I ALWAYS feel so much better when the barn and runs are clean?
They really weren't all THAT dirty, but as I was putting the electric tapes back up and closing stall doors, I looked out across the runs and felt a HUGE sense of accomplishment....
FROM PICKING UP HORSE POOP!!!!
Dobbs and Millie were turned out together in the first run. Dobbs is the "Ladies Man", not really caring who he's turned out with, though he likes sorrels best. Millie spent a few minutes playing and running with Angel, who was in the next run.
It was pretty short lived because both were STARVING and set to finding grass right away. Dobbs just rolled his eyes and started grazing straight off!
Squirrel is on the other side of Angel and I think she ran down and then back and that was enough! Time to eat!
Jazzy and Honey were is the last run. These two girls entertained me for most of the time I was out raking and shoveling. I'd hear the thuder of their hoof beats and have to stop and watch. They spent almost an hour playing! Then they stood up by the gate and did the mutual wither scratching thing that horses do.
I came into the house and ate a late lunch (who knew it would take me almost 4 hours!) and took a shower. The "kids" all had their late lunch before me and are now taking their afternoon naps.
**SIGH** It's been a GREAT day!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Feeding the Hard Keeper
This subject has come up a LOT lately on various discussion boards, especially going into winter. There are as many theories as there are replies, but I would like to share mine. It’s really pretty simple, depending on what you are feeding for.
The Hard Keeper – First, I try to figure out WHY a horse is a hard keeper. Teeth? Nerves? Picky? Over-worked? Under fed?
Teeth – Even without an exam, you can tell if it’s the teeth. Just look at the poop. (I know…eeeewwww) But really, what does it look like? Are the “apples” tight smooth balls? Or does it look like someone tried to press wet grass clippings into a ball? If it’s the later, there’s a good chance that you need some dental work done. This can range anywhere to $150 to $400 and up. I know I don’t have that kind of cash laying around, especially if I just acquired the horse. So I save up and try different feeding methods to get the weight on and keep it there until I can’t get them to an equine dentist.
Nerves – Joy was a classic case. This mare paced and fretted and paces some more ALL DAY LONG. She never laid down to rest or sleep EVER. It was constant motion with her. She most likely also had an ulcer, for which she was treated. She gained the most weight and was the most relaxed when she was turned out with two other TB mare to boss around.
Picky Eater – I don’t have one of these, but my neighbor does. He has to have everything “just so” or he’ll drop weight. Since he is a barrel racer and needs to stay up to weight and in condition, she accommodates him.
Over-worked – as the amount of exercise and work increase, so should the quantity of feed. Pretty much a no brainer here.
Under-fed – another no-brainer! If you double the chow and the horse gains weight, here’s your sign… You weren’t feeding enough!
Feeding a horse up – So, for whatever reason, you’ve got a horse that is under weight and it’s now late-November. Winter is here. You do NOT have 2 or 3 months to get weight on the horse! You need to pack the weight on NOW!
So what do I do?
First – Double the hay rations, am and pm. If the horse is wasting the hay, either he’s a messy pig, he can’t chew it, or he’s picky. This is always my first course of action.
Second – Add a complete feed. I prefer Purina Strategy. It provide 250 calories more per pound than Equine Senior. They have a formula for Grass hay or alfalfa hay, to prevent inverting the calcium/phosphorus ratio. It soaks and crumbles very easily – which is a benefit for horses with teeth problems. I will start a thin/skinny horse on 6 pound per day, 3 pounds in the morning, 3 pounds in the evening.
Third – I buy and feed Purina Amplify. I just found this product this year and I LOVE IT!!!! It has 30% soluble fat content and will pack weight on a horse faster than ANYTHING I know of! I start the horses on 2 pound per day, split between AM and PM feedings. For horses that are “a little ribby”, a week is all they need, then they can be cut back. For horses in worse shape, I’ll feed it longer and will adjust the amount according to how they are gaining weight. (It doesn’t take very long…TRUST ME!)
Fourth – Alfalfa pellet. They soak easily and are “pre-chewed” for the teeth problems.
Fifth – Beet pulp. I like to soak it. I can add all the other pellets and feeds into it. If the horse is of the opinion that I’m trying to poison it, I’ll add apple sauce to make it more palatable.
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)– Do your research. There are anti-inflammatory benefits, it’ll flush the kidneys, AND it will mask the flavor of those “yucky” things that we add to make the horse healthy that they are sure is poison. I pour Distilled ACV in the waterers and tubs twice a week. For the horses that I haul, the ACV will mask the taste of the water in a new place.
I DO NOT add corn oil or rice bran. Though some people swear by them, they have a high glycemic index (high carb/sugar). The best oil to add is Flaxseed Oil (marketed as Linseed Oil) or Canola Oil. But with oil, you’re adding fat, right? This is where I LOVE the Amplify.
Lastly, free access to loose minerals and a salt block with selenium (because I live in the selenium deficient Pacific Northwest)
I have used Necessity with Glucosamine and MSM and I LOVE it! I just can’t afford it at $110 per gallon.
I just ordered a new supplement called Seabuck. I’ll take before pictures of Squirrel and Dobbs and post them here. In 30 days, I’ll take another photo. Then again in another 30 days. What better test that to see a “change” in winter?
The Hard Keeper – First, I try to figure out WHY a horse is a hard keeper. Teeth? Nerves? Picky? Over-worked? Under fed?
Teeth – Even without an exam, you can tell if it’s the teeth. Just look at the poop. (I know…eeeewwww) But really, what does it look like? Are the “apples” tight smooth balls? Or does it look like someone tried to press wet grass clippings into a ball? If it’s the later, there’s a good chance that you need some dental work done. This can range anywhere to $150 to $400 and up. I know I don’t have that kind of cash laying around, especially if I just acquired the horse. So I save up and try different feeding methods to get the weight on and keep it there until I can’t get them to an equine dentist.
Nerves – Joy was a classic case. This mare paced and fretted and paces some more ALL DAY LONG. She never laid down to rest or sleep EVER. It was constant motion with her. She most likely also had an ulcer, for which she was treated. She gained the most weight and was the most relaxed when she was turned out with two other TB mare to boss around.
Picky Eater – I don’t have one of these, but my neighbor does. He has to have everything “just so” or he’ll drop weight. Since he is a barrel racer and needs to stay up to weight and in condition, she accommodates him.
Over-worked – as the amount of exercise and work increase, so should the quantity of feed. Pretty much a no brainer here.
Under-fed – another no-brainer! If you double the chow and the horse gains weight, here’s your sign… You weren’t feeding enough!
Feeding a horse up – So, for whatever reason, you’ve got a horse that is under weight and it’s now late-November. Winter is here. You do NOT have 2 or 3 months to get weight on the horse! You need to pack the weight on NOW!
So what do I do?
First – Double the hay rations, am and pm. If the horse is wasting the hay, either he’s a messy pig, he can’t chew it, or he’s picky. This is always my first course of action.
Second – Add a complete feed. I prefer Purina Strategy. It provide 250 calories more per pound than Equine Senior. They have a formula for Grass hay or alfalfa hay, to prevent inverting the calcium/phosphorus ratio. It soaks and crumbles very easily – which is a benefit for horses with teeth problems. I will start a thin/skinny horse on 6 pound per day, 3 pounds in the morning, 3 pounds in the evening.
Third – I buy and feed Purina Amplify. I just found this product this year and I LOVE IT!!!! It has 30% soluble fat content and will pack weight on a horse faster than ANYTHING I know of! I start the horses on 2 pound per day, split between AM and PM feedings. For horses that are “a little ribby”, a week is all they need, then they can be cut back. For horses in worse shape, I’ll feed it longer and will adjust the amount according to how they are gaining weight. (It doesn’t take very long…TRUST ME!)
Fourth – Alfalfa pellet. They soak easily and are “pre-chewed” for the teeth problems.
Fifth – Beet pulp. I like to soak it. I can add all the other pellets and feeds into it. If the horse is of the opinion that I’m trying to poison it, I’ll add apple sauce to make it more palatable.
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)– Do your research. There are anti-inflammatory benefits, it’ll flush the kidneys, AND it will mask the flavor of those “yucky” things that we add to make the horse healthy that they are sure is poison. I pour Distilled ACV in the waterers and tubs twice a week. For the horses that I haul, the ACV will mask the taste of the water in a new place.
I DO NOT add corn oil or rice bran. Though some people swear by them, they have a high glycemic index (high carb/sugar). The best oil to add is Flaxseed Oil (marketed as Linseed Oil) or Canola Oil. But with oil, you’re adding fat, right? This is where I LOVE the Amplify.
Lastly, free access to loose minerals and a salt block with selenium (because I live in the selenium deficient Pacific Northwest)
I have used Necessity with Glucosamine and MSM and I LOVE it! I just can’t afford it at $110 per gallon.
I just ordered a new supplement called Seabuck. I’ll take before pictures of Squirrel and Dobbs and post them here. In 30 days, I’ll take another photo. Then again in another 30 days. What better test that to see a “change” in winter?
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
An Exercise in Futility
Sometimes, horse owners really piss me off!
I have always been totally upfront and honest about horses I have for sale. I tell the good, the bad, and the ugly. There have been MANY times that prospective buyers have walked away, but hey, at least they had all the facts up front!
I just got back from a three day trip to the Seattle area. A gal over there had a nice, BROKE, paint gelding that she wanted to trade for Jazzy. This gelding was dead broke, easy, blah, blah, blah…
So I load this mare that has been rarely hauled, is nervous in the trailer, for a 5 hour drive on day one, 2 two hour drives on day two, and 5 hours back home on day three. The mare was stressed, but for the most part, she did very well for a rarely hauled, green broke 7 yr old.
So I get to work with this BROKE gelding. I dropped his halter to put on his bridle and he steps into me and over me, heading God knows where. I squawked at him, got him stopped, and then got the bridle on him. She says, “What happened?” I told her and she says, “He’s never done that.”
So now he’s got the bridle on. The bit is a Myler, level one, 3 piece snaffle with 3 inch shank. Very soft. The gelding is still trying to walk off, so I stop him. He hauls back and rears like I just hauled back on his mouth. I yelled, “HEY!” She says, “What happened?” I told her and she says, “He’s never done that.” Hmmm….seems like a pattern starting here.
So I climb on him. He’s not nearly as broke in the face as I expected for a 16 yr old BROKE ex-showhorse, but hey, he’s been laid off for a few weeks. (In my opinion, he shouldn’t be THAT rusty.) Anyway, he’s got a decent headset, arched his neck and was SLOW… and off. He felt off, but I couldn’t tell where. It took a LOT of motion and action in the saddle to get him moving into a trot. It was slow, but it felt funny.
But he didn’t do anything bad, so I had Mike get on him and trot him. He LOOKED off, but I couldn’t tell where. The more we rode him, the more resistant to trotting he became. She says, “What’s going on?” I told her “He’s off”, and she says, “He’s never been off before.” After an hour, this horse was hard to get into a WALK. Either she doesn’t know what a lame horse looks like, or she doesn’t know what the TRUTH is…
She offered to give me spurs. We declined. Neither Mike nor I own spurs, have never used spurs, and it would have been a disaster in the making for us to put them on. I opted instead for a little “poppy stick” that I use sometimes for motivation. I tapped him, which he ignored. I got more insistent, which he ignored. I popped him a good one, which he kicked out at and pinned his ears. At this point, I got off and led him back to the trailer and stripped my tack.
She came riding over on Jazzy. She says, “What happened?” I told her and she says, “He’s never done that.”
I’m thinking “Of course not.” But I said instead, “We’re going to pass. There is something wrong with him. He needs to see a lameness vet.”
She said, “He’s just lazy.”
I’ve been on a lazy horse before. He was LAZY! I was exhaust after 30 minutes. BUT…he was consistently lazy. This guy… he started out lazy but willing, and got progressively more resistant as time passed. Probably because the bute was wearing off… I mean after all, we got lost and were over an hour late.
We came away with a very bad taste in our mouths. We were angry that she thought we were stupid and tried to shuck a lame horse over onto us. I still don’t know what is wrong with this gelding. But I do know that he is in pain. And his owner is an ASSHAT!
I have always been totally upfront and honest about horses I have for sale. I tell the good, the bad, and the ugly. There have been MANY times that prospective buyers have walked away, but hey, at least they had all the facts up front!
I just got back from a three day trip to the Seattle area. A gal over there had a nice, BROKE, paint gelding that she wanted to trade for Jazzy. This gelding was dead broke, easy, blah, blah, blah…
So I load this mare that has been rarely hauled, is nervous in the trailer, for a 5 hour drive on day one, 2 two hour drives on day two, and 5 hours back home on day three. The mare was stressed, but for the most part, she did very well for a rarely hauled, green broke 7 yr old.
So I get to work with this BROKE gelding. I dropped his halter to put on his bridle and he steps into me and over me, heading God knows where. I squawked at him, got him stopped, and then got the bridle on him. She says, “What happened?” I told her and she says, “He’s never done that.”
So now he’s got the bridle on. The bit is a Myler, level one, 3 piece snaffle with 3 inch shank. Very soft. The gelding is still trying to walk off, so I stop him. He hauls back and rears like I just hauled back on his mouth. I yelled, “HEY!” She says, “What happened?” I told her and she says, “He’s never done that.” Hmmm….seems like a pattern starting here.
So I climb on him. He’s not nearly as broke in the face as I expected for a 16 yr old BROKE ex-showhorse, but hey, he’s been laid off for a few weeks. (In my opinion, he shouldn’t be THAT rusty.) Anyway, he’s got a decent headset, arched his neck and was SLOW… and off. He felt off, but I couldn’t tell where. It took a LOT of motion and action in the saddle to get him moving into a trot. It was slow, but it felt funny.
But he didn’t do anything bad, so I had Mike get on him and trot him. He LOOKED off, but I couldn’t tell where. The more we rode him, the more resistant to trotting he became. She says, “What’s going on?” I told her “He’s off”, and she says, “He’s never been off before.” After an hour, this horse was hard to get into a WALK. Either she doesn’t know what a lame horse looks like, or she doesn’t know what the TRUTH is…
She offered to give me spurs. We declined. Neither Mike nor I own spurs, have never used spurs, and it would have been a disaster in the making for us to put them on. I opted instead for a little “poppy stick” that I use sometimes for motivation. I tapped him, which he ignored. I got more insistent, which he ignored. I popped him a good one, which he kicked out at and pinned his ears. At this point, I got off and led him back to the trailer and stripped my tack.
She came riding over on Jazzy. She says, “What happened?” I told her and she says, “He’s never done that.”
I’m thinking “Of course not.” But I said instead, “We’re going to pass. There is something wrong with him. He needs to see a lameness vet.”
She said, “He’s just lazy.”
I’ve been on a lazy horse before. He was LAZY! I was exhaust after 30 minutes. BUT…he was consistently lazy. This guy… he started out lazy but willing, and got progressively more resistant as time passed. Probably because the bute was wearing off… I mean after all, we got lost and were over an hour late.
We came away with a very bad taste in our mouths. We were angry that she thought we were stupid and tried to shuck a lame horse over onto us. I still don’t know what is wrong with this gelding. But I do know that he is in pain. And his owner is an ASSHAT!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
NO HOOF, NO HORSE (Updated)
Today’s blog is in response to questions posed by a reader. The response got so long, I gave it it’s own topic.
Overall, a lot of foot problems are directly related to nutrition problems. The horse is not getting something that they need to grow a strong hoof. And true some of it is genetic. (Not unlike humans – my fingernails are thin and brittle)
Angel
Angel is an Appaloosa with 4 white feet. Her feet are made out of some nasty material that vaguely resembles hooves. I have ALWAYS had problems with her feet. Last summer was the worst. My farrier was at my house every other day for three weeks. On time, I stepped on the side of her hoof and my weight alone pulled the shoes off. Lots of glue and nails later, we were FINALLY able to keep the shoes on her. However, there was NO WAY that I could ride her. I just couldn’t take the chance.
Also, Angel’s front right hoof was “clubby”. It was oblong, rather than being more “rounded” and grew threw the heel, rather than the toe. At it’s worst, it was contracting with the walls almost vertical.
What did I do? My farrier suggested Biotin. He warned me that it would make her feet grow faster, but if I could get STRONGER, I was cool with that.
I started looking around for biotin supplements. There are a BAZILLION products out there. I chose HorseGuard Biotin X2. It has 32 mg of biotin per ounce. This is important to note. There were some out there that said 64 mg per SERVING, which ended up being a cup or more. The HorseGuard gave me the best concentrated dose that I could find, and the horse loved it. It’s in a corn meal base, comes with a one ounce scoop and it’s easy to feed. AND….IT WORKS!!
Six weeks later, when the farrier came to trim, we both noticed that the newest growth below the coronary band was thicker than the hoof wall. The clubby hoof’s new growth seemed to be more flared. Another, totally unexpected side effect of the biotin – HER TAIL GREW 6 INCHES!!!!!! She has always had the classic appy broomtail that never reached her hocks. It’s not a whole lot thicker, but it IS longer.
When I started Angel on the biotin, I was giving her 2 ounces every day, am and pm. I did this for 6 months. Then I cut her back to one ounce for 6 months. In May 2008, there was a discussion on a barrel racing board that I frequent about feet. A gal who also has cutting horses said that they feed all their horses dry milk because in their competition, they have to have feet.
So I added the dry milk to help the wall grow even thicker. It is working, but the thicker part hasn’t reach the bottom, so it hasn’t been trimmed off yet.
There is also a product from Silver Lining Herbs for Hoof and Feet. It increases the circulation and helps the hoof grow healthy. They say it is also good for treating navicular and founder. I have not used this product, but I HAVE used other of their products and have noticed a difference each time with each horse I used them on. I can go into this more in another post if you would like to know my experiences.
So, biotin for QUICK, dry milk for THICK.
UPDATE - Su-per Sole Formula aka - Sole Solution (On the bottle it says "The Sole Solution" That's why I was confused, sorry)– it’s this stinky brown liquid that comes in a little squeezey bottle. When the farrier trims out the sole, he takes off the callus that develops over time. This “opens” the sole. It’s like trying to grow out your fingernails, then cutting them back. Your fingertips are sore for a couple of days, right? Same with a horse. More so if he’s had shoes on, and now is going barefoot. A real short pre-winter trim compounds it.
Sole Solution “tightens” the sole. It cause the sole to contract and close itself off. It will work as a moisture block to a certain degree. I use it in conjunction with Tuf Stuff, which seals the cracks and nails holes, and hardens the hoof wall.
I’ve been told that it can take up to a full year to transition a horse from being shod to barefoot. I feel that barefoot is truly best for the horse. In the barefoot hoof, the sole flexes up and down to support the coffin bone, and the hoof walls which seem hard and rigid, flex also, though to a lesser degree. When you put a metal show on the hoof, the wall flexation stops, while the sole flexation continues. The hoof no longer works as nature intended it to.
Transition
I recently heard about the Easy Walker (aka Mare Jordans)
They are a synthetic shoe, can be reset up to 5 times, allow the sole to callus while allowing the hoof to flex. There are riders of all disciplines using these shoes. Talk to your farrier about them. They require a special tool and special nails, but I understand that it’s a fairly easy step from tradition shoes to the Easy Walkers.
Overall, a lot of foot problems are directly related to nutrition problems. The horse is not getting something that they need to grow a strong hoof. And true some of it is genetic. (Not unlike humans – my fingernails are thin and brittle)
Angel
Angel is an Appaloosa with 4 white feet. Her feet are made out of some nasty material that vaguely resembles hooves. I have ALWAYS had problems with her feet. Last summer was the worst. My farrier was at my house every other day for three weeks. On time, I stepped on the side of her hoof and my weight alone pulled the shoes off. Lots of glue and nails later, we were FINALLY able to keep the shoes on her. However, there was NO WAY that I could ride her. I just couldn’t take the chance.
Also, Angel’s front right hoof was “clubby”. It was oblong, rather than being more “rounded” and grew threw the heel, rather than the toe. At it’s worst, it was contracting with the walls almost vertical.
What did I do? My farrier suggested Biotin. He warned me that it would make her feet grow faster, but if I could get STRONGER, I was cool with that.
I started looking around for biotin supplements. There are a BAZILLION products out there. I chose HorseGuard Biotin X2. It has 32 mg of biotin per ounce. This is important to note. There were some out there that said 64 mg per SERVING, which ended up being a cup or more. The HorseGuard gave me the best concentrated dose that I could find, and the horse loved it. It’s in a corn meal base, comes with a one ounce scoop and it’s easy to feed. AND….IT WORKS!!
Six weeks later, when the farrier came to trim, we both noticed that the newest growth below the coronary band was thicker than the hoof wall. The clubby hoof’s new growth seemed to be more flared. Another, totally unexpected side effect of the biotin – HER TAIL GREW 6 INCHES!!!!!! She has always had the classic appy broomtail that never reached her hocks. It’s not a whole lot thicker, but it IS longer.
When I started Angel on the biotin, I was giving her 2 ounces every day, am and pm. I did this for 6 months. Then I cut her back to one ounce for 6 months. In May 2008, there was a discussion on a barrel racing board that I frequent about feet. A gal who also has cutting horses said that they feed all their horses dry milk because in their competition, they have to have feet.
So I added the dry milk to help the wall grow even thicker. It is working, but the thicker part hasn’t reach the bottom, so it hasn’t been trimmed off yet.
There is also a product from Silver Lining Herbs for Hoof and Feet. It increases the circulation and helps the hoof grow healthy. They say it is also good for treating navicular and founder. I have not used this product, but I HAVE used other of their products and have noticed a difference each time with each horse I used them on. I can go into this more in another post if you would like to know my experiences.
So, biotin for QUICK, dry milk for THICK.
UPDATE - Su-per Sole Formula aka - Sole Solution (On the bottle it says "The Sole Solution" That's why I was confused, sorry)– it’s this stinky brown liquid that comes in a little squeezey bottle. When the farrier trims out the sole, he takes off the callus that develops over time. This “opens” the sole. It’s like trying to grow out your fingernails, then cutting them back. Your fingertips are sore for a couple of days, right? Same with a horse. More so if he’s had shoes on, and now is going barefoot. A real short pre-winter trim compounds it.
Sole Solution “tightens” the sole. It cause the sole to contract and close itself off. It will work as a moisture block to a certain degree. I use it in conjunction with Tuf Stuff, which seals the cracks and nails holes, and hardens the hoof wall.
I’ve been told that it can take up to a full year to transition a horse from being shod to barefoot. I feel that barefoot is truly best for the horse. In the barefoot hoof, the sole flexes up and down to support the coffin bone, and the hoof walls which seem hard and rigid, flex also, though to a lesser degree. When you put a metal show on the hoof, the wall flexation stops, while the sole flexation continues. The hoof no longer works as nature intended it to.
Transition
I recently heard about the Easy Walker (aka Mare Jordans)
They are a synthetic shoe, can be reset up to 5 times, allow the sole to callus while allowing the hoof to flex. There are riders of all disciplines using these shoes. Talk to your farrier about them. They require a special tool and special nails, but I understand that it’s a fairly easy step from tradition shoes to the Easy Walkers.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Trailering
This coming weekend involves a 5 hours drive to the other side of Washington State and two horses. So I thought I’d talk about a few things and the way that I do it. If you do things different, fine.
To Tie or Not To Tie
Four years ago, right after I bought my darling Angel (aka The Spotted Donkey), I loaded up to go to a lesson. I led her in, tied her with the tie strap, and as I stepped back to close the divider, she freaked out, sat down, and shook her head, rocking the trailer and raising a ruckus. The heavy duty snap on the tie strap failed at the trailer, swung around and hit me in the middle of my forehead, knocking me back, and 1100 pounds of frightened appaloosa rolled backward, over the top of me, and out of the trailer. Surprisingly, other than the monstrous goose egg that was under the split in my forehead, I was uninjured. I got very lucky that day. The horse was also uninjured, and 30 minutes later, loaded back into the trailer and we went to the lesson.
One of the gals at the lesson shared me a “DUH!” moment, though she didn’t come off that way. She said, “If you close the divider first, THEN tie her in, she has nothing to pull back against.
Hmm….OK… My trailer is a Circle J Outback, three-horse slant load. There’s a long low window on the butt side with plexiglass that slides out. On the head side, there are drop down window, with bar grills. There is no running board to step up on, on the wheel well, and it’s hard to reach the first slot. So it’s very cumbersome to load the horse, then go outside to tie the head up, especially if the horse has her head down either looking under the divider, or searching for the cookie that got dropped while loading.
So, when I trailer, I don’t tie the horses in. I tie the lead rope around their neck so that they look like those cavalry horses of old, minus the saddle. While trailer is stopped, the horses can drop their heads, clear their sinuses, whatever.
Shaving or Not
Normally, not. By normally, I mean short rides of an hour or less. Anything over that, yes, I’ll put some shavings on the butt side only. I won’t use pellets because they’re too slippery on a solid surface. Just the shaving, and then, not very much.
Windows Open or Not
DEFINITELY NOT! There is so much crap on the road that can so easily be flipped up and hit them in the face. I know there are screens that you can buy that will offer SOME protection, but in my opinion, not enough. The windows on my trailer have slider windows that are screened that only open 4 inches. A neighbor puts fly masks on her horses but runs everywhere with her windows open. Still not good enough for me. Besides, would YOU like air blowing in your face the whole trip? This means 5 hours of cold wind blowing in your face while only short stops (mom’s potty breaks).
Some people ask, “What about ventilation?” I have roof vents over every hole. The front one is opened to the front to catch the air. The other two are opened to the back to dispel the air. Also, I keep the buttside open (plexiglass removed). PLENTY of ventilation! Even so, when I picked up Honey and Heddy in January, they still were warm in the trailer, to the point where their wet hide was steaming when we stopped to fuel up.
Clean Out
After EVERY trip. And if they pee’d in there, it get hosed out and the underside sprayed down. Once a year, the floor boards are inspected at the dealership to ensure there isn’t any dry rot starting.
Other Safety
The pin - We have a locking pin that hold the stinger in the receiver. I’ve heard nightmare stories about idiots and a$$hole pulling the pin.
The chains – I twist the chains on themselves to shorten them, then cross them to attach. That way, if ever, God forbid, that the hitch comes off the ball, it will land in the cradle created by the chains.
The tires – On May 17, 2008, we had a tire on the trailer separate on the highway going 70 miles per hour. A 7 inch piece of rubber was flung AHEAD of us, hit out windshield, and landed in the bed of our truck. Luckily, we were empty, so we weren’t stranded on the highway with a horse. What we learn was that it costs about $600 to put 4 new tires on our trailer. We also learned that if the trailer is going to sit on the south side of the barn, we should probably put up some plywood to block the sun from beating directly on the tires. Out of the four original tires, all but one had separated. Only one had failed. We also found out that we still hadn’t bought a spare. So, one wheel and 4 new tires later, we were back in business.
Start and Stop - Slowly! Early! Gently! I totally recommend that you get someone to drive around while you stand in the back of your trailer. That’s what your horse goes through. Some people even have cameras that relay to a laptop so they can watch their horses throughout the ride.
Hug your horses and be safe!
To Tie or Not To Tie
Four years ago, right after I bought my darling Angel (aka The Spotted Donkey), I loaded up to go to a lesson. I led her in, tied her with the tie strap, and as I stepped back to close the divider, she freaked out, sat down, and shook her head, rocking the trailer and raising a ruckus. The heavy duty snap on the tie strap failed at the trailer, swung around and hit me in the middle of my forehead, knocking me back, and 1100 pounds of frightened appaloosa rolled backward, over the top of me, and out of the trailer. Surprisingly, other than the monstrous goose egg that was under the split in my forehead, I was uninjured. I got very lucky that day. The horse was also uninjured, and 30 minutes later, loaded back into the trailer and we went to the lesson.
One of the gals at the lesson shared me a “DUH!” moment, though she didn’t come off that way. She said, “If you close the divider first, THEN tie her in, she has nothing to pull back against.
Hmm….OK… My trailer is a Circle J Outback, three-horse slant load. There’s a long low window on the butt side with plexiglass that slides out. On the head side, there are drop down window, with bar grills. There is no running board to step up on, on the wheel well, and it’s hard to reach the first slot. So it’s very cumbersome to load the horse, then go outside to tie the head up, especially if the horse has her head down either looking under the divider, or searching for the cookie that got dropped while loading.
So, when I trailer, I don’t tie the horses in. I tie the lead rope around their neck so that they look like those cavalry horses of old, minus the saddle. While trailer is stopped, the horses can drop their heads, clear their sinuses, whatever.
Shaving or Not
Normally, not. By normally, I mean short rides of an hour or less. Anything over that, yes, I’ll put some shavings on the butt side only. I won’t use pellets because they’re too slippery on a solid surface. Just the shaving, and then, not very much.
Windows Open or Not
DEFINITELY NOT! There is so much crap on the road that can so easily be flipped up and hit them in the face. I know there are screens that you can buy that will offer SOME protection, but in my opinion, not enough. The windows on my trailer have slider windows that are screened that only open 4 inches. A neighbor puts fly masks on her horses but runs everywhere with her windows open. Still not good enough for me. Besides, would YOU like air blowing in your face the whole trip? This means 5 hours of cold wind blowing in your face while only short stops (mom’s potty breaks).
Some people ask, “What about ventilation?” I have roof vents over every hole. The front one is opened to the front to catch the air. The other two are opened to the back to dispel the air. Also, I keep the buttside open (plexiglass removed). PLENTY of ventilation! Even so, when I picked up Honey and Heddy in January, they still were warm in the trailer, to the point where their wet hide was steaming when we stopped to fuel up.
Clean Out
After EVERY trip. And if they pee’d in there, it get hosed out and the underside sprayed down. Once a year, the floor boards are inspected at the dealership to ensure there isn’t any dry rot starting.
Other Safety
The pin - We have a locking pin that hold the stinger in the receiver. I’ve heard nightmare stories about idiots and a$$hole pulling the pin.
The chains – I twist the chains on themselves to shorten them, then cross them to attach. That way, if ever, God forbid, that the hitch comes off the ball, it will land in the cradle created by the chains.
The tires – On May 17, 2008, we had a tire on the trailer separate on the highway going 70 miles per hour. A 7 inch piece of rubber was flung AHEAD of us, hit out windshield, and landed in the bed of our truck. Luckily, we were empty, so we weren’t stranded on the highway with a horse. What we learn was that it costs about $600 to put 4 new tires on our trailer. We also learned that if the trailer is going to sit on the south side of the barn, we should probably put up some plywood to block the sun from beating directly on the tires. Out of the four original tires, all but one had separated. Only one had failed. We also found out that we still hadn’t bought a spare. So, one wheel and 4 new tires later, we were back in business.
Start and Stop - Slowly! Early! Gently! I totally recommend that you get someone to drive around while you stand in the back of your trailer. That’s what your horse goes through. Some people even have cameras that relay to a laptop so they can watch their horses throughout the ride.
Hug your horses and be safe!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)