Leesa's Helpful Hints

 

  1. DANGER! A word of warning from our veterinarian! Do not use Quest wormer without discussing it first with your veterinarian! There have been several deaths from it, big horses as well as minis. Apparently, when a horse has a heavy worm load, Quest can destroy the intestines right along with the worms. Warn your friends!
  2. Fungus or rain rot plaguing your horses? Are they rubbing out their manes and tails? Wash them in mild dish detergent, rinse well, and then rinse again with vinegar. Then, apply witch hazel. It works!
  3. To your foaling kit, add several "craft sticks" (tongue depressors) cut off at a sharp angle at one end. This makes an inexpensive, safe, and disposable "knife" to cut open thick sacks or placentas in the event of a red bag delivery. This hint could save your foal! It saved one for me this year!
  4. Keep a halter and lead rope hanging in your foaling stall (out of your horse's reach.). In the event of a difficult delivery or a jumpy, nervous dam, it's a great time saver, and could be a lifesaver as well!
  5. NEVER LEAVE HALTERS ON YOUR HORSES when you're not handling them! Ask your vet how many halter-related injuries or deaths occur each year when the horse's head becomes trapped on a branch, fence, or other object. It's just not worth the risk!
  6. Want a video monitoring camera in your foaling stall but think you can't afford one? Prices have come down. You can buy them starting at $100 or less. Some have their own monitor and some have a receiver that hooks up to most VCRs and many TVs. Couple the wireless ones (a little more expensive and have a limited range) with a little 7 or 8" TV set, and you can move your viewing monitor around the house with you!
  7. Horses chewing your barn down? Try pouring dish detergent or the hottest hot sauce you can find on the top edge of the wood. You have to reapply fairly often, but it works! Or, for a permanent solution, buy metal "flashing" at the lumberyard. Fold this over the top edge and nail in place, folding under any sharp corners. They can't chew through metal!
  8. Have a stallion who constantly looks for mares, even when you don't want him to, such as at a show or while hauling in the trailer? Put a small amount of Vicks on his nose. The odor will keep him from smelling the girls!
  9. Horse breeders know there are lots of signs of immiment foaling. Well, this may be a new one for you. When you're cleaning out your soon-to-foal mare's stall, keep track of the number of manure piles. Many mares, it seems, "clean out" a few hours before foaling, and the number of manure piles dramatically increases. Really!
  10. Never feed lawn clippings to horses! Ever stick your hand into your grass catcher and notice how warm the freshly cut grass is? That heat is the result of bacteria. The grass is already starting to mold, although it isn't visible yet. Also, freshly mown grass packs very tightly. It will pack just as tightly in your horse's stomach. That could be deadly! If you simply cannot bear to throw out lawn clippings, let them slowly air dry (the way hay growers let hay dry before bailing it) before you give it to your horses. Even then, don't give them too much!
  11. Ticks on your horses? Buy some guineas! Ticks are their favorite food! Not into birds? Apply a thick layer of Vaseline. In a couple of days, the ticks will drop off, unable to breathe. Then, wash off using mild dish detergent. Be sure to rinse well.
  12. Use care when designing mini stalls. Give some thought to your horse's happiness as well as to his health. Don't confine your little horse to a stall that he can't see out of. These "solitary confinement cells" must be terribly lonely and boring. Plus, no matter how often you clean it, the urine odor that collects within the walls is bad for your horse. Consider a "slatted" front that allows your horse to look out between the boards. Stall already built? Replace the solid door with a chain link or welded wire gate. He'll get fresh air and the view he's been craving!
  13. Red Bag deliveries? These are frightening and usually result in the death of your foal unless you are there and know how to save it. Many vets believe this is caused by the cervix opening too soon and allowing bacteria to enter, thus infecting the placenta and causing it to prematurely detach. Deprived of oxygen, the foal suffocates. Talk to your vet about giving the mare a low dosage of antibiotics such as SMZ or Metronidazole for a month before due date in order to try to prevent the infection. It worked for me!

HAVE YOUR OWN HELPFUL HINTS? SEND THEM TO ME AND I'LL ADD THEM!



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