Everyone loves bonnets right? They are one of the best and most fashionable ways to keep those bugs away.

My 4 bonnets are the life and blood of Pinky’s day to day apparel. In total we have a collection of 4 bonnets. It may not seem like many but when combined with our 15 different saddle pads, the combinations are endless. When picking out the perfect bonnet to join the family, I look for many different qualities. The first being quality of the fabric. You don’t want to have a bad fabric because of the warmth of the ear and the trapping of moisture from the fabric, make for a good place for bad fungus and bacteria to grow. Gross stuff in the ears leads to a very unhappy horse. I also look for correct proportions in sizing. My mare has some weird proportions on her head and is sometimes hard to fit a bonnet too. You need to have a well fitting bonnet because if not, you have an uncomfortable and more unhappy horse. The best way to figure out what size bonnet is to follow a fitting guide. I have drawn up a quick and easy guide on how to measure your horses ear and get the proper fit.

The ear piece is obviously the whole one size fits all kind of product. There can be slight differences but nothing near half an inch.
There are tons of brands and types of bonnets but each one has different pros and cons. I love the ones USG by KL Select, Dover Saddlery, and De La Coeur make. USG’s flexible and breathable ear covers and tightly crocheted bonnets are the perfect for every occasion. They offer tons of colors and are priced well. If you are looking to go the custom route, De La Coeur offers some of the same kinds of things USG does but with more options and at a higher price point. If you are looking for the most cheapest option, Dover Saddlery has some good choices. Bonnets from Dover is how I started my collection.

Overall, bonnets are a great fashionable and practical product that I think should be in every equestrians repertoire. There are probably tons of great brands out there that make fantastic bonnets! Feel free to comment them below or DM me on instagram @equestrian.syd!
Until Next Time Preps,
Sydney
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