Things you didn't know you needed

Ave Sodalis

I thought this might be a fun thread! What are your little tricks and hacks for making things easier around the yard? What's the thing you bought and realised how great it was after you bought it?

I bought a pair of waterproof jods. They were a little pricey compared to what I usually get but I had extra Xmas money. They are amazing! I'm strongly considering buying another pair. They keep you dry when riding, and have a fleece lining on the inside. I won't be able to wear them on warm days (I have my super comfy thin jods for that) but since it's rarely warm or dry here, I'll probably end up wearing through these quickly from use. Added bonus is that they are quite grippy on leather which made rising trot a bit odd at first. Handy for that little bit of added security when schooling young/fiesty horses. Not so great when you have leather sofas at home and you can't move...

Hair gel helps with holding plaits in awkward manes

Hoofpicks do everything! Can't get that annoying stirrup leather over the bar? Use a hoofpick to lever it round. Tight pair of slip on short boots? A hoofpick through the loop at the back will pull them on. Can't get the hubcaps off your wheels to change a tyre? A hoofpick is just the right shape to pop them off, much to my non-horsey brother's amusement.

Rubbing a bit of baby oil onto a bridle with a rag will get it shiney looking when you don't have enough time to clean it properly. Same with a saddle, but wouldn't recommend putting it on the seat if you're about to go riding.

Baby nappies work great as a hoof bandage.


Anything else?

isaos

Thanks for this thread, Sup Dude! looking forward to some handy Irish tips

Here is a French (?) one for you:
Inner tubes of bicycle tyres are very handy to keep if you find them: to be used instead of a string between the metal ring and the halter's rope. It makes tying horses very safe, if the horse pulls back the elasticity of the tube will most of the time help the horse to relax faster and move forward. Tried and used successfully with a number of horses and ponies!

charlieIRL

Baby wipes clean everything from tack to ponies!!! Nothing worse than spending hours washing a light coloured pony only to come out to find them rolling in the one sh1t in the stable!!

Ah_Yeah

Potties from IKEA or the pound shop can be used to make cavaletti

isaos

You need fencing, but the ground in rock hard.. take old tyres (any tyre center will be delighted to get rid of theirs), fill them with concrete, just fit the selected poles in the concrete and here you go.. not dangerous, very stable, and can be moved (they are very heavy, though)!

byhookorbycrook

Aldi washing up liquid will bring a dirty grey tail right up to its proper colour. (Just don't use it on the tail root)

byhookorbycrook

A sweat scraper is great for removing a winter coat, can't believe I only found that this week when one of the lads in our yard took about 2 feet of thatch (*disclaimer, might not have been exactly two feet*) off my cob, who is half draught out of something that may have been quite hairy.Easier that clogging brushes, rubber curry combs etc. for the big sweep of the body- not for face or head, of course.

Ave Sodalis

byhookorbycrook wrote:

A sweat scraper is great for removing a winter coat, can't believe I only found that this week when one of the lads in our yard took about 2 feet of thatch (*disclaimer, might not have been exactly two feet*) off my cob, who is half draught out of something that may have been quite hairy.Easier that clogging brushes, rubber curry combs etc. for the big sweep of the body- not for face or head, of course.

I may very well try that! I was just about to spend 50 euro on something that works off the same concept but that would be much handier and cheaper if it works.

byhookorbycrook

If it takes hair off my Cob, it will shift about anything !

silverfox88

On the shedding note - pumice blocks are FAB for removing hair. Stops the hair going everywhere and if you have a horse that is a bit more thin skinned they are a little gentler - google "pumice block" - super cheap and a brilliant addition to your grooming kit!! You can usually get them in "soap on a rope" type format in with the bath stuff in Boots etc

byhookorbycrook

Must try it on his nibs face. Thanks.

Ave Sodalis

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

If it takes hair off my Cob, it will shift about anything !

Tried it today on a cob with a very bad coat. It's weird waxy hair, and dry flaky skin. Hair tends to stick to it like mad and I usually have to cut off a dreadlock or two before I ride her, particularly under her belly and chest. You could brush her for weeks and still feel like you've gotten nowhere. Was giving her a brush today for photos for an ad, and remembered this. It works an absolute treat! Half her weight must have come off in loose hair that was trapped. It even took a load of stains out before we washed her (it was mainly loose trapped hair that was stained). It honestly looked like I clipped her afterwards.

byhookorbycrook

Glad it has worked , my boy almost fully coated now, he's usually last in the entire yard !

Esroh

If anyone needs a leg coolant with the current ground conditions.
A mix of equal parts of
Water
Vinegar
Metholated/White Spirits
Is an old-school recipe I originally got from vets in the family that works very well and causes no harm. (Usual warnings re open wounds, it stings).

byhookorbycrook

Avon Skin So Soft spray keeps the midges off. For the horse, we use a spray of 2 parts vinegar, one part Detol and two part water. Stinks to the high heaven, but if you use that and add some garlic to your horse's feed, you can keep all but the most persistent of flies away.

Whistlejacket

To keep a wound clean/intact while awaiting the vet to clean and stitch it, wrap it with clingfilm. It's clean, non-irritant, non-stick and doesn't hurt either to apply or remove, especially on areas that are otherwise awkward to bandage e.g. on the neck/torso.

I have seen it used to successfully keep a horse's intestines in its abdomen after a staking injury (loose horse galloped into a post and rail fence and got a massive full thickness flank wound). The horse made a full recovery :-)

Ave Sodalis

Whistlejacket wrote:

I have seen it used to successfully keep a horse's intestines in its abdomen after a staking injury (loose horse galloped into a post and rail fence and got a massive full thickness flank wound). The horse made a full recovery :-)

Ouchy!

TheFarrier

An old rasp is great for coating off horses too, better than any curry comb