But don't get in a rush to nix quality blankets and other horsewear from your budget--especially if you show, fit or sell horses; live in a harsh climate; or care for a geriatric or special-needs equine. Blankets provide warmth, protection from the elements, armor from a mouthy barnmate, and polish to a fantastic show coat. A basic blanket can protect an ill horse from drafts, or keep mud from bringing your pre-ride routine to a crawl.

The decision to buy a blanket is relatively easy, but shopping for and selecting the best blanket for your horse's needs can be a different story. At risk is your budget, as buying the wrong blanket can be an expensive mistake. Not only do retailers offer a potentially overwhelming number of choices, the horsewear trade employs words that, unless decoded, may make your head spin.

Our blanket-buyer's guide will help you sort things out.

Feature Factors
As you read in-store product literature or catalog copy, you'll encounter terms for various blanket features. Some features may be just right for your particular horse, while others may not. Here's what some of these common terms mean:

European cut. Suits slim, long-bodied horses, such as modern hunters. Smaller neck openings and straight in profile from withers to tail than standard cut. Measured in 3-inch increments. (See "Fitting a Horse Blanket.")

Standard cut. Designed for wider, stock-type body profiles. Often shaped for curvy, muscular shoulders and hips. Measured in 2-inch increments.

Closed front. Continuous fabric across the horse's chest, with no adjustable closures. Less to wear, tear, or break, but you sacrifice the greatest point of adjustability.

Open front. Chest-front section opens and closes via buckles or snaps. Snaps are more convenient than buckles, and both accommodate growing horses. Tip: Open-front blankets with a single closure are for supervised wear only, such as when you're walking a horse to cool him out. If a horse rips out the single closure system while turned out or left in a stall, there's nothing else to hold the blanket in place.

Shoulder darts. Sewn-in construction that affords shoulder movement and eases shoulder rubs. Tip: Rubs will only be eliminated if the dart is above the point of shoulder.

Drop. Standard blankets drop a couple inches below the belly. Extra-long drops add inches of coverage, which may be desirable if you want more coverage of the forearms and lower hindquarters.

Blankets can offer your horse warmth and protection during cold weather, but uncovering which one fits your horse

Shaped withers. Construction style, either cut-back or with added fabric shaping, meant to provide pressure relief over the top of prominent withers.

Back seam. Results when a blanket is seamed down the middle of the back. Tip: Avoid this if you're buying a turnout blanket that will be worn outdoors. Taped seams help prevent leaks, but if a blanket is punctured by a thread stitch, there's a greater potential for leakage, particularly as the blanket ages.

Belly band. Under-belly closure system that uses a wide band of fabric. Belly-band styles are popular in cold climates. The added fabric serves as a blanket-weight booster. By trapping heat lost through the belly, a blanket's performance will increase significantly. Caveat: If your horse tends to rip blankets with his teeth, he may be able to make short work of reaching back and tearing a belly-band closure apart.

Tail cover. Fabric that covers the top several inches of the horse's tail. When turned out, horses will instinctively turn their tails to a strong wind or driving rain. A tail cover prevents drafts from making their way under the blanket as winds blow the fabric.

Attached neck cover. Sewn-in extra fabric that covers the neck. Eliminates the need for a separate neck cover, while also preventing any gap between the garments. Caveat: Hoisting a blanket with a neck cover over your horse requires some muscle on your part--it's like slipcovering a sofa (one that's much higher than furniture, and could try to move as well). Useful for limited seasons. When it's too hot for a neck cover, the entire blanket will end up in storage.

We were camped under aspens at an idyllic spot where two creeks met, our tent on high ground between the gurgling streams, our spirits not dampened by the several inches of new wet snow that weighed down the tent.

We’d rigged a plastic tarp over our cooking area. After knocking the snow off the tarp to restore headroom under it, I fired up the stove and soon had sausage sizzling. Billy untied the three young horses from the highline, hobbling each, and retrieved Little Mack, my “old reliable,” from his picket line and tied him short.

We’re not sure just what happened, whether the cause was a sudden spook or simply the herd instinct to take off for greener pastures, but suddenly, the familiar sound of horses shuffling along in hobbles turned to the distinct rhythms of horses loping, hobbles or no.
Billy, in excellent shape, trotted off to investigate, while I, still relatively unconcerned, sat on my campstool and continued cooking.
Billy returned, exasperated. “I couldn’t catch them! They headed straight up the hill.” By “hill,” he meant the extremely steep, 300-foot vertical bank up which the muddy trail switchbacked. This called for an immediate action drill.

I ran to Little Mack, threw on blanket and saddle, bridled him, unsnapped his lead, and swung on. I remember feeling some pride that I could get my aging body from sedentary camp-cook position to straddling a loping horse in what could not have been more than two minutes.
We splashed through the creek and ascended the bluff following the muddy tracks of the errant colts, worried that they’d run all the way back to the trailhead.

As we crested the hill, though, I breathed more easily. The young horses, Smokey, Redstar, and Jed were standing in a clearing, looking confused and a little foolish. Smokey had slipped his hobbles. The other two had quickly learned that they could climb a steep trail and keep up with Smokey quite easily, hobbles in place.

Lessons learned? The most obvious are: Don’t trust hobbles to hold your horse close to camp; and don’t hobble all your horses — keep an “old reliable” like Little Mack at the ready. But while I was rapidly following those hoofprints on the trail, the oft-quoted old-timer’s saying about holding your horses jumped to mind: “Better to count ribs than tracks!”

By that phrase, the old-timers meant, “Better to have your horse suffer nutritionally because you kept him close than to have to follow his tracks the next day.” The phrase dates from a frontier past when holding onto your horses in the backcountry was essential for survival.
Horse containment in the backcountry will always be an issue for those of us who take our animals far from the beaten track. Today, this issue is further complicated by our ethical concern with “leave no trace” principles and, in some cases, by government regulations.
This in mind, here’s a quick review of five methods for keeping your horse near camp: (1) tying to trees; (2) hobbling;
(3) picketing; (4) using a highline; and (5) using an electric fence.

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Method #1: Tying to Trees
Only tie your horse to a tree for very brief rest stops or while setting up camp (or taking it down), and only where it’s legal. Horses left tied to trees very long invariably scar the bark with the lead rope. Worse, they’ll paw an unsightly circle around the tree’s base, sometimes exposing the roots.

Hobbling while tied can reduce the damage, but it’s always best to restrict tying to trees to the briefest possible time.
When you must tie to a tree, make sure it’s a solid one. Avoid anything dead or burned, and watch for sharp, protruding branches that could injure your horse. Then, tie high and short, with just 18 to 24 inches of slack at about the natural height of his nose. If he can reach the ground to graze, he’s tied too long. The result can be a foot over the lead rope and a possible wreck.

Method #2: Hobbling
Hobbles nearly immobilize some horses, but most soon learn to lift both front feet in unison and hop toward greener grass.
Hobbles consisting of two padded or leather pieces connected by a chain with swivel are easier on your horse than the single-strap type, but also allow more freedom.

Before you use hobbles in camp, train him at home on a soft surface, such as a sandy arena, in case he falls down. You can limit accidents by training your horse to freely yield to foot restraints. Such training doesn’t take long, and it can pay big dividends down the trail.
To apply hobbles, place them on your horse’s pasterns, just above the hooves, not on the cannon bones over easily damaged tendons. Yes, some tack catalogs show photos of hobbles on the cannon bones, but I’ve never seen an experienced outfitter place them there, and I’m convinced such placement increases the risk of injury.

For safety’s sake, work from your horse’s side, rather than in front of him; if you’re bent down in front of his feet, he could barrel into you. And be especially careful while removing hobbles, since he’ll be anxious to be free and may suddenly jerk his foot away, pinching your fingers.

For increased restraint, three-legged hobbles are available. These have a strap that extends from the center ring between a horse’s front legs, back to one rear pastern. He can still move around to graze, but the characteristic hobble hop (that can quickly turn into a fast hobble lope) is denied him. Three-legged hobbles make sense in treeless areas, where rigging a highline is difficult.
Hobbling is light on the land, since it approximates free-range grazing. However, it’s not an option where grazing is prohibited.

Method #3: Picketing
Picketing further restrains your hobbled horse. Use a rope 25 to 30 feet long and a hobble half. The rope must have a swivel, either on one end or in the middle, and be made from a nonabrasive material, such as soft nylon or a natural fiber. Attach one end to a picket stake (I’ve also used large boulders and heavy logs), and the other to the hobble half. Always picket to one front foot pastern, never to the halter.
Your horse must be trained to hobble before he’s attached to a picket rope. Once he’s comfortable with hobbles, lead him around the round pen with the picket line attached to one front foot, then the other. When you first picket him out, take the slack out of the rope, and tug at his foot to remind him that he’s restrained.

While picketing offers stronger restraint than hobbling, it’s also harder on the terrain. Your horse will soon graze an unsightly circle, so move the picket line frequently. Again, picketing is an option only where grazing is legal.

Method #4: Highline
The highline is the standard tool for tying horses in the backcountry. It consists of a rope suspended between two strong trees, their bark protected by “tree savers” — either commercially made or improvised from pack-saddle cinches.
Build your highline on high, rocky ground, and move it during extended stays, scattering the manure left by your horse and using your shovel to level any ground disturbed by pawing.

The highline rope should be positioned above your horse’s highest head position and should be stretched reasonably tight. Loops in the highline for tying your horse can consist of commercially available “knot eliminators,” or a special but easily tied picket line knot.
I made up a highline by joining a series of short pieces of rope with eye splices, the resulting loops just right for attaching lead ropes.

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Locate loops about six feet apart or far enough that horses, tied fairly short, can’t become entangled by circling each other. Lead ropes must have a swivel, unless you use the swivel-type knot eliminator.

Train your horse at home by rigging a highline in your corral or arena and tying your horse — along with several other horses — to it for an extended period of time while watching carefully.

Method #5: Electric Fencing
Electric fencing is becoming more common in the backcountry, and for good reason. It allows horses to graze (where legal) with little damage to the environment, because the enclosures can be moved easily.

Kits are available with jointed, lightweight, fiberglass posts, everything needed packed into a small duffle bag. Fence chargers are small and efficient, running several weeks on a set of standard “D” batteries. For horses used to electric fences, all you need is a single strand of highly visible electric tape, properly grounded. Your horse should have his first exposure to electric fencing at home. Horses are extremely sensitive to the nip of electric-fence tape, and, once conditioned, give the tape great respect.

But don’t expect wildlife to respect fencing in the same fashion. Unlike your horse, a moose or deer is unlikely to have been exposed to the bite of an electric fence. Upon first encounter, a wild animal may spook right through the wire, knocking it down and freeing your horse. For this reason, I tie my horses to the highline after the campfire dies.

A more sophisticated electric fencing, called Bear Shock, is also available. (Contact UDAP Industries, Inc.; 800/232-7941; www.udap.com/bearshock.htm.) This fencing, which consists of alternating “hot” and “ground” strands, is commonly used to protect camps, cabins, beehives, and even airplanes from destructive animals, especially bears.

Bears, like horses, can be readily conditioned to respect electric fences, and the many highly visible strands reduce chances an animal will walk through the fence before being repelled by its nip.

On a recent trip, Billy and I got good service from an OK Corral Kit, an electric-fence setup sold by Outfitter’s Supply (888/467-2256; www.outfitterssupply.com). We alternated horses among highlining, hobbling, picketing, and pasturing in the electric-fence paddock. Next time, we’ll also run a tape around our tent and cook area to keep our overly friendly hobbled animals out of the “living room.”
You can extend your electric fence with bungee cords. Natural insulators, the cords can be wrapped around trees without damaging the bark and used in place of additional posts, simultaneously tensioning the fence. In a thickly wooded area, you can set up a good fence using this method entirely, leaving most of your posts (uprights) behind to lighten your load.

Above all, “hold onto your horses!” Every year, horses are lost in the backcountry. And theft, unfortunately, isn’t strictly a thing of the past. Remember the old-timer’s advice, and always keep a steady horse tied close.
And whichever method seems appropriate, pay attention to the health of the backcountry we treasure. Repair any damage your horse causes, and scatter manure in such a way that it fertilizes rather than offends. Happy trails!
 

For more information on each containment method outlined here, as well as the training involved, see Dan Aadland’s book, The Complete Trail Horse (http://my.montana.net/draa/). Aadland also recommends Francis W. Davis’ book, Horse Packing in Pictures, for its clear
illustrations of the knots involved in picketing,
tying, and highlining.
Dan Aadland raises mountain-bred Tennessee Walking Horses and gaited mules on his ranch in Montana. His most recent books are In Trace of TR; The Best of All Seasons; The Complete Trail Horse; and 101 Trail Riding Tips. For information on Aadland’s horses, books, and clinics, visit http://my.montana.net/draa.

When you take your horse out on trails, chances are you expect to have a fun, safe, relaxing time. And most of the time, that expectation is fulfilled. Yet as soon as you leave the relative safety of an arena and its controlled environment, you're in potential-mishap territory (true, whether you're half a mile or half a day's ride from home). That's why it can really pay to be prepared, with "just in case" items stashed in a small grab-and-go emergency bag and carried on your saddle for every trail ride.

Here, to get you started, I'll share typical contents of the soft-sided emergency bag (it's red for a reason!) that's as much a part of my standard trail-riding gear as my horse's bridle and saddle. While not as extensive as the emergency gear that might be toted by a search-and-rescue deputy, this stash of items will get you and your horse (or that of a friend) through most minor trail traumas. You can add other items as you like, and as your climate and terrain might call for.

Bag Contents

• Duct tape. Multiple uses, from protecting a hoof that's lost its shoe to emergency tack repairs.
• Elastic and cling-type wraps. Joint support, bandaging.
• Reflective "space blanket." Preserves body heat, makes a ground cover.
• LED flashlight. Multiple uses (especially if you get caught out after dark).
• Filled water bottle. Many uses, from hydration or cooling to flushing a wound.
• Stethoscope. For monitoring vital signs, gut sounds.
• Coach's whistle. Makes piercing blasts to call for help.
• Latex gloves. Hand coverage for wound treatment.
• Banamine paste. Help for colic symptoms.
• Personal first-aid pouch. Holds gauze pads, stick-on bandages, aspirin, bee-sting pen, safety pins, etc.
• Contact-lens solution. Flushes eye or wound debris.
• Bandage scissors. Trims bandaging materials.
• Multi-tool. Multiple uses.
• Hand sanitizer. Helps prevent infection when treating wounds.
• First-aid cream. Antibiotic and antiseptic properties.

Extra Tips

• For his comfort, balance weight carried on one side of your horse with an equally weighted load on the other side.
• Use the multiple pockets of a fishing or hunting vest as an alternative way to carry emergency items.
• For taking pulse/respiration rates, wear a watch that counts seconds (for rate per minute, monitor vital sign for 15 seconds, multiply by four).

This article originally appeared in the March 2010 issue of Horse & Rider.

Maximize enjoyment of summer trail rides with these 50 tips.

H&R File Photo.

backcountry, this type of horseback fun is supposed to be just that--fun. But, no matter what version of "let's hit the trail" sounds appealing to you, your ride won't be much fun if you end up unsafe, uncomfortable, or greatly inconvenienced.

That's where knowledge of some tested tips and tricks comes in handy. We canvassed trail-riding readers, plus Horse & Rider's own experienced trail hands, to bring you 50 good ones.

5 Must-Take Items

1. Water. Even if you don't get thirsty enough to drink it, you never know when you might need water for cooling down an overheated horse or rider, or for rinsing out a wound.
   Tip: For an always-cold drink, drain the top inch from a full plastic water bottle, then freeze it until the remaining water becomes ice. It'll thaw gradually during your ride, with the unthawed portion keeping the water cold.
2. Rain gear. The unwritten rule about whether to take rain gear on a ride: If you have it, the sun will shine. If you don't have it, it'll rain! A storm can blow in when you least expect it, especially in high country. And few things will leave you more miserable than to be soaked to the skin with miles yet to ride.
   Tip: If you don't want to invest in, nor carry, a full-length rain slicker, tuck an inexpensive plastic poncho--or even a large heavy-duty leaf bag--in your saddlebag. The latter can be made into makeshift rain gear, and has many other potential uses as well.
3. Sharp pocketknife or folding multi-tool. Whether used to free a rope-entangled horse or to pick your horse's feet, this is a don't-leave-home-without-it item. Tip: Carry it securely on your person rather than stuffing it into a bag carried on your horse. That will allow you to access it instantly should an emergency occur--and you won't be separated from it should you find yourself unhorsed.
4. Food. It's always smart to have some sort of energy source with you, as you never know when a planned short ride will turn into a long one.
   Tip: Choose non-bulky foods suitable for carrying on horseback, without need for cooling. Good choices include non-frosted energy bars, jerky, nuts and dried fruit, tuna or salmon in easy-open pouches, or trail mix without chocolate (which has a low melting point).
5. First-aid items. Your list of items can be as simple or detailed as you wish; even a single roll of self-adhesive bandage and few aspirins are worth tucking into your stash of "just in case" items.
   Trick: Keep all first-aid items in a single bag, and color-code it for easy recognition during an emergency. Choose a red bag, for instance, or tie a red ribbon or bandanna to the firstaid- kit side of your saddlebags.

10 Items that Could Save the Day

1. Cell phone. And while you're at it, bring a hand-crank charging unit for it.
2. Coach's whistle. Use it to sound for help or signal a warning; the piercing sound carries farther than a shout, and takes a lot less wind.
3. Duct tape. From emergency tack repairs to protecting a hoof after shoe loss, this item truly does have 1,001 uses.
4. Baling twine. Like duct tape, this stuff has a list of uses limited only by your imagination and the circumstances in which you find yourself.
5. GPS or compass. Being lost is never fun--enough said.
6. Roll of toilet paper. This tip comes from a search-and-rescue group. Imagine a worst-case scenario, where you're lost, or someone in your party is gravely ill or injured, and you need to pinpoint your location for rescuers. Use your roll of TP to "draw" giant arrows on the ground, pointing in your direction. The markings will be visible from the air or from hilltops.
7. Flashlight. Even better: a headlamp, which leaves you with both hands free to do whatever needs doing in the dark.
8. Fire-starting materials. Lighters, waterproof matches, dry paper, or other kindling-type material won't do you any good if you don't have them with you when you need them.
9. Space blanket. This is a lightweight blanket designed to reduce heat loss from a person's body during emergency situations. It consists of a thin sheet of plastic material coated with a metallic reflecting agent that redirects body heat to the wearer. Find one at sporting-good stores, usually for under $5.
10. Plastic shopping bags. Weighing almost nothing, these freebies from supermarkets or other sources have lots of uses. Examples: Slip one over each boot to keep them dry during a cloudburst; create a makeshift water carrier; make a compress holder or bandage cover.

Do you blanket your horse on cold winter days? If so, you know that to your equine friend and his pasture buddies, that blanket represents extra padding during a game of tag, or it gets in the way while scratching a really big itch, or it takes the brunt of a well-aimed bite.

By spring, your horse's winter blanket can end up torn or in tatters from these antics, but replacing them can be a bank account-buster. So, since your horses aren't going to mend their ways, learn how to do a little mending yourself. Here are some tips.

• Wash the blanket. Wash your blanket before repairing it. First, remove as much hair from the lining as possible. A stiff brush will work, but a circular metal curry is best - just go easy, so the sharp teeth don't gouge the material.

To wash the blanket, use a large machine at your local Laundromat. (Washing a heavy winter blanket in your home washing machine is pretty much out of the question.)

Detergent can damage waterproofing, so use a mild soap, or a product formulated for washing waterproof blankets (such as Nikwax or Rambo Blanket Wash). Hang the blanket over a fence to dry.

• Assess the damage. Spread out the blanket, and match up any torn edges. If no big chunks are missing, you're in good shape. Simple rips can be sewn, holes can be covered with a patch, surcingles can be replaced, and leather parts can be stitched back together.

• Gather the materials. If you have a heavy-duty sewing machine, you're home free. But even if you don't have a machine - or don't know a lot about sewing - you can do a fair repair job by hand.

Buy some carpet/canvas needles at a sewing, craft, or dollar store. You'll also need heavy-duty thread, but dental floss works really well, too - so does fishing line. Heavyweight-denim iron-on patches are good for covering tears and holes.

There are also pressure-sensitive tapes, patch-and-glue kits, and seam sealers made for repairing horse blankets. Check tack shops or such websites as www.horseware.com, www.smartpak.com, and www.sstack.com. Camping-supply stores, catalogs, and websites also sell tent and sleeping-bag repair tapes, patches, and seam sealers that will work.

• Bridge the gaps. A rip in the outside covering of a multilayer winter blanket will need to be covered with repair tape or a patch. You can buy patches or make one by cutting a slightly larger piece of fabric from an old blanket. Fold under the edges and sew it over the hole or tear.

There's a YouTube video showing how to do this on your own sewing machine. Go to www.youtube.com, and search for "repair horse blanket." Another video demonstrates how to use a patch-and-glue repair kit.

Iron-on patches work, too. Put one on each side, and stitch around the edges to reinforce it. When you're finished, coat the edges with a seam sealer. Take care that the underside of your repair is smooth next to your horse's skin.

• Replace missing parts. Many tack shops sell replacement leg straps - when you invest in a new blanket, look for one with removable straps to make this repair easier. Surcingles and chest straps aren't as readily available, so before you throw out shredded-beyond-repair blankets or sheets, cut off any useable surcingles, chest straps, and hardware to use for future blanket repair.

Sew straps and surcingles back on with a carpet needle threaded with dental floss. Apply a piece of heavy material on the inside to strengthen the repair.

• Use an awl. Pushing a needle through heavy nylon or leather straps can be risky to your fingers. Instead, use an awl. Every barn should have one of these inexpensive, little leather-stitching devices for repairing tack. The waxed thread it uses and the locking stitch it makes provide a sturdy way to reattach surcingles and chest straps. Awls are designed to push thick thread through existing holes in leather, but they also work pretty well punching new paths through nylon straps. Awls are available at leather craft stores and online for about $15.

• Call the pros. If your blanket is really battered, or your knees buckle at the thought of sewing on a buckle, it's time to call the pros. Many tack shops offer blanket-repair services, and some people with sewing skills will repair blankets for a nominal fee.

Nancy Butler is an avid horsewoman, longtime journalist, and freelance writer based in Delaware.

The alarm wakes you up for another workday, and you wish you didn't have to face it. Maybe it's because you dread the commute, or you're stuck with a boss and co-workers you don't respect. Maybe you work long hours for inadequate pay, or just plain find yourself bored and restless by the humdrum nature of the job. Maybe it's not your job that's the problem, but your need for money over and above what it pays. Or, perhaps you're simply longing for an outlet for creativity that's been locked in a stall for too long.

In any case, wouldn't it be great if you could find some way to earn money from home, doing work somehow related to horses?

You're not alone in having that thought. We'll introduce you to four fellow horse lovers--"equi-preneurs," if you will--who've had that thought and acted on it. Each one started and now runs a home-based business, and each one has a clientele made up of other horse people. For inspiration, we'll share their stories and their best advice. We'll provide a few of our own smart-start biz tips as well. Go ahead and hit that snooze button a couple of times. You've been late for work for flimsier reasons than taking time to read about something that could be your springboard to a job with builtin enjoyment and satisfaction.

Robyn Hargrove

These Boots Were Made For.Dyeing
Equi-preneur: Robyn Hargrove, Lynden, Wash. Married, with three children ages 18 to 30, she's supported the show careers of two daughters, one of whom still shows on the Pacific Northwest Quarter Horse circuit. Robyn worked in the nursing and computerservices fields before becoming a stay-at-home mom who sewed show clothes on the side and sold them via eBay.

Horse-based home biz: The Boot Lady, www.thebootlady.com

What she does: Robyn custom-dyes Western boots to match outfits worn by show competitors and rodeo queens.

Inspiration: "About four years ago, when both our daughters were showing, they got their first outfits in non-neutral colors, and I couldn't find boots to match," says Robyn. "I found a source for white boots and started experimenting with various ways to color them. I tried four or five different methods before I found the one I use now. One day in 2004, when I was at a Western store picking up several pairs of boots I'd ordered for dyeing, another customer asked, 'What are you--the boot lady?' I liked the sound of that as a business name, so when I got home, I checked to see if that Web site address was available, and it was. I bought it and switched my focus from sewing show clothes to dyeing boots."

Clientele: Show exhibitors and rodeo queens from all across the country. "My initial customers were people I knew, but as word of my boot-dyeing service spread, I ended up with a clientele that's now more national than local."

Marketing measures: Her Website; ads in The Equine Chronicle and on www.pleasurehorse.com; offerings on eBay; fliers and business cards passed out at shows; direct contact with trainers and show-clothes vendors and designers; business ads on Google; word of mouth. "I also have an account with Internet Advancement, a firm that works to promote Web site visibility for Google searches," Robyn confides. "My background in computer work has been a big help in understanding how to market on the Internet."

Key materials/equipment: Besides a source for boots, Robyn also must stock dyes, brushes for applying them, and shipping materials. Her business requires workspace for boots being dyed and dried, plus office equipment that includes a computer. While she declines to share all her trade secrets, she will divulge her favorite method of colormatching. "I use embroidery floss, which comes in 250 numbered colors," she says."It's much easier for a customer to send me a skein of floss to be matched than to send an entire outfit. I also work from fabric swatches and paint chips."

Behind the scenes: "It's very repetitive work," says Robyn."If you were to spend a day with me in my workshop, it wouldn't be an exciting day!"

Greatest satisfaction: She loves going to shows and seeing her custom-dyed boots worn as elements of fully coordinated outfits.

Biggest headache: "People who don't plan ahead, and want their boots 'tomorrow,'" Robyn states. "I quickly learned to charge extra for rush orders, but I've also had to turn orders down because the customers didn't leave me with enough lead time for dyeing, drying and shipping."

The first chill is in the air in most places in the northern hemisphere, and you're probably getting your horses ready for winter. Whether that means stocking up on hay or reseeding pastures for spring growth, winter chores are on the way.

Take your blankets out of storage and give them a thorough examination. Repair broken straps, stitch up tears, and wash them thoroughly. If you plan to clip your horse for winter work, he will definitely need blanketing. It's a good idea to have at least two weights of blankets for clipped horses; one lighter, daytime blanket and one heavy blanket for cooler temperatures. On super cold nights you can layer them.

Remember though, that horses in the wild don't have blankets, and most survive the winter just fine. Indeed, most healthy horses that aren't in winter work probably don't need blanketing at all if they have a good place to take shelter from the weather-particularly the wind. Older horses, ill horses, or horses that may be prone to dropping more weight than usual in the winter probably need blankets.

If you do choose to blanket your horse, remember that an overheated horse is more prone to getting sick. Just as you strip your sweaty clothes off after a winter workout so you don't get a chill, horses can get a chill if they're over-blanketed and overheat in the cold.

The lesson is to under-blanket rather than over-blanket. Take your climate into consideration, as well. If you live in a place where it tends to be sunny but cold during the day, consider removing the horse's blanket in the morning so he can gather some winter sun warmth in his coat. Put the blanket back on when it gets cold after sundown. If you live in an area where there is a great deal of precipitation, buy the best weatherproof blanket you can find, and have an alternate available in case your horse's blanket soaks through.

Also, blanketing is a commitment. Once you start blanketing your horse, you need to maintain the routine because his coat won't grow as deep if he's blanketed.

It helps to set a temperature below which your horse will be blanketed. That temperature depends on your climate and preferences.

Here are a few tips for deciding on a blanket:

1) How does it fit? An ill-fitting blanket will cause rubs on the horse's withers and shoulders.

2) Is it the right weight? The rule of thumb is: Use a mid-weight blanket for 32 degrees. Use a heavyweight for 20 degrees and colder.

3) Is it the right fabric? Stable blankets tend not to be weather proof, and as their name says, they tend to be used for horses living inside. Some blankets are water resistant, but not necessarily waterproof.

4) When in doubt, consult an expert. Blanket companies have resources to help you decide what blanket best suits your horse's needs.

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