Getting a horse used to nasty smells!

[SEL]

There's a ride I tried to do over the weekend that goes up past the hunt kennels. I'm keen to do it because you can get a longer ride up that way without crossing any busy roads so I could do it during the week. The microcob's breathing has only just got to the post-pollen stage where we could try a longer ride.

She isn't the kind of pony to have a tantrum so I couldn't quite work out what was going on when we got to the village sign and a major napping session started - its a very innocuous sign! So I got off to lead her past it and then the smell of the kennels hit me and I realised why she was having a meltdown. I led her through the village and past the kennels but she was tense and jogging. Got back on the other side of the village did a little bit further then thought we'd head back through the village and perhaps she'd be ok on her way home. She was not ok. I jumped off just as a tractor who had past the sane pony plodding along 15 minutes earlier came back but unfortunately he thought his tractor was upsetting her so crawled past just as I realised I'd chosen totally the wrong driveway to hide in because the smell was grim. She was rearing. She never ever rears. I was struggling to hold her and was praying he'd get a move on.

It was definitely smell related and not the sound of the hounds because they weren't making a sound (perhaps they were out on exercise). There are hunt horses up there so there were other horses around.

Once we were away I got back on and she reverted to her usual self although she was drenched in sweat.

So - do I need to give up or does anyone have any ideas? My OH has suggested a drop of vicks and some extra strong mints as we get there to see whether we can distract enough from the honk to get through the village (5 mins or so). I completely get that for a prey animal it isn't a great experience but all the hunt horses and quite a few private horses up there so horses must have to get used to it.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Is this dead animal smell from the flesh round, do you think?

 

[SEL]

Is this dead animal smell from the flesh round, do you think?

It's exactly that. I nearly saw my breakfast again

 

[SEL]

Is this dead animal smell from the flesh round, do you think?

It's exactly that. I nearly saw my breakfast again

 

[Barton Bounty]

I have a really sensitive nose , i think i would boak x

 

[Tiddlypom]

Well, if the kennels managed their flesh properly it shouldn't smell much, if at all.

Tbh, I don't think that many horses would be comfortable going past that if the smell is so strong that it is obvious to a human. They are prey animals hard wired to avoid danger, and the smell of death means danger.

Sorry not to be much help. Apart from complaining to enviromental health, maybe? There are guidelines that should be followed for disease control reasons, eg containers of remains of dead animals should be covered. Hunts have been caught out flouting those before.

 

[SEL]

Well, if the kennels managed their flesh properly it shouldn't smell much, if at all.

Tbh, I don't think that many horses would be comfortable going past that if the smell is so strong that it is obvious to a human. They are prey animals hard wired to avoid danger, and the smell of death means danger.

Sorry not to be much help. Apart from complaining to enviromental health, maybe? There are guidelines that should be followed for disease control reasons, eg containers of remains of dead animals should be covered. Hunts have been caught out flouting those before.

I went to a dissection at a hunt kennels once and there was no smell. My gut didn't deal well with the smell of the dissected carcass but at least it was fresh!

Can't imagine living near that ?

 

[SpotsandBays]

Vicks Vaporub on the nose?
(No idea if that would actually work or how pony would be, but I’m sure I read somewhere that morticians have used it to help mask smells!)

Is it really bad over there? Haven’t ridden past there in a long long time but whenever we used to, I never noticed any smell!

 

[Lyle]

I was going to suggest Vicks. I knew someone who had a horse that would meltdown at a particular venue when the wind was blowing from a certain direction; from the Open Range Zoo next door. The strange smells or perhaps the smell of lion was too much!

 

[SEL]

Vicks Vaporub on the nose?
(No idea if that would actually work or how pony would be, but I’m sure I read somewhere that morticians have used it to help mask smells!)

Is it really bad over there? Haven’t ridden past there in a long long time but whenever we used to, I never noticed any smell!

I could probably stick some on her moustache!

It was grim but I'm wondering if I should drive over and see if it was a one-off. Perhaps something ripe had been delivered ?

There's too many houses around the kennels for people to put up with that for long I think and I had a Google after Tiddlypom said about environmental health and there's no complaints recorded.

 

[SEL]

I was going to suggest Vicks. I knew someone who had a horse that would meltdown at a particular venue when the wind was blowing from a certain direction; from the Open Range Zoo next door. The strange smells or perhaps the smell of lion was too much!

I think the microcob would be halfway to Scotland if there had been smell of lion!! Vicks trial it is.

 

[scats]

I was going to suggest Vicks. I knew someone who had a horse that would meltdown at a particular venue when the wind was blowing from a certain direction; from the Open Range Zoo next door. The strange smells or perhaps the smell of lion was too much!

We do the Chester zoo ride a couple of times a year and the path is right next to the elephant and rhino enclosures. I’m sure my mare holds her breath all the way through. It’s like sitting on a bottle of shaken pop!

 

[Hannahgb]

I used to hack past an abatoir, both horses used to have a meltdown going past

 

[Haphazardhacker]

Nothing helpful to add but this post reminded me of a time when in my previous job as a wine delivery driver. I delivered some wine for the puppy show at a local hunt and a few days later collected the stuff they didn’t use. It was white wine and they had kept it in the “cold store”. I had to have the windows open on the drive back and had to take the wine bottles out the boxes before I entered the shop such was the unholy stench of death that had been absorbed by the cardboard boxes.

 

[SEL]

Nothing helpful to add but this post reminded me of a time when in my previous job as a wine delivery driver. I delivered some wine for the puppy show at a local hunt and a few days later collected the stuff they didn’t use. It was white wine and they had kept it in the “cold store”. I had to have the windows open on the drive back and had to take the wine bottles out the boxes before I entered the shop such was the unholy stench of death that had been absorbed by the cardboard boxes.

I have to say this made me giggle! I guess when you work in a hunt yard you get so used to the "cold store" that popping in wine to chill - or your sarnies on a hot day - probably seems completely logical.

My OH is convinced I just have a sensitive sense of smell

 

[rabatsa]

It was the smell of pigs that caused a meltdown in my mare. She was fine riding past ourdoor pigs but the farm with indoor pigs was like riding a time bomb.

 

[criso]

One of my rides takes me past a battery chicken she'd, it's actually raising pullets to be sent off to lay so the smell gradually gets worse during the cycle and is worst when they clean it out to get ready for the next batch and the water runs out onto the bridle path.

Tb is always very jumpy going past and still is, even when the smell isn't that strong. Luckily he calms back down quite quickly.

Vicks in the nose could work and it may be worth going round on foot a couple of times to see it was a one off or if it always smells that bad.

 

[Annagain]

My OH is in the police and was told about the Vicks trick as a young officer. Luckily for his credibility, when he went to his first death, another new officer had arrived before him and was outside, eyes streaming and retching. People think the greasy nature of the Vicks blocks your nose and the strong smell means you won't smell other things but the whole point of it is to open up your airways so you smell MORE and if you put enough up your nose (this young man was encouraged to by his colleagues to really slap it on) the vapour gets into your eyes and makes you cry. It's a bit of an initiation trick they play on new officers.

I'm not sure it would have the same effect on a horse in terms of the eyes but the chances are by the time you reach the hunt kennels, your mare will be breathing extra efficiently.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Have you been back past the kennels again? I thought of this thread yesterday when out on my usual 1.5 hour cycle ride. I happened to meet the same knacker wagon twice coming the other way.

First time, not a whiff of anything unpleasant. Second time, ??. Must have just done a pick up of something not very fresh.

 

[SEL]

Have you been back past the kennels again? I thought of this thread yesterday when out on my usual 1.5 hour cycle ride. I happened to meet the same knacker wagon twice coming the other way.

First time, not a whiff of anything unpleasant. Second time, ??. Must have just done a pick up of something not very fresh.

Last time I drove past it was raining so windows stayed shut. I've met the wagon a couple of times on that road while riding but at least the smell goes past quickly. Not great for your refreshing bike ride!!

I must try again though. Its such a good route for winter when I can avoid the traffic in the other directions.

 

[holeymoley]

Sorry, I have no tips. I think I would go the other way for my own self let alone the horse's! I wouldn't be able to stand the smell.

I feel your pain with the situation out hacking. I came back across the fields one day and my horse stopped dead and started doing those strange blows. I had no idea what the problem was. I edged him on and he went on and then tried to drop the shoulder and run! Turns out there was a very dead cow just beyond the top of the hill.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Some showing people use vicks in the nostrils for stallions I don't know if it worked but the stallions were all well behaved when they did.