photo credit: S. Parker

3 Winter Blanket Tips

With the upcoming school year already started, most horse owners are relishing in the season of riding without the dreaded horseflies. The fall riding season is short and horse owners have to keep in mind some management strategies for their winter horse care.

Planning ahead to make the stable and horse comfortable does not have to break the bank. Just follow these few simple tips and your horse will thank you for it.

Prepare winter blankets

We have seen the blankets piled up in heaps in dusty corners of the tack room, feed room or loft. With the winter weather on its way it is time to dust them off, literally.

•  Take inventory of the blankets. That yearling may have outgrown his blanket over the summer and you may have forgotten that Blitzen chewed the front enclosure off of his last Christmas. Be prepared and look for rips, tears and broken clasps. If you find some repair rips and replace broken snaps with simple measures. I figure if I can get 2 years out of a blanket I’m doing well. I have a couple that have lasted a long time and a few that have lasted one season.
• Wash the blankets or send them out to be washed. It may mean taking them to a dry cleaners or some people even take them to local self car wash and use high pressure wash option on them. This can get messy when bringing home the blankets.
• Treat the blankets with sealant. Once the blankets are cleaned spray them with Scotch Guard sealant or similar product. This helps keep the blanket water proof for the season and also repels dirt and grime.

 Now that they are clean, repaired and treated. Fold them up neatly in a cool dry place and you can rest easy that your horse will be warm and comfortable for the upcoming season.

Next… getting your stable ready