Everything takes longer in winter. Us humans are putting on and taking off outerwear all day. And we’re doing the same for our horses.
Once blankets get muddy, the task is even less appealing. Here’s a quick trick:
- Undo all straps and stand on the near side of the horse (the horse’s left side)
- Grab the neck of the blanket and fold the first third back where the saddle would go
- Grab the tail cover and fold the last third over the first. Now you have a blanket burrito!
- Go to the off side of the horse (the horse’s right side)
- Slide both arms under the blanket burrito and slide it off
- Place the burrito over any object: a blanket bar, a fence, a saddle rack, even a hay-bale will do
- When it’s time to put the blanket back on, reverse the above steps
Ok, so what’s so special about this method? By folding the blanket in inside-out thirds, the grime stays on the outside of the blanket. This keeps dirt away from the horse’s skin and off of the rider. By placing the burrito in the middle of the horse’s back, the blanket will be in the correct location to avoid shoulder rubs. And finally, this trick keeps the blanket orderly. If you’ve been riding for an hour in sub-freezing temps, it’s helpful to know which straps go where. Trust me, your numb fingers will thank you.
Brilliant! I do a half burrito, but I like this idea a million times better! Thanks for sharing!
You do a burro! 🙂
I have never seen this technique before. Sheer genius! Will keep this in mind for when I have my future horse (this year–fingers crossed).
I’ll cross fingers for you too!
🙂
I can’t believe I never thought of this!
It works really well. Worth trying.
Yes. I am forever doing this!
It’s a real time-saver and keeps the mud off you!