Blanket Bizarre

But I Need A Bazaar

Whatever went on today before I got home continued once I was home. The evidence was plain to see, and the Boys were still being silly.

Chance's lovely new midweight blanket was torn asunder. It had a big flap ripped open in the back. Worse, with the weather prediction for snow, sleet, and rain, he really needed a blanket. Even worse, just about all the blankets I have are 78" and he wears a 72".

The riot that must have started earlier was still in session with all three Boys a' frolickin' in the arena where the sand was soft and the footing lovely. Good spirits or something sent them all galloping and leaping about.

I went into the barn for a minute, and came out to see Tucker, naked, rolling in the sand. There, next to him, lay his nice new turnout. This was indeed a puzzle and a pain because I had intended to ride him and all the romping had made him sweaty and now, sandy.

I carted his blanket inside, then snagged him and led him in. Fortunately his coat is like teflon, and most of the sand brushed off nicely. We had a lovely school with some nice forward work in a proper stretch. Then I did some canter work with canter plies. The nice thing about that exercise is how it makes his hind end engage and his forehand elevate. Once happily done with those, we walked for a while as I discovered I really haven't done much with turns on the forehand on him. So, we worked that for a bit, added some turns on the haunches and some walk half pass and then called it quits.

Back to the blankets. Somehow, the escape artist had managed to break nearly every buckle on the blanket and without repair parts, it was now just a useless hunk of fabric. Out to the blanket repository in the carport. There, I found the brand new blanket I had gotten on sale this summer. 75" Maybe Chance size, maybe Tucker. A BIG 75", so now Tucker was dressed in blue.

Down into the basement on another search, I found the old Goretex blanket I had used on Tucker when he was a baby. Still in pretty good shape, it was missing the surcingle, but desperation breeds invention. Some baling twine and an extra leg strap soon supplied the parts, and to my relief, the Classic Coverup fitted Chance to a T.

Thank heavens I have so many blankets around here. My other options would have been two sheets or a lightweight blanket with a waterproof sheet over it.

Of course, there is no guarantee any of these "clothes" will be intact tomorrow. Then again, the ground is frozen once more and perhaps that will slow down the shenanigans.

In the meantime, I guess I will just have to see if I can repair the wounded garments for the next round. Tucker's will just need new hardware. Chance's will be more of a challenge. It may be too much for the sewing machine so I might have to stitch it by hand. Some iron on patch fabric might reenforce it.

Then again, what will ever protect it from horse teeth?

And what about that swelling on Tucker's chest which looks suspiciously like a hoofprint?

Stay tuned for the next episode of: "Bad Horses Gone Wild."