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[C991]Consumer Reports Buying Guide

by Paddy, Pad

Halters come in basic shapes and a few different sizes, but the colors offer each owner a sense of uniqueness for their horse. Halters are made of fabric like nylon or leather. Halters do not have bits and therefore do not offer the control that a bridle does, it is not recommended that your ride a horse with only a halter.

A halter consists of a noseband and headstall that buckles around your horse's head enabling you to tie him up or lead him. Lead ropes are connected to a metal ring on the halter. Halters fit looser than a bridle, but there is still the possibility of the skin being rubbed by the fabric.
I really see no need to leave a halter on a stabled horse unless he is green or very young. A horse used to being handled is easy enough to approach in a stable to have his halter put on and taken off when needed.

If your horse lives out in a pasture you may benefit by leaving his halter on him, but it honestly does not help your horse. Your horse may be easier to catch, but the chances of him getting his halter caught or snagged on fence post or tree branch is very likely.

If you turn your horse out on a daily basis for a couple of hours with his halter on there is still the risk of injury. If you leave your halter on you should buy a break away halter that way injury is prevented and you won't have to blame yourself.

It is important to check that your halter fits your horse properly and is cleaned regularly to remove dirt. Tip: When putting your halter on your horse there should be enough room between the throatlatch (usually the part that your buckle up) and the horses jaw - room enough for a hand - to make sure that it is neither too tight nor too loose.

Every horse owner would be wise to invest in two halters so that you always have a backup if one is broken. Halters have metal fastenings, but this does not make them indestructible. I was once grooming a horse in her stall, she was a feisty mare, yet somewhat insecure and pretty fussy. I had her secured to a ring by a short lead rope.

One minute I was brushing her body and the next minute we had both jumped and spun in her stable. Who knows who reacted first, but I do know that she had gotten a fright and broken free; the metal ring on her halter broke in her hasty and abrupt movement. Did I have to waste time searching for a halter in the owner's yard, not to mention the worry over having to explain how the halter got broken...

Always buy a good quality durable halter and have another for backup. Remember it is not what the halter looks like that counts, but that it works for you and your horse. You really do not need that beautiful flashy leather halter if your pocket can only afford a standard nylon halter.

Index
•Quilt Sizes
•Tog Rating
•Natural Fibre
•Types of Natural Fibre
•A Few of the Natural Quilts in our Range
•A few of the Natural Pillows in our Range
•Synthetic Fibre
•Types of Synthetic Fibre
•Quilt / Pillow Construction
•Hotel Collection
•Memory Foam
•Children's Quilts
•Care Natural Fibre
•Care Synthetic Fibre
•Care Memory Foam

Quilt Sizes

•Quilts are sizes based on the beds they are designed to fit so you need to choose the right size of quilt to fit your bed
•Listed below are all UK bed sizes with the corresponding quilt size
•These are recommended sizes only and are designed to ensure that you are comfortably covered when you're in bed
•If you want to be extra cosy you can always choose an over sized quilt; for example a kingsize quilt on a double bed.

Tog Rating

•'Tog' is the name of the unit used for measuring the warmth of a quilt
•The tog rating is NOT a measure of quality
•The higher the tog rating the warmer the quilt
•For cold nights you need a high tog rating and for warm nights you need a low tog rating
•All seasons quilts are also available, there're made up of a low tog quilt and a high tog quilt which can be used separately or together depending on the season

Natural Fibre

We sell many different natural fibre quilts and pillows all of which offer the following qualities:
•Most natural fibre pillows carry a guarantee, different pillows carry different guarantees
•Natural fibre generally means goose/duck feather, goose/duck down or a combination of feather and down
•Feather and Down is naturally breathable allowing any humidity created by the body to escape
•The quilt / pillow will mould around your body shutting out any draughts and keeping you warm and cosy
•Most natural fibre quilts try to be as lightweight as possible whilst still being really warm
•The life of natural fibre quilts / pillows is generally longer than synthetic

Types of Natural Fibre

Down comes from the breast of the bird and is very light and fluffy. While you are asleep the warmth generated by your body is trapped in the down and remains there to insulate you
Feathers are heavier than down but also less expensive. More feathers are needed to get the same warmth, so giving a slightly heavier weight
Feather & Down- to provide value for money many of our quilts are made up of a combination of feather and down together

Here is a list of the natural quilts that are most commonly bought:

•Premium Hungarian Goose Down Quilts - one of the highest quality quilts as it contains a minimum of 90% white goose down yet it can still be machine washed
•Combination Quilts are made up of a mix of feather and down; most are 85% feather and 15% down, for warmth without weight
•Healthguard Quilts are treated using a revolutionary technology which helps to protect the quilt against the causes of common allergies and repels dust mites
•Ultralight Quilts only have a 3 tog rating and therefore are extremely light and suitable for high summer use. They are also made up of a combination of feather and down
Here is a list of the natural pillows that are most commonly bought:
•Duck Feather Pillow, filled with 100% white duck feather
•Premium Duck Down Pillow, 100% duck down extra softness without the weight
•Premium Goose Feather & Down Pillow, 85% goose feather and 15% goose down. Soft to the touch but still quite supportive
•Duck Feather Surround Pillow, softness and support with an inner core of feathers surrounded by soft down
•Goose Down Surround Pillow, feather core for support and a down surround for comfort

Synthetic Fibre

There are many different synthetic fibrequilts and pillows, all of which offer the following qualities:
•Most synthetic quilts and pillowsare filled with polyester
•Hug the contours of the body to and keep in heat
•Easy to care for
•Can be washed more often which helps protect against allergies

Types of Synthetic Fibre

•Hollowfibre- each individual fibre is hollow and therefore it traps more warmth; it is also very lightweight
•Microfibre- an extra fine fibre designed to trap heat and replicate natural goose down
•Spiral Fibre- used for pillows as it is robust enough to keep bouncing back to keep your pillow plump
Quilt / Pillow Construction
•Cassette Construction- this applies to quilts only and it means that the filling is sectioned into individual pockets to stop it moving about. This ensures that the quilt keeps an even thickness
•Medium / Firm Support - this refers to pillows and describes the level of firmness of the pillow and how well it will support your neck, shoulders and head
•Piped Edges -this can apply to quilts or pillows and means that the edges have been finished off with piping for durability and to add a touch of luxury
•Cotton Twill Cover- many pillows have a cotton twill cover because twill is hardwearing yet soft in texture
•Fine Cotton Jacquard Cover- many pillows have a cotton jacquard cover which is textured, durable and hardwearing

Memory Foam

Memory Foam mattress toppers and pillows provide complete support for the neck and spine. They mould to the shape of your body and help you get the best nights sleep you've ever had.
Children's Quilts
•Cot Quilt- 100cm x 120cm (39" x 47"), machine washable and tumble dryable recommended for children under the age of 12 months
•First Bed Quilt- 120cm x 150cm (47" x 59"), machine washable and tumble dryable; ideal for a child's first bed

Care - Natural Fibre

•Use a cover over your quilt and pillow so you won't have to wash it so often
•You should NEVER have a natural fibre quilt or pillow dry cleaned as the chemicals will damage the filling
•We recommend that you use a professional cleaner simply because quilts and pillows are so bulky (not a dry cleaner)
•You can wash natural fibre quilts and pillows at the laundrette but you must make sure you dry and air them thoroughly before putting them back on your bed

Care - Synthetic Fibre

•Use a cover over your quilt and pillow so you won't have to wash it so often
•We recommend that you follow the care instructions on each quilt or pillow which can be found on a label sewn into the seam or on packaging
•Dry and air quilts and pillows thoroughly before putting them back on your bed

Care - Memory Foam

•We recommend that you follow the care instructions on the packaging of each item
•Memory foam pillows and mattress protectors have a removable cover that can be machine washed

Article Source : Small Pets For Sale

About Author

Both Paddy & Louise Barltrop are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Paddy has sinced written about articles on various topics from Panic Attacks, Audio Books and Sauna. . Get information on buying, owning and caring for your horse, learn about. Paddy's top article generates over 60500 views. to your Favourites.

Louise Barltrop has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets. To find the perfect and. Louise Barltrop's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.