The History of Baker Blankets + Product Review

I’ve always loved Baker. I remember sitting in my room as a kid, thumbing through Dover, Horse Illustrated and whatever equestrian magazines I was able to get my hands on that week. There was always something special about the Baker blankets, something classic and traditional that defined equestrian style. Fast forward a few years (or more!) and I still love that classic Baker plaid!

Although I’ve only recently been able to dress my horse in Baker, I’ve had various breeches accented with Baker plaid, saddle pads and various accessories adorned with their iconic pattern. I love their vintage logo that hasn’t changed since the very beginning in 1866! As I thought more about the brand itself, I did a bit of research and found these amazing, vintage ads for baker blankets.

These were in newspapers from the ’50s!. I’m a huge fan of vintage advertising and absolutely love these. The Baker brand began in Providence, RI in 1866 with S.W. Baker’s “Evaporating Horse Blanket” (what we call a wool cooler these days). The same logo and product description that originally appeared on those first coolers still appear on every Baker blanket today! Talk about brand sustainability!

The original company closed in the early 1930’s, but was purchased by William Ayres & Sons of Philadelphia in the 1950’s and the blankets were re-issued in triple-weave plaid. They also released a companion sheet that was originally called “Ironsides”. The Ayres’ also added “5/A” to distinguish their horse clothing products and the name “5/A Baker” was reserved to describe the famous triple weave blanket.

In the 1960’s, the Ayres’ combined forces with Philadelphia Blanket Company. In those days, the plaid was printed onto the cotton. It wasn’t until after WWII that the plaid was woven into the fabric. And in the 1980’s, acrylic fiber was also added to prevent shrinkage. By 1987, the Ayres/Philadelphia due was bankrupt but in 1990, Curvon purchased the Baker brand. Curvon, known as the oldest existing horse clothing manufacturer, has helped restore and expand the Baker line to include other products like saddle pads, luggage, clothing (for humans!) and many other variations of that original horse blanket.

Now that you’ve had a history lesson the brand, let’s talk details. I recently ordered the medium weight turnout blanket and the turnout sheet, both in the hi-neck version. I tried the turnout sheet first and immediately loved the way it fit. I’ve never had a blanket fit Dancer this well before! (In case you were wondering, he’s a 16hh Appaloosa gelding) Some small things I really love are the chest buckle/snap combo. I think it’s more durable than just the buckles and I like the multi-hook option which gives it a more custom fit. The velcro under the front flap is great and helps keep everything in place. The belly straps were WAY easier to buckle than my previous blankets have been and I like that the nylon comes down over the buckle closure giving it a cleaner look. I appreciate two rings for the leg straps for easy replacement if one happens to break or get worn out. The hi-neck option has been great for us because Dancer has been prone to wither rubs and after 3 weeks of almost constant use, we haven’t had any issues with rubs. I also like that he has a little bit of extra protection because we have pretty crazy wind out here on the plains.

After much wear and tear, I am proud to report that Dancer has not found a way to destroy, rip, or do much more than get this blanket dirty. He’s really tough on his blankets and likes to roll around, rub on trees and who knows what else when I’m not there! As for the medium turnout, the fit is exactly the same. It’s incredibly durable and has kept Dancer warm on our coldest nights so far. I should also say that they fit very true to size – I measured Dancer as a size 76″, ordered that size and both blankets fit great!

These blankets are so easy to switch from one to the other and I love the classic design. They’ve both held up great so far and after reading so many wonderful reviews – some from riders who claim to still be using their Bakers after 10+ years – I expect these to last for many winters to come.  I honestly couldn’t ask for better blankets and would highly recommend them to anyone who is looking for a durable, stylish blanket that will hold up to just about anything!