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"..so unless he gets soaked through and then a cold night, he'll be fine"

That is why I picked it up and wanted to have it on hand, just for when we do get some wickedly cold wet stuff or if God forbid he got sick, etc., and figured we would try it on him so he would be used to it, but nooooooo. But he is a youngin, just a year last Aug, so has had nuttin on him yet, no saddle or nothing. He wasn't to crazy, he wasn't tied when we showed it to him and tried to put it on, real low key, no pressure, he didn't leave or walk away, just turned his back to us and showed up his lovely rump to say get lost. He'd turn a half dozen times, sniff it then show us his back again and take his nose under it so as to flip it out of our hands and toss it away, quite the stinker.

My husband on his last trip back from the barn this morn while walking back, watching him, he had this goofy grin and a big rubbermaid box full of something, his pace quicker, comes in like a little kid with a box full of all white 3 inch baby bunnies, 4 of them, that he just managed to save from the cats. Kids are thrilled, fussing over them, one had his eye lids glued shut w mucous, infection..managed to pry open gently and get some triple antibiotic on them, will be ok. We have 2 white m/f adult white rabbits that just roam the whole property, they even come up to the house with the cats and eat leftovers.

I would hold him, calm him, rub him down with it, maybe rub him down with other smaller things like towels, get him used to it's sound and feel, put it on him securely and turn him out. It'll be good for him... his first 'sacking out'.

Never let him get away with turning his butt to you to intimidate you. I'd have a line on him and if he tries that he gets smacked. With him under control and you in a safe direction, of course.

Good luck with those bunnies.... I've never had luck saving them. I've rescued them too late when they already had an injury and they've all died. I have lots of bunnies around here in the spring, my dog got a couple she killed before I could save them, it's the cats that just torture and toy with the poor things.

Because he's young and unbroke, and I don't know how much experience you have, I want to be careful to say you shouldn't do this if there is a chance he could get away from you before you get the blanket secured... I would desensitize him to it while closed in his stall if possible and with you holding him really securely. With it just laying on him, rub and pat him and get him used to how the straps will feel, but you can pull it back off him if you think he's gonna go ape, and start over slower. Once you decide to start fastening straps, you're committed and you should work quickly. Do one of the chest straps, belly straps fairly tight around him so he can't get a foot through them (they should be crossed if there are two belly straps) and do the stretchy back leg straps last. Then he's secure and you can turn him out in a secure paddock for him to run, roll, and try to buck it off if he will. He'll get used to it once he knows he can't get rid of it. If he gets away from you before it's completely fastened, it is much worse, and he might ruin it before he stops.

How well he takes to this will be a good indication of how easy he is going to be when it's time for him to be backed...