Orchardbeck
Well-Known Member
Just wondering
Your best ever horse/tack/feeding/grooming/stable tips!
- Thread starter Orchardbeck
- Start date
Orchardbeck
Well-Known Member
Apologies, posted before I'd finished typing! Just wondering what your best ever horse related tips or advice would be - hoping to learn a thing or two...!
Meowy Catkin
Meow!
When I got my grey I was advised to 'embrace the mud' and it was a good tip as it stopped me becoming anal about trying to keep her clean (which would have been a losing battle anyway). 
I don't know how I coped during moulting time before I had a shedding blade, they are great.
I don't know how I coped during moulting time before I had a shedding blade, they are great.
AdorableAlice
Well-Known Member
Forget the scrubbing and brushing, a cup of linseed is your friend.
Put manners in young, mean it and don't give mixed messages. Done correctly the horse is set up for life.
Ditch tight nosebands, bin bling and appreciate how a horse moves in a correctly fitted saddle.
Ensure you train your husband how to operate the yard broom.
Put manners in young, mean it and don't give mixed messages. Done correctly the horse is set up for life.
Ditch tight nosebands, bin bling and appreciate how a horse moves in a correctly fitted saddle.
Ensure you train your husband how to operate the yard broom.
Orchardbeck
Well-Known Member
Loving these already, thanks guys! Having just bought a grey sec A Faracat I am gingerly dipping my toe in embracing the dirt - she is not one for a precious lifestyle! Alice - totally get the tight noseband and linseed is now my go to energy food and all rounder - must have picked up something from this site! X
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite
Well-Known Member
^^^ This, especially the last one.
I'd also add:
Ten minutes of good productive groundwork, just spending time with the horse and teaching it boundaries are worth an hour in the arena
Getting off and walking past an obstacle is NOT a sign of weakness
Make your farrier your best friend, and look after him well. Be loyal and don't jump from one to the other.
The best thing to do with artificial training aids (IMO) is to build a big bonfire.........
If you want the results you've always had, then just keep doing the things you've always done (Michael Peace said this, or words to the effect of, I cannot take credit for it, but it's VERY true).
"It's not 'unting on the 'ill wot 'urts the 'osses feet, but 'ammer, 'ammer, 'ammer on the 'ard 'igh road" (Surtees??)
Sorry (edited) forgot to include:
Don't ever be conned into buying expensive supplements: buy the individual/natural ingredients - and try ONE thing at a time
Always patch test any new products first, without fail
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3OldPonies
Well-Known Member
Some good ones there AdorableAlice and MiJodsAre2BlinkinTite (mine are as well btw at the moment )
I think the most valuable ones for me are:
'no foot, no horse'
and
'always put your horse's comfort before your own' - I think Thelwell did a cartoon for that one, all to do with sorting your horse out before you go off for your tea at the end of a long day, also referred to in Black Beauty when BB ended up with a chill after not being rugged properly having been hard at work out in a storm.
Oh, and a real personal one - if they bolt, don't try to get off yourself, stick with it if you can until they slow down (I've 'dismounted' twice, once ended up with a broken nose and ribs, and the second time with severe concussion) but the times I've hung on in there = no injuries!
)I think the most valuable ones for me are:
'no foot, no horse'
and
'always put your horse's comfort before your own' - I think Thelwell did a cartoon for that one, all to do with sorting your horse out before you go off for your tea at the end of a long day, also referred to in Black Beauty when BB ended up with a chill after not being rugged properly having been hard at work out in a storm.
Oh, and a real personal one - if they bolt, don't try to get off yourself, stick with it if you can until they slow down (I've 'dismounted' twice, once ended up with a broken nose and ribs, and the second time with severe concussion) but the times I've hung on in there = no injuries!
blitznbobs
Well-Known Member
This except for 'bin the bling' arghh I have to have my blingy browband or what is the point
Shady
Well-Known Member
don't always work them, go for walks sometimes next to them, just amble along and have a chat, it's great for bonding and stops them legging it every time they see the headcollar!!
Jaffa
Well-Known Member
vmac66
Well-Known Member
As a new horse owner who has been given lots of well meaning advice I would say remember he or she is your horse and go what you feel is right for you both
Merrymoles
Well-Known Member
As an old and valued friend of mine always says, "they don't go any better for brushing". Therefore, if you are short of time, use it to do what you really want to do (riding or groundwork or whatever) rather than feeling you have to spend hours cleaning and polishing. If they are clean under their tack, then that's the only essential.
That'll be why I often go out on a filthy horse with a mane like a bog brush then...
That'll be why I often go out on a filthy horse with a mane like a bog brush then...
QueenDee_
Well-Known Member
Trust your gut instinct, you know your horse best so if you think something isn't quite right, it probably isn't!
HashRouge
Well-Known Member
I've picked up all sorts while working as an SJ groom, some of which are incredibly useful and I think I will try to keep doing now I've left. Mainly geared towards keeping the horse or the yard tidy!
- Don't brush tails. It really does pull out the hair and over time, will noticeably thin the tail. The difference between the tails of horses that have been on our yard for a long time and recent arrivals is sometimes astonishing! Might not make a lot of difference for a cob with a mega tail, but for the warmbloods I worked with there was no denying it made a difference!
- If you want to keep a tidy yard, pick hooves out before you take the horse out of the stable. Could never stop doing this now I'm used to it!
- Use cotton/ summer sheets under stable rugs. Especially useful if you don't have easy access to a washing machine for thicker rugs, as it means you can keep your horse's inside layer clean.
- Don't bother buying expensive shampoos, nothing beats the cheapo budget shampoo from the supermarket and a bit of fairy liquid for white socks.
- Plaiting unruly manes over really does help. Also, don't be afraid to let a mane lie on the wrong side if that's the way it naturally falls, it will look a lot smarter! And with a bit of practice, you can get a very good, tidy mane using scissors.
- If a horse is introduced to the clippers by someone who knows what they're doing, they will almost certainly be fine to clip for the rest of their lives. Don't let some idiot with massive, incredibly noisy clippers and no idea what they're doing create a problem where there really shouldn't be one!
There are so many others, but these are some of the main ones!
- Don't brush tails. It really does pull out the hair and over time, will noticeably thin the tail. The difference between the tails of horses that have been on our yard for a long time and recent arrivals is sometimes astonishing! Might not make a lot of difference for a cob with a mega tail, but for the warmbloods I worked with there was no denying it made a difference!
- If you want to keep a tidy yard, pick hooves out before you take the horse out of the stable. Could never stop doing this now I'm used to it!
- Use cotton/ summer sheets under stable rugs. Especially useful if you don't have easy access to a washing machine for thicker rugs, as it means you can keep your horse's inside layer clean.
- Don't bother buying expensive shampoos, nothing beats the cheapo budget shampoo from the supermarket and a bit of fairy liquid for white socks.
- Plaiting unruly manes over really does help. Also, don't be afraid to let a mane lie on the wrong side if that's the way it naturally falls, it will look a lot smarter! And with a bit of practice, you can get a very good, tidy mane using scissors.
- If a horse is introduced to the clippers by someone who knows what they're doing, they will almost certainly be fine to clip for the rest of their lives. Don't let some idiot with massive, incredibly noisy clippers and no idea what they're doing create a problem where there really shouldn't be one!
There are so many others, but these are some of the main ones!
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el_Snowflakes
Well-Known Member
Perfect practise makes perfect
You can change your horse, tack etc but the most important (& hardest thing) is to change yourself. If something isn't working- change your tactic.
Don't ever turn back on yourself while hacking.
They are my 3 top tips!
You can change your horse, tack etc but the most important (& hardest thing) is to change yourself. If something isn't working- change your tactic.
Don't ever turn back on yourself while hacking.
They are my 3 top tips!
Elf On A Shelf
...
Bailer twine fixes everything!
Don't let other people get you down - your horse, your rules!
If in doubt - just keep kicking!
Don't let other people get you down - your horse, your rules!
If in doubt - just keep kicking!
rowan666
Well-Known Member
you really don't need more than one!, no matter how you justify and make excuses
always put horse/pony before yourself
good manners cost nothing but mean everything (this aplies to both horses and owners!)
always put horse/pony before yourself
good manners cost nothing but mean everything (this aplies to both horses and owners!)
Jo1987
Well-Known Member
For the most part, nosebands and martingales are just extra things to clean and get caught on gates!
Rather than have rugs washed and reproofed professionally, I just hose off the outside and give them a scrub on the inside with warm soapy water and a broom, then reproof myself. Far cheaper and seems to do the job well enough.
Rather than have rugs washed and reproofed professionally, I just hose off the outside and give them a scrub on the inside with warm soapy water and a broom, then reproof myself. Far cheaper and seems to do the job well enough.
fishy
Well-Known Member
Never go anywhere empty handed. Why make 2 journeys when you don't need to.
Have all your travelling things in a crate/box stored in your box/trailer. Just pick it up and go.
Keep it simple - applies to everything.
And as has already been said. It's your horse, you know it best.
Enjoy xx
Have all your travelling things in a crate/box stored in your box/trailer. Just pick it up and go.
Keep it simple - applies to everything.
And as has already been said. It's your horse, you know it best.
Enjoy xx
only_me
Well-Known Member
Buy quality tack - may be more expensive at start but lasts longer than the cheap stuff
Never brush a tail, always use your fingers to separate the strands.
You are allowed to make mistakes, it's ok, no one is perfect! Learn and move on
Just because some people get a bit fanatical that all horses should be barefoot doesn't mean that yours should! Shoeing a horse is normal too!
when plaiting a mane, wet it first so that all the short stray hairs stick in plait
Never brush a tail, always use your fingers to separate the strands.
You are allowed to make mistakes, it's ok, no one is perfect! Learn and move on
Just because some people get a bit fanatical that all horses should be barefoot doesn't mean that yours should! Shoeing a horse is normal too!
when plaiting a mane, wet it first so that all the short stray hairs stick in plait
Batgirl
Well-Known Member
Plan for the worst Enjoy the best
Enjoy the best
sandi_84
Well-Known Member
If you are trimming a tail remember to have someone put an arm under if to mimic natural carriage and step back often to check length rather than straightness, no one will notice slight unlevelness but they will notice a too short tail!
I learned this the hard way as did my mum recently, the upside is hair grows back thankfully
Feed and rug according to the horses individual needs not to what others are doing.
Listen to others views as you may learn something but always do what is right for the horse.
Sometimes the instructor is wrong for you or you disagree on training methods, have the confidence to change if you don't feel the instructor suits you or asks you to do something with the horse you don't agree with.
Remember to let yourself have lots of fun because that's what it's all about!
I learned this the hard way as did my mum recently, the upside is hair grows back thankfully
Feed and rug according to the horses individual needs not to what others are doing.
Listen to others views as you may learn something but always do what is right for the horse.
Sometimes the instructor is wrong for you or you disagree on training methods, have the confidence to change if you don't feel the instructor suits you or asks you to do something with the horse you don't agree with.
Remember to let yourself have lots of fun because that's what it's all about!
Meredith
riding reluctantly into the sunset
Colour code rugs and kit. When the kids were small, A's stuff always had blue in it, B's stuff had green. Saved endless arguments.
Crumpet
Well-Known Member
Clip a wound up leadrope onto your saddle when hacking, if you break a rein it saves walking home, cheap aqueous cream makes good hoof conditioner. Always have at least public liability insurance it doesn't cost alot and can be invaluable as I found out when my two were maliciously let out of their field and ended up on the cricket field, they had a hoon and did a fair job of churning it up! Only feed what your horse needs and don't let them get fat!
Rhodders
Well-Known Member
Trust your gut instinct every time you know your horse better than anyone else
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
If you have time to brush your horse you aren't riding it enough.
Dubsie
Well-Known Member
Always wear gloves when handling, only takes a spook when leading out that you're not expecting to rip your skin to blisters.
Walrus
Well-Known Member
It's fine to listen to everyone but take advice from a select few who you know know what they're taking about. Choose your experts and stick with them.
Get a good instructor, not a friend at the yard, not the cheapest in area, get a good one who understands you and your horse and visit them as much as money will allow.
Don't always trust the local saddle fitter, go with your gut and what your horse tells you.
But by the same token, make sure your saddle fits, your bit suits the horse and your browband is not too tight!
Get a good instructor, not a friend at the yard, not the cheapest in area, get a good one who understands you and your horse and visit them as much as money will allow.
Don't always trust the local saddle fitter, go with your gut and what your horse tells you.
But by the same token, make sure your saddle fits, your bit suits the horse and your browband is not too tight!
Orchardbeck
Well-Known Member
Loving all of these, thank you all so much! Some real gems of wisdom!
Hannahgb
Well-Known Member
In most cases.. a horse is naughty because it hurts.