Horse blanket calculator
Tell the calculator the temperature and a little about your horse. It gives you a blanket weight straight away and updates as you change anything - no button to press.
How the recommendation works
The calculator starts from a temperature × clip-status matrix drawn from widely used blanketing charts (SmartPak, Schneiders, and university extension guides). That matrix gives a baseline weight for an unclipped, partially clipped, or fully clipped horse with a normal coat, turned out with shelter, on a dry, calm day.
From there it adjusts:
- Coat: a thick winter coat is its own insulation, so it pulls the recommendation one step lighter. A clipped or thin coat pushes it heavier.
- Wind and rain: a wet or wind-blown horse loses heat fast, so either one shifts the recommendation a step warmer.
- Older or underweight horses and hard keepers hold less of their own heat, so they get a warmer recommendation too.
- No shelter in turnout: a horse standing out in the open with nowhere to escape wind and rain is effectively colder than one with a run-in shed.
Clipped horses are the part static retailer charts handle worst, and they are exactly the horses most likely to be cold. That gap - clip plus conditions, not just the thermometer - is what this tool is built to close.
Horse blanket temperature chart
This is the full baseline matrix the calculator uses, before coat and condition adjustments. The cell that matches your current inputs is highlighted as you use the tool above.
| Temperature | Not clipped | Partial / trace clip | Full body clip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60°F+ (16°C+) | No blanket | No blanket | No blanket |
| 50-59°F (10-15°C) | No blanket | Sheet | Sheet |
| 40-49°F (4-9°C) | Sheet | Lightweight | Lightweight |
| 30-39°F (-1 to 4°C) | Lightweight | Midweight | Midweight |
| 20-29°F (-6 to -1°C) | Midweight | Midweight | Heavyweight |
| 10-19°F (-12 to -7°C) | Heavyweight | Heavyweight | Heavyweight |
| 0-9°F (-18 to -13°C) | Heavyweight | Heavyweight | Heavyweight |
| Below 0°F (below -18°C) | Heavyweight + neck | Heavyweight + neck | Heavyweight + neck |
Weights: Sheet = 0g shell · Lightweight ≈ 100g · Midweight ≈ 200g · Heavyweight ≈ 300-400g fill. Below about 10°F, or for clipped horses in hard cold, add a neck cover or hood.
Recommended turnout blankets
Once you know the weight, here are good places to start shopping. These open an Amazon search for that weight - we do not push a single product, since fit and brand are personal.
As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
A blanket chart is a starting point, not a rule
Every horse is different. Breed, body condition, whether they are acclimated to the cold, and how much shelter they have all change what they actually need. Healthy horses are remarkably good at handling cold when they are dry and out of the wind - many do best with no blanket at all.
Always check the horse, not just the chart. Slide a hand under the blanket at the chest and shoulder: warm and dry is right, sweaty means too hot, cold or shivering means add a layer. When in doubt - especially for a senior, a hard keeper, or a sick horse - ask your veterinarian. This tool offers general guidance and is not a substitute for good horsemanship or veterinary advice.
Frequently asked questions
Match the outside temperature to your horse's clip and coat using the chart above. For an unclipped horse turned out: above 50°F no blanket, 40-50°F a sheet, 30-40°F lightweight, 20-30°F midweight, 10-20°F heavyweight, and below 10°F a heavyweight plus a neck cover. Clipped horses move up a weight or two, and wind, rain, age, or low body condition shift things warmer.
Yes. Clipping removes the coat that traps warm air, so a clipped horse needs more blanket than an unclipped one at the same temperature - usually one to two weight categories heavier for a full body clip. See our clipped horse guide for details.
The grams measure the polyfill insulation. A sheet is 0g (a rain and wind shell), lightweight is about 100g, midweight about 200g, and heavyweight about 300-400g. More fill, more warmth.
Put a hand under the blanket at the chest and shoulder. Warm and dry is ideal. Damp or sweaty means it is too warm. Cold skin or shivering means add a layer. Behavior helps too: a cold horse may stand hunched with its tail to the wind.
More questions on the full FAQ page.