TIP: Use those socks!

I don't know about you but around our house, socks are strange creatures. I used to think my teenager thought of them as "disposable", (use them once and then throw them away). But I think it's more like the toys in Toy Story, I'm almost convinced that they come alive when we're not looking and some of ours just leave. Some of them hide in the sofa cushions, under the end tables and under the car floor mats but I think most just get up and walk out of the house on their own. (Actually, I think a few have discovered an escape hatch under the washing machine) I always have a laundry basket full of all sizes and styles of unmatched socks, waiting for the mate that never returns. Well, don't throw those single socks away! Save them for your horse! No, I'm not talking about using them as ear warmers...but now that I think about it, I guess a horse could be kinda cute with soft, fuzzy pink or blue ears!...and it might keep the gnats away! but here's more of what I had in mind:

Store them in a plastic bag or roll them up into themselves, making a big ball and throw them in your grooming kit, first aid kit or tack barn. When you need them, slip the sock over your hand like a glove for all types of uses:

1. Apply those goopy medication cremes and pastes. And it will keep your hands clean! (And the cotton socks will be a nice, soft touch to sensitive areas or wounds!)
2. Use to clean out the eyes, ears or nostrils;
3. Clean the sheath or anus;
4. Use as a soft, tack cleaning or polishing cloth;
5. Put one or two around the Thrush Buster or Blue Lotion bottle to help keep your hands from getting stained purple! (or hoof polish!)
6. Keep one in your pocket and spiff up boots right before going into the show ring!
7. Cut the toes or feet out of tube socks and use them for leg bandages! It will help keep the wound clean, help keep the medication on longer and keep out flies! (Note: If you're dealing with a wound on the hock, the "heel" part of the sock will fit quite nicely over the hock joint! If the wound is on the front of the hock, you can also cut a small slit in the sock that will allow the hock to stick out and give the hock joint more freedom of movement!)

These are just a few uses. Use your imagination and I'm sure you'll come up with even more handy ideas! I was so excited to find something to do with all of those lone socks. If you're really thrifty, you could wash and reuse them but for really goopy messes (and especially those "personal cleanings"), I will definitely pitch them. After all, in my house, I'm sure there will always be a steady supply of them!

Let me know what other uses you find for them!