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Every month we try to feature a helpful tip from one of our
members. Below is a collection of tips from months past.
In summer when
the rains come from the south or the west, bathe
your horse and rinse with a solution of baking
soda to neutralize the acid in the possible acid
rain from the paper mills or whatever. Remember
how it burnt Snoopy!!
Thank you Susan
Carter for the following tip.
A
water trough tip:
Add catfish and goldfish to summer water
troughs. Plecostomus fish (suckermouth catfish)
will feed on algae that accumulates on the sides
of the trough. Depending on the tanks size add
several 2-8" fish. Algae will still grow in the
water, so it will eventually turn green and need
changing but the sides will be relatively clean
and need little or no scrubbing. Place a large
rock in the bottom of each trough for the fish
to hide under. Goldfish will eat mosquito larvae
- mosquitoes carry West Nile Disease - and other
small water-breeding insects. When you change
the water, scoop some of the trough water into a
container, ! catch the fish and place them in
the container. Don't move the fish into the
freshly cleaned trough until the water
temperature has reached the ambient air
temperature. Both types of fish are readily
available at pet stores or Walmart
A very serious
condition called “tying up” can have dire
effects on your horse! This is caused by a
buildup of lactic acid in the system due to
anaerobic exercise. Always make sure your horse
is properly conditioned for the event at hand.
Never let your enthusiasm overshadow your
horse’s well being!
If your horse tends to run out, you can
angle him towards the fence or you can widen your hands on
approach. This makes it harder for him to turn his head in order
to run out. Don’t forget to keep the contact so he knows you
mean business!
If
your horse is showing signs of colic and you are worried about
whether or not he/she has an impaction, but don’t want to call
your vet unnecessarily, try leading them out to your
trailer. That was all I had to do with my horse that still
hadn’t pooped two hours after a shot of Banamine. But as soon as
he saw the trailer he dropped a load in the driveway. Of course
you may have to go as far as actually loading, but that is all
it usually takes. If that doesn’t work - CALL YOUR VET.
If you rinse off your bit immediately after removing
the bridle, the gunk will not harden and the bit will be a lot
nicer for your horse the next time you ride. Who wants to eat
off a dirty plate? In summer when the rains come
from the south or the west, bathe your horse and rinse with a
solution of baking soda to neutralize the acid in the possible
acid rain from the paper mills or whatever. Remember how it
burnt Snoopy!! If
your horse refuses a fence, back him away a couple of
strides and then KICK ON. This way you If
your horse refuses a fence, back him away a couple of
strides and then KICK ON. This way you keep his
attention on the job at hand!keep his
attention on the job at hand!
Next time you
see a rider/horse statue, look at the legs of
the horse. Two front legs off the ground means
the rider died in battle, one leg off the
ground, he died of wounds received in battle,
and all fours on the ground means he died a
natural death. Isn’t that fascinating??
Toothpaste cleans those
nasty white rubber stirrup pads quite nicely.
Questions to
ponder:
1.Which of the following plants are
poisonous: foxglove, dandelion, acorns, garlic, ragwort and/or yew?
2. Apart from being fed according to weight,
work and climate, why would a horse be in poor condition?
3. Why is hill work of great benefit during
fitness training for the horse?
4. What are the benefits of riding
serpentines?
REALLY
looking where you are going is half the battle!!! Know your
destination and the horse will follow.
Some rain
rot/scratches tips:
Liberally douse rain rot scabs with olive oil to
loosen them. Olive oil penetrates better than
other oils and many of the scabs will slide off
within 24 hours. To clean the olive oil out of
the coat use Dawn dish detergent, it's often
used to clean oil spills off of wildlife.
Regular horse shampoo does *not* work. To help
prevent scratches apply a 50-50 mixture of baby
oil and vinegar to the horses legs before riding
on muddy trails or turn out in muddy pastures.
The oil provides a water barrier and the vinegar
changes the surface pH so that the bacteria is
less likely to survive.
Scottie Hefner sent in another tip for rain rot
and scratches. Spray on the infected area a
solution of 1/2 baby oil and 1/2 Listerine.
SKUNKED
If your horse or dog has been hit, here are
some tips to get rid of the smell
#1. If the
eyes are affected, rinse with eye drops or
an eye soothing veterinarian product.
#2. Better
than tomato juice is a mixture of 1 quart of
3% hydrogen peroxide,¼ c. of baking soda and
1tsp liquid soap. Soak the coat, leave it on
for 15 minutes and then rinse.
#3. If any
tack was sprayed, scrub it with tomato
juice, vinegar or weak ammonia. Of course,
this will slightly dry out the tack but,
after it’s dry, make sure to apply liberal
coats of oil or leather restorer.
If
you ride a horse forward with your leg and
use a lighter, quieter seat, he will be able
to round his back and engage his hind legs.
To lighten your seat, put more pressure in
your stirrups.
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