Hopefully the (almost) end of the blanketing saga, and finished drawing

It is done.  I finally have a blanket for the Nutterbear himself.

Because, honestly, having a forecast look like the below is not giving me the warm and fuzzies, although it is several degrees warmer than when I last looked.  Below is almost tropical.

He can probably take it no problem, but next week, starting in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, is supposed to be brutal.  I'll blanket him after work on Monday.... and it will probably be HILARIOUS as I couldn't get these over his back by myself today.

The borrowed blanket he was in suddenly didn't look so large when I peeked at him yesterday after work.  It wasn't covering his tush like it was and it was bunching behind his withers.  His mane was also a tangled mess where it ended and it appeared to be roughing up the fur on his chest.  It was taken off this morning.

So, today I picked up two blankets.  After seeing how large the 81" seemed on Gene in comparison to the 80" he has, and how large the 78" initially appeared on Peanut, I thought I should get the 75".  But, after seeing how small it looked last night, I wasn't sure so I got both knowing I could return the one that didn't fit.

After brushing the accumulated snow from his back (naturally it decided to snow hard JUST when we were out to do this), I finally proceeded.

The 75" seemed ok, until I put the butt strap under his tail and tried to do the straps up under his belly.  The butt strap pressed against him when he walked and the belly straps... hah... even at their very longest it was still tight against his big belly.

But, the 78"?  Now we're talking.  The belly fits just fine, with plenty of extra room, and his little butt cheeks are covered.  Also, the tail is low like Gene's, like they expect table-like arab croups or something.

I lucked into them having the sizes in the alternate color for the blanket - combo gray and black instead of all black.  Thus, it should be easier to tell them apart (other than searching for the size).

Look at how the gusset allows the wither to rise.  This has got to be more comfortable.

The other blanket is over the half-door behind Peanut.

How awesome and forgiving is my horse?  When I went to unblanket him, I unbuckled, unsnapped, and unvelcroed seemingly endlessly.  I tried to take it off, and it just wouldn't comply.  I got it pretty much bunched all over his back legs, but it wouldn't come off no matter how much I tugged...

...because I hadn't undone the three belly straps.

Peanut was looking back at me, almost with pity for my overwhelming stupidity.

I tried to move it forward  as much as I could, but without much luck (damn blankets are ungainly and heavy), but he stood like a saint while I unbuckled the buckles that were basically smooshed up into where his hind legs meet his belly.  It was a mess, but Peanut didn't move or complain.

The last chapter in the blanket saga, hopefully, will be the neck wrap.  The 78" came with an XL wrap.  The 75" came with the L.  My portly pony's neck is too short for the XL, and actually the L is cutting it close.  The XL was pressed against the back of his ears and bunched up on his neck.  The L stopped just short of his ears, but when turning his head it would touch his cheek.  I'm thinking the M would most likely be too small in diameter.  Hopefully I can switch neck wraps when I return the 75".  I could be a dick and just put the larger one in with it, but I won't.

Horses are fun!

And see Gene in the stall behind the Nuts?  Richard was in there recreating this.  At least he wasn't standing in the snow?

So much fun!  And I am so sick of winter!

In other news, the drawing is finally done.  I didn't tighten up and correct the drawing enough on the hind end of the horse so the anatomy got really messed up, and the horse's back legs certainly were at an awkward angle anyway, so I don't know how happy I am with this.  I'll have to think about whether it's worth framing.