Back to Back Issues Page
The All-Arounder, Issue #010 -- 2009 Congress/Winter Horse Blanket Tips
November 06, 2009

The All Arounder: Issue #010

2009 Quarter Horse Congress Highlights
&
Winter Horse Blanket Tips

November 2009

Welcome!

The All Arounder is the official monthly newsletter of the Stock Horse Show Source website. Author Lynn Espinoza is the main editor for both the website and this newsletter. With this issue stay up to date with news from the site and horse industry, hot tips for showing and caring for your horse, and "members only" specials!

If you have found this issue of The All Arounder to be helpful, please "pass it on" to someone you know who also enjoys horse showing or who just loves horses. If a friend sent this issue to you and you are interested in becoming a member, please click on the following link to sign up:http://www.stock-horse-show-source/horse-show-tips.html.

Any questions, comments, corrections, suggestions, or topic ideas are greatly appreciated. Please feel free to contact us as we would love to hear your input!

If you have difficulty reading this as an email, we offer all our back-issues online in the All Arounder Archives.



The All-Arounder Table Of Contents

1. Inspiration For The Month
2. News & Updates
3. Horse Show Spotlight New!
4. In This Issue: Winter Horse Blankets - Proper Use & Fitting
5. November Coupons & Specials
6. Tip Of The Month
7. The Next Issue




Inspiration For The Month

Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear or a fool from any direction ~ Cowboy saying




News & Updates


Site News!:
Check out some of our most recent articles!





Horse Show Spotlight

October 2009
2009 All American Quarter Horse Congress

Show Photos
**Post your own Congress Stories & Photos!***


Show Highlights & Breaking News

Show Results





Winter Horse Blankets - Proper Use & Fitting

With colder temperatures on the horizon and the dreaded "s" word (snow) on the tips of everyone's tongues, it’s time to start thinking about your winter horse care plan.

This time of year many of you are possibly thinking about fall shots, possibly pulling shoes for the season, and the ever important winter horse blanket.

This is also the time of year that many retailers pick up sales for winter blankets and have to answer many customer questions. Have you ever wondered how to best fit a winter blanket or wonder which type of blanket is right for your horse?

Below we will take a look at the different types of winter horse blankets available, and include some helpful fitting tips to make this year's transition into winter an easy one.



Types

If you are like me, you get confused when you open up your tack catalog to one hundred different winter horse blankets. From turnout to the stable, what really is the best horse blanket for you?

It's true; there are many different types of blankets on the market to choose from. If you think of them in terms of two different categories, it may make the process a little easier.

Turnout Turnout blankets are best used when a horse is turned out to pasture for extended periods of time. When purchasing a turnout blanket you want to make the outside and inside coverings are enough to keep your horse warm.

The outer covering should be very durable and waterproof to ensure it will withstand the weather elements that it will encounter outside. This outer covering is referred to as the denier and numbers for the denier range from 210 to 2100.

The higher the denier, the more wind and water resistance in the material and also usually the more expensive. Higher denier values are best for horses that are turned out for longer periods of time.

Stable A stable blanket is best for use on horses that are stalled for longer periods of time, with smaller periods of turnout. A horse that is kept inside a bulk of the time can have a winter blanket with a lower denier value.

However, if your horse does have periods of turnout during the day keep in mind that a lower denier blanket won't stand up as well to wind and rain.

For both a turnout and stable blanket you will want to determine how much insulation your horse needs. Thicker insulation if your horse has a shorter coat during the cold seasons.



You first must measure your horse before settling or guessing a blanket size. For best results it may be most helpful to have someone assist in your measuring. You will need a tape measure and will begin by measuring at the middle of your horse’s chest.

From this point measure around the widest part of the shoulder, widest part of the barrel, around the hip to the middle of the back side of the tail. The number you see on the tape measure will be the size of blanket you are looking for.

If you see and odd number, make sure you round up to the next even number. For example, if you measure a 75 on the tape you will be looking for a blanket size 76 for your horse.


For more information on how to fit your winter horse blanket to your horse and the different types of blanket weights please visit:

http://www.stock-horse-show-source.com/horse-blanket.html



November Coupons & Specials

Check out our Member's Only specials on top horse products:

1. Shipping Coupon from Horse.com!
$5.99 Flat Rate Shipping on all Orders at Horse.com

2. Clearance Sale: Stateline Tack
StateLineTack.com Clearance



Tip of The Month

Photo Ad Tips: Courtesy horses.about.com
One of the biggest non selling points is the photo placed in an ad. With this economy, you need your horse to stand out from the others. Here are a couple photo tips for your ad: 1. Always show a full side profile with the horse looking toward you (to capture any face markings).
2. For horses under 15 hands, have the camera level about 4ft above ground.
3. Always fully bath, dry, and groom your horse before a photo shoot. (would you buy a mud ball over a clean, sharp looking horse?)
4. Pay attention to the background of the picture. Always try to get your horse against a contrasting background. If you have a light horse, use a dark background; a dark horse, use a light background. All horses look beautiful on a lush green meadow background.
5. CROP your photo so there is only about a cm between the edges of your horse and the photo edges.
6. Have a friend look over you photo shoot after you have cropped and select the best photo of the horse they would buy.




Next Issue

Horse Show Spotlight: 2009 AQHA World Championship Show
Feature Article: Horse Theme Gift Ideas




Back to Back Issues Page