- What are your thoughts about providing hay for your horse when you trailer him/her?
I always hang a "small mesh" hay net for Misty. The openings are very small, so she can't grab big mouthfuls of hay while in the trailer, but she can nibble. If I'm going to have the windows open or driving at highway speed, I will put a fly mask on her to protect her eyes from debris that may blow around.
Many years ago someone hauled a 2 year old filly of mine who was inexperienced and nervous about being hauled. The hauler put alfalfa cubes in the manger of the trailer to keep her occupied. When my filly came out of the trailer, she had foaming saliva dripping out of her mouth. I immediately called the vet and he asked me what she had been eating in the trailer. When I told him hay cubes, he knew right away that she had one stuck in her throat and couldn't swallow. I could feel the hard cube stuck in there. He instructed me to give her water through a hose in her mouth and massage her throat until the hay cube dissolved. It worked. This was a long time ago and I don't know if that is the recommended method today. If this ever happens to you, call your vet. Better yet, never feed hay cubes in the trailer. That experience made me cautious about feeding in the trailer and that's why I use a "small mesh" hay net. Even with loose hay, I don't want Misty to gulp down big mouthfuls in the trailer.
You have just won a 2 minute shopping spree at a tack store. What store are you in and what will you grab?
I really need a new saddle for Misty, but I'm kinda broke right now. So I would go to a tack store with a very large selection of saddles, probably Brighton Saddlery, and grab as many saddles that might fit Misty. I'd keep the one that fits and sell the rest. If none fit, I'd sell them all and use the money to buy a custom saddle to fit my full-figured gal.
- What plans do you have for the weekend?
I'm getting up very early Saturday morning to bake blueberry breakfast bars to take to our blogger brunch. I'm looking forward to it. I will have to do a little shopping on my way home (probably just window shopping ... did I mention I'm kinda broke right now?). If I get home early enough Saturday afternoon, I will ride Misty. On Sunday I will go to church.
Somewhere in the weekend I will have to make room for some laundry and a little housekeeping (Well, we'll see about that. My intentions are always good, but the weekend has a way of slipping away before all the chores are done).
My question for you: What is your favorite grooming tool?
La compagnie francaise specialiste du linge de maison et du linge basque distribue les grandes marques EUSKAL LINGE, LE JACQUARD FRANCAIS and FIL BLANC.
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite grooming tool is this weird sort of boomerang looking brush. It's curved like a crescent moon and fits in every crevice and is the right bristle consistency for all the dirt and mud they come in with. As a matter of fact I've got to get a few new ones. I hope they still make them.
ReplyDeleteScary story about the hay cubes! I don't like to feed them at all because of the possibility of choke. Scary. I didn't think about loose hay causing choke though. Might have to get a small mesh hay net.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite grooming tool is totally the curry comb! Without it I would never be able to get him as clean as I do. A stiff body brush only gets the top layer of dirt off. :) The only tools I really use though are a curry comb, body brush, mane/tail comb and a hoof pick. Of course I use a detangler on the mane and a damp rag for cleaning nostrils and taking that final layer of dust off, but that's really only if I'm taking pictures. :D I'm OCD!
Great question!!
I'm so glad you joined the Blog Hop!
ReplyDeleteI love your question!
Right now I'm loving my shedding blade and/or the toothed 'cowboy' curry comb! I call it that because I never really saw one until I came out west.
I also like my natural bristle body brush that I purchased almost 45 years ago. It has short stiff bristles that get through the hair and hopefully remove some of the dirt and dander waaayyyy down there!
When I was in high school my barn had a horse vac. I loved it! I've actually used a shop van on Pippin and Doc and it works, but the static builds up so much I worry that the snap, crackle and pop might be irritating to them!
Oh how I would love a two minute spree in an art shop!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone read french? Is that first comment just plain old spam or is it something naughty?
ReplyDeleteGHM, I'm not sure I've seen a brush like that. Sounds great. I'll keep an eye out for it.
achieve1dream, I like my curry comb too. It does a great job and there is something therapeutic about brushing in a circular motion.
Dreaming, "Cowboy" curry comb. I like that. I'm surprised that you didn't see any back east. That's all I've known since I was a kid. A horse vac would be nice.
Jacqueline, I bet you could make quite a haul in an art store.
I think my favorite grooming tool is my hard brush. I used it all the time on Shy. She loves to have her neck brushed and I can get most of the mud off with it. It's good for a quick once over if I am short on time, too.
ReplyDeleteScary about the hay cubes.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite grooming tool is my "jackhammer" hoof pick - tough enough to get those nasty snow balls out.
My favorite grooming tool, I think those little round curries designed for the face. My horses seem to relish those things although they get a little itchy from all that loose hair, as do I.
ReplyDeleteWar Horse was the last movie I saw in the theatre. Now it's coming out on disk and I've asked Dave to get it. Not the usual request for me.Movies aren't really my thing but I loved that one. Reminded me of a true story of a horse in WW!! that really needs to be a movie. I keep thinking I should write to Robert Redford to tell him about the book and maybe he would make it into a movie. There can't be too many good horse movies, don't you think. LOL
I also like jackhammer hoof pick. I also loved your blog.
ReplyDelete