Hay Bags

I like using hay bags, I've seen first hand that they reduce waste and definitely extend the chew time a horse gets from the same amount of hay.

At first Chance wasn't too sure about the hay net, he scouted out the piles I set out in the run-in shed since I had not purchased more hay nets yet.  He would eat the free hay first and then grudgingly come back to the hay net.

Dani is a pro, so she showed him how to work the bags and he's gotten to a point that it's no big deal.  Of course every pony wants huge mouthfuls of hay at a time.  These bags make them savor every little bite.

We finally got two more bags for the run-in shed feeding station.  I want to keep the bags in a protected place for when it's raining.  The ones I use in the stable yard can be moved to the stalls if we have heavy rain.   It's not ideal but I don't want all my hay getting soaked therefore being wasted in the yard.  Plus I like to help keep my ponies drier during the wet rains.  So far we haven't had any major skin issues, just Chances chest dermatitis.

Our hay routine seems to be working well but I definitely can't wait until the green grasses come back.  I'm sure the ponies can't wait either!  Yum!

Ride One Horse and Cool off the Other???

The other day I decided it was time to saddle up and go for a ride on my horse, on my property.  There is still a lot of work that needs to be done but you know, you need to stop and smell the horses sometimes....LOL.  I have a little fenced in "riding area" if you would call it that.  It's next to the stable yard and the eventual plan is to level it out a little more and bring in good substrate to build a decent "arena" type base but that is a ways in the future.

I got Dani tacked up and was happy that even though it's been a while she was a good girl.  Chance was fenced out of the stable yard and "riding area" so a few neighs and whinnies occurred as he was upset his mare was now out of sight.  I rode Dani in the riding area and did my usual turns, stops and backs to assess her compliance.  She was a good girl so I decided that I could try to ride around the property.

Our property is surrounded by easements between neighboring lots so there is the ability to ride in a circle around our complete property, that is if I can eventually get around to trimming up some over grown trees.  I didn't have success with riding the easements so rode on the street and up a the large pathway near our largest pasture.  Some deer were worrisome to Dani on the road but luckily she just freezes but it's still unnerving.  While I was riding Dani outside the property boundaries Chances was full out galloping around the big pasture and neighing like he was being left home alone while Dani and I went to Disney world!  He was gorgeous though so as I walked Dani along the fence line I gazed at him with his flagged Arabian tail high in the air and nostrils blowing.  For someone who gets bossed around a lot by the mare he sure is pretty smitten!

When I brought my girl back to the barn to untack and groom she had her usual sweat marks under the girth area so it was no big deal cleaning her up.  Chance on the other hand had worked himself into an actual lather.  His coat was soaked and around his girth and chest there was lathered areas of sweat and dirt.  Oh my goodness you silly boy!  I groomed him the best I could, and  sponged off the worst areas including his legs to make sure he didn't injure something.  Then since it was getting a little chilly I covered him in a fleece cooler until he was fully dry.

Nothing like riding one horse and having to cool off the other.  Oh my, I never stop getting surprised by critter antics!  I'll try to get a video up of the property sometime soon!  Happy riding!

Springtime Woes

The grass is green, the sky is blue, spring showers are creating a world of gorgeous blooms.....everything is perfect!  Well, not so much for the poor chestnut mare.  Springtime means grazing muzzle.

I made some bright pink fleece covers to prevent rubs.  N wanted to make sure if the muzzle came off or the pieces fell off she could find them.  Last year my dark green ones....those blended well with the ground so several have been lost to be never found again.  The fabric store had a perfect fleece scrap for me to buy, pink with flowers on it.

No matter the color, Dani hates it but she has to wear it during the day when the grass has the highest sugar content.  Here's hoping she loses some weight and then maintains a good body weight or we may have to have her wear the thing for a longer period!

Trailer Loading

M and I took Tuesday afternoon, after our stable shot clinic, to conduct some trailer training with our horses.  What is it about trailering loading that is so darn scary?

1) Confined space
2) It moves
3) It makes noises
4) Separation from the herd, including the owner
5) Trailers used to be aliens that ate horses until humans domesticated them?

Dani has always had an issue with trailer loading but I didn't have a trailer when I got her and figured I could work on it when the time came.  Now that I finally have a trailer in good working order I can!!  She willingly stepped up several times but didn't want to go in.  I worked her outside and away from the trailer then would ask her again.

It went like this for a while with her stepping in and me having to ask again.  A couple times there were some attitude adjustments that I needed to conduct with the mare and she got spanked a couple times but nothing too bad.  Eventually she did go in all the way, turned around and stood.  We ended the training for her there.  I'll pick up next time where we left off and just keep going forward.

With Scotty it was just a matter of getting him used to a new trailer and then the dividers.  M and I worked with him to get the front divider closed.  He was a very good boy.

I was very happy to have M there so we could work together and encourage each other!

The above picture is a reference picture since we will be having the grazing muzzle on Dani everyday.  She'll have it off in the evening and into the night so here's hoping that she will lose a little weight and that this will prevent any founder issues.  So far she's done well but her weight is always a fight, she's such an easy keeper to the point of danger!

Trimmings

A few months after you trim the tree it's time to trim the pony!  I went out on Saturday, after we'd had some  warm days and some snow melting, to address her feet and overall coat.  After nearly two weeks blanketed I'm sure she was itchy like crazy!

Dani's fetlocks grow very fuzzy over the winter and due to all the mud and snow of early spring I want to keep her feet tidy to be able to treat any issues with scratches or mud fever.

I have a 4F blade which does a decent job but I think I need one just a little shorter to get her fetlocks looking ever more tidy. I'll have to go again in a couple weeks once I find the blade I need.  

Since this is a once of year thing I always make sure to desensitize her to the noise and vibration.  I start while standing near her and turn the blade on. We rest and she gets love and scratches. I then move it around and wiggle the extension cord too so she doesn't get freaked from that.  We rest and she gets love and scratches.

Then I start around the shoulder and work back to her rump and then back near the base of her chin to get her used to the sound closer.  We rest and she gets love and scratches. I also rub the clipper on her so she can feel the vibration.  We rest and she gets love and scratches.  Next I run down her legs and move the clipper all around her legs under her belly and also run my hands there too.  We rest and she gets love and scratches.

She's very calm about it, the only hint that she is paying attention is that her ears turn towards the noise.  Sometimes she even turns her head to look at me but with a calm look in her eyes.  I had trouble with her jaw line because of the halter.  I think I really need to just invest in a simple grooming halter or have a helper to retain her with a rope or something like that.  I missed some hairs but will go back when I do some shorter fetlock cuts.

I didn't do her ear this time since it was a long grooming session already.  She only has a tiny tuft sticking out at the bottom that I'll just trim with the scissors.  She does have some issues with the clippers up near her ear so I can work on her with that but I really find the scissors easiest for the tiny area of the ear.  Just FYI I NEVER trim inside the ear since that hair is there to protect from dirt and bugs!  My mare is starting to sleek up with her coat.  Within a month I'm sure she'll be silky as satin and shiny like crazy.  Love those summer coats!

2014 Year of the Trailer??

January

Well last year started with a bang!  I bought a horse trailer!!! It was exactly what I wanted, a bumper pull, 3 horse slant with a tack room in the front.  It needed some work to meet my expectations but I wasn't afraid of that.

Also in January I continued to work on slow feeder for Dani's trough.  Eventually I moved onto slow feeder nets and loved them and it was great having Dani be able to "graze" most of her time in the smaller stall area.

February

February was lots of cold weather as seems to be typical in Colorado.  We only whipped out the blanket a few times, Dani is pretty darn tough.

We also had L come to the KCRC barn with her 6 horses new friends.  It was great to have friends for Dani and to see another human being at the barn!  Still the evenings were dark and there was very little time to ride except on the weekend.

March
At the evenings grew a little lighter I had time to play with Dani on desensitizing with found objects.  She's such a sensible horse and I think continuing this effort will have great pay offs.

Steve and I attended the Mane event for the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo.  Lots of cute pony fun there.  The rest of March I spent planning my parents 40th Anniversary which we hosted at the KCRC club house.

 April
In April my dirty pony really needed a bath but instead we just got in some refresher rides with trot and working on mounting techniques.



I did some fetlock trimming as the barn was very muddy and shorter hairs would be best.  She's pretty good about it so I am happy about that!

May
In May Dani had an odd leg swelling.  We had the vet wrap her leg and it went down but there will always be a bump.  We are pretty sure she bumped her leg on the fencing as she kicked out at a neighboring horse.



Steve and I began stripping down the trailer on the warmer days to begin the process of rust treatment and painting.  We sure had a lot of work cut out for us!



My friends son, Liam, had his birthday party at the KCRC club house.  It was batman themed with pony rides.  LOL.  I think the kids had fun.  My friend Michael had a pony ride too.  I'd never known that was her first ride on a horse ever!

June

June saw lots of trailer work.  I started with conversion of rust and then began painting.  The spray painting gun didn't work so well, user error I"m sure so I ended up using rollers to paint.




KCRC hosted an EXCA (Extreme Cowboy Association) clinic at the grounds.  Dani and I joined to learn more about EXCA and the obstacles you encounter.  She was a really good girl.  The only thing was sidling up to a block to dismount onto.

July

Weather prevented a fun day on horseback at KCRC for July 4th, I was bummed since it's fun to do things with the club.  We also got in lots more work on the trailer when the days were nice.  Steve's parents were in town to visit for a month or so and we had Cierra out for a week so we spent lots of cherished family time up in Durango.  I also worked on getting Dani into trailer loading mode with L.

August
The move to the new barn was uneventful and Dani settled in right away. Because of the lush grass and her easy keeper status a grazing muzzle was on order.  



Luckily we didn't have too many issues with that though I'm sure she disliked her muzzle.



We installed new trailer flooring.  It wasn't really too hard, I was relieved and got a good look at the frame and treated areas that needed rust treatment.



Dani then came up with pony hoof clip injury.  The flap kept getting grass caught in it so we had the vet come out and they told us what wrap to use with DMSO and Furizone.  Dani hated having her leg wrapped and unwrapped.  It was a struggle but after a few days we were able to keep her leg open to the air and she healed right up.

September
In September I discovered bots on Dani's legs and sides.  That was a first.  I became very familiar with a bot stone! Steve and I spent a long weekend in San Francisco.  Then we spent time finishing of the tack room of the trailer and finally getting the trailer to the barn.  Dani had a minor colic episode, mainly seemed to be just gas discomfort.  Luckily she was fine.  It was a sudden change in weather and barometric pressure too.  Phew!

October
I began working on the horse area of the trailer, rust treatment and painting.  I did get some rides in and also too Dani for walk to the high school across the street.  



I discover some odd mud looking crusts on Dani's rear legs.  It is apparently scratches.  I treat her legs with Shapley's MTG which has sulfur in it.  Eventually it clears up.  I now have powdered sulfur, animal feed grade, and some oil so that if she has this start again I have a more concentrated tool.  It can also be used as a prevention.



Julie Goodnight mentions my post on her Facebook page!!  The posts sky rocket on October 29th!!

November

I take a jiggy ride near high school with Scotty and M.  For the most part Dani does good she was just excited and I think I was tense.  More to work on.  I discover a missing chunk in mane from Dani rubbing the fence, ugh, her mane is so beautiful!!!  Steve and I spend Thanksgiving in Mrytle Beach with family and have a great time though I miss the pony.

December
I come back from South Carolina and have her hooves trimmed and her annual dentist visit.  Both horse people mention the swelling of old injury seems a little more so I decide to paultice it overnight.  She actually did really well with me paulticeing and wrapping.



Since it's dark as night when I get off work I can't do much at the barn during the week.  On the weekends I hope for nice weather so I can play with my mare.  We've had a few nice relaxing rides at least.

We plan to ride more regularly and also to begin some serious trailer training to get this girl out to some events and trail rides.  See you this year!!!

Pony Updates

Things have slowed down on the pony front since it's now dark when I arrive at the barn.  I don't have a lit place to ride but that's fine for now.  Dani has pasture and we are content.  I was gone for about 10 days in Myrtle Beach, SC for Thanksgiving with Steve's family.  I came back and had a tooth floating appointment, then a hoof trim.

The vet and then my farrier mentioned her hind leg seeming a little swelled.  Since both mentioned it I decided I should address this old injury.  This past summer Dani was hitting her leg on the pipe fencing between stall runs at KCRC.  She's never fully returned to her pre-injury leg conformation but hasn't been lame.  I figured a 24 hour wrap using Icetight poultice couldn't hurt.  It's like a mud mask and Dani was pretty good about me applying it and then wrapping her leg.

The next evening I unwrapped her leg and then took a bucket to rinse off the mud.  What a mess!  It was cold, cold, cold.  My hands went numb (wanting a bucket heater and stainless pail so badly!).  My tooth doctor had one to keep her tools nice and warm for the floating, I was impressed since it heated the water quickly.  Warm water in winter???  Awesome!

Dani's leg looked good after I rinsed off the clay to get a look.  There is still the calcified bump on her leg where the injury was but her leg doesn't look as puffy.  Icetight worked nicely I think but I will only use it when I can easily hose off her leg in warmer weather.  Going to look into other liniments or poultices that could help with future swelling.

I dried her off as best I could and brought her back to her hay in the field.  It was only 6pm but felt like midnight.  I can't wait until the time change again....March 8th.  Till then hopefully I'll be able to get a ride in this weekend and the coming holidays!

Mysterious Swelling

Tuesday I noticed a slight swelling on Dani's near side hind leg.  Same leg that had the hock issues at the pre-purchase and same leg she got kicked when I had only owned her two weeks!  Now she has this swelling but no apparent injury, no heat and no real perceptible lameness.

Below is a picture of her off side leg for comparison.  It was a very slight swelling.  I waited a couple days with some turn out and no exercise for her, hosed her etc.  By Friday I was done, I had to call the vet just to make sure that there wasn't something serious lurking.  I'm still very novice when it comes to horse care and I don't want to mess around with legs, tendons or hooves.  Better to get an expert in to evaluate.

The doc said it wasn't serious.  She appears to have just banged her leg or hit it on the railing when she was getting up from lying down.  That was my thought all along.  He showed me how to do a sweat wrap.  I felt a little silly like a worried mom, I could have googled sweat wrap but what if that was not the proper thing to do in this case?  My husband keeps saying there is nothing to feel silly about.  Vets went to school to learn all this and it's best to get their expert evaluation when I'm not sure what to do and I'm getting differing thoughts online.  Oh well, poor Dani has to have this thing on for a bit but at least she'll be fine.  

My first aid horse book didn't help with this situation, there was nothing about swellings with no heat.  Anyone have a good book recommendation that discusses regular injuries and when to call a vet?  I'd like to be able to learn to assess injuries better and know that I won't cause harm by treating certain issues on my own.  Swelling, no heat and no lameness seems like something I can take care of in the future.....  Either way Dani is fine and I guess peace of mind is worth the vet bill.

Drinking Like the Fishes

I should have known.  I should have gone with a proven pond filter to begin with.  There were design flaws in the actual trough filter (such as the area that sucks in the water was on the bottom!  huh?).  I got a great filter set from Tetra.  It's actually a filter/fountain combo.  The pump sits away from the filter box that you can add additional types of filter heads.  The only issue is the filter box needs weight but I got some larger gravel to put in the bottom and it weighs the unit down plus offers more filtration, not a really strong negative against the filter at all.

I don't extend the fountain head up above my water but there are three different fountain patterns you could choose.  I just have the first piece attached to the pump which simply agitates the surface; a great thing for mosquito prone areas.

This pump makes the water CLEAR!!!  It does a great job.  It's also easy to just disconnect the filter box from the pump and then rinse out all the gunk.  I'm pretty happy with this filter.  It works with my new water heater too since the tube connecting the filter to the pump runs right below the heater.  I'm please not having icky sludge or an oil slick type layer on the top of a horse trough.  That usually happens to most tanks within a day!  They are so hard to keep clean from all the stuff horse mouths drop into them but this baby is making me giddy with how clear the water is staying.  It's a great way to maintain the water quality between major scrubbing sessions.  

My dream is of course a small automatic waterer but I know that they cost around $500 alone, add in the electrical and plumbing....that's pricey.  An automatic waterer will eventually be worth it in the future but this baby will suffice for now and the near future.

Highly recommended!