06/09/2026
Iāve shared parts of this story before, but lately Iāve found myself looking around and realizing just how far this little business has come.
My horse, Cowboy, ripped a strap off his blanket. At the time, there wasnāt really anyone near me in Wisconsin offering the kind of blanket repair services I needed, so I decided to figure it out myself. I picked up my momās 20-ish-year-old sewing machine from my parentsā porch, taught myself how to sew the strap back on, and posted a picture on Facebook.
That one post gained enough attention that people started asking if I could repair their blankets too.
So I learned.
Then I learned how to properly wash and care for horse blankets.
I bought my first washing machine off Facebook Marketplace for $150. It was a residential machine sitting in the basement of my house. Every blanket was hand scrubbed before it went into the washer. I had room to dry exactly two blankets at a time in a humid basement, surrounded by fans and dehumidifiers running around the clock. I hauled blankets up and down stairs day after day.
And I probably washed my first 500 blankets that way.
Pregnant at one point, mind you, and incredibly sensitive to all the smells that come along with horse blankets. š
About a year and a half later, I purchased my first industrial washerāa 25-pound Speed Queen. The problem? It wouldnāt fit through my basement door. It also required electrical hookups that I didnāt have.
My parents stepped in and graciously donated their basement to my business. My dad and husband built drying space underneath their deck, and suddenly I had room for six blankets instead of two.
At the time, that felt huge.
The industrial washer sped things up, but it was still a lot of work. Many blankets still needed hand scrubbing, and I could only fit one blanket in the machine at a time.
As business grew, I realized my Jeep Wrangler wasnāt keeping up either. I was making multiple trips for barn pickups, so I purchased a trailer and went from hauling 25ā30 blankets at a time to over 100.
Then came embroidery.
I quickly realized that winter slows down blanket washing because everyone is actively using their blankets. To help balance the seasonal slowdown, I invested in a commercial 15-needle embroidery machine and added another service to the business.
In 2024, our family made the move to Southeast Missouri.
One of the biggest blessings was finding a home with a shop. For the first time, I wasnāt hauling blankets through basements and around someone elseās house. My husband helped create my dream workspace, complete with heat, air conditioning, proper electrical service, and indoor drying space.
For the first time, I could work comfortably year-round, regardless of weather.
And I thought eight indoor drying spots was incredible.
Then came 2025, when I finally added my first industrial sewing machine. Up until then, I was still using a household machine for repairs. It got the job done, but it was working far beyond what it was designed for. The industrial machine completely changed the way I could approach repairs.
Then this spring happened.
As many of you know, my industrial washer caught fire.
Not exactly ideal timing when your entire summer schedule is already booked.
Iāll be honestāthat was a scary moment. I wasnāt sure if this was a hurdle I was going to be able to get over and I almost threw in the towelā¦
But sometimes setbacks end up pushing us forward.
I was able to purchase a new 40-pound industrial washer, and I truly feel like Iām playing a completely different game now. It holds three to four blankets at a time, cleans incredibly well, and has dramatically reduced the amount of hand scrubbing I have to do.
A few weeks later, my husband built the outdoor drying setup that many of you have seen me share recently. My drying space has now grown to accommodate 20 blankets.
And thatās when it hit me.
I started this business with a $150 residential washer, a borrowed sewing machine, room for two blankets to dry, and a whole lot of determination.
Today, I have commercial equipment, dedicated workspaces, pickup routes that span multiple states, embroidery services, indoor and outdoor drying systems, and the privilege of serving thousands of customers and their horses.
Itās easy to get caught up chasing the next goal, the next upgrade, the next thing that needs to be done.
But sometimes itās important to stop and look behind you.
To remember where you started.
To remember the nights spent hauling wet blankets up basement stairs.
To remember the doubts, the setbacks, the mistakes, and the lessons.
To remember the people who helped you along the way.
None of this happened overnight. Every piece was built one step at a time.
If youāre in the middle of building something, keep going.
Itās easy to get caught up chasing the next goal, the next upgrade, the next piece of equipment, or the next thing that needs to be done.
Truthfully, I donāt stop very often to appreciate how far this business has come because Iām usually focused on where I want it to go next.
Most days, youāll find me covered in dirt, hay, horse hair, and who-knows-what-else. There are nights Iām still sewing repairs at 2 or 3 in the morning, and mornings Iām up at 4 a.m. loading the trailer for pickup or drop off routes. There are long days, sore muscles, unexpected setbacks, and plenty of moments where things donāt go according to plan.
But I genuinely love what I do.
I love helping horse owners extend the life of the blankets and gear they depend on. I love solving problems. I love building something with my own two hands. And I feel incredibly fortunate that something that started with Cowboy ripping a blanket strap has grown into what it is today.
Looking back, none of this happened overnight. Every washer, every machine, every trailer, every repair, every pickup route, and every improvement came from years of hard work, long hours, and a whole lot of support from family, friends, and customers who believed in me.
Today, Iām feeling incredibly grateful.
Grateful for my family who helped make all of this possible. Grateful for every customer who trusted me with their blankets when I was just getting started. Grateful for every lesson, every challenge, and even the setbacks that pushed me to grow.
And maybe most of all, Iām grateful that I never gave up when things were hard.
Ten years from now, in whatever stage of this business I am, I hope this post pops up in my memories. I hope I can look back at this version of myselfāthe one covered in hay, sweat, horse hair, and thread scraps, chasing goals and working long hoursāand feel proud of how far Iāve come.
But for today, Iām simply proud of how far Iāve already made it.
If youāre building something of your own, keep going. The small steps, the late nights, the sacrifices, and the hard work add up. Sometimes progress happens so slowly that you donāt notice it until you turn around and see just how far youāve traveled.
And thatās worth celebrating.
