Arabians, NSH & Pintos with
excellent dispositions.
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When using hoof saver creme on your horses hooves, use it on your hands also. It's great for cracked and sore fingers! Keep a hoof saver bottle with the pump top on the kitchen counter in the winter. It also works for a red baby(human) bottom.
"I'd like a tip on some cheap, natural & harmless, yet sufficiently unpleasant taste to paint on the paddock rails which my horses like to chew. Presently I use an imported English product which is wildly expensive, & has to be re-applied after each rainfall."
From June Grant:
To keep the horses from eating the fencing try putting Diesel Fuel on the boards. Another idea is a Hot Wire above the board or just inside and above the board. It works for me. Try Pressure or Creosote treated boards most horses do not like to eat on them. But some horses will chew on about anything, but hot wire.
From Kris Stump:
I use a brush on thick kreosode mix that comes in a paint type can, it works, it doesn't harm them, at first they can get dark noses though. Also, I have used tabasco sauce, this is unpleasant, you can't see it, and it won't harm them.
From Gail Pate:
I have used a strong smelling soap, such as Shield or Irish Spring original scent, to rub on posts or rails to help reduce chewing by horses. They do not seem to like the flavor (who would?)and it is quite effective. It is fairly cheap and easy to apply. Just rub the bar of soap on the wood. If the surface is real smooth it will help to have a bit of water available to wet the bar to help it rub a layer of soap onto the rails. Rough rails are easy to treat by simply rubbing the soap onto the wood.
From Chris Zavodney:
Put tabasco sauce in a sprayer bottle and as 2 parts water for every one part tabasco! Test it first while you're watching to see if it's strong enough. If it's not, you can reduce the dilution and/or add horseradish to it. Oh yeah - DON'T open your mouth while spraying ... the mist seems to act like a magnet and .... YUCK!!!
"I'd like to know if anyone has a remedy for bringing back pigment on an Arabian horse. I believe the lack of pigment is due to a deficiency of some kind, but I don't know what it is or what to feed to aid the condition."
From Jacquie Glasscoe:
This happened to me when I was living in TN. The area vet said that my horse was lacking in Zinc, which is not strong in the soil there, therefore, not strong enough in the hay and grain grown there. We were from Ohio, and had excellent soil all around. I tried Moorman's mineral supplement (I think it's name is Gro Strong, or something similar). A local trainer had said it was the only product that worked for her. My horse's skin under one eye was turning pink, and he is a dark bay with black skin. It took a few months, but turned black again and never returned. I have kept him and the others on this product and never had this problem again. Hope it works!
From Gail Pate, D.V.M:
Arabians , more than any other breed, occassionally have a condition known as "pinky syndrome". In Arabians it is referred to as Arabian fading syndrome and may or may not be exactly the same thing as the Pinky syndrome. It is most common in greys. All ages may be affected, but it is usually younger animals. Some mares only have the problem when they're pregnant.
The most common places for pigment to be lost is around the eyes, the muzzle and maybe the anus area. Some management or treatment regimens which have sometimes worked include: Putting on pasture , rather than stabling; feeding a mineral and vitamin supplement, one which includes iodine is recommended. If only related to pregnancy, the owner might wish to consult with their veterinarian about testing adrenal and thyroid functions. Aged Arabians frequently lose some pigment, especially around the face or anus, and there seems to be little to be done for it.
If you don't want your horse to hair up, with colder weather and shorter days coming, leave your barn lights on until your bedtime so the horses will think the days are longer. This also works well when trying to breed mares early in the year, get them under lights early for breeding.
From Suzy Wolman:
To determine where to place your western saddle pad, lay your arm in the groove of the horse's neck where his neck meets his shoulder. Your fingertips will point to where the pad should lie for the majority of conformation types.
From Suzy Wolman:
Have trouble figuring out which way your trailer will go when you back it up? Put your hands on the bottom of the steering wheel and whichever way your hands go when you turn the wheel is the way the trailer will go.
From Cheryl McNamee:
Stall Mats:
Most stone quarries are willing to sell cheaply or even give away used rubber conveyor belts. The durable belts, approximately 3ft. wide can be used to line stall floors, make a path to the manure spreader for the wheel barrow or to improve footing.
A couple of tips today, the first from Erica Ferguson:
* Don't let your dog injest a horse worm paste. Even if a dog licks the paste it will probably go into convulsions and spend a night in surgery if it doesn't die. There is no real warning on the tube that it is harmful to dogs etc, so be careful!
From Doreen Passuello
When remodeling your barn or building new, consider building your tack room with a door directly to the outside. Makes loading your trailer for horse shows or trail rides much easier. More importantly, in case of fire, it may save your saddles! (Our barn burned to the ground on August 19th but we were able to save the four horses in it, and most of the saddles due to the door directly into the tack room) Note: Make sure door can be locked if theft is a problem.
Our tip today is for the horseowner:
For fresh boots -- stuff old socks with used fabric softener sheets and put inside your boots. The boots will smell fresher and also keep their shape better.
Today's tip comes from V. Diane Reikowsky:
If your horse does not like the sound of the clippers as you clip inside his ears, try the following trick. Have someone stand to the side of the horse's head, placing 1 hand firmly on the muzzle and the other hand between the eyes palm down and slightly cupped. When the clippers start, begin patting the horse rapidly between the eyes while applying mild pressure on the muzzle. This works on the same principal as a twitch....distraction. The horse will focus on the motion and sound of the cupped hand and less on the clippers. This also works well when applying medication to the eyes or ears.
"I just bought a yearling stallion that is a real sweetheart, but when he eats he holds his front leg up and strikes out at his stall with it, and he also eats fast. His feeder is not too high, and he never does it any other time. What could make him do this, and how can I get him to stop?"
From Sue David:
About the yearling stud colt that hold his leg up and paws while eating... if thats his only vice I would not worry a whole bunch about it... when he matures and starts to have more things on his mind he may give it up. Between now and then if you just cant bear it... Possibly he was shorted in grocery department as a weanling. Give the colt his regular meals but in between try keeping a local (or Lo - Cal) grass hay infront of him this might relax his appetite so he is not so excited at grain time. If you don't feel comfortable in keeping feed in front of him all the time, take a look at the feeding schedule you have him on. He may be going to many hours between feedings. Try adding a meal mid day. If this doesnt change his attitude you may just have to live with it.
From another tipster:
We had a horse that did that and found that either changing her stall or putting the feed dish on the other wall stopped her. It never made sense to us, but whatever works. don't know whether the horse on the other side of the wall was her problem, but the feed dish being on her left worked for us. Also he may need smaller feedings more frequently.
From Lisa Popp:
This horse is anticipating his meal and wolfing his feed. I would give him his hay first to take the edge off his appetite. Also, placing several large rocks in his feed pan will force him to eat slower. You could also try several smaller feedings spaced throughout the day rather than 1 or 2 large feedings.
From Joanie:
The easiest thing we do to keep horses from gobbling down their feed too fast is to find a good size, fairly round, smooth rock and put it in the feeder. Because the horse then has to push it around to eat, it slows him down. As for striking out with foreleg...I have several mares that also stand with a front leg up while their eating their grain. I just assume it's so good that they just can't contain themselves and it a display of enjoyment. Since it doesn't bother anyone or anything, I leave them alone to enjoy their dinners.
Today we have a couple of tips, the first is from Hap Bazemore: Save a few of your old horseshoes. Save different shoes with different amounts of wear. When you lose a shoe at the show or on the trail there's usually someone around that can tack on the used shoe. Just pick one out that wore like the shoes that are already on. Tape all your used shoes together with duct tape and keep them in your horse trailer.
Getting rid of manure. Here's a few replies:
From Linda Clark:
I load the manure basket directly into the manure spreader. When this is full I hook up the tractor and spread it on unused pastures and neighbors gardens and lawns (when invited!). I don't spread it on pastures currently in use because of the danger of parasite reinfestation. We use wood shavings for bedding and the horses are not in stalls most of the day. We rarely have an odor problem. We usually have 15 to 20 horses year around.
From Neva Hopkins:
You can put a sign out in your yard the says free manure. People like to put it in their gardens to use a fertilizer.
From Laura Melendez:
At the Statam Hunt Club in Gulf Breeze, Florida, we place our manure pilesin easily accessible areas for locals to make pick-ups from without coming onto the actual property & we put up LARGE "Free Manure" signs. This has worked well. We even had a gentleman who would exchange wood shavings for manure. You could also contact local retail &/or wholesale nursery's to let then know of your "gold mine". Remember to assure them its free for the taking and that you can "make more".
From Kandace York:
- we pile it around the base of trees on our property, again in fall and spring ... for the ornamental trees in our yard, we put a top dressing of mulch on the manure so it isn't noticeable. I occasionally use it as cheap fill dirt to level out swales, etc., in our pastures. I've also worked it into longeing circles to provide a soft,secure footing (we use sawdust to bed with, which stays spongey and isn't as slippery as straw).
And another tip from Cheryl McNamee:
Stall toy:
Hang a plastic milk jug containing a small amount of grain, and poke a small hole in the bottom of the jug. When the horse plays with the jug, he will be rewarded with a few oats. In no time, he will decide that oats are a lot better than chewing on wood.
Today's tip is for people who have a nail shy horse. If your horse throws a fit when the farrier trys to pound the nails in, practice this by tapping the horses shoes and getting him used to it. Getting your horse use to the sound and feeling of the farrier hammer will make your shoeing time much easier for both you and the horse!(and your farrier will appreciate it too)
Today's tip:
Always brush your horse and if possible vaccum before working it. Helps keep sweaty horses cleaner and it's better not to have the dirt mixed in to maintain a good haircoat. Dirt promotes fungus!
Today's tip is from Casey Rogillio:
Do you save your favorite horse magazines? And are tired of the mess they create as the slick-covered ones slide around? Take them to a copy place and have holes drilled in them so they'll fit in a binder.
"Does anyone have any ideas how to keep snow out of a horses feet during the winter? I am a barrel racer, so I am not able to put any type of snow pads on his feet. I am able to ride every day, but it is nearly impossible when his feet get snow packed. It is fixin to start snowing any minute."
From Channal:
In the winter I pull off all my shoes to solve this problem.
From Sherry:
To keep snow from balling up in your horse's shoes, spray cooking spray (like Pam) on your shoes before riding
From another tipster:
Snow in horses hooves: Orville Redenbauchers
From Tina Woodley:
I use vaseline in the petrolium jelly form inside the frog area of the hoof. This provides a slippery surface, and the snow tends not to ball up.
Today's tip is from Mindy:
If you have a shelf in your barn that you keep sticky, gooey stuff on (pine tar, hoof dressings, leaky bottles, ointments,ect.) try this: Get a heavy duty plascic garbage bag.Then cut it to the size of your gooey shelf and tape it down. Packaging tape or duct tape works best. (If you wrap the bag around the front of the shelf and tape it underneath too, it will usually stay better.) Now you can periodically change the bag out and your shelf won't get messy. Another tip: So your hands won't get messy when you put liniments, pine tar, koppertox,ointments ect. on your horse buy some DISPOSABLE rubber gloves and wear them.(Wall Mart, Target and K Mart are good places to look.)
Today's tip is from Cheryl McNamee:
Safety crossties: Tired of replacing broken crossties? Try using bicycle inner tubes. Loop one end of each tube around a sturdy post or through your crosstie mounting ring. At the free end of each tube, tie sturdy nylon webbed trailer ties (with quick-release snaps). The "give" from the inner tubes may provide just enough freedom to stop your horse from pulling and breaking them.
Today's tip is from Linda Clark:
Many times I have arrived at work after visiting our barn. My shoes are dusty and in need of a shine. I have found that "Hoof Saver" is great for this. Wipe off the dust then apply "Hoof Saver" as you would any shoe polish. The lanolin is great for the leather and my shoes look great!
Today's tip is on cleaning those heavy woven western saddle pads. You can wash them with soap and cold water or Woolite, flatten, and block like you would a sweater. Never wash the whole pad in hot water, that might induce shrinkage. The suede can also be cleaned with soap and water, let it partially dry and then brush. If you don't want to take the chance on cleaning it yourself, take it to your local dry cleaner.
"I have just recently moved from North Carolina to New York with two horses, one of them is six months pregnant. The weather in New York is very cold already. This last week it has been snowing quite frequently. I am worried about my horses being able to cope with the extreme temperature change. I am thinking that if I start to blanket them now, I will really be in trouble when "winter" gets here. There have already been a few times I have seen the both of them shivering. They are out in a pasture with one barn to share. I feed them both in the barn to keep them out of the cold as much as possible, but I cannot lock them in there. I hope you can advise me soon."
From Bryan and Laura in Alaska:
It is cold in Alaska!! We advise our customers not to blanket until absolutely needed but be sure the horse has plenty of salt and warm water at all times. Get off of the alfalfa and free feed as much good quality timothy hay as the horse will eat. Add extra vegetable oil to the grain also. Supply more than the usual amount of feed in the winter, they burn a lot of calories staying warm. Feel the ribs regularly to be sure the horse hasn't lost weight, the winter coat can be decieving. A good supply of clean dry straw in the barn helps also. The pregnant mare could use Omolene 300 to help her through the winter and ensure the health of the foal.
From Mike Pitas:
First of all, a horse that is in good condition can stay warm at temps of 15 degrees, and when a horse shivers, it gets them warm really fast, just think of all that muscle mass moving at the same time. The actual change in climate could be a slight shock to them, but they should get used to it within a few weeks. Second, if you really feel the need to use a blanket, go ahead, just make sure that it's not too heavy. A heavy sheet would also do. The insulating properties of horse hair work best when they are not compressed by a heavy blanket, this means don't leave a blanket on for an extended amount of time, maybe only during a cold storm or during the night.
From Gail Shrine:
I suggest that you use medium weight waterproof Blankets now - as your horses will stay snug and warm, and as the winter gets more blustery, upgrade to the heavy duty wool. Remember - if the horses are wet they will really be shivering, if they have access to come and go out of the Barn at will, they should have waterproof blankets.
From Carol Vetterick:
I believe you should be blanketing your horses NOW; especially the pregnant mare, who has enough going on without her expending a great deal of energy trying to keep warm. Several of the wholesale priced catalogs have good quality turn-out blankets that are not very expensive, and if the weather is extremely nasty this winter you could "layer" them. Your horses can't grow a thick, warm coat overnight.
Today's tip is from Connie Jackson:
When cleaning out my trailer after coming home from a show, I put Lysol disenfectant on the type of sprayer that you hook onto a water hose. Adjust the sprayer to a low mixture and spray the entire inside of the trailer. That way you kill any germs you may have picked up and the trailer smells nice.
Today's tip is from Connie Jackson:
Never put your horse away hot. Always check the following: 1. see if the nostrils are flaring (blowing hard) 2. put your hand on your horse's chest, does he feel hot, wet, can you feel his heart pounding? If any of this is happening, walk the horse till he is breathing normal, does not feel hot, wet, and his heart is back to normal. If it is cold, be sure to cover him with a wool cooler or blanket, until he is back to normal. If for some reason you cannot walk him to cool him out, put the horse in a stall with no feed, hay, or water until he has cooled down, preferrably tied up. Putting a horse away "hot" can cause the horse to become seriously ill and possibly colic. The horse is like an athlete, they must be warmed up before working and cooled down afterwards.
"When selling a horse , and the buyer wants to make payments with a small down payment, how do you know who to trust?? When the horse is gone, theres not a lot of good a piece of paper will do with a signature on it. Has anyone had experience with this?"
Wow, lots of points of view on this one but the vote seems to be "Don't let the horse off the farm without full payment!" Here are a few replies from people who have gone through this experience.
From Jill Fritzsche:
Concerning the question about selling a horse on payments, I strongly advise against it. If you do feel that the person who is buying is the right person for your horse and you decide to do your business this way here are some steps to take to protect yourself. 1. Make out a bill of sale and the payment agreement and have the buying party sign it. MAKE SURE IT IS NOTARIZED! 2. Keep the horses papers until all of the payments have been made. 3. Keep a running tab of how much they have paid and DO NOT take cash, make sure it is a check so you have the proof. Or 4. Keep the horse at your house until all of it is paid off.
From Lynne Turner:
Buying a horse on payments can be a very touchy situation. Definitely, a must is a written agreement that all of you understand completely, either write it up yourself, get the advice of someone that's done it successfully, or better yet if the deal warrants, consult your lawyer. I have done this both with a horse trailer and with horses. Number One, I hold the papers no matter what and no matter who! Number Two, I highly recommend proof of insurance obtained at the buyer's expense- it's real hard for "anyone" to pay for a dead horse.
From Sara Ahlers:
Unless you really know the person, don't trust them, no matter what. I agreed to sell a horse I had to a "very nice couple" who made two payments before they split. I tried to call and even went over to their place, but I never found my horse and not to mention was out a considerable sum of money. If I had to do it over again, I would probably let them make payments, but the horse wouldn't have left my property until he was paid for IN FULL.
From Kris Martin:
My advice for payments on a horse is this: DON'T DO IT!! Unless it is a relative or close friend, don't let the horse go without the full purchase price in hand. Once that horse is away from you, both the horse (his care and condition) and your money are on the line based only on a promise on a piece of paper. What a mess it would be if you had to repossess the horse and found him in poor health. You've hurt not only him, but your pocket book as well.
From Roger Cumberworth:
I personally have bought horses on credit from one person in particular and always make payments when I say I will. But the first couple of times he kept the horse til I had it paid for. Then after he saw how I was and got to know me a little better he let me take the horse before I had it paid for. I believe that it is best to do it that way if a person wants a horse and needs to make payments keep the horse for them till they get the horse paid for and let them know if they don't finish paying for it they will lose what they do pay for feed and care while holding the horse for them. It is hard enough to make money selling horses without giving them away or turning down a sell because somebody else thinks they might want a horse.
From Heather Haltom:
I recommend a "vet check" even if the purchaser isn't going to have one done to protect yourself, in case the deal falls through, as to the condition of the horse when the purchaser took possession. You can find purchase contracts and other legal information in a legal library and get other helpful ideas.
From Carol Engle:
There are many books on the market that have sample horse contracts (for all reasons, selling - boarding - stud service - etc). They are worth- while investments.
From Linda Clark:
If a buyer cannot come up with the money then I am concerned that they will not have enough money to feed and board the horse. We care very much who buys our horses and won't sell them to someone not prepared for the cost of caring for them.
"I have a seven year old pony mare who bloats her stomach to an amazing extent when it comes time to do up the girth. I do up the girth slowly a hole or so at a time but it is a very arduous, time consuming process. I've tried feeding her tid-bits and walking her around but nothing seems to help - her stomach just stays out there like a balloon only to deflate once I start riding leaving a girth so loose you could fit your fist under it. Any tips would be greatly appreciated."
From Kit Niemann:
The pony or horse who bloats when being cinched is trying to protect it's self. By chincing slowly and lightly, taking up the slack periodically, the horse will learn to relax when being cinched. But everyone who saddles that horse needs to practice the same gentleness. In my experience this method has almost always worked within two months.
From Peggy McLinn:
The first thing you may want to check is if your saddle fits her. My mare did this when I had a poor fitting saddle, and although I have changed since then she still does it out of habit. I lunge her for a few minutes to work the girth loose. At a trot and a lope, they can't hold their breath anymore and the girth will loosen up nicely.
From Connie Jackson:
There is a new device out which I believe is called "cinch tight", it allows you to tighten the girth while you are in the saddle. This may work for you. I saw it in "Chicks Tack" catalog.
From Jennifer MacNeill:
I've always given my horse a swift knee to the belly (not hard enough to hurt) than immediately do up the girth. It seems to cause just enough shock and discomfort that they suck in their stomach and you can tighten the girth. Than after you mount tighten the girth again.
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