I see all too often people go the barn, talk, feed and then come up with excuses for not riding their horse; I don’t have time, it is too hot, he is not in a good mood, he looks sore, his hoof is chipped, it is too windy, too many people are around, the tractor is working and it scares my horse, by the time I saddle up I will have only few minutes to ride, my horse seems lazy, my horse has a cough, and so on. A ten-minute ride a day is much better than a two hour ride on one or two days. Saddle up, even if you just sit on your horse and talk or walk to get the mail. Little short rides teach the horse that not every time you saddle up, he gets worked hard. Short and pleasant rides, where the horse is not worked that hard are great for you and the horse. No pressure, no fuss or frustration and spend some time in the saddle. So, stop making excuses and ride your horse. For most people it takes seven years for them to get one year’s ride time on their horse. Short rides teach a horse that when it gets saddled it does not mean they are going to get ridden for miles.
How to Pick Feet
Pick and clean your horse’s feet in good fresh mud. Fresh mud is the best thing to be in the frog area. This will help prevent thrush and other bacteria from damaging the hoof. The mud acts like a padded protective barrier against stones and other debris. If you smell a foul odor when picking the feet, it could indicate the start of thrush. Spraying a little bleach and water (50/50 mix) in the frog once a week or so will help kill bacteria and help prevent thrush. Don’t forget to pick your horse’s feet before you ride, before you trailer, anytime they are brought in from pasture or before turnout.
How to Eliminate Stickers from the Mane and Tail
Most everyone knows that WD40 is a good spray lubricant that will loosen most things. Well, it has another really good use. For those of you that live in an area with stickers, burdocks or other pesky things that get stuck in your horse mane or tail, WD40 works great. Spray down the tail and stickers, let it soak for a minute or so and they slide right out with ease. This prevents pulling out all the hair or cutting and is less painful for the horse. Baby oil works good too and will help make the hair shine.
Provided by Creatures Corner reader Rick Gore
Creatures Corner Fun Facts
A ‘war horse’ is the term given to someone who has lived through many hardships and can always be relied upon.
The most common type of Roman chariot to be used in races was drawn by four horses and was called the quadriga.
The Great Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, kept a herd of approximately 10,000 pure white mares, along with pure white stallions, and these horses were treated as sacred.
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