Baby's got a new blanket - just in time!

Winter weather is sweeping into the Upper Midwest in a hurry, but my horse is ready. Is yours?

This peppy little mare has never worn a winter blanket before. OK, the truth is: We started her a little late, and she’s never really worked through a winter. So I always just let her grow a fuzzy winter coat.

This time’s different.

She’s a big girl now. She’s working like a grown-up horse – at least, most of the time. So it’s time for winter clothes.

She’s never worn a turnout blanket before. Sure, she’s modeled her late-great momma’s  Polarfleece Cooler and Irish Knit Sweat Sheet But this is a brand-new day for this young diva.

I found a screaming deal on a Weaver Midweight Horse Turnout Blanket. You can find the same blanket at Amazon, plenty of tack stores, and maybe even Farm & Fleet or Tractor Supply. I snagged hers on eBay for a song. (And it’s still brand-new – with tags – in the original packaging.)

Once it arrived, I stitched up a personalized name label and sewed it right to the front of the blanket. Her brand-new turnout blanket bears her name, right between the buckles.

There is no way anyone can honestly mistake this for another horse’s blanket.

More important: There is no way anyone can mix this pretty mare up with any other horse in the barn, as she’ll be wearing her “nametag” all winter. She’s not likely to end up in a strange stall, with another horse in her place.

Seriously, that happened – at least once.

It’s a long story, but it had something to do with a teen barn helper, who was probably more focused on text messaging than on the pair of chestnut mares she was leading in from turnout. 

Suffice it to say: It’s a good thing neither horse had medications in her feed bucket.

Yeah, that’s not gonna happen again.

That helper has moved on to greener pastures … or something like that.

And my mare’s prancing out to turnout in a fabulous new green personalized blanket. She’s even putting on airs, as if to say:

“Lookie here. I have a wardrobe now!”

Phew, just in time. Here comes the sub-zero windchill.

Image:

Weaver Midweight Turnout Blanket

promo photo - fair use

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