Horse getting freezemarked tomorrow-aftercare questions

Polos

Polos

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My 4yr old is getting freezemarked tomorrow. I have a couple of questions about the aftercare that I would appreciate if someone could help me with. I have looked on the farmkey website, google and on here and I can't find any answers.

Is there anything I should be putting on (like creams or lotions) the mark after it's done?

Can he go back out in the field after its done and can he wear a rug?

How long should I leave it before starting riding and lunging him?

He is getting it done on his shoulder in a box shape if that is any help.

Thank you :)
 
rainer - think it was £50 per horse when I had my 2 done last summer

Polos - I didn't actually do anything with mine in terms of after care and marks came through fine but did take quite a while, which is normal apparently. Mine were in middle of summer holiday so wasn't riding anyway. Had mine done on shoulders too and think you only need to leave for 3-4 days before riding - under saddle would be more obviously. You can kind of tell anyway as both were quite puffy/swollen after so had I been riding, would probably have waited for this to subside a bit. It is important not to pick scabs off - let them drop off naturally! Mine weren't being rugged anyway but I'm sure lady said it would be ok to rug and just leave nature to do it's thing really. Mine both found the process "uncomfortable" shall we say and both reacted. No big issue but worth being aware. The one I expected to be tough about the whole thing knocked me clean off my feet in fact :D Lady doing them very experienced though so wasn't a real problem and doesn't take very long
 
Basically follow the aftercare advice which the freemark company will give you. Its dead simple. Mine had his done under his saddle and I could not ride for a week. The worst that happens is that it scabs over a tiny bit and the scabs just fall off. The first time I rode him afterwards I just made sure I had a nice thick dead sheep under his saddle and he didnt even flinch. You can put rugs on straight away though as had mine done in mid winter and he was fully clipped at the time so stable rug went back on straight away.

I have to admit, seeing it done was and eye opener. The lady who freezemarked him was very good and quick and although they say they say its pretty painless, I have a feeling it must be an odd senssation. My horse is very placid and kind tempered and I can do pretty much what I want to him. One of the other liveries held him a bucket of feed, but even then the look on his face was a bit , well mum, whats happening, this is really odd.
 
When my cob was done the lady told me repeatedly DO NOT put any lotions or cream on it all at.

She said it was ok to rug but leave off with the saddle for a week. I found it really interesting watching it heal and come through.
 
Mine was done end of November. I also got mine done on shoulder. When got it done, pony wasn't sedated and stood for first 2 letters. She then started to move a little but was very good. First time I've seen it done.

My pony lives out without a rug. The mark disappeared aalthough it was swollen for a couple of days. I thought it hadn't taken as all I had for a few weeks was a clipped bit on pony. But last week the letters started to come through and then they scabbed over on Monday. The scabs have fallen off and skin looks pink and healthy.

I'd say let them be and see how they go.
I was advised 4-5 days of no exercise after it was done.
 
Polos said:
Is there anything I should be putting on (like creams or lotions) the mark after it's done?
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No, nothing.

Polos said:
Can he go back out in the field after its done and can he wear a rug?
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Yes

Polos said:
How long should I leave it before starting riding and lunging him?

He is getting it done on his shoulder in a box shape if that is any help.
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As he is being done on the shoulder, you can exercise as normal the next day. When done in the saddle area (like my mare), they need a few days off.

Have a bucket of feed handy, mine didn't lift her head from the bucket when done. :)
 
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They will advise you. I stood at head end and she did it behind me and we went round and round and round in circles as she did it whilst I stuffed his face with pony nuts. He was more nosey. He didnt flinch but was wondering what she was doing to him. They are very experienced and will advise you. I didnt put anything on mine and as its winter you are better off as no flies etc. I never covered it up or anything. It scabs just like a graze. But as to rugs I imagine it could be sore if it catches it so you will have to ask on that one. Or keep them in?

The lady that did mine was lovely and very good at telling me what to do.
 
I had mine done on the shoulder too this time. The first one I had done I had done under the saddle and there was a patch of the mark that never grew any hair back. This bit was always prone to getting a bit sore if I wasn't careful so I always needed a good numnah after that. I didn't want to risk that happening again so I had him done on the shoulder.
 
My 4 year old was done on the 1st december. He was a bit upset by being clipped but we amused him with food. As his was done near his bum,(only decent black patch), she needed to use a lot of force to mark him. He did not like that and my poor friend and I were nearly squished trying to hold him but once it was done his rug went back on and he went straight out. I havent had a days bother since. His mark is still scabbing over but its now becoming visible and app it will take 12-13 weeks before its really visible. He now loves having it scratched and will push his bum into you to get a good scratch - I can only assume the scabs/coat growing back are super itchy :)
 
He has just been done on his shoulder and he was very good for the process. He was very very good for the clippers (first time he has been clipped!) and he was a bit fidgety when they irons were put on but by the last one he stood perfectly still. Once he realised I had food he was very good!

however, he wasn't so good when he went out in the field. I think he was bit grumpy after the process so he decided to take it out on my other other horse who is his field companion :rolleyes:
 
I have had many horses Freezemarked now, and after-care is very simple. Just keep an eye on it basically, if on the wither, do not ride for a week. The Company doing the job should give you all the information you need anyhow, or it will be on their website.

Well done for chosing to Freezemark, the best thing you can do - it works.:D
 
The lady who did it was really nice and she gave me a helpful pack which I have been reading through.

He is now microchipped and freezemarked so I feel like he is sufficiently protected :)
 
I had Shy done when too much interest was being shown in him just before Appleby - at first it didn't look like it had taken, but now he is proudly sporting LV67 - The summer of Love, 67 ;)

I would recommend farmkey to everyone - the lady was great, and it was all over very quickly. A microchip cannot be seen as a visible deterant, but the freezemark can !
 
Shysmum said:
I had Shy done when too much interest was being shown in him just before Appleby - at first it didn't look like it had taken, but now he is proudly sporting LV67 - The summer of Love, 67 ;)

I would recommend farmkey to everyone - the lady was great, and it was all over very quickly. A microchip cannot be seen as a visible deterant, but the freezemark can !
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aw nice :) is that him in your sig? he's lovely!

do you think it would be a good idea to write his freezemark number on his turnout rugs?
 
absolutely - some friends have written their postcode on their rugs, which must help. There is a lovely poster here called Tinseltoes, who is still looking for her stolen piebald cob - I got my determination from her i guess. (In the stolen section).
 
All mine are done, the 3 greys on their shoulders and 2 on their backs. All by Farmkey and I found them very helpful, informative and professional.
Due to a change recently in the format of numbers/letters that can be used I opted for a personalised mark on my youngster, Roberto, who was done in Dec. He now sports R0B with a micromark horseshoe underneath. I thought it would cost alot more but was about £20 extra.
 
Shysmum said:
absolutely - some friends have written their postcode on their rugs, which must help. There is a lovely poster here called Tinseltoes, who is still looking for her stolen piebald cob - I got my determination from her i guess. (In the stolen section).
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do you just use white paint (the stuff for fences and walls etc)?

He is a very unusually marked tobaino cob so if he ever did go missing he would be easily recognizable. He means so much to me so I want to try and protect him as much as I can.
 
Polos said:
He is a very unusually marked tobaino cob so if he ever did go missing he would be easily recognizable. He means so much to me so I want to try and protect him as much as I can.
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This is the same with my boy. I could spot this mug a mile off if he ever was to go missing or be stolen...
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But I still had him chipped and freezemarked. Did you get a personalised one? Buds has 8UDZ, its like his own number plate :p

You can never be too safe!!!
 
Buds_mum said:
This is the same with my boy. I could spot this mug a mile off if he ever was to go missing or be stolen...
535858_10151156689694989_1878512424_n.jpg


But I still had him chipped and freezemarked. Did you get a personalised one? Buds has 8UDZ, its like his own number plate :p

You can never be too safe!!!
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he looks really cute :D I love that freezemark, it's so cool!

I was thinking about getting one but I couldn't think of one and knowing my luck it would already be taken! I just got the mix of numbers and letters that they have chosen.
 
piebaldsparkle said:
I lacked a suitable black patch to have mark on Sparkles shoulder, so had to go for saddle area.

IMG_0098.jpg


Excuse all the mud!
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your horse is gorgeous! and My horses seem to be permanently covered in mud! every time I brush it off more seems to appear :(

I did mine on the shoulder as that is the only brown patch with a flat surface. He has a brown face, a brown shoulder on his near side and he has a brown patch above his tail and that is it for his brown patches! as he is also pink skinned I had no option but to do it on his shoulder.

I'm jealous of both of you're lovely coloureds, they don't seem to be permanently covered with poo like mine are!
 
cally6008 said:
Don't forget to notify both passport issuer and microchip issuer that your horse is now freezemarked and ask them to update their records accordingly
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You have to update the microchip issuer too? Wow never occured to me to do that...........(whispers haven't got round to getting passport updated either:o........with either chip or freezemark:o:o).
 
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