What is it about horses and blankets. My two horses could not be more different in their blanket sizes or preference to wearing them. Harley simply loves wearing his blankie and practically dives into it when I approach his head with it. Tank on the other hand, merely tolerates the whole process of putting it on, and at an 84 inch body it is a process.
Harley is a whopping 69 inches long and low to the ground, whereas Tank is 84 inches long and 16 hands tall. I let my horses hair up good for winter and usually do not blanket unless it is below 20 or raining/snowing. I have noticed in this past year that Tank is not getting as much hair and is more susceptible to the inclement weather now. I reasoned that at 27 he deserved a proper turnout blanket for this winter.
I bought him a mid weight turnout from Schneider saddlery and I swear the dang thing must weigh 15lbs. Most days it is all I can do to get it over his high head and on him without breaking a sweat myself. Then I turn him out and he immediately rolls to try and dislodge the evil thing from his back, thus making it shift and hang off to one side. I have tried tightening every possible strap and yet he still manages to get it skewed before lunch time, resulting in me schlepping out into the pasture to fix it. Harley on the other hand is quite content to wear his turnout when necessary (like today at 10 with wind) and never have I seen it twisted or skewed around him and he is much more active than Tank. I was pondering this and I guess I can equate it to their different personalities.
Like my two boys , one hates to wear socks or shoes and the other always has something on his feet. Praying for the warm spell so I can put the blankets away. Happy trails....... and Happy New Year!
1 comment:
I feel your pain. I used to sell blankets at this great store in DelMar, Ca. called Mary's Tack & Feed ( marystack.com). Sounds like Tank needs something called a "Euro cut". Kensington makes some nice warm but light-weight blankets for big guys like him. I don't think they're too expensive. Finding the right fit in a blanket can be really difficult. If there's a tack store nearby that will let you try it on - put a sheet on him first so it doesn't get dirty -they should let you can return it if it doesn't fit right. Weatherbeeta is also good for the big guys with high withers.
Hope you have a great 2008! When does Harley go away?
Post a Comment