How to Sew D Rings on a Horse Blanket

Horses are notoriously rough on their clothing. One of the simplest repairs or additions you can make to your horse's winter wear are D-rings. D-rings are used to attach hoods and leg straps, and sometime to close chest straps. Perhaps the hood you chose for your horse gaps and needs an extra D-ring, or your horse has managed to rip out a leg strap D-ring. Before you fork out a lot of money to have it professionally repaired, you may find it an easy fix on your own.

Things You'll Need

  • D-rings
  • Nylon webbing, about 8-inches length
  • Sewing machine or hand awl
  • Heavy duty thread or unwaxed dental floss
  • Seam sealant
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose the proper size D-ring and corresponding webbing. Smaller dees are used for hoods and leg straps, while larger ones may be required for a chest closure. If you use a 1-inch dee, you will need your webbing to be 1 inch wide.

    • 2

      Insert your nylon webbing through the D-ring and double it to form a tab. The length of your tab will depend on your personal needs. You need enough of a tail to make it easy to attach to the blanket, but not so much that it will be bulky and look awkward when you're done.

    • 3

      Place your tab with attached D-ring in the desired spot. If using a sewing machine and thread, be sure to use a heavy duty needle. According to My Horse.com, if using an awl, unwaxed dental floss works well. Sew a square around the outer edges of your webbing using about a 1/4-inch stitch. Close the square on the dee end of the tab as close to the dee as you feel comfortable. The dee should be able to swing freely within the tab, but not be able to twist.

    • 4

      Sew an X within the square. This will reinforce your work.

    • 5

      Trim any excess webbing on the side of your stitching away from the D-ring.

    • 6

      Waterproof with a seam sealant which can be purchased from any reputable blanket dealer.