How To Wash And Care For A Horse Blanket

As the cooler weather blows in, so does the need to start thinking about breaking out our horse’s blankets for the year! For some equestrians, this simply means opening their tote full of clean blankets that they packed away last year… But, for some of us we are not that ahead of the game, and our blankets are still in the back of our tack room in a dirty heap (#oops). Life sometimes gets away from us, and we’re not as organized as we’d like, but now is the perfect time (before winter comes at us full force) to get those blankets clean and in working order for the season! 

Not sure if your horse needs to wear a blanket? Check out The Ultimate Horse Blanketing Guide for more tips!

Washing Do’s and Don’ts

The first step in preparing your blankets to be worn is getting them nice and clean! Because of their size and level of filth, they can be a little cumbersome to wash. We are lucky enough to have one local laundromat that allows horse blankets – all the others have big signs that they are not welcome. Thankfully, the one who permits horse apparel is owned by locals who have horses, and they allow us to use their big commercial washers for horse blankets. 

The first step is to get them as clean as possible before you put them in the washing machine. So grab a shedding blade, a super-stiff brush (a water tank scrub brush works great), and start working off all that extra crusty mud. Don’t forget that shudding blade for the interior! That yak-like winter coat that’s stuck to the inside needs to GO before washing!
Get off as much mud and hair as you can before sticking them in any washer, be it at home or the laundromat!

My go-to blanket wash is from Nikwax; it’s specially formulated for cleaning waterproof gear without damaging the integrity of the waterproofing. Sometimes you can find small containers of it at sports supply stores, like Academy Sports, but you can also get it online.

Avoid using your traditional commercial laundry detergents on waterproof gear; these detergents will start to break down the waterproofing of the blankets over time. Best to stick with the Nikwax or Rambo’s blanket wash for the best results.

You can use your home washing machine, but honestly, these aren’t designed to deal with much more than a turnout sheet or a cotton stable sheet. Anything with some heft to it is going to put a strain on the clutch in the spin cycle. (Ask me how I know! LOL!) Plus, the magnitude of hair and dirt draining off also creates clogging problems.

I suggest using the large commercial washers at a local laundromat. You can usually get two medium-weight turnouts (with neck) into the largest size commercial washer, and they do a stellar job getting them clean. If you aren’t located in an overly populated equestrian area, it’s likely your local laundromat has at least one washer designated for pet beds and horse blankets. If there’s no signage, it’s best to ask the attendant.

Bring a plastic tote with you to lug the blankets in and out of the facility. Waterproof turnouts are amazing – but not after they’ve been washed. Sometimes they can be holding water when you pull them out of the machine. Having that plastic tote handy keeps the chaos contained and not all over the floor or your car. 

Front-load washers work best, as agitators can damage the blankets. The size of the blankets and weight will determine how many blankets to wash at once. If in doubt, load the machine less because overloading can cause excessive wear and tear on the washer.

After washing, make sure to let your blankets line dry, as excessive heat can degrade the waterproofing and damage the fabric. I normally hang my laundry out on a sunny day over a fence and let the sun and wind do the work. 

Waterproofing

If your blankets are a few years old or you’ve noticed they haven’t been repelling water as well, it might be time to give them a re-waterproofing. There are a ton of waterproofing products on the market, but I find a wash-in formula, such as Nikwax waterproofer, to be the easiest. 

Repairs

It’s also important to check your blankets for rips, tears, and other problems. It’s virtually impossible to have a perfect blanket year after year (especially when the geldings like to wrestle all day). You’ll need to evaluate whether you can handle the repairs yourself, need to send them out to a professional, or if it’s time to retire the blanket. I’m game to break out my awl and make some small repairs to tears on seams or small rips from roughhousing. Outside of that, it goes to a professional if it can be saved. Check out your local tack shop, or Facebook pages for individuals who offer washing and repair services!

When To Replace?

This is a question we get a lot at the store… and don’t get me wrong, I am all for prolonging the life of my blankets for years and years, but there comes a point where they are just too far gone. The biggest red flag for me that it’s time to say goodbye to a blanket is when the waterproofing just isn’t holding up anymore. My horses are happiest out as much as possible. They have cozy stalls when it’s cold and miserable. But for the most part, they prefer being in the pasture. Having turnouts that protect them from the elements and keep them warm is paramount. If there’s anything Oliver hates, it’s being cold AND wet. He’s happy to be one or the other, but both is a hard pass.

 If I’ve tried to re-waterproof multiple times and it’s just not working, then I either transition them to being “stable blankets” or give them the funeral they deserve. That funeral includes cutting off any functioning hardware that could be used to repair something at a later date and removing leg straps if they are salvageable.

The other marker that it’s probably time to say goodbye is when there is such a substantial rip or tear that encompasses most of the blanket. Most of the time, these tears can still be repaired, but the cost of repair can outweigh the cost of replacement. Plus, any place where the sheet has to be restitched compromises the water resistance, especially if the rip is along the spine or someplace where water or snow will make direct contact with the horse’s back.

After your blankies are clean, re-waterproofed, and repaired, it’s time to either store them (once they’re completely dry) in an airtight container or put them on your four-legged friend! 

If it’s time to get a new blanket for your horse, make sure to take a look at “How To Measure Your Horse For A Blanket” and then our full blanket collection HERE!