Are Horseware blankets worth it?

What decides it is your horse, not the label. Horseware sells three turnout lines, Amigo, Rhino and Rambo, and our Horseware blanket guide sums up the ladder this way: every Horseware turnout is waterproof and breathable, and what changes as you move up is how tough the outer fabric is and how long Horseware guarantees it.

That is the key to the whole question. Horseware rates all of its turnouts waterproof to over 3000mm and breathable to 3000g/m², from the Amigo at the bottom of the range to the Rambo at the top. So the premium does not buy a higher waterproof rating on paper. It buys an outer that is harder to tear, more choice of cut and fill, and a longer guarantee on select models.

If you want the spec-by-spec version, with Horseware's lines next to the economy tier on denier, fill, waterproofing, cut, closures and guarantee, read our Horseware vs budget turnout comparison. This page is about the buying decision: should you pay for it?

Here is the ladder as our Horseware guide and our Horseware blankets page describe it, with each line's place in the Horseware price range in words rather than numbers.

Denier is the number riders reach for first, and it can mislead. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension's Winter Blanketing Guide says denier indicates the strength and thickness of the weave, which relates to durability, and that a 1200D blanket will be stronger and likely will last longer than a 600D one. Our Horseware guide adds the catch: compare denier inside one fabric, not across fabrics. It says a 1000D ballistic nylon Rambo is stronger than a 1200D polyester Amigo even though the number is lower.

Horseware's own strength claims sit on top of that. As our Horseware guide reports them, Horseware says the Rhino's 1000D polypropylene is 50% to 100% stronger than the coated polyester used in most turnouts, and that the 1680D ballistic nylon on the Rambo Supreme and 1680D line is 120% stronger than its standard 1000D. Those are the maker's figures, not independent tests.

Our Rhino page explains that Horseware places a waterproof, breathable layer under a 1000D polypropylene outer, so if the outer gets scuffed or nicked in the field, the barrier underneath keeps your horse dry.

That matters for the worth-it question because it changes what a small nick costs you. On a single-layer outer, the waterproofing lives in the shell itself. On a Rhino, a scuffed outer still has the barrier behind it. Our Horseware guide calls this the reason Rhino earns its place between Amigo and Rambo, for a horse that is average-to-rough on his clothes.

Rambo takes the other route: a ballistic nylon outer built to resist the tear in the first place. Our Rambo page covers the models, from the Original and Wug to the Optimo, Supreme and Duo.

As our Horseware guide states the terms: a 2-year warranty on Amigo, a 3-year Turnout Guarantee on select Rhino turnouts and hoods, and a 10-year Turnout Guarantee on select Rambo turnouts and hoods bought on or after January 1, 2024. Our turnout blanket lifespan page quotes the same terms.

Read the fine print before you count on it. The guide says Horseware asks you to register your purchase to ensure eligibility, and lists what can void the guarantee: washing it the wrong way, repairs by anyone other than Horseware, reproofing it in the first three years, and storing it badly or leaving it in strong sun when not in use. Damage from outside force, like a fence or a kick, and normal wear and tear are not covered.

So the guarantee is real value for a blanket whose coating, breathability or buckles give out early. It is not insurance against a pasture mate with sharp teeth. And a guarantee is not a lifespan: it tells you what Horseware will stand behind, not how many winters your horse will get out of it.

Our Horseware guide says that means you can choose the cut for your horse's shape and still stay in your budget. The Wug is Horseware's high-cut neck for narrow, high-withered horses; the Surefit with V-Front extends past the withers and takes pressure off the shoulders.

The cut that is Rambo-only is the Optimo, which our Horseware guide describes as having a dart above and behind the shoulder that follows movement, for big-bodied, broad-shouldered horses. Horseware also recommends sizing down on the Optimo, because it is cut for a larger horse. Our Horseware blankets page lists the XL cut, with a 20% deeper neck and 10% deeper body, and pony cuts that run 10% shorter in the body.

If your horse rubs or the blanket slips, fit is worth paying attention to before price. Our pages on which blanket cut fits your horse, blanket fit by body shape and stopping blanket rubs go deeper. One rider's report on the Optimo:

Our Horseware guide's own advice points this way: it calls Amigo the line for horses that are easy on their blankets, value buyers and a first turnout, and saves Rambo for blanket wreckers, herd turnout and owners who want to buy once. The same logic carries past Horseware to economy turnouts from other makers.

Situations where the extra outer strength may not pay you back:

• Your horse is easy on his clothes and doesn't play rough in turnout.
• You need a second sheet to rotate while the main one is being washed or dried.
• Your horse is still changing shape. Our horse blanket guide says a blanket that fit two years ago may not fit the same horse today, so measure at the start of each season.
• You only need a weight for a few nights a year. A liner under a turnout you already own can also cover that; see our blanket weight page.
• The cut that fits your horse best happens to be at the economy tier. A good fit at any tier beats a poor fit at the top.

What riders write varies with the horse, the herd and the care. Our turnout blanket lifespan page walks through what wears out first (the water-repellent coating, then the shell, the fill and lining, and the hardware and straps) and how care stretches a blanket's seasons, whatever it cost.

Our Horseware guide notes that several customers report their Amigos lasting three years and more, which is a customer report, not a guarantee. Riders also report long service from economy turnouts, as the quote in the section above shows. Because the evidence is reports like these, this page doesn't turn guarantee years into a cost-per-use figure.

Care counts on every blanket: wash it as the label says, dry it fully before storing, and mend small tears early. Our washing and reproofing page has the steps; on a Horseware under guarantee, contact Horseware before any repair or reproofing.

Run through these, and you'll know which end of the range to shop.

If you land on Horseware, our Horseware blanket guide helps you choose between Amigo, Rhino and Rambo by your horse and your winters. If you want to compare every brand we carry, the Blanket Selector narrows them by your horse.

• Rough on blankets, or in a busy herd? A tougher outer, like Rhino's Barrier Layer setup or Rambo's ballistic nylon, is where the premium earns its keep.
• Easy on blankets, or turned out alone? An Amigo or an economy turnout can do the job.
• Hard to fit? Pick the cut first. Wug and Surefit with V-Front come in every Horseware line.
• How cold are your winters? Pick the weight from our blanket weight calculator before you pick the brand.
• Will you register it and follow the care label? The guarantee only helps if you do.