Choosing The Best Blankets For Horses
With so many horse blankets on the market, finding the perfect blanket to suit your horse’s needs can be hard. But with the chill in the air intensifying as we head into the cooler months, you need to buy a blanket soon. To simplify your shopping list, we compiled the top 10 best horse blankets for winter. Whether you have a horse, draft, pony, or mini, your equine will stay cozy and dry all winter with the perfect blanket.
Turnout or Stable Blanket?
So the big question is: do you need a turnout blanket or a stable blanket? It depends on your horse’s schedule. If your horse spends time outside, it will need a turnout blanket. Winter is not just cold; it can also be wet and windy. Top-quality winter horse turnouts do not just insulate against the cold; they also keep your horse dry and block wind. Your turnout blanket must be waterproof and breathable, keeping your horse from getting overheated and too sweaty.
A stable blanket is a great choice if your horse, pony, draft, or mini will remain in their stall most of the time. Since stabled horses are not exposed to wind or wet, they don’t need a waterproof blanket, rather, they need a stable blanket that provides insulation that will keep a clipped horse warm in their stall.
Choosing the Right Fit and Weight
Even the best horse blanket won’t protect your horse from the elements if it does not fit properly. Fit dictates how the blanket will function for your horse’s needs and prevents the blanket from being a hazard. Or keep your horse from playing “Blanket Escape Artist!” For this reason, horse blankets are available in many different fit options, from gusseted to adjustable shoulders, designed to help create the best fit for each horse. To figure out the best fit, Schneiders has created a guide to help you learn which blanket fit is right for your horse.
Turnout blankets and stable blankets are not just available in different fit features but weights as well. Different weighted blankets allow you to choose the best blanket depending on your local climate or your horse’s temperature threshold. Check out our guide on which blanket weight is best for your horse.
The Top 10 Best Winter Horse Blankets
- Overall Best Turnout Blanket for Your Horse
- Best Priced Horse Blanket
- Most Durable Horse Blanket
- Most Fashionable Horse Blanket
- Best Horse Blanket for Night Turnout
- Best Stable Blanket for Horses
- Best Blanket for Growing Foals
- Best for Staying Fully Covered
- Best Pony Blanket for Winter
- Best Draft Horse Blanket for Winter
ARMORFlex® Warrior Turnout Blankets are unbeatable when you need an all-around breathable, waterproof, and durable blanket. Designed with a 1680D Ballistic Nylon material that provides exceptional durability, even your most playful horses won’t be able to tear it up. The innovative Aridity™ Bamboo Charcoal inner layer has deodorizing, antibacterial, and antifungal properties that fight off skin irritations, keeping your horse’s skin healthy all winter. The 3M Teflon coating adds waterproofing and stain resistance, making this blanket last year after year. A bonus is the 3M reflective gusset patches and tail stripe that enhance visibility in the lowlights of the winter evening. For the best overall blanket for your horse, choose the ARMORFlex® Warrior Adjusta-Fit® Turnout Blanket.
☆☆☆☆☆ "This blanket appears to be very sturdy, and fits well to the contours of the horse's body. It is also adjustable in many different places! I love the belly band: less ways for a horse to get caught in the straps. Great Warranty too!" –Cynthia
The Dura-Tech® Viking Traditional Euro Turnout Blanket is designed to fit straight from the withers to the back, ensuring greater protection against the elements. It features fleece at the wither for extra comfort and protection against rubbing and is available in a variety of levels of insulation to suit your horse's needs. Whether you need a heavyweight turnout blanket for the bitter days of winter or a waterproof turnout sheet to keep your horse protected and dry on rainy days, the Dura-Tech® Viking Traditional Euro Turnout Blanket has you covered.
☆☆☆☆☆ "One of my favorite blankets. I've been using these for 10 years." –Jodi
The ARMORFlex® Warrior Adjusta-Fit® Waterproof Turnout Blankets and sheets are perfect for horses that like to play rough. The Aridity™ Bamboo Charcoal inner layer wicks moisture away from the horse, keeping them more comfortable during temperature changes. The enlarged tail cover acts as a better wind and rain barrier. The extended gussets with 3M reflective patches and tail stripe provide added visibility at dusk or for night turnout. These blankets are coated with a special compound that makes them 5X more waterproof than competitive brands. The super-tough outer fabric is resistant to tears and withstands the rigors of the most destructive horses. With Warrior, you can rest easy knowing that the blankets are backed by a lifetime warranty!
☆☆☆☆☆ "GREAT winter blanket for my horses that are on 24hr turnout!! These blankets are durable & my go to blanket!! It gives a peace of mind with guarantee too!!" –Jessica
The Stormshield® Limited Edition Diamond Surcingle Turnout Blankets blends style and functionality, featuring a customer-requested blue diamond design. These turnouts showcase a classic contour collar fit with a sealed and shaped seam around the neck, ensuring a snug fit and superior protection in wet, windy weather. Constructed from a tough, durable 1200D Ripstop Polyester outer, this blanket is more waterproof than competitive brands, providing unmatched durability and shielding against the elements, ensuring your horse stays dry and comfortable. It also has a front closure, making it easy to put on and off. This blanket is unmatched for the best blanket to keep your horse warm while looking stylish in the barn or pasture.
Your horse will stay dry and warm all night with the ARMORFlex® Challenger II. Even better, with its extreme durability, you’ll sleep easy knowing that your horse will still be blanketed in the morning! These blankets are constructed with a 1200D ripstop polyester material that provides extreme durability, making it the perfect choice for your most playful horses. Wider binding and reinforced stitching add to the durability, and the 3M Teflon coating adds improved waterproofing, making this blanket perfect for nights in the pasture. This blanket marries toughness with exceptional breathability, ensuring your horse stays dry and comfortable all season, even in the worst winter weather. With our variety of fit options, you're certain to find the best-fitting option for your horse - no matter their confirmation.
The Adjusta-Fit® Dura-Nylon® V-Free® Guardian Bellyband Stable Blankett is a great midweight choice for horse owners who want to provide their horses with a comfortable and breathable blanket to keep them warm in cold weather. The "Original" Adjusta-Fit® System ensures a custom fit for any horse, while the Dura-Nylon® 420 denier nylon outer helps to regulate temperature and prevent overheating. This stable blanket is an excellent choice for horse owners looking for a quality product to keep their horses comfortable in all types of weather.
☆☆☆☆☆ "These are my MOST FAVORITE blankets. I use them to layer throughout the cold seasons. The bellyband keeps the warmth in and they are super durable." –Kathleen
The StormShield® Expandable Foal Turnout is a great choice for foals in various weather conditions. The waterproof, breathable, and windproof material will keep them dry and comfortable while the hook and loop front closure expands as they grow. The bellyband style provides extra coverage and stays securely in place, making it ideal for temperatures ranging from 30 to 50 degrees. With so many features, the StormShield® Expandable Foal Turnout is a great option for any foal.
☆☆☆☆☆ "I'm using this product in Northern Michigan, where it gets extremely cold. My weanling appears to be very happy to wear it, during the Michigan winters. Thank you for developing such a perfect product, for the little ones!!! My little guy sure loves it." –PZ from Michigan
In the worst winter weather, you need a blanket that will keep your horse totally covered. When you need a turnout blanket that will keep your horse dry and comfortable no matter the weather, a StormShield® Nordlund II is the perfect choice. This blanket is made from the toughest 1680D Ballistic Nylon fabric, offering extreme durability. If your horse likes to be rough and run in the pasture, you'll find that this style will remain intact for their active lifestyle. This blanket even comes with a seven-year warranty, giving you peace of mind with your purchase. This blanket also has 3M reflective binding that enhances visibility in low-light conditions, a wide front hook and loop closure, and breathable nylon to enhance your horse’s coat. With the fit options of Contour Collar, High Neck, and Attached Neck Euro, your horse will stay warm head to tail.
☆☆☆☆☆ "Very high quality. Will be perfect for winter!" –Sadie
The StormShield® Blizzard II is designed to fit your pony snugly and protect them from the elements. This blanket is perfect for the pony lifestyle, as they run, buck, and play with their pasturemates. Got a mischievous pony? This blanket has tough 1680D Ballistic Nylon fabric, offering extreme durability, meaning this blanket won’t come off or rip. This blanket also has 3M reflective binding that enhances visibility in low-light conditions, a wide front hook and loop closure, and breathable nylon to enhance your pony’s coat. With the fit options of Contour Collar, High Neck, and Attached Neck Euro, your pony will stay warm head to tail.
☆☆☆☆☆ "We absolutely love the quality and strength of these blankets!! We bought one last year for our mini (he's the tester ) and it was amazing- held up way better than any of our other sheets and blankets. So our big guys got new ones for themselves this year! Quality is great!" –Victoria
If you have a draft horse, you know the struggle of finding a blanket that fits them properly. However, many blankets on the market are too snug in places and need to offer more protection from the elements. The ARMORFlex® Challenger II Adjusta-Fit® Turnout Blankets are designed to fit the unique confirmation of your draft horse, keeping them comfortable and dry all season. This blanket is designed specifically for the draft and offers 5X more waterproofing than Competitive brands, so you'll never worry about a wet horse again.
☆☆☆☆☆ "I love the detailed fit of this sheet! My Belgian Mare has high withers and I could choose the neck cut for her particular build! It fits her Perfectly!" –Marguerite
No matter your horse’s size or needs, these 10 blankets will give you peace of mind all winter, as your horse stays dry and warm during the coldest days and nights.
