Why We Can't Have Nice Things

Penn has succeeded in ruining damaging most of Mikey's very tough blankets.

1200 denier blanket? No problem. We'll rip that ass right off.

I bought a cheap Mio sheet from Dover, knowing it would be sacrificed ripped as well.

600 denier blanket? Rips in strips.

Duct tape to the rescue.

We've gone to extreme measures to protect the good blankets.

Note the brown blanket peeking out from under the torn Mio.

All of Mikey's blankets are 1200+ denier. Penn had the brown Weatherbeeta lightweight blanket on for approximately 3 days before putting a small tear in it. Trainer agreed to double blanketing him. The weather appropriate layer on next to him, and his torn Mio on over it to protect the good blanket. If his clothes are going to get torn, let's rip the cheap blanket to shreds and then I'm paying to have a couple blankets seriously repaired instead of every single blanket seriously repaired.

Since you insist on destroying blankets, I will make you look ridiculous.

It's only kinda sorta Penn's fault that his clothes keep getting ripped. He just wants to be everyone's friend, and he must be socially inept because he doesn't read the other horses properly. He keeps coming back and they eventually lose it on him and chase him and bite him and rip his clothes when he doesn't run away fast enough.

A new herd is not an option. He's already in the baby horse herd that isn't as rough as the gelding herd. I'm not going to pay for private turnout, even if it was an option. Though, I think he'd be super happy about that option.

Enter a possible solution:

Smartpak Ultimate Turnout Blanket
Smartpak Ultimate Neck Cover

I got an email yesterday from Smart Pak with a 20% off discount code on their 10 yr guarantee blankets. I didn't particularly want to spend money on blankets when I have so many already, so I thought, "If I think about it later, I'll look into it." Later happened about an hour later. Trainer sent me a screenshot of the email she got and said, "Pair with the USEF discount!"

I ordered the medium weight blanket and hood, saving almost $60 on the pair. I have a ton of layers we can put under it when he needs more, and we can do the Mio sheet over warmer sheets when the medium weight is too warm.

The battle has begun. I wonder how many times I'll be asking for a new blanket this winter? It'll be worth it if it doesn't rip at all, and it'll be worth it if it does.



I did get to ride yesterday - in 40 mph wind gusts. Penn was great. I'm not doing anything fancy or trying to teach him anything new at this point. I just want to maintain what he knows and continue to build the proper muscles. The wind would sometimes goose Mikey or make him spooky and tense. Penn just trucked along, no big deal. I was tenser than he was! The only thing that upset him was when a mini leaf tornado came through the arena and a leaf hit him in the face. He gave some high trot steps and a head shake and was done.

I paid extra attention to the canter trot transitions, ensuring that I was not holding him up with the rein. He was quite good and offered some very lovely canter work. Slow, uphill, through, not heavy. Some head nodding, so he needs more thoroughness, but I didn't have much to complain about.

Walking back to the barn.