Following on from hot cloth-ing post, any old-school tips you know of?

kerilli

kerilli

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E.g. does anyone else whistle between their teeth when grooming a muddy/dusty horse, so that you are breathing out (audibly) when brushing, and breathing in while turning away to run the metal-curry-comb across the brush? (this prevents Farmers Lung, btw.)
any more?
 
Never heard that one before - but I always use metal curry away from me - you'd be suprised how many people haven't heard of a metal curry if my old yard is anything to go by
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Trying to think now of any 'old' things I still do!
 
but surely then you breathe in just as all the dust comes off the brush??

I *might* have a metal curry comb in tack box, never used it though I prefer my nice flicky brush! If I remember rightly I always ended up scraping myself too.
 
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Could anyone ever do the plaited straw wisp for strapping a horse? Although taught it, I never managed it.

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ah, i spent many an hour plaiting straw, but never using it, as it always felt too scratchy... and i wasn't really sure what to do...

also, whilst on the subject of breathing... my old instructor told me horses can smell fear in your breath so when nervous, hold your breath. whenever i had a panic, i held my breath, and it gave me confidence. probably a load of codswallop and i'm surprised i never passed out... but it worked for me!
 
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also, whilst on the subject of breathing... my old instructor told me horses can smell fear in your breath so when nervous, hold your breath. whenever i had a panic, i held my breath, and it gave me confidence. probably a load of codswallop and i'm surprised i never passed out... but it worked for me!

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Clipclopop - the trouble with doiing this is that it will raise your heartrate and horses can pick up on that!
 
Rolling leadropes up, so they look tidy. A but pointless, but is pretty 'old school' & there was a knack to it!
 
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Rolling leadropes up, so they look tidy. A but pointless, but is pretty 'old school' & there was a knack to it!

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i do that... in fact, i was trying to teach my son the knack only this morning. he didn't have 'the knack' though, so i'm still the pro-leadrope-roller of the family!
 
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i do that... in fact, i was trying to teach my son the knack only this morning. he didn't have 'the knack' though, so i'm still the pro-leadrope-roller of the family!

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I'm such a perfectionist doing mine as well... if it's not exactly right i re-do it... god im sad
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also, whilst on the subject of breathing... my old instructor told me horses can smell fear in your breath so when nervous, hold your breath. whenever i had a panic, i held my breath, and it gave me confidence. probably a load of codswallop and i'm surprised i never passed out... but it worked for me!

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Physiologically holding your breath is actually worse because it reduces oxygen to the brain and muscles, causing them to be more tense! You body cant be relaxed and tense at the same time and deep breathing relaxes muscles, so holding your breath is not actually a good idea!
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I have a few old school tips, does that make me old fashioned
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If you have to bandage a knee or hock put a brushing boot on underneath to help support the bandage and keep it up.

Have one set of brushes, numnahs, boots, girth and rugs per horse to minimise cross infection or bacterial problems. Wash numnahs regularly for same reason.

Dont take a saddle off a hot horse, particularly in cold weather. Loosen the girth and let the horse cool down before you remove the saddle. Reduces the chance of heat bumps and bacterial folliculitis.

Always travel in a leather headcollar.

Check your saddle fit at least twice a year.

Always hand up your headcollar, especially after you have tacked up. It drives me up the wall when people leave them dangling on the floor just inviting their horses leg (or their own) to get caught up.

When putting the headcollar around the horses neck make sure the knot is undone. If a horse pull backs on a done up rope it can severely damage the neck. If you have a horse that tends to walk off a) tie a knot in the end of the rope and b) teach it to stand still!
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Im going to shut up now...
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I used to plait hay instead cos it was a bit softer... have just been down to the barn to try but have lost the knack! We used to thatch with straw as well, and when feed came in hessian sacks used to throw an empty sack over the loins of a wet hairy pony to stop it getting chilled...
 
Oh, and instead of tying up to a ring in a stall we used to thread the rope through the ring and tie a "sinker" onto the end...a carved oval lump of wood with a hole through it so that horses stalled on beds overnight could move forwards and backwards and lie down easily. when they stood up the sinker sank and there was no loose rope to trip over...
 
We roll ropes, thatch ponies, comb our muck heap, put cod liver oil on the horses' feet, steam coughing horses with friar's balsam, use metal curry combs, and greenoils ... mind you, I'm from the ark, my poor daughters won't know what's hit them when they get into the real world,
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Oh, and instead of tying up to a ring in a stall we used to thread the rope through the ring and tie a "sinker" onto the end...a carved oval lump of wood with a hole through it so that horses stalled on beds overnight could move forwards and backwards and lie down easily. when they stood up the sinker sank and there was no loose rope to trip over...

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Stalls! I remember stalls! Where I trained there were loads of school horses in stalls. Does anyone still use them? There were loads of stable management 'rules' applying to stalls ...
 
When I used to ride in the snow or even before turning the horses out I smear vaseline on the inside of the hoof which stops ice blocking in the hooves.

Also I hate it when I see people clip the leadrope directly to the bit and then tie the horse up, also dont like people leaving a tacked up horse tied up with just the headcollar fastened around the neck, so dangerous!
 
some of these are great, i didn't realise they are old-school!
re: breathing in the dust when running curry comb across brush, you turn your head away obv!
another one: always taking girth, pads and numnahs off saddles so they can air properly, it only takes 30 secs and looks so much better, and i can't stand people plonking them all back on the horse together.
 
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another one: always taking girth, pads and numnahs off saddles so they can air properly, it only takes 30 secs and looks so much better, and i can't stand people plonking them all back on the horse together.

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I agree, i cant stand it either. If you leave the girth buckled up one side it gets a big crease in it too! I think im a grumpy old woman
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Im 32 but i feel much older thanks to this thread
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Silvo for stirrups, bits rings and bridle buckles
Brasso for head collars
And shoe polish on girths rather than saddle soap.
Veg oil down the backs of legs before hunting.
 
Ouch I think time must be passing me by, I still roll up all my leadropes i hate seeing them thrown over a hook so untidy.
Still use silvo and brasso.
Also hate when i see people undo one side of a girth then drag the saddle off the horse with the girth dragging behind, i undo all and take saddle off then numnah.
I must be old fashioned without even reasling it, just thought it was tidy.
 
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Rolling leadropes up, so they look tidy. A but pointless, but is pretty 'old school' & there was a knack to it!

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That's one of my obsessions!
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Ha me too, I'll very often go round winding up all the leadropes when I'm waiting for my daughter to finished riding!!
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