1 if by light, 2 if by wind: The blankets are coming. THE BLANKETS ARE COMING!

Today was overly and excessively busy for me. On top of working, many, many, MANY things had to be done at the barn. The farrier came out to do about 15 horse's feet, stalls needed cleaning, today was my day to feed an extra three horses that Amanda, Brooke and I are watching for some friends, I had a lesson to teach, I meant to (but did not get around to it) put some more shavings in the stalls, and I made sure the horses' blankets fit.

That last one was, like, mega importante to accomplish today. Just a week ago (MAYBE a week and a half ago) we were all thinking about buzzing our heads and riding in short shorts. I was sweating while giving my horses a bath. The humidity was proving to everyone, through me, that white girls really can have fros.

Somehow, there was a day where it got to be in the 80s last week, and by 80s I mean it was 88. The boys decided that it would be an epically good opportunity to grow in their whole winter coat instantly. Literally one day I was admiring their pretty little sleek summer coats and the next day I show up and Cash is poofed out like a scared cat surrounded by 20 vicious dogs, Panda has hair you can run a human hair brush through, and Marvel has regular length hair (I swear in the summer that horse is so sleek he's bald).

I don't know if this growth of hair is somehow a way to get back at me for all the brushing I've been doing during the rainy days but I am not a fan. Their hair is at that length where when you curry them, the dust just leaves curry trails under the hair that you can't remove. Marvel's tail is full of static. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?! If not brushing them every day will convince them to not Wooly Mammoth out every winter, I will lay off!

So today I roll up, blankets in hand(s), ready to wrap my horses in snuggly warmness that, at this point, is probably unnecessary. Especially seeing as 2 out of the 3 of them lived outside for a majority of their lives. Each horse presented an interesting set of issues, making this blanketing thing a pain in my rear end and schedule.

Marvel made me chase him around the stall a few times (AH! Scary blanket monster! Mom, come quick! WAIT, THE BLANKET MONSTER HAS EATEN MOM!). After a few traumatic moments the blanket was fit snugly on Marvel and I found out that one of the stomach straps is completely gone. Then I thought I forgot the leg straps and almost gave up. Alas, I don't give myself enough credit and found the leg straps in the bag I brought his blanket in. One horse down.

Panda was the easiest of the three. He stood there and ate his food as I blanketed him like a champ. Then he showed off his bootyliciousness (his bum was popping out of the blanket a bit) so I had to make a few minor adjustments. Big horse hiney aside, we had no other mishaps. Two horses down, one more to go.

I don't really know why I thought I would get anywhere quickly with Cash. I walked him in the barn and he flipped out up, down and sideways at the blanket bags lying in the aisle. Then, his blanket is the kind that you put their head through the neck hole. Why would anyone ever design a blanket this way? Honestly. What horse is automatically like, "Yes, I would so enjoy you putting a tent like object that makes scary noises and looks like a black hole of death over and around my head so that I cannot see for more than a split second." Not only all of that, but it had to fit only my most scared horse. So in I come, terrifying blanket in hand. Cash backs around the stall faster than I've ever seen him move, keeping his bottom toward the blanket and I. This put me in real fear for my life momentarily but he did eventually take a long rattling breath and face me. He thought he was about to be eaten by this thing, I really believe that. As I made my slow way toward him he decided to just stand there. I don't know why and I certainly didn't expect it but as soon as I reached him he let me throw the horse eating monster over his head and strap it on him. Granted, he didn't move a muscle more likely because he was frozen in fear than trusting me not to kill him, but he still let me put it on him. I hope this didn't set me down a couple notches in the trust category but as soon as I left the stall he started eating dinner again so I think he is ok.

I was later told that light, rather than weather, is the cause of horses growing their winter coats. So this whole time that it's been getting darker earlier has messed with their internal hair clock and advised them to fluff out a month or two earlier than necessary. I'm not sure what I believe but if it's going to be in the 50s at night, they are going to have blankets on. No matter how many times I have to give Cash a heart attack or chase Marvel around his stall.

Indie, Brooke's horse, being a great model!