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Video: How to Measure Your Horse for a Blanket

Before you invest in a stable blanket, rain sheet or turnout rug for your horse, make sure you’re getting the correct size. The video below shows how to get an accurate measurement.

Steps to Measure Your Horse for a Blanket

  1. Stand your horse square on a flat surface.
  2. Using a flexible tape measure, start measuring from the middle of your horse’s chest.
  3. Measure across the widest part of your horse’s body. Make sure your tape measure stays flat.
  4. Measure to the edge of your horse’s tail. If you prefer more coverage, measure to the center of the tail.
  5. The measurement in inches is your horse’s blanket size. If he’s between sizes, round up.

Things to Remember:

  • In the U.S., blankets are measured in inches. The chest-to-tail measurement in inches is your horse’s size.
  • Make sure that your horse is standing square, not resting a hind leg or with legs uneven. That can cause his body to bulge to one side, altering your measurement.
  • Blankets will fit differently depending on how your horse is built. If a blanket doesn’t fit correctly, it may not be the wrong size, but rather the wrong structure for your horse’s body type.

Further Reading
Blanket Fit
Field Guide to Horse Blanket Fit

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