hangers) above each stall, high enough so the blankets don't touch the ground. Hang from the chest closure.

We have a full barn now, so can't use the extra stall for drying blankets. I'm going to the hardware store tomorrow!

[pines4equines]

Here's what we did.

I bought plumping pipes to make this shape: [___________]. I screwed the flanges into the ceiling beams then the pipe came down to the elbow and I have about an 6 - 8 foot length. I then use the trouser hangers and snap them around the blanket to store. It might not be the best for wet blankets however...

I like LauraKY's suggestion.

[Equa]

Have a look at these:

http://www.equineproducts.com.au/news/rug-organisers---coming-soon-17/

The pics are not very good, but I have seen these and they are the BEST rug racks every. V clever design...

[E D]

Well, I just took pics this am and this is my first attempt to post a link. The rack is still stored in my garage from the summer and the blankets have not been washed for the season. Therefore there is some dust. Please forgive. Hope it helps.

http://s915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/violetcrown/

[Sparky Boy]

Here's what we did.

I bought plumping pipes to make this shape: [___________]. I screwed the flanges into the ceiling beams then the pipe came down to the elbow and I have about an 6 - 8 foot length. I then use the trouser hangers and snap them around the blanket to store. It might not be the best for wet blankets however...

.

This is what we used for blanket racks on the front of each stall. Works/looks great.

[Mr.GMan]

I have blanket bars on my stall doors and I hate to fold them just to put them on the bar. My instructor has very strong door hooks--hangs them over the top of the stall and uses the neck hooks of the blankets to hang them. I started doing this too and much easier!

[Nezzy]

Well, I just took pics this am and this is my first attempt to post a link. The rack is still stored in my garage from the summer and the blankets have not been washed for the season. Therefore there is some dust. Please forgive. Hope it helps.

http://s915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/violetcrown/

Thanks. i see what you mean, now. don't fret about the dust, we all know about that.

[Nezzy]

Thanks everyone for the ideas. This barn is a Pre-fab, but used to be a cow barn, and it's just not ideal to hang the blankets next to the stalls . Also cannot use the ladder idea, b/c many are the fronts that do not unbuckle, but instead you place them over the head. We have to have a rack that is away from everything else. There are some good ideas here and i think we'll borrow some.

[ShayDarra]

I HATE wet blankets and have a couple of boarding horses in addition to my three. I installed screw-in J hooks into the barn joists (we have a dropped ceiling). The kind you can get at Home Depot for hanging bicycles in garages. My horses all have two turnouts so that one can be drying while the other is in use. I screwed in two hooks in front of each stall. I buckle the chest straps together and hang them by the straps. The horses were a little unsure about them at first, but they got over it.

If you fold them, they take much longer to dry. Hanging, the water drips off and they get air all around and dry pretty quickly.

Good luck,

SD