January 12, 2023
Fiona is the gift that keeps giving. A grove of trees has been the wind shelter for the herd for years. The grove sheltered them from the NNE and SSE winds when munching hay bales and it was a safe place for them during storms. The grove is a mess and very dangerous if the herd went in for shelter. Consequently they have to come in during NNE and SSE winds. More work for us in the barn of course, so glad we have a barn cleaner. It is not good for a couple that have Airway problems (heaves) they really need to be outside as much as possible. The positive note (from a friend) all that maple will be worth something this year. It will be seasoned hard wood. Is there anyone interested to help the herd? Let me know.
It is taking the herd a while to organize their group order after losing 5 of their mates. There is definitely a grieving period. After a month there is still no queuing order to the group when they are coming into the barn. A couple that have been with us for 15 years or so, are still not sure that their stall still belongs to them. The herd behaviour is an interesting study.
Winter gives me a bit of time to assess the tack. Much cleaning should be done. I love my Trailblazers that see work and get the job done. I have been lucky. There was a misunderstanding as to pickup time on Saturday, Lucy made good use of her time and cleaned saddles. We have 27, that was a wonderful use of time. Now I have to put the oil to them. Next on the agenda will be the bridles and driving harness. That is a stormy day chore that I enjoy. I love the feel and smell of clean supple leather. The important thing when doing tack is checking for wear and tear and possibility of breaks under pressure. It is a matter of safety. There are many different leather cleaning products on the market. I use good old glycerin soap (it is cheaper at the Bulk Barn than at the tack stores) and then condition the leather with Neetsfoot oil. I speak from experience that this routine works well, I have a couple of saddles that are over 75 years old that are still in excellent working condition.
Our youth group “Trailblazers” will hopefully be able to hit the trails this summer. That is always more fun than ring work. I encourage them and all riders to invest in the Island Horse Council sponsored insurance. It is a liability insurance that covers you whenever and wherever you are working with horses. An on-line application is available at the IHC website and is good from January 1st to December 31st. The company has other options for riders and owners as well. Almost all equine shows and activities require proof of insurance.
Horse keeping and weather. The last couple of months have been wet and muddy. We have to be continually vigilant, always checking for rain rot and scratches (some folks call it greasy heels). Venka is a pony that has a birdbath for a back. The wet just sits there. There is lots of information, regarding dermatophilosis, isn’t that a mouthful, commonly called rain rot. The question is? Is it a bacteria or a fungi? Whatever, we treat it with a good wash of Seaweed tea and it seems to clean up the problem. Seaweed is antifungal and anti bacterial. I use Joe Dorgan’s Seaweed. A ¼ cup In a few cups of boiling water, let it cool before washing, does the trick. Then we have to address the scratches, we use a mixture of oil and Ivermect. Most scratches are caused by mites. And if you catch the scratch early (before there is an open wound) all is well. I mix 1cc of Ivermect to a small bottle of baby oil or Olive oil (about a ½ cup). Using a Q-tip, we apply liberally it to the back of the pastern. These remedies are safe, they are only applied topically. Just a couple of treatments seem to do the job, they work for us. Horses are notorious for trying to do themselves in. You must always be watching and checking.
Love and hugs from Yogi and the herd.