Anything For Animals

posted by admin on May 18

Here is another dose of healthy tips for horses and ponies - and for your peace of mind too!

No time to waste - let’s get stuck in with a great tip for everyday smooth running: 

1) Keep a bin for baler twine and string near the haynets and bales for storage and use.  You don’t want small pieces of twine getting mixed up with the feed or bedding and you never know when you will need a piece of twine for something!

2) Massage your horse back firmly for a short while after long rides to help it relax and recover from the pressures of you in the saddle!

3) To prevent horses sqabbling in the fiield, always try to put out several piles of hay so that they don’t need to fight for who eats first - and the losers don’t have to wait to eat anything that’s left over!

4) As with humans, if you are intrioducing a new activity to a horse, make sure you prepare them for it and take thing slowly.  Just as we ache after that one-off game of tennis or trampolining - so will an unfit horse if asked to suddenly go out for a 4 hour hack!

5) Equally, get them used to wearing certain equipment too, like over-reach boots, a crupper and even a saddle if it has been a while.  Make sure that there is plenty of movement, and no chaffing at all. 

6) And check that everything still fits!  After a winter out of the saddle - the horse could have gained weight, or if young or old your horse could have even changed shape - so make sure everything still fits perfectly before heading off out for a hack.

7) Wire or electric fencing can be more easily seen by your horse if you attach bits of ribbon to it that flutter in the wind.  This will help to prevent them (and you) from running into it by accident.

8.) Always remove your gloves when picking out your horses feet after activity as it will give you a chance to feel for any heat or small bumps that you wouldn’t notice otherwise.

9) If you find yourself pestered by flies out on a hack, then grab some elder slalks and slide into your brow bad as the smell of crushed stalks is a mild insect repellant!

10) Adding garlic to your feed has multiple benefits - and smells lovely at the same time.  It helps repel insects, keep on top of (but not get rid of) worm infestations and is great for the skin and breathing!

Anyway - get back out there in the summer sun and have some summer fun! 

posted by admin on Oct 13

Its getting cold out there now - so make sure you are well prepared for these cold, dark months!

Here are a selection of great tips for your horse’s health - just incase he gets poorly over the winter!  There is nothing worse than getting to the yard to see your horse in the dark after a long day at work to find something wrong.  And worse still - having to deal with it when you aren’t prepared.

So, by following a few of these tips BEFORE anything goes wrong might well save you a lot of time and money over the next 6 months or more.  Be like a Scout and ‘Be Prepared’!

1) As you might be working in the dark for a while - make sure that you have torches on the yard - and spare batteries!

2) Also, make sure that you check everything when you get a ‘light’ moment.  So fix that loose fence post or door lock while you have the chance in the daylight.

3) Plan ahead and order any medicines, supplements or specialist items well in advance of the winter - and definitely make sure you order supplies before the seasonal rush - and before the postal service stops at the end of the year!

4) Check your vets opening hours over the winter before anything happens as well as checking how vets can get to your yard in bad weather - do you need extra lighting, fix those pot holes or lay down grit, etc.  Also check that your insurance is paid up to date incase of getting hit by an extra ’seasonal’ call out fee!

5) To prevent sores and galls from tack, make sure that it is all kept as clean as possible, protected by sheepskin or replaced.  Also make sure your horse is clean too and you should reduce problems.

6) Use a bed of peat if your horse suffer from brittle feet as this can help the condition improve and not makes things worse.

7) Keep a record of your horse pulse, temperature before and after work, and in summer and winter, etc, so you know what his normal boundaries are.  That way, if you are ever concerned about anything, you can check against the normal chart and know whether to call a vet of not!

If your horse is off his food, try adding some molasses to it for extra ‘yum’ factor.  And as it has a strong smell, you can even smuggle in some wormers or medicines without him noticing when you need to!

9) If your horse gets really cold in the winter - why not stitch in an extra blanket to the inside of your New Zealand rug until it warms up again - then just unstitch.

10) If your naughty pony kicks at the stable door, attach a piece or thick carpet or sacking to the inside to stop him hurting himself and to muffle the sound! And also stop your horse chewing on the stable door by fixing a piece of drainpipe over the top as the curved surface will prevent them from being able to grab it - and they can’t hurt themselves on it!

Hope all goes well this winter for you and your pony!

posted by admin on Aug 20

Back again with some more easy to achieve tips for getting ready for your horse shows.  And this collection are all about your horses appearance - and planning ahead for the show.

You may well already use some of these - or you could add yours to the comments below to help others.  Either way, here they are:

1) Create your own great quarter-marks with a snapped up set of teethed combs. Practice with both fine and wide toothed combs to find the best effect and then design your patterns in advance!

2) To hold your quarter-marks in place for longer - use a little hairspray - as long as it doesn’t spook your horse!

3) To make a white tail look really white - try washing it in a tiny amount of biological soap powder - but be careful not to get it on your horses skin!

4) When trying out new styles of plaiting, quarter-marks or your own clothes, make sure you take pictures from both close up and farther away (like the judges will see). This way you can find out in advance which looks better for the show.

5) Plan to space you plaits evenly by using a plastic comb or other small item as a measuring stick. Planning it’s length in advance will let you know how many plaits you will need for the complete look.

6) When plaiting up before the show - make sure you have threaded up all the needles you think you will use and stick them in the front of your jumper - rather than using the 1 needle and wasting a lot of time inbetween each plait!

7) Also, the types of plait you use can help improve the appearance of your horse. For example lots of smaller plaits can make a short neck look better proportioned, and larger raised plaits can make a thin or long neck a bit more chunky looking!

8.) To keep plaits in place during a show - why not use a setting lotion instead of water while plaiting.  This should stop wispy bits from coming loose during the day.

9) If cutting your horses tail for the show, get someone to put their arm under his tail to raise it slightly to the height he carries it when moving - otherwise you may cut it too short!

10) And if not cutting the tail then plait your horses tail tip when still wet and leave to dry. When ready, brush out the plait with your fingers with the result that the tail tip will look wavy and fuller in time for the ring!

Fantastic Stuff! Your horse should look beautiful by now!

posted by admin on Jul 10

Welcome back for some more horse friendly tips for everyone - this time those that could keep money in your pocket!

Imagine what you could spend that saved cash on for your pony - especially if you manage to convince your stable friends who aren’t so waste-conscious to help you out - you could save even more!

So, lets get started - every penny counts these days!

1) Well, lets being with a simple one like regularly swapping over your stirrup leathers so that one doesn’t become over stretched with all that mounting and dismounting - more of a long-term saving but there are many others like it!

2) An old tea towel or a bunch of baler twine can be used as a sweat scraper instead of buying yourself the real thing - and another thing to remember where it is!

3) When washing your horses, it is cheaper to buy some bland human shampoo than a specific preparation.  And as human products may well come in larger sizes - and buying in bulk is always a money saver!

4) And from here, always consider buying bulk products with other people in the yard as larger containers and larger amounts seem to get lower prices.  If you all order your food or bedding in one go, you will save money everytime!

5) And talking of bedding - if you use a small cage to sieve your horses droppings - then most of the unsoiled bedding will fall right through - keeping your bedding thicker for longer!

6) Repaired rugs are cheaper than new rugs - so make sure that you keep your rugs clean so they last longer - but if you have to let one go, then keep all the bits that are worth saving, like the buckles and straps, and any large areas of material that could be used for patch repairs or cushions in the yard!

7) Surcingles are much cheaper than rollers - so improvise.  Find yourself a nice thick piece of sponge to stop the surcingle from rubbing on the spine and voila!

8.) Use 2 small boards for cleaning up piles of hay or straw instead of investing in extra brooms and shovels.  They work for picking up leaves in the garden - so why not use them in the yard.

9) Check what added ingredients and supplements are in your standard feed - as you could be adding supplements that your horses don’t actually need.  And, it may well be cheaper to find a food that does already contain them to save on buying them separately.

10) Get people from your yard to book routine vet treatments or farrier visits together to save on the call out charges made.  Instead of all paying the one-off call out fee - split it between you as often as possible.

I hope some of these have been useful, and make sure you pass some on to your friends to make the savings greater!

posted by admin on May 30

There are so many Top Tips I can think of for your horses and ponies - that I had to give you another 10!

Lets not hang around, so here they are:

1) If your horse is difficult to catch from the field, then keep a bit of crackly paper in your pocket with the treats, so that he is a bit more interested in you in the first place - then once close enough, the treat should do the job!

2) If he is outside a lot in the winter, then leave his ‘feathers’ untrimmed as they will act as a natural ‘drainpipe’ to channel the excess rainwater from his legs - helping reduce the chances of cracked heels.  Adding Vaseline to the heels will also help as well.

3) If your horse needs entertaining in his stable, why not drill a hole through a large turnip (or similar) and hang it from the wall!  This should give him something to amuse himself with - and a tasty treat too!

4) If your horse is too greedy and finishes off his hay too quickly, then make the holes smaller in his hay-net.  Use spare baler twine to form a smaller grid across the existing holes around the middle and bottom!

5) And, if you are feeling creative, then why not make him a new (or first) fly fringe out of baler twine for the warmer weather - particularly if he has a sparse forelock to do the job naturally.

6) Smear a little Vaseline around the tops of the overreach boots if he hasn’t worn them for a while as they could chafe a little to get started.

7) Change the type of wormer you use every other year so that the worms in your area don’t get immune to the preparations.  And always worm at the same time as your whole yard to make a more effective job of it!

8.) If your horses don’t like their medication, you could always mix it with black treacle, or something equally sticky, and wipe it on their tongue - this way they won’t be able to spit it out!

9) Water in your stable should be changed very regularly as it can absorb ammonia from the horse excrement quite easily and will become quite unpleasant to smell and drink - which could eventually make your horse ill.

10) And finally, another comfort one - make sure that you check the fitting of your horses saddle several times a year especially if you are changing their activity.  A horses shape will change quite noticeable with different feeds and/or different amount of exercise from summer to winter.

If you have any of your own tips - please add them in the comments section - or feel free to read 10 Top Show Tips For Your Horses Equestrian Career.

posted by admin on May 10

Horses and Ponies are just as much part of the family as dogs and cats - so lets focus on them in this article.

I have put together 10 great tips for saving your horse or pony from discomfort or boredom, and made them into a nice easy-to-read little list:

1) Safety First - Tie a small knot in the end of your lead rope to prevent it slipping clean out of your hand if he is startled or puts the breaks on!  This way he can’t get loose in an unsuitable environment.

2) And if he does injure himself, use salty water for his wounds - a really effective and cheap antiseptic.  Disinfectants shouldn’t really be used as they slow the healing process.

3) And talking cheap - use vinegar as a fly repellent.  It is just as effective as store-brought preparations, and is completely natural when washed off in the rain (and onto the grass your horses eat!).

4) Stop your horses from refusing to eat worming tablets or creams by storing them in the fridge overnight - they lose their smell when chilled - so he might no notice them in his breakfast!

5) Reduce the amount of foot-scraping your horse does at the stable door by putting a rubber mat there.  This way he won’t wear his hooves out on the rough ground - and if it no longer makes a noise, he may stop doing it so often!

6) In really cold weather, remember to leave a decent sized plastic or rubber ball in the water trough to prevent if from freezing completely over so your horses can still drink through the night!

7) And in really warm weather, flies and midges are more attracted to sweaty or dirty horses, so make sure you rub him down regularly and/or wash often with a shampoo that contains a mild antiseptic to help deter bugs!

8.) Staying on the bug theme - when applying louse powder, make sure you start at the fetlock, and really work the powder into the hair roots all the way down the creast, along the spine and right to the roots of the tail.  There’s no point doing it unless you are going to do it properly the first time!

9) If you want to save yourself some trouble when shaving your horse’s whiskers - use a plastic safety razor instead of scissors - this way you can be a bit braver when making contact with his moving head!

10) And an obvious one to finish - but one that people seem to forget sometimes: Never tie your horse to a fixed object!  Always tie to a piece of breakable baler twine to prevent him from injuring himself if startled.

Go to 10 Top Time Saving Tips For Your Horses Maintenance  for more ideas.

posted by admin on Aug 11

Don’t neglect your dogs teeth.

They need to be looked after just as much as a humans - especially if you are feeding moist foods - or you have a breed prone to dental problems like sight hounds or toy dogs.

Dental problem can cost a lot of money at the vets - and can be really painful for your pet. And it is all virtually avoidable. Don’t wait until your dog gets into trouble - and never assume your dog is too old to make a difference!

What Is The Problem?
Most dog food and treats contain sugar - need I explain!

I can virtually guarantee that if you are feeding a moist or dry commercial pet food - one that is available in your local food store - it contains sugar (or sometimes listed in the ingredients as caramel, glucose).

These sticky, moist food might taste nice with all it’s additives, but it will stick to the teeth and do damage.

As it is wet - it also has no abrasive action so there is no general scraping of the teeth during eating. Some people sometimes add biscuits to the wet food - but this can only do so much!

What’s The Solution?
Well, dry food can help to increase the abrasion of teeth while eating and therefore keep your dogs teeth free of dental build-up - however, do make sure that your dry food doesn’t contain colors or sugars - other wise you may as well be cleaning their teeth with icing!

Dogs teeth are natually strong and they can eat most whole animals products (like actual animal flesh, jerky and bones) without too much trouble - but as with humans, if you add sugars or highly-processed foods to your diet - you are asking for dental decay!

Therefore you have one of 2 solutions that are very easy to add to your pets routine:

1) Feed your dog anything you want to but clean it’s teeth regularly with pet-friendly toothpaste, or;
2) Feed your dog premium dry foods (that don’t contain sugars) and only feed healthy treats and let the teeth keep themselves clean.

There are, of course, breeds of dog like Yorkshire Terriers and many sight hounds that are genetically prone to ‘bad teeth’, so these dogs may need extra attention which ever method you choose.

posted by admin on May 24

A Natural Treatment for Rabies?

The simple answer is ‘No’.

There isn’t even a chemical treatment for rabies that any medical body would recommend for animals due to the risk to humans.

Basically, it is such a dangerous and difficult to treat disease, that there is no point risking an outbreak of any kind, so the animal must be kept totally isolated until it’s death.

If you suspect and animal as having rabies, you should always report this immediately to a vet or the police at any time day or night. The risk to humans and other animals is just to great, and if the virus gets into domestic animals, then everyone is at risk, including other wildlife, pets, livestock and, of course, you.

As the virus may be present in saliva before these signs develop it is very important to isolate animals which have been bitten and observe them.

The Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (MAFF) in the UK and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) in the US must always be called if there is a suspected case of Rabies. The dog, cat, bat or other animal will be humanely destroyed to protect the brain, and the head is sent to the labs for investigation.

There is no ’safest rabies vaccine for cats or dogs’, there is only one rabies vaccine, and the only way to prevent your pet getting rabies is to vaccinate it.

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