Tip Archive 2012

April 2012

General Safety Tips

Always lean forward under branches on trail rides... never lean back!

Never wear metal-toed boots! Mostly boots with metal are not made to be worn around horses, they are more for dressing up. If a horse steps on your toe, the metal can bend down pinching your toes and it can become stuck and impossible to get your foot out.

Check your tack periodically to make sure it is in good condition. Take maybe a day every month when you will clean and go over your tack, checking buckles, cinches, etc. to make sure they can't break.

Don't loosen your cinch too much because the saddle can slip underneath the horse's belly, scaring him. If you loosen the cinch when you're done riding or you're letting your horse stand tied, make sure it's still tight enough to where it won't slip underneath the belly.

Never loop a lead rope when you lead the horse. The loops can tighten if the horse gets spooked, and they can catch your hand or fingers and cause you to get dragged.

When you have to walk behind a horse (its going to step on something, there's no way for you to get in front, ect.) you should let the horse know you are there and walk close to them with your hand on them. If you are close to them, they will have no room to strike out at you. Normally they only kick when they dont know there is something behind them and they are scared of it.

Whenever you put a saddle on a horse, set the pad & saddle gently about 5 inches above their withers. Then slide it back to smooth all the hair underneath. This makes it much more comfy for the horse!

When walking out into an open field with more than one horse, especially untrust worthy horses, ie. Stallions, make sure to always keep an eye on all of the horses in the field so that, if jealousy occurs between horses, you can get out of the field quickly. Also, if leading back to the barn, sometimes with stallions, lead from the other side of te fence than the horse. It is a lot safer and easier.

Stay 45 degrees from the shoulder when you meet a new horse for the first time. In this postion, you have less chance of getting struck or kicked.

Give your horse a "break day" once a while - a horse that only does work can become disrespectful and unhappy.

Never let your guard down! Don't turn your back on a horse.

When you are trail riding, don't go alone; always ride with someone else!

Don't tie your horse by his reins-- he can pull back and injure his head, neck, or mouth (as well as the bridle).

Be careful where you tie your horse-- I have seen horses tied to old fences pull back & break part of the fence off, then go running wildly as they drag it. Always tie to something that is safe and secure. Always tie a slip knot.

Don't let horses push or rub on you -- if they get used to pushing you around, you could get hurt.

Borrowed from http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/interactive/tip_safe.html

 

March 2012

Fly Spray Recipes – Use at your own risk

Added 5-13-06

I used a variation of the fly sprays:
6 caps full of Skin so Soft
1 cup white vinegar
just a good squirt of Ivory liquid soap
filled a 32 oz Bronco Spray bottle with water
Sprayed it on the horses legs, Flies fell DEAD !!!

Reminder - Consult your vet and use at your own risk.

1 cup vinegar 
1 cup baby oil 
1/4 cup original pinesol 
1 tbs dish soap 
1 tbs skin so soft 
1 cup water 

or

4 oz Skin So Soft
1 oz citronella oil
12 oz vinegar
12 oz water 

Mix all together and it lasts as long as any of the expensive ones do and smells a ton better!  It is also good for their coat. 

U.S. Forest Service Bug Spray Recipe

1 cup water
1 cup Avon Skin So Soft Bath Oil
2 cups vinegar
1 tbs. Eucalyptus oil (found in health food stores)
Optional: few tablespoons of citronella oil. 

 Shake spray bottle well before spraying on horse, human or dog!

The above was borrowed from http://www.moniteausaddleclub.com/flyspray_recipes.htm

 

Feb 2012

Misc. Tips

As you all know.. horses like to groom and be groomed. A magazine article I read suggested that you nail a few old horse brushes (the bristly ones) to the sides of the stall so the horse can rub against them to get at those annoying itches.

A good thing to remember is to always clean and oil your tack/fittings after each ride or as often as possible. This will ensure that everything is in good repair and will help it stay supple to decrease breakage.

A really good friend once told me something, that I will never ever forget. "The only thing predictable about a horse is that it's unpredictable". This is very true! Horses are animals, thereby they have animal instincts.. flight or fight. Always be careful around them!

This is common sense, but PLEASE... for the sake of safety, if you're close to a horse that's lying down... DO NOT stand in front of it or close to its hooves! 1: If a horse rolls, you'll get kicked and hurt, 2: If the horse spooks, you're in the way and in trouble and 3: When a horse gets up, they put their front hooves directly infront of them and push forward and into you - if you're in the way. So, stand away from the front of it and stay close to its back.

Borrowed from http://www.angelfire.com/ga/GeneS/misc.html

 

Jan 2012

Okay, so you've thought and thought again about 'that' horse... but are you really sure he/shes right for you??? This page is dedicated to helping you figure that out.

There are many places to look to find the right horse for you. Here are some ideas to get your 'creative juices' flowing: friends, local horse shows, barns/stables, internet, auctions (Be VERY, VERY careful with auctions) and humane socities. But where ever you decide to look, just remember to ask questions and if the horse you're looking at isn't right for you, don't be afraid to say No!

MYTH: "If you buy a young untrained horse for a young uneducated rider, they will 'grow' together" This is untrue in most cases... it will only lead to disappointment. The uneducated rider will get frustrated because the horse is not doing what the rider is asking, and the horse will get frustrated because he/she does not know what is being asked.

Ad Says / Ad Means

http://www.angelfire.com/ga/GeneS/buyhorse.html