# What to look for in a turnout blanket?



## ThursdayNext (Oct 18, 2011)

Denier has to do with the mass of the fabric. A single strand of silk = 1 denier. The higher the number the more massive the thread of the jacket is and the more tough the fabric is likely to be, and the harder for a horse to chew and destroy. 

You would want to know about the fill because that tells you how warm the thing is. And you would want to know about the seams, too, because jackets and stuff can leak at the seams if they aren't taped.

My horse has a rain coat that is 600-denier, and it is pretty tough stuff, and waterproof. It is about the same weight as an old canvas tent - much more beefy fabric than most of your modern nylon tents. He also has a heavy winter coat for very cold days that is 1,000-denier, and you could just about use that fabric to patch potholes.


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## Rowzy (Mar 1, 2010)

Depending on your horse (and his pasture mates) 600 denier might not be enough. My mare has managed to rip her 600 D blanket and my gelding's. I have a really nice 1200 D weatherbeeta sheet for her that I've had for 5+ years and use a lot and its never been damaged.

The fill depends on the weather you get. I have all medium weight blankets which seem to work just fine for winters here, and I can double up blankets if it gets SUPER cold.

Also, keep an eye out for sales. Good winter blankets that should last a long time can cost a fair bit, but thankfully they tend to go on sale a lot.


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

Like mentioned, denier refers to how strong the blanket it is- so 1200 is stronger than 600 denier. Make sure its WATERPROOF not water resistant... Water resistent means that it repells light rain but after down pour, it will leak. I like WeatherBeeta Oricans. I would recommend a medium weight blanket if your horse developes a little bit of a winter coat, but if you clip or his/her coat doesnt get any thicker, a heavy weight would be best. Good luck


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