A Generation Thing .........

[Piglet]

My horse had the physio out for his 3 monthly check (his pelvis keeps getting displaced), the physio advised me to "strap" him to build the muscle up. When I relayed this to a couple of the young teenagers on the yard thy said, "what's strapping"? When I explained they said "Oh, I had never heard of that before"!! Bless him!!! I really felt old.

 

[Archangel]

*swoops in on zimmer frame*

You could tell them you are going to 'short rack and then strap' they will think you are talking a foreign language.

*leaps back on zimmer frame*

 

[Miss L Toe]

Must admit, I was a bit stumped when told to "let him down" when in a big racing stable, they meant untie him [all were short racked for grooming at afternoon stables]
We did not strap often, but occasionally used a hay wisp to bring on a bit of condition.

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

show them the you-tube clip of laura betchelm... doing that to her horse Alf!

 

[ThePony]

Quartering gets vacant looks too! Maybe you could finish it up with making your own hay wisp before popping in his bran mash tea which has been steaming under a sack while you worked him, lol!

 

[Maggie2009]

I remember stapping horse with straw.I guess it is very similar to physio/massage now,although we have a piece of kit which is used as a strapping tool.We got it from a local saddlers as my friend had one.It's like a leather circular block,which you basically thump the muscles with.They do enjoy this.

 

[Capriole]

I use to strap my other horse, one of those leather pads though, a hay/straw wisp was NOT appreciated

 

[cloisterchalice]

wait till they hear that you learnt to do quarter marks without a stencil, fed everything straights, used Jute Rugs, can make your own haynets, used nylon plaited reins and definately cotton crotchet gloves after the first rope burn, and that you remember when every rug came with a syrcingle not x syrcingles and NZ rugs were canvas, gave you a hernia when wet and took a week to dry. They will probably think you are now on day release from the care home LOL

 

[YasandCrystal]

I am old - I strap my horses with a leather pad after exercise - they are brilliant

 

[Snowysadude]

My mum told me I should strap my horse..... I have to be honest - I asked what that was! I'm 21..... :\

 

[Hippona]

wait till they hear that you learnt to do quarter marks without a stencil, fed everything straights, used Jute Rugs, can make your own haynets, used nylon plaited reins and definately cotton crotchet gloves after the first rope burn, and that you remember when every rug came with a syrcingle not x syrcingles and NZ rugs were canvas, gave you a hernia when wet and took a week to dry. They will probably think you are now on day release from the care home LOL

My daughter thinks this anyway....because I can also remember the days before everything went pink- buckets were galvanised metal clanking things that bruised your shins, not pink flobby things that matched your feedbucket/headacollar/grooming box.....

 

[Gluttonforpunishment]

I got a very bemused look when I suggested a friend could thatch her horse to dry him off

 

[Merrymoles]

We used to "dress them down" after exercise which basically meant a wipe over with a damp cloth

 

[cloisterchalice]

My daughter thinks this anyway....because I can also remember the days before everything went pink- buckets were galvanised metal clanking things that bruised your shins, not pink flobby things that matched your feedbucket/headacollar/grooming box.....

ohh ohh and string vest sweat rugs, kaolin poultice not animalintex, and above all else apple catcher jodpurs or breeches with no lycra

 

[Jazzy B]

my jute rug and canvas NZ had to be my best horsey buys ever!!!!! The people that loaned my pony obviously though so too as they were "lost"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CatStew]

Sorry, but what is a "short rack?"

I've never heard of it!

 

[Doncella]

I once went away for a weekend and left printed instructions for my friend. These included the order to 'set fair'.
When I got back she said she had no idea what I meant and had to find an old Pony Cub Manual.

 

[ebonyallen]

I am old - I strap my horses with a leather pad after exercise - they are brilliant

I have one of these they are great,mind you some people do ask what I am doing when I am using it lol

 

[cloisterchalice]

Short Rack is tied up short or short tied our neck of the woods but I think some people mean short rack to mean something else to do with working the horse, bit of a ptp / racing term
here. I always understood it as tying the horse close up to the rack.

 

[Irishbabygirl]

Oh pants, someone beat me to mentioning thatching!

 

[fidleyspromise]

wait till they hear that you learnt to do quarter marks without a stencil, fed everything straights, used Jute Rugs, can make your own haynets, used nylon plaited reins and definately cotton crotchet gloves after the first rope burn, and that you remember when every rug came with a syrcingle not x syrcingles and NZ rugs were canvas, gave you a hernia when wet and took a week to dry. They will probably think you are now on day release from the care home LOL

Bad person, you make me feel positively ancient now

We still fed straights 'til 4 years ago.
Had loads of homemade haynets.
Rugs and surcingles - check.

What about the spyda(sp?) straps used to clip to front of rugs, then through rings at the sides and then the leg straps?

 

[trottingon]

Does anyone else still do up the top front buckle of rugs "snug" and the bottom buckle 2 or 3 holes looser so their horse has more room to stretch their legs when they get up from lying down or rolling? I know modern rugs have extra material across the shoulders for this, but no-one I ever come across fastens rugs like I do!

 

[Bikerchickone]

I didn't think I was old before I read this... unfortunately now I know I am because the whole darn thread made perfect sense

So thankful for modern rugs though, those blasted canvas things were so heavy, I had to stand on a box to get my one on my 16.1 back then, and that was when it was dry!!

 

[CatStew]

I'm gutted that you can't find jute rugs anywhere any more. They're so handy!

My previous boss was very old fashioned, the horses were all thatched after being bathed after hunting and she taught us loads of different things such as making hay nets & how to treat various ailments such as legs filling and coughs... And how to make proper banks that actually do what they're supposed to. She also had recipes for making your own saddle soap and 'leg wash' to help with injuries. I also learned how to do a bran poultice there - I didn't get taught any of this when I went to college!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Does anyone else still do up the top front buckle of rugs "snug" and the bottom buckle 2 or 3 holes looser so their horse has more room to stretch their legs when they get up from lying down or rolling? I know modern rugs have extra material across the shoulders for this, but no-one I ever come across fastens rugs like I do!

Yes, I do this as a matter of course, I thought every-one did!
(Mind you some people might consider me to be old, lol).

 

[Ashleigh_]

If it makes you feel any younger i'm 19, got my first horse 2 years ago, and I know what strapping and thatching is!
Maybe it was all those ancient 'horse care' library books I used to take out as a kid

My grandpa regularly asks if Ronnie has eaten his oats.. I usually nod and smile as I don't like to break it to him that if Ron was to even sniff oats he'd be like a child on blue smarties!
No wonder my mum's ponies were such gits!!!

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Does anyone else still do up the top front buckle of rugs "snug" and the bottom buckle 2 or 3 holes looser so their horse has more room to stretch their legs when they get up from lying down or rolling? I know modern rugs have extra material across the shoulders for this, but no-one I ever come across fastens rugs like I do!

Me

 

[shadowboy]

Trottingon I too do this with the buckles and I also still use the term set fair!

 

[VioletStripe]

Does anyone else still do up the top front buckle of rugs "snug" and the bottom buckle 2 or 3 holes looser so their horse has more room to stretch their legs when they get up from lying down or rolling? I know modern rugs have extra material across the shoulders for this, but no-one I ever come across fastens rugs like I do!

Nope I do this - particularly if it's a fleece or similar.. I'm not old enough to have used some of the things mentioned on this thread, but have heard about them! xx

 

[Eriskayowner]

With the rugs I do the opposite. I attach the bottom strap "snug" and the top strap looser so that when the horses are grazing the rugs don't cut into their necks as much.

I'm a big fan of the Horsewear V front clips to also avoid this problem. Mouse always gets a horrific haematoma if I put a rug with straight front buckles on