How to store your horse blankets for summer
At some point, it’s time to finally pack up the winter blankets and store them for the summer! By following a few simple steps, you can save a bunch of time in the fall and some space in the summer.
- Check all stitching and linings. Inside and out, all strap attachments and hardware attachments. It helps to lay them out in a wash rack or barn aisle for total inspection.
This blanket will need some minor repair. Now to teach the horses to sew! Or not tear their clothes in the first place.
- Check all buckles. If you have some rusty parts, you may be able to use a steel brush to rub off the rust. Or, look into replacement pieces at your local tack shop. Easy-peasy to change out.
- Time to repair! Some minor repairs are easy to do, like a small tear on the nylon lining. When it comes to bigger stuff, a pro seamstress can help you out. Or, a blanket service that launders will often also repair these tougher things, too.
- Hit the laundry. Time to do a totally thorough wash. I like to brush with a stiff brush and then pre-rinse in the wash rack. You can wash in a washer with these tips, or hit the car wash with these tips.
- Or, hit the laundromat. Their large commercial washers are great for blankets. Many laundromats don’t allow horse stuff, so check before you go.
- Or, use the blanket cleaning and repair service to deep clean your blankets for storage. Many of these services will also do waterproofing services, too.
- Now is the time to re-waterproof. Hardcore campers know the secret – spray-on waterproofing! Be sure to follow the instructions exactly for the best results. Your blanket service can do this, or you can attempt it yourself. Tips on this can be found here!
- Now is also the time to check the label – make sure you can see the size and your horse’s name! You may need to grab a marker and do it again.
- Now is also the time to deal with super stretched-out elastic leg straps. If you are handy with sewing, you can cut out a section and stitch it back together so it’s shortened. You can also buy replacement straps, and in some cases, you can just move the buckle up the strap to shorten it and snip off the extra.
- For storage, make sure your blanket is totally dry so you lessen the chance of mold or mildew. I like to store my horse blankets and sheets in vacuum bags, this makes them airtight and flat, flat, flat. Easy to store when they are squished down! In the second place, the bag your horse blanket came in works, too! I really try and avoid leaving stored blankets “naked” – they can become dusty, dirty, wet, and homes for rodents.
Don’t worry, it won’t be long before you are busting out the blankets again. Yeah seasons?
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Space saver bags are super for blanket storage over the warmer months! You will likely need a vacuum unless you have some sort of superpower.
This is my favorite horse trunk ever – long-lasting, affordable, WHEELS, and great for blanket storage.
Thank you!