Horse Feed Wisdom

So today I will rant about idiots buying horsefeed. The place where I work we on occasion have bags of horse feed get busted open. Well these bags we discount VERY well so that they sell quickly and thus dont become bug infested. I'm all about people getting a deal on their fav brand of feed BUT it irks me to no end those that come in and ask for the busted bags of horse feed regardless of what type it is. Forexample a lady come sin today and asks about our busted feed. I ask her what type she normally buys so hat I can check and se eif we have any busted bags of that type. She replies "Oh I feed my horses whatever bags are busted doesn't matter what type it is." WHAT??? SO you mean to tell me that you are constantly swapping your horses feed around without any regards to it's health? Wow what a horse owner you are. I understand that the economy is crap right now, fine but would you buy random busted cans of say baby formula with out any regards to what it could do to your infants stomach by swapping it so randomly? No you wouldnt and any good horse owner would feel the same way. I also understand the need to want to save money but at my store we offer a GREAT program where you can become a member and thus get a TON discount on just one bag of feed. Now ton pricing makes the feed about 50 cents cheaper than normal. Save money by becoming a member and getting that discount, don't risk your horses gut for the sake of a few cents

Good feet = a happy horse

So today I decided I do have time to post a new blog. I mean hell I'm dead here at work, The occasional customer comes trottign through oh every hour maybe. Winter is slow at the feed store. With winter starting to set in I've started slacking off on taking care of my horses feet. Bad owner I know but it's getting dark quicker, I can't get out to the barn like I should... ugh Winter SUCKS. Anyway we all know how important proper hoof care is. Aside from trimming your hores regularly (every 6-8 weeks) It doesn't hurt anythign to paint a dressing on the sole , frog and shell of the hoof to help strengthen the hoof as well as trap moisture inside it. A good one to use is Hoof Heal by Cutheal animal products. Really anything with with pine tar is good. Now now all you none pine tar users who swear it's the devil read this article (http://www.netpets.com/horses/healthspa/dress.html). Pine tar has been proven to hold moisture in the hoof better than anything else. This study was done by Texas A & M and seeing as how they are have one of the leading Animal Science programs in the country, I think we are safe to follow their lead. My farrier recently told me a mixture I could fix at home and paint on the hooves. It consists of Pine Tar , RAW linseed oil and Venice Turpentine. One part of each ingredient (for example 8oz of the pine tar , 8oz of raw linseed oil and 8oz of the venice turpentine). And let me tell you this stuff WORKS. Apparently it's a recipe that an old racehorse trainer used years and years ago. You know back when TB's actually had good hard feet and could run hard .... but thats besides the point. I started using this mix on my appy filly and WOW it was awesome. Her feet look and even feel healthier!

Thrush though is starting to pose a problem now as the moisture in the grass isn't evaporating as quickly and well as winter weather hits let's face it it becomes slightly muddier. Always CLEAN your horses feet out atleast once a day. This will help prevent the thrush from starting. Should your horse get thrush I have found the best product to quickly and effectively is ThrushBomb. it's a purple liquid in a little bitty squeeze bottle. You draw one line down each sid eof the frog (make sure you get it in the crevice) and that one dose pretty much kills the fungus out! I swear by this stuff.

Many people feel the need to feed a hoof supplement and if you use an inferior quality feed such as Dumour or all-stock its honestly a good idea. See every year the NRC (Nutrition Requirements Council) reviews the daily needs and percentages of certain vitamens a horse needs. Most feeds out there have the bare minimum amount of these vitamins. Co-Op feeds have the amount recommended and then some:) See they are all about the health of the horse, not the profit from the feed. Every year Co-Op updates their feeds while numerous other companies don't or if they do, they barely make them better. A Good feed such as what Co-Op carries actually eliminates the need for additonal hoof supplements unless it is an EXTREME case. IF a hoof supplement is needed then you don't want to get anything that has over 20mg of biotin per serving. That's all a horse needs. Anything higher and you are basically throwing your money away.

Wow! Now this is a guy I want breaking my horse.

Earlier this summer I had a customer leave here after buying some NFZ , DMSO , Blue Lotion & Vet Wrap. Me being the typical oh a horse person let's talk kind of gal, struck up a conversation with him as I was helping him. I asked him what had happened to his horse that he was having to buy so much first aid stuff... his response? "Oh he got a little rope burn' Ouch that hurts so I start asking him how that happened. Well it turns out this man is breaking this horse. The horse had issues with being caught so the guy ropes the horse gets him haltered and proceeded to snub him up to a post (with the rope still around his neck frm where he had been roped) and leave him. Not for an hour, not for 3 or 4 but for THREE DAYS!!! The horse being young, unbroke and scared out of his mind, of course struggled and the loose end of the rope became entangled around his fetlock several times until it had rubbed the fetlock RAW. This guy said you could see the meat of the fetlock!! I couldn't believe that he was sitting here BRAGGING about how he cured this colt's catching issue. When he was done with his story he grinned and said "yeah the shit don't run from me now" WELL NO DUH ASSHAT!! YOU MADE HIME LAME HE CANT RUN FROM YOU!!! I rang the customer up ushered him out the door and prayed he would never come back. Well this morning I have an email form an addy I don't know so I open it up and lo-and-behold it's him... apparently he had picked up one of my cards. He's thanking me for my advice on caring for the wound, I told him keep it clean and put the NFZ on it but he really should get a vet in on this if it's that bad. So anyway he's thanking me for the advice and had sent me pictures. I open them up and find the pics attached with this blog... WTF??? Dude I hope to hell you called a vet instead of tryign to treat that yourself.

I will definately respond to his email and see if he did indeed call a vet as I strongly suggested... let's hope he did

Are You Serious????

http://nashville.craigslist.org/grd/876576654.html

what we have here is a complete lack of equine safety knowledge!!!! Not only are there asshats hanging all over this mare like little kids on monkey bars she's underfed.

Ginger - 12 year old Well Broke TB Mare - $500 (Lewisburg, Tn)
Reply to: mailto:sale-876576654@craigslist.org?subject=Ginger%20-%2012%20year%20old%20Well%20Broke%20TB%20Mare%20-%20$500%20(Lewisburg,%20Tn) [?]Date: 2008-10-12, 5:04PM CDT
This is a nice 12 year old that just about anyone can ride. She's quiet, has been to shows, played in games. Has GREAT POTENTIAL for Poles. She's easy to handle. You can ride her in just a halter. She also would make a nice English horse to. Nice all round mare. This is a nice mare, don't let the price fool you.

What kills me is the complete lack of safety they are practicing around these horses. I mean look at that asshat STANDING on the poor mare's back, so saddle , no hlater.. NOTHING and to top that off there are other loose horses in the field. Can we say IDIOT??? From the pictures she doesn't even look like a TB. i must say though that it is evident from the pictures that "Ginger" has a sweet temperment. God knows I couldn't stand that shit if I was a horse.

This just hurts me to read

http://nashville.craigslist.org/grd/862404329.html
please read!!!5 year old ex racehorse
Reply to: sale-862404329@craigslist.org [?]Date: 2008-10-01, 12:11PM CDT
She is an exracehorse.She was abused at the track and then sent to my farm to rehab.To be honest,the rehab did not work.If she is just out in the field she is fine.She will approach you but she will not let you mess with her(tie,groom,etc.)What she needs is somewhere to be turned out and left alone.Her owner does not want to come get her or deal with her.But I need her of my farm,not because she causes problems,but due to the fact I have relocated my business and she is of no use to me. 615 668 6211

Now reading this just hurts my heart to no end. I don't understand how they can say this horse is of no use to them. Every horse has a purpose, maybe not with every person, but every horse DOES have a use. And the fact they say rehab didn't work, thats a crock. Maybe they just didn't rehab her in the way that SHE needed to be rehabed. We all know that no two horses can be trained in the exact same manner with the exact same results. If I didn't have way too many horses myself I'd call in a heartbeat. Is there anyone out there willing to take this mare, take the time needed to earn her trust and show her a good home? Come on people this is pitiful. Why dump a horse b/c she's been abused? Keep trying don't quit on her. I hope someone finds this lil mare and gives her a good home.

WTF???? 18 months old and KID BROKE?

I found this CL ad today while shopping around for a barrel saddle for my son. Who in their right mind would break an 18 month old colt? I mean yes I realize they start TB's as early as 12 months but come on this is a BYB horse. (I say that b/c this is the same person that Poptart came from.....atleast this pony is somewhat fat) The pics of the pony make him look disproportioned and well like junk. That's something I don't understand, if you are going to post pics of a horse you are trying to sell, why not take some that make the horse look good? All these pics of grazinf horses drives me nuts. You can't tell anything about conformation from a grazing picture. Come on use some sense when posting ads with pictures!!!

And looking at this picture he loks wormy and has funky hips. see this pic does nothing for the pony. I wouldnt even go look at him in person after seeing this pic

http://nashville.craigslist.org/grd/851387942.html

Registered Pinto pony colt--18 moths old--KID BROKE - $500 (Clarksville/Woodlawn)
Reply to: sale-851387942@craigslist.org [?]Date: 2008-09-22, 8:01PM CDT
This guy was born at our house and was imprinted from the minute he hit the ground. His mom was a grey roan 12.2 HH pony ( junk) and his dad is a registered APHA horse (APHA # 691123 Mccain Cool Copy) (hasn't done a thing in the show pen) chestnut and white 14.3 HH. He is currently measuring 44". He can be handled by any child no matter the age and is bombproof.(Yes cause we all know an 18 month old STUD COLT is so very wise to the ways of the world.... wait till he decides he'd liek to see a mare in heat while a kid is handling him, how bomb proof would he be then?) He will not kick or bite and it doesn't matter how young they are. I can send pics of both parents. He is Registered Pinto Horse Assoc. # 132634Y and his registered name is Mccains Copyright Canyon (canyon for short). We have already led our kids around on his back so he is completely used to that (once again such a safe thing for a child to be doing... riding an 18 month old stud colt) and we have hauled him to shows and practices just to get him used to that environment and he loves to go places and acts perfect. He has one blue eye and the other is brown and blue. Can send more pics. Truly kid and bomb proof

Ugh it just kills me. I fwd'd this ad onto Fugly, hope she has fun with it! :)

AGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH

Sometimes you just need to scream!!!!!! Rough day dealing with idiots