NOT AGAIN! Your horse just walked in with a large tear in the side of it’s blanket!!
I know, I know you keep your pastures clean, your horse is not naughty and nor are the pasture mates, I know you took every consideration when setting up stalls and fence boards, so what’s up?! Well, NO ONE IS BLAMING YOU, nails just POP! And horses just have the canny ability to find every single one!
It is typical for a horse to rub themselves, and it is typical for them to find something to rub on…lets just consider horses a nail magnet! And as someone that repairs blankets, I’ve seen it all…and I’ve seen the things that you haven’t! So I find it as one of my jobs (and a selfish one) to let you know that you may have something that could potentially harm your horse.
Your horse gets that occasional itch too, and finds the need to scratch up on something while his blanket is on. Maybe that sharp object, hook, nail, you name it, did not tear the blanket, but it left pull marks. Then your horse rolled in that big mud spot, now you’ll never know! But after I wash…I see them, unfortunately or fortunately, I then bag those blankets up for you, fresh and clean…and you never see it until your horse decides to find that spot again….with no blanket on. NOW you call your vet. (This is the selfish part, I love spending time with my husband…getting a call that your horse has torn up it’s flank, eyelid or nostril, is not my idea of a party invitation!).
So I ask you politely, do not be offended if you get a message from me “hey, just a heads up, you may have a nail or something sharp your horse is rubbing up on.” It is just one of my many ways to keep your horse safe all year round.
So let’s take a minute and review some warning signs from your blankets!
Corner tears, slashes or tears that fit back together like a puzzle are usually always a good sign your horse has been rubbing:
And some of those sneaky white right angel or L shape pulls on a blanket lining. May not have gone through the blanket, but grazed. These are often hard to tell when your blanket is dirty, but often very clear when your blanket is clean!
SO WHAT TO DO?! Check fence boards monthly. Give a quick walk around your fence with a hammer. Depending on the length of your fence, this is often a quick and easy preventative, AND provides you your daily exercise! Don’t forget to check stalls, and stall gates! Also, cribbing will sometimes expose nails that will eventually stick out.
Rubber hooks are fantastic savers and great to have around the barn or pasture areas, and in my opinion much safer than even the safety hooks, since horses just have a natural ability to throw a kink into your plans and prove to you that nothing is impossible. And as ALWAYS make sure snaps are turned down…but that is for another day!
So pick a WARM(er) winter day, grab that hammer, and go for a quick walk. Get your exercise, absorb some vitamin D, save on your blanket repair costs, and a potentially expensive vet bill too!!
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Make 2018 Great! Stay tuned for what’s coming up! And if you don’t follow Laura’s Blanket Repair page, I highly suggest you do so! Tips, Tricks, Savings, and Upcoming Events (=Free goods for attendees!)
~LBR
xx
Laura's Blanket Repair 