How to Measure Your Horse for a Winter Blanket

Getting the right size blanket is critical for keeping your horse comfortable and protected throughout the winter. By learning how to measure your horse for a winter blanket, you'll be able to get a great fit on the first try and provide better coverage to insulate your horse from harsh weather. Check out this helpful step-by-step guide to get all the measurements you need for a winter horse blanket.

Measuring the Length of Your Horse

When you're choosing a blanket, the length of your horse will be the key figure to determine which size is the best fit. To get this measurement, follow these steps:

1. Be sure your horse is on even ground and standing comfortably.
2. Place one end of a soft measuring tape at the center of the chest. Secure it with a piece of not to sticky tape, a martingale strap, or a ask a barn friend to lend a hand. 
3. Keeping the measuring tape taut and level, measure the length of the body over the widest part of the shoulder to where you first meet the tail (not to the center of the tail).
4. Round up to the next full inch to get your blanket size.

If your horse measured 75 ¼", for example, the size of your horse blanket would be 76". You may need to round that number up to the nearest size depending on which lengths are available (more on that in the next section).

If you don't have a soft measuring tape, or if you don't have one that's long enough to stretch along the full length of the horse, you can use a piece of twine or string instead. Simply take the measurement with the string, snip the end or mark where it meets the tail and then measure the length of the string.

Pick a Style to Suit Your Horse's Body Shape

The length of your horse determines the size of the blanket you should select. However, the build of your horse determines the cut of the blanket that's best suited to your steed. There are two types of cuts from which to choose:

• Taper cut: This type of blanket has a contoured fit through the body. It includes a wider opening at the neck and a drop just below the belly. Tail flaps are less common with this blanket style. Taper cut blankets are available in two-inch increments (68", 70", 72", etc.).
• Euro cut: This type of blanket has a boxy style that provides a roomier fit. It features a smaller opening at the neck and a longer drop below the belly. Euro cut blankets are usually measured in increments of 3" (69", 72", 75", etc.).

Some styles combine these two cuts, such as the Terminator II Sure Fit Ultralight Blanket, so be sure to review all of the details of each blanket before you decide which is the right fit for your horse.

You can check out our Mary's Tack and Feed blanket fit guide for more details on how to measure your horse for a blanket.