Last winter I had the sneaking suspicion that by this winter Presto would be wearing Henry-size blankets. Instead of buying all new blankets for Presto, I decided to pass Henry’s old ones along to Presto and buy Henry all new ones. He is the goodest boy, he deserved new blankets. Plus it finally gave me a good excuse to get Henry out of those ugly 3 year old teal HUG’s and into some pretty new navy ones. So Presto got a 72 last year to hold him over (which he wore… twice…) and Henry got new 78’s in navy. The old teal 78’s were washed and stored for Presto to wear this year.
I have a major obsession with these HUG blankets, and they’re getting harder and harder to find. But they’re the only ones I’ve ever found that don’t rub Henry, and I like how much shoulder freedom the horses have in them. I’m convinced it has to be more comfortable when they’re walking or running around. Considering how many horses I see during the winter with shoulder rubs, I’ve never understood why the HUGs aren’t more popular. I have five of them now. Shoot, I even considered buying the fly sheet even though horses can’t really wear fly sheets here in the devil’s armpit. Anyway, moral of this part of the story: I love my HUGs. I am a devotee.
It’s supposed to get down near freezing for the next couple nights, so last weekend when I had Presto up in the main barn I tried Henry’s sheet on him for size. Yup, as suspected, 78 it is. I went to my blanket bin in the garage, pulled out the stored teal 78 sheet, and took it to the barn. I brought Presto up to his shed so I could put it on him and get all the straps adjusted to fit him before he actually had to wear it for real. And that’s when I realized that this poor, precious, hideously teal HUG has basically a 0% chance of surviving the week, much less the winter. Why? Let me show you why.
They just could not keep the damn thing out of their mouths the entire time I was trying to adjust it. At one point I had to tug-o-war a surcingle strap away from Presto, only to look up and find JB pulling on a leg strap on the other side. Omg. Baby horses are the worst.
I’m gonna be really mad when they both destroy their (or each others?) blankets. This is why they can’t have nice things. Unappreciative little turds. And destroying one of my beloved HUGs, no less. I’m mad at them in advance. Because let’s be real, it’s not a matter of “if”, it’s a matter of “when”.
What Presto doesn’t know is that when he destroys this one, he’s going back in his 72 from last year. He can just have a cold butt hanging out the back. That’s what he’ll deserve.
I feel like we should have some kind of death pool for the poor HUG sheet so it can go out with a bang. How long do you think it’ll last? How exactly will it die? Which baby idiot will kill it?
Stay tuned to find out…
breedrideevent.com 
hahaha omg, i don’t know that i’d even bother. i think I’d just leave him naked and say good luck.
LikeLike
If it wasn’t so hard to keep weight on him through growth spurts I would be more tempted to do that, but geez I’ve worked hard to keep him from looking like an abuse case.
LikeLike
Pig kills those sorts of blankets in about 15 minutes. He’s such an asshole. He loves pulling blankets over his head. I often wonder if he was this bad as a baby, or if he’s gotten craftier as he’s aged. 🤔
LikeLike
Wow, he can pull them over his head even with leg straps? That’s impressive, honestly. Points for Pig.
LikeLike
Oh dear. I’ve been there with Grif. It didn’t end well. I’ll pray for you.
LikeLike
LOL thanks. Pray for the HUG.
LikeLike
Why don’t you put the 72″ on him first, let them kill it, then put on the Hug? Maybe if his butt hangs out & freezes, he’ll learn to appreciate having a blanket that covers it! hahaha!!
LikeLike
Or spray it with bitter apple so it tastes nasty when they bite it?
LikeLike
I don’t think I can/want to spray the entire blanket with bitter apple spray lol.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lol .. I was going to say that and I thought , naww, that probably sounds silly .. .Smiles.. but yea.. first thought , a little bitter apple never hurt anyone… Smiles.
LikeLike
We had a gelding in the pasture last year that was obsessed with my mare’s blanket (a gorgeous rambo that I had won and really didn’t want to replace). I’d come out to her neck cover undone or her tail cord busted (I think he loved to ‘boing’ the elastic) and finally I bought that Rap Last nasty smelling stuff and would spray it on the blanket which helped a ton. Not sure it’s enough to deter mouthy baby horses but might be worth a shot? Good luck-they kind of look like they’re saying “Challenge Accepted”
LikeLike
I’d have to cover the whole dang blanket! Yuck.
LikeLike
I’ve had friends just spray along the spine of the blanket with this stuff and the residual spray/nastiness keeps them off the rest of the blanket. Might be worth trying.
LikeLike
It might stop JB but Presto pulls on the front/shoulders.
LikeLike
My junior hunter was the worst blanket shredder I’ve ever known. I tried everything from spraying them fully with wrap last (do no recommend… you have to touch it too, and then your eyes. Cause Wrap last.) to making him wear a bib. He still managed to destroy his clothes.
I give that sheet one night. MAYBE.
LikeLike
Yeah i’m not really looking to coat his clothes in that shit… and then have to touch it… or have them get it all over each other… blech.
LikeLike
Oh no. That poor blanket…I feel for you already.
LikeLike
Rubs have basically disappeared on my big shouldered guy (82) after grabbing him a couple of Hugs – on your recommendation – thanks! What’s the story with them being hard to find???
LikeLike
I dunno, it seems like most places have stopped carrying them over the years for whatever reason. Dover used to make some with the same front closure style too but they don’t anymore.
LikeLike
Omg, I haaate the hug blankets. 😆 With you on the destructive babies, though!
LikeLike
They’ve been such a godsend for Henry, I absolutely love them. Everything else I tried rubbed him horribly! They work well for Presto too, since he’s such a weird shape in the shoulders and body right now. I can’t imagine trying to find something to fit him comfortably.
LikeLike
I swear by Macnasty spray.
Its as nasty as it sounds and works for those naughty blanket tugging, pulling, chomping jerks.
LikeLike
I know you say you don’t want to spray the rug, but I’m going to add another vote to those suggesting to try it – use Red Hot, bitter apple, whatever is easiest. just on the rump area and around the chest flap/shoulders. It’s not something you have to do forever, it’s only for long enough to train them not to do it. Been there with rug wreckers, and sprayed rugs do work. Especially with young horses, it trains them to be polite with rugs their whole life.
LikeLike
I recently bought one of those hug style closures and I’ll have to look back at where I bought it from.. I don’t recall it being hug branded so maybe it’s an alternative.
LikeLike
I’ll send you Frankie’s Hannibal Lector muzzle. It gets bonus points for making them look even more disgruntled and ridiculous.
LikeLike