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The summer is finally over and the temperatures are continuously below 10 degrees. The weather report has already shown that there will be the first frosty nights in the next few days. As Amy's back is very tense, especially in the rain, Amy wears a Turnout Rug again.
After the weather has become more and more extreme in recent years and even the summer was unbearably hot, I fear something similar for the winter. As it rains more and more often and the temperatures are so cold,I went in search of a new, padded winter blanket for the Pony. Our horses get turned out all year round so I wanted a good protective blanket.
Our stable is located on top of a mountain, where it is always very windy. The horses need to be protected from all weather conditions so we needed good quality rugs to keep her warm and dry. In addition, Amy has a paddock box and can stand outside at night, which she enjoys. With the Buster 200, she can stay warmer while she is out
Since we have already had good experiences with many other products from Premier Equine, the choice for the new winter blanket came from the Premier Equine website. The English sizes are a bit different than German equestrian shops. At first, I was a bit confused about what size we had to choose. Luckily there is a great guide and size chart on the homepage. You have to measure the horse in two steps:
Step 1: Determine the size of the horse
For this one measure the height of the withers from the highest point, to the ground. Amy is 1.50 meters tall.
Step 2: Determine the length of the horse
To do this, measure the length of the horse from the middle of the chest to the end of the hind leg.
A look at the table then showed that we need the blanket in size"5.9". After ordering I was a little scared that I could have measured Amy wrong and she would either have to wear a rug that was big, or a rug that would not close! The concern was completely unfounded, because when I put the blanket on the horse for the first time, I saw how great the rug fit her.
The fit of the blanket is great! It fits like a glove. The beauty is that there are not only the German standard sizes, but also many intermediate sizes, so you can find the perfect blanket for almost every horse.
The blanket has a Velcro fastener on the chest, over which 2 clips are attached. Under the belly, the blanket is closed as usual with two abdominal straps. In addition, it also has leg loops, which are particularly useful for horses that like to roll, because the blanket does not slip or move around on the horse.
The tail strap is covered with a rubber cover. It's the first blanket where I've seen this and I think the idea is really good. As a rule, there are always residues of horse droppings on the belt, which is not so nice when touching that part of the rug. With this blanket, the strap can be easily wiped off with a cloth when needed.
All straps can be easily adapted to the individual size of the horse. So if Amy gets another large belly we can just adjust the cross straps to make them a bit longer.
Visually, the blanket is an absolute eye-catcher. Purple is my favourite colour and I am very happy that Amy now has a purple blanket. Due to the contrasting seams, the blanket looks very noble. I especially like the reflective strips, as the horse is so visible even in the dark. This rug is also available in green.
The blanket is very high quality and well made, it is waterproof and protects the horse from the cold wind.
The neck cover is detachable, so you can add or remove this as the weather changes. This is fitted on both sides with double Velcro tape on the rug. The fact that the Velcro is double locking means that the neck cover holds when the horse moves more, running or sometimes rolling. To keep the horse's neck warm, close the neckline at the front with the double locking Velcro straps.
I think every rider knows the fear that horses could freeze. Even though I think that nature protects the animals with winter fur well from the cold, there are also horses that need a blanket. The Buster 200g medium weight blanket from Premier Equine is definitely worth your purchase.
Amy is completely satisfied with the thicker blanket and her back is much more relaxed because the rug keeps her warm and protected from the wind and rain. If we look at the weather report now, then we are quite relaxed, because Amy is well prepared for the cold days. We are now considering a second blanket to change if the winter gets wet and colder.
Take a look at the Buster 200g Turnout Rug with Neck Cover here.
