Can anyone explain how to put an old fashioned blanket on?

[Feebee-Friesian]

Just wondering if anyone can give a good explanation of how to put a traditional blanket on a horse? Can only vaguely remember !

 

[djedgley]

So now I'm showing my age!! Pop blanket on - I think my used to go from ears down to tail. Fold back two ends now hanging down by cheeks over the wither so you are left with an arrow shape up his neck. Fold that down over the top of top rug and fasten with roller. I don't expect one can even buy rollers now. Perhaps you will have to knit one!! Oh happy days.

 

[Enfys]

Rollers! I would be ecstatic if I could find an elastic surcingle!

 

[carthorse]

Place the blanket over your horse well forward so the neck is covered. Place your top rug over the top in normal place. Fold up the front corners of the blanket to the withers so you have a triangle left on each side of the neck and a point towards the ears. Do up your rug at the front and then fold the point of the blanket backwards over the horses back. Set it all comfortable then place a roller over the blanket which was folded back. Do this up. Hey presto.
In winter with clipped hunters they had more than one blanket

 

[Mudfukkle]

The only rollers you seem to be able to buy nowadays, are the lungeing ones. I still have a lovely Anti-Cast roller (English leather) I won't part with it, you never know when or if it may be needed

 

[Slightly Foxed]

Other posters have described it perfectly. Get yourself an old copy of The Manual Of Horsemanship and it will reveal all sorts of old fashioned practices!

 

[cremedemonthe]

Many years ago we used to get the traditional rollers in to the workshop to be flocked up, days now gone by!

 

[carthorse]

Few rollers on ebay and a couple of anti cast ones

 

[Kaylum]

Sponge for the withers, thats what I remember doing.

 

[Umbongo]

I used to work on a national hunt yard up until a couple of years ago....and we still rugged up like this! As well as strapping and a hot cloth every day.

 

[Gingersmum]

Well described . . Fond memories !!

 

[Abbeygale]

I still have 3 rollers in my tack room! Must be over 30 years old - they were no where near new when we had them lol

 

[Honey08]

Ooh I loved blankets! We used to get them from charity shops! By the end of the winter, and third clip, they used to have 3 or 4 blankets underneath and it was quite an art putting them on!

 

[Maesfen]

Lovely memories!

 

[Beausmate]

Posh horses had proper Early's Witney blankets.

Just looked up jute rollers-eep at the price!
http://www.speedgate.co.uk/ecomm/fo...sories-and-reproofers/economy-jute-roller.htm

This was more reasonable..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-TRADITIONAL-JUTE-ROLLER-/221171761828

I can remember the Polywarm rug coming out, with the loop on top to keep the surcingle in place.

I'm feeling all old now.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Last one I worked on was about 1994, old fashioned leather one, I had to restore it and flock it, beautiful piece of work which sadly you don't often see these days.
Beausmate, I have a Earleys witney newmarket blanket on my bed!

 

[Enfys]

60 POUNDS for a Jute roller! Good Grief.

I have actually given up looking and just make my own now, triple thickness polar fleece and heavy duty velcro, keeps stable blankets in place and that's all I want it to do.

 

[Circe]

Gosh, I must be really old fashioned, I rugged my tb like this last year, mainly because I am too tight to buy him any more rugs, so on the extra cold nights he got a woolen blanket under his rug, I even remembered the sponge for the back.
I did get a few odd looks, but tb was toasty.
Kx

 

[Circe]

Rollers! I would be ecstatic if I could find an elastic surcingle!

probably no help to you at all, but Roma make one, which Horseland here sell for $20... not sure how much your p+p would work out at though
Kx

 

[Lippyx]

Nothing like good old fashioned layering! We use to use duvets too! I would always have blankets as a "rug" so versatile!

 

[Auslander]

I loved blankets - horses look so snug with a blanket under their rug. Also useful for chucking over a horse while grooming, or to soak up a bit of damp.
I have a slightly different method. If you fold the blanket back to half way down the neck, then take the corners up to the withers, then fold it back again over the neck of the rug, the folded back bit is squarish, and doesn't need a roller to keep it in place.

I don't think this makes sense in writing - but it works! Might take photos!

 

[Equinus]

Worked with hunters and pointers for years, they all had blankets and (tatty) jute rugs held on with a variety of rollers, with thick foam pads. The first time I saw a duvet style rug in a dressage yard, I took a bit of convincing that it could keep a horse warm and not slip!

Still have my first ever quilted rug, a rather thin affair but my pride and joy at the time (over 30 years ago) but I still had a leather roller as it had no way of keeping it in place. Have the roller somewhere too.

God, I feel ancient!

 

[MrsMozart]

Now I want to buy a nice English leather anti-cast roller and a proper Witney rug!

Fond memories

 

[cremedemonthe]

Now I want to buy a nice English leather anti-cast roller and a proper Witney rug!

Fond memories

Better get a bank loan then!

 

[Beausmate]

Now I want to buy a nice English leather anti-cast roller and a proper Witney rug!

Fond memories

Et voila!


http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/2611...ixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&adtype=pla&crdt=0

http://www.fridayfox.co.uk/witney_blankets_13.html#

Can't see that roller fitting too well though

I am insanely jealous of people with Witney rugs on their beds. Always wanted one, thought about smuggling one of the (genuine) exercise rugs up to my room when I worked in a racing yard. Soooo warm.

Remember the Melton day rugs, the ones with the leather breast strap and matching roller? Sometimes had a breastgirth to go with them? Jute rugs and blankets for night time, string vests and cotton summer sheets and ten ton canvas New Zealands. Those were the days..

 

[pines of rome]

Worked with hunters and pointers for years, they all had blankets and (tatty) jute rugs held on with a variety of rollers, with thick foam pads. The first time I saw a duvet style rug in a dressage yard, I took a bit of convincing that it could keep a horse warm and not slip!

Still have my first ever quilted rug, a rather thin affair but my pride and joy at the time (over 30 years ago) but I still had a leather roller as it had no way of keeping it in place. Have the roller somewhere too.

God, I feel ancient!

I am ancient as well then I remember putting all this on, when I worked in racing!

 

[fidleyspromise]

Rollers! I would be ecstatic if I could find an elastic surcingle!

I got mine from: http://www.equestrianclearance.com/_various_suppliers/elastic_surcingles/index.html

I couldn't believe how difficult it was to find them when I was looking.

Sponge for the withers, thats what I remember doing.

I remember doing this as well.