STOCKYARD
HORSE  DISCUSSION FORUMS

Marianne

Thought it might be useful to share useful tidbits of info that would make our horsey lives easier. Things we've found, been told along the way. I'll start it off with.

If your horse has a splinter or a foriegn object in its body that needs encouragement to leave. Magnaplasm is sensational, from the chemist. My horse had a grass seed of some description in his jaw. It must have been lodged in his gum and got an absess. The seed had worked its way through his jaw and was attempting to germinate under his jaw line. The whole right side of his face was swollen and he couldn't chew. I was told about Magnaplasm, I dressed the location under his jaw and left it overnight. The next morning you could see how the infection had dropped down to just the curve of his jaw where the Magnaplasm was. Took the dressing off and it was ozzing, then the best bit. I gave him a carrot.... well the action of the jaw moving made it irrupt and you should have seen the pus poor out like someone had turned a tap on. It was great. I stood there giving him carrots until it stopped then redressed it and continued. He was of course on penicillin as well but hey pretty nifty trick. Took ages to heal as it was quite a hole the seed had made.

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They give us more joy then sadness. What sadness they do give us can never outweigh the joy*

Sassy

handy tip from me -
got extremely nasty knots in your mane or tail? I'm not talking tangles, I am talking things you'd get the scissors out for...

CRC or WD40 - just spray it in and out come the knots, dont use a comb or brush, just untangle with your hands. seems odd, but trust me - we've had some nasties in the past and it never fails plus leaves it nice and shiny!

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Marianne

Use a shedding blade, they come in lots of sizes. You can get them from Pet shops with long teeth on one side and short the other. Sensational way to get rid of that winter coat when they start to moult. No more dead arm from the curry comb.
The side with the small teeth is great to use on the inside of rugs to remove hair.
This is what it looks like

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They give us more joy then sadness. What sadness they do give us can never outweigh the joy*

Veronika

Every horse I've met gets extremely itchy when they moult esp their winter coat.
I grab the leaf rake. It might take a couple of minutes of persuasion but most horses quickly get over the fact that you have a "stick" in your hands once you start scratching. Because it's plastic, it's hard to scratch too hard and you don't get covered in hair.
Works a treat. At that time of year, as soon as I pick up the rake my boy lines up at the gate!

I've also made abscess boots out of the inner tube of tyres. very cheap to make - only really need some elastic and velcro and either a good sewing machine or do it by hand.

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To ride like the wind is to know how to fly

Remaani

I use pop top lids on my shampoo bottles, makes life easier, i buy in bulk & put Glo-White & shampoo in smaller bottles & then add a pop top lid, great show show day!

A hack saw blade is good for pulling out a winter coat.

Mr Sheen for a coat shine spray.

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Long walk... Short Jetty

Marianne

The chemist has a dressing called Fixamol it's a second skin they use for burns etc.

Wash and dry the wound making sure it is clean and free of any foreign bodies. Once area is bone dry cut a piece big enough to cover the wound, peal and stick the Fixamol over the area (it will not stick if the area is even slightly damp). This stays on the area until it falls off by itself. You can continue washing the area with betadene or whatever through the skin but it stops anything getting in and flys etc.

Quite a useful product.

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They give us more joy then sadness. What sadness they do give us can never outweigh the joy*

Marianne

Wear your riding gloves to remove rugs.

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They give us more joy then sadness. What sadness they do give us can never outweigh the joy*

Naomi

I've got one. Save your yoghurt tubs, they make good feed scoops. Or cut the cordial bottles in half, that gives you the equivalent to a plastic scoop RRP $9.95! Pffft!

Clean your bit with toothpaste, the abrasiveness helps...this also works well in grey tails.

Um....buy a bay, not a grey, then you dont have to wash them as often! (sorry, i'm doped up on cold and flu tablets...my jokes will deteriorate...stop reading now)

Well, you've been warned.

Dont spend hundreds on dressage lessons, if you want to teach you're horse the Spanish Walk, just put 4 float boots on him for the first time. Worked a treat with my boy! hahaha


You're still reading?

Dont want your horse irratated by flies whilst you're riding him? Dunk you're helmet in manure before putting it on! hahaha, i'm off to bed now.

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Check out my horsey pics at http://community.webshots.com/user/countryzcallinme

SMR

Ha ha - I'm still laughing about the Spanish Walk - My boy still does it for the first couple of strides even though he's had float boots on many times.

Naomi

Silly, silly animals....still, life wouldnt be the same without their antics...

My blue heeler has taken to nipping at my horses heels lately. I caught her red handed yesterday and standing right in front of Jessie, my horse, i yelled at her. Jessie didnt move a muscle, just stood there not even flinching (i used my masculine GRRRR voice....very scary) and then tossed his head at the dog as if to say "Yeah....mum caught you...not so smart now are ya!"

It always amazes me how they seem to know who you're talking to. I can growl at a dog or livestock whilst i'm riding Jess and as long as i stroke his neck with my finger, he couldnt care less!

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Check out my horsey pics at http://community.webshots.com/user/countryzcallinme