Maintenance of your horse blankets and rugs

Anyone who has made the decision to buy a horse will soon find out that there is so much to learn. One thing I had not really considered was the maintenance needed for all the equipment etc and below are some useful points I have discovered that you may like to share.
The purchase of a good quality horse blanket is important and the aftercare, because laundering equestrian blankets needs an industrial washing machine.
Your horse must be checked on a daily basis to make sure that their blanket is not pulling or rubbing. If you should see any patches of broken hairs this is a sure sign.
Folding your fleeces, rugs and blankets correctly makes them so much easier and safer to put back on your horse or pony. The horse is also less likely to spook if you put a folded bundle on his back, slowly unfolding it than he would if you just dumped the blanket over his back and dragged it into position. 
Fold your blanket whilst taking it off the horse or after cleaning in  preparation for the next use. A folded blanket is much easier to carry. 
Start with the blanket, unbuckled on the horse, or if you find it easier take it off and lay it on the ground.  Then lay the blanket so the outside is facing upwards. Spread the straps straight out so they can be folded into the blanket as you go.
Fold the back third of the blanket up towards the middle, then tuck the leg straps in and fold in the tail flap.
Then fold the front third piece of the blanket back towards the folded edge. Straighten the shoulder gussets.
Fold the right side up so the lower edges meets the centre seam.
Then fold the left side up so the lower edge will meet the centre, folding up the belly straps.
Put the two halves together. The bundle can then be folded together another time and packed in a bag for storage. Then just reverse the order of the folds in order to put the blanket back on the horse easily.
If your horse is kept outside a lot it will probably be a good idea to have two outdoor rugs. An extra blanket allows you to swop one blanket to allow the other one to dry out.

Do not try to wash your horse blankets in your own washing machine!
There are heavy duty washing machines that can be bought especially for “equestrian use”. This could be invaluable and if you share livery with other people at your stables it could well be a great investment if the cost is shared.