Tip of the Week: Avoid Blanket Blunders

Hooking the clasps of your horse’s blanket might not be something you consider when it comes to safe practices. But, there are some problems that can arise when clasps are fastened incorrectly. So, even though your hands might be frozen as you blanket your horse, take time to fix the clasps correctly.


Consider how you fasten your horse’s blanket, to avoid potential problems when he rubs up against stalls, gates, or fences.

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When you hook the strap with the clasp facing outward like in the photo below, it’s easy for the clasp to reopen and become stuck on something. All your horse has to do is rub or itch on the fence, stall door, or even their bucket handle and they could become stuck to it. Your horse won’t realize what happened and it could become dangerous if they try to escape from being stuck. 

Avoid fastening blanket clasps so that they face outward, like in the photo. They can get caught on gates, fences, or stall doors and potentially harm your horse. Photo by Jillian Sinclair

To prevent this from happening, always clip your blanket clasps facing inward so they can’t reopen and become caught on something, as pictured below.

When the clasp is facing inward with the flush side facing away from your horse, it’s a lot less likely that the clasp will get hooked on something if your horse rubs or itches. 

Fasten blanket clasps as demonstrated above, to minimize the chance they catch on things when your horse rubs. Photo by Jillian Sinclair.

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