b'Vet continued from page 5side, parallel to the ground, measuring over the widest partWhen a blanket gets dirty, let it dry and then brush itLet the foal stand with the blanket on and then walk him of the shoulder and down his side all the way back to whereoff with a stiff brush. Follow label directions and washaround the stall quietly.you want the blanket to end. If you want the entire rumpperiodically in an industrial washing machine, preferably and tail covered, measure to the center of the tail. The totalwith cold water. Waterproof blankets are generally betterMake sure your horse is accustomed to wearing ameasurement in inches is his blanket size. Blankets typicallyoff being professionally cleaned. Dryers tend to beat upblanket before turning him outside. Don\'t turn a come in 2" or 3" increments. If your horse falls in the middleblankets, so it\'s better to use them minimally and hangblanketed horse outside for the first time at night. Get of two sizes, round up to the next size. For example, if yourblankets to finish drying completely. him accustomed to wearing a blanket during the day horse measures 71", you should buy a 72" blanket, not a 70". when someone will be around. The first few times you Once winter is over, make sure blankets are thoroughlyblanket any horse, check on him more often to be sure he\'s Leg straps are important when it comes to keeping a blanketcleaned before storing them away. Have any necessaryadjusting to it and not destroying it. Most horses tolerate in place. Just be sure to adjust them so they aren\'t snug asrepairs done at this time as well. If you have multiple horsesblankets pretty well, but some tend to chew on them, you don\'t want them chafing the horse. Blankets with nylonand blankets, it\'s helpful to write the horse\'s name andespecially those with front buckles.lining inside the shoulder area will help keep the hair fromblanket size on a piece of masking tape and put that on rubbing. You can also purchase a separate blanket liner to help prevent rubbing. Start with a well-fitted blanket so there is less chance of the blanket coming loose or twisting,When you are shopping for blankets, you\'re bound to runwhich can frighten the horse. The blanket shouldn\'t be tight against the body, but it should be snug. into the term "denier." Denier is a unit of measure for the size or coarseness of fiber or yarn. The lower the denier, the finerthe blanket or storage bag before putting them away forThere are a right way and a wrong way to put a blanket on the fiber is. Just as a high thread count signifies quality whenthe season. Some horse owners like to tuck a dryer sheetand take it off your horse.As a rule, blankets should be put buying sheets for your bed, a high denier number means ain with the clean, folded blanket, as they think this deterson from front to back and taken off from back to front.horse blanket that has a greater resistance to snags, abrasion,bugs. Just be sure to store blankets in a rodent-proof area.To put a blanket on your horse, fold the blanket in thirds by and tearing. If you want a blanket that will hold up to theYou don\'t want to pull them out next season to discoverfolding the back half of the blanket toward the middle first tough wear and tear look for one with a high denier number.they\'ve been turned into mouse bedding. and then the front half of the blank toward the middle. Lay the folded blanket over the middle of the horses back and BASIC Properly cleaning blankets is recommended for longevityunfold it.BLANKET CARE of the product, but remember that most are line-dried, so Urine and manureeither purchase a quick-drying blanket or have a backup.Secure the buckles beginning at the chest, then the belly, can end up causingWhen cleaning or rinsing your blanket, check all theand then the leg straps. The straps should be loose enough significant damagefasteners and attachments to make sure they are securedso they do not bind your horse, but tight enough that your to a blanket becausetightly to the blanket.horse cant get a foot caught in them if he lies down.the acids eat away at the material. YouHOW TO BLANKET YOUR HORSE Crossing the rear leg straps is optional. However, crossing the can buy a blanket- Any time you are blanketing a horse, safety precautionsstraps keeps the blanket centered on the horse as he moves.waterproofing product,should be taken. If you need to blanket a horse that\'s never which will help repel stains. If your horse chews on bucklesbeen blanketed before, take a step-by-step approach. It\'sTo take the blanket off, unbuckle the rear leg straps first, or the blanket itself, you can buy spray-on productsa good idea to start in the stall and let the horse wear thethen the belly straps, then the chest buckles.designed to discourage biting and chewing. Some of theseblanket for an hour or so at first with someone around to will stain blankets, however, so read the label or ask forkeep an eye on him. This is especially important with foalsFold the front half of the blanket back to the middle and recommendations at your local supply shop. as they aren\'t accustomed to anything on their bodies.slide the blanket toward the horses hindquarters. 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