SmartPaker (Alissa) Product Review: SmartEquine Ultimate Turnout Blankets
Ultimate Go-To Turnouts
I have been an avid SmartPak Ultimate Blanket user for many years and was so excited when I saw the launch of the brand new line of SmartEquine Ultimates at the end of last year! I have both a high neck and combo neck Ultimate in the original style, and I have always loved the durability and fit of these on my horse, Tiger. As a traditionally built Thoroughbred, it has not always been the easiest to find clothes that fit him well. Plus being a 30 year old senior, who of course insists on living outside 24/7, his wardrobe is bigger than mine. I have tried multiple brands, styles, cuts, and fabrics, and always find my way back to the Ultimate blankets.
As any horse owner will admit, as much as we painstakingly dress our horses for success all winter long, sometimes horses are horses and blankets rip. When my horse came in from turnout a few weeks ago with a rip in his current Ultimate, I can’t say I was all that upset because I knew with the Ultimate warranty this would mean I got to try out the brand new line of blankets! After a quick and easy chat with the SmartEquine Customer Care Team, my Ultimate blanket replacement was all set and the brand new blanket arrived at my door within a few short days.
Updated & Upgraded
With blanket in hand, I headed out to the barn to give it a try on my horse. The material felt durable right out of the package and the blanket looked sharp with a few key changes from the old style Ultimates. The front chest clips are larger and are a snap rather than a quick clip. I have had issues in the past with my quick clips getting jammed in the “open” position, so this was a welcome change.
I also LOVE how the neck piece fixes together around my horse’s neck. The old style had one long Velcro strap that doubled back on itself to fasten the neck piece around the neck. This new hood has a more “alligator style” Velcro strap that doubles back and clamps down which makes the blanket feel much more secure. The higher shoulder gussets on the new style are an easy win to give my horse more freedom of movement, and I love that the chest bib was kept from the old style for extra coverage.
The new seam-sealed tail flap is the only change that I really had no strong feelings on, but it does seem a bit larger and provides more coverage than the prior tail flap. The icing on the cake is the reflective piping that helps my horse be seen on those dark winter nights.
Putting It To The Test
After getting my horse all dressed up for the winter weather, it was time to go test out the new blanket. Upon turning my horse out, he was happy to trot around in his new attire and I loved watching the blanket move with him and stay put. I found the size of the blanket to be very true to size and fit almost identically in length and drop down my horse’s body to the old Ultimate. So far I’m loving this blanket! The fit of the Ultimates has always been great and the warranty is unmatched, and the new Ultimate is no different.
