who warms up their horses bit?

Net tex do peppermint flavoured bit wipes which I use to clean bits immediately after use. Does anyone lightly slap the saddle area after taking the saddle off after excercise? I was taught to do this by our groom who always it restored the circulation. Like the sound of adding marmite to the warm water for dampening feed!
 
Burmilla said:
Net tex do peppermint flavoured bit wipes which I use to clean bits immediately after use. Does anyone lightly slap the saddle area after taking the saddle off after excercise? I was taught to do this by our groom who always it restored the circulation. Like the sound of adding marmite to the warm water for dampening feed!
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neva warmed a bit up, but ours get their backs slapped gently ocver saddle area, somethin i hav always done :)
 
TinselCat said:
Don't forget the underfloor heating :rolleyes:
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doesnt everyone have that then? lol. My horses have cold bits in their mouths and i have to put up with awful winter type things such and freezing my a*** off every morning mucking them out, defrosting water taps, endless haylege bills from standing in when its snowing, not being able to feel my feet for a good three months etc etc.
 
Funny it is attracting such hilarity!. it is such a small quick and cheap thing to do.. why wouldn't you? and I always always wash off my bit after use, even if I am wildly late and can't clean my tack. A long time ago someone said it would be akin to being given a dirty plate to eat off and I never forgot that. Never heard about the slapping the area under the saddle but that does make sense. I do groom but its not quite the same thing!
 
Luci07 said:
Funny it is attracting such hilarity!. it is such a small quick and cheap thing to do.. why wouldn't you? and I always always wash off my bit after use, even if I am wildly late and can't clean my tack. A long time ago someone said it would be akin to being given a dirty plate to eat off and I never forgot that.
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None of us said that we didn't clean our bits? Just because we don't heat them doesn't mean we leave them dirty?

I've never in my life known anyone to do it. It has never crossed my mind to do so. That's why I don't do it.. We're just joking about where it ends!
 
TinselCat said:
None of us said that we didn't clean our bits? Just because we don't heat them doesn't mean we leave them dirty?

I've never in my life known anyone to do it. It has never crossed my mind to do so. That's why I don't do it.. We're just joking about where it ends!
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I meant the hilarity on warming the bits, not necessarily washing them! But there were some posters who seemed to view washing them as an oddity too now you mention it..
 
Most horses I've known like marmite, I give our mare her meds on toast with marmite she never fails to take it, although she will leave her feed if it has bute in, my lad loves a cup of tea with milk and sugar, warm of course in his bucket, slurps with the best of them, found that out when he mugged me for my tea
 
Luci07 said:
I meant the hilarity on warming the bits, not necessarily washing them! But there were some posters who seemed to view washing them as an oddity too now you mention it..
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To be fair although I make the effort to not have green crusty bits on the bit I don't think my horse has the same standard of hygeine as a person eating off a dirty plate... she does eat off the floor after all!
 
I do - carry the bridle with headpiece over my shoulder anyway to leave my hands free, so it's really no more effort to warm the bit under my arm whilst I take the tack over to him. Was told to when I was very young & it's a habit that stuck with me - I think it makes him a little bit more comfortable, but if the truth is it doesn't make a difference to him... Well, not like I wasted a lot of time or effort on it.

Wish I had a heated tackroom!
 
Yes I do, I just heat it up in my hands. It makes me feel extra guilty that I don't always do it for the horses at work. I dream of having a heated tack room one day!
 
flirtygerty said:
Most horses I've known like marmite, I give our mare her meds on toast with marmite she never fails to take it, although she will leave her feed if it has bute in, my lad loves a cup of tea with milk and sugar, warm of course in his bucket, slurps with the best of them, found that out when he mugged me for my tea
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I've heard marmite is meant to help with sweet itch, may have to try my mare with marmite sandwiches when the midges come back :)
 
I do, just with my hands or under my arm. I also have an hairdryer and warm the saddle cloth before putting it on. I take home speedi beet and do it with hot water so by time i get to yard it is just nice to add to feed to give her a warm breakfast. I don't think it's a big deal, not time consuming and makes things a bit nicer for her in our chilly scottish climate. :D
 
Wow there are items to do this for you! Look at Google-there's an electric 'bit blanket', one you microwave & a little fleece cover to pop those hand warmers in.

I do it though usually just with my hands though I don't think that's enough. I've ordered a happy mouth as it should feel a lot more comfortable. Freezing metal is awful in such a sensitive area! One of the above websites says cold metal bits can cause numbness of the tongue & bars and even tissue damage. Whether or not that's true, it takes very little effort on our part. Yes we suffer in the cold looking after our horses but that's our own choice.
 
We have to :) there's a risk at these scary low temps with the horse's saliva it'd stick to their tongue or mouth unless it's well heated first - like licking an ice sculpture. We keep a little plugin radiator in the tack room to hang them on so they're toasty warm before we quickly run out and stick them in :D The horses love it.
 
Ha ha use a hackamore! One of the liveries on our yard brings a flask of warm water s ummer a winter for just this. Thought she was alone in this!
 
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