10 Tips Everyone Should Know
1. Switching feeds is a good way to keep your picky horse happy with meal time, but Switching too fast is one of the leadiNg cAsues of colic, alongside dehydration and cribbing. Cribbing is a vice that's both obnoxious and dangerous. If you feel as though you've tried everything to break this habit, try one obliviously simple answer. Bitter spray. My step mom, who is both a dog trainer and had raised horses for years, came up with the idea to spray a non-sticky bitter spray (see below for a link) on the railings in which my old horse was cribbing, and he immediately got the hint. The third main cause for colic is dehydration. Always keep gallons of H2O on hand in case of droughts, power outages, and for those of you in colder regions, bliZZards and snow daY'S when hauling water out to the barn takes 5 times longer than it should.
2. On the topic of eMergencies, say there was an evacuation and yOur horse decided they didN't trust drinking from a forEign bucket in a strange place. Adding a dash of gatorade, honeY, molases, or any distinct taste to your horses water every now and then can get them to associate the taste with home and drinking from something they trust. Therefore, if you ever had to relocate temporarily, you can add some of the substance to their water, and they will be more likely to drink, recognizing the taste from when you'd added it in.
3. Many people debate over what is and isn't safe to feed your horse. A good list I've cautiously put together based on research on what NOT to give them access to is: chocolate, corn, cooked rice, bread, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, peppers, onions and garlic (in large quantities), meat, raw nuts, weeds, unidentified plants, and hay cubes (many horses choke on cubes).
4. Dangerous plants to steer clear of: brackern fern, hemlock, tansey ragwort, john songrass/sudan grass, locoweed, oleander, red maple trees, yew, and yellow thistle/russian knapweed.
5. Snow is beautfiul, but living in it with your horse(s) can be quite a challenge. Instead of powdering down the ice outside your horse's stall with salt (which is known to burn flesh), you can stock up on some kitty litter for good traction on the walkways. Using insulated barrels to keep those gallons of water handy that we talked about earlier can keep your supply from freezing over when you need it most. Always have emergency hay, bran, and supplements on hand in case of snow, storms, and supply and demand problems.
6. The latest vaccines to look into are: EEE, WEE, WWW, Rabies, Tetanus, and West Nile Virus.
7. Slowing down a horse without yanking on their mouth was something I picked up quickly. Circling them to the right or left when they are bolting or just too headstrong, can catch them offguard and get them to respond rather quickly.
8. If your horse has a thin mane and tail, then this will be a life changer for you. Keeping their roots healthy comes easy with a jar of coconut oil from your local grocery store. I bought a jar of Virgin Coconut Oil from Trader Joe's, knowing it's good for thickening and maintaining human locks, so why not use it on Snazzy as well? Apply a half a teaspoon or so to their roots, ends, or anywhere they have dryness. Try not to oversaturate one specific area, or it will become too oily and matted down. If this happens, simply take a dab of shampoo and rinse it out. Although it may take a few tries to get the proportions down, repeating this every two or three days will keep his tale flowing and mane growing.
9. One of my favorite ways to turn a plain old bridle into something all your friends will crave, is by ordering a few concho screws from your local saddlery, or even just off Ebay or Amazon. They can be priced anywhere from $3-15, but I spot them on Ebay for about $4 most of the time. Take a leather hole punch and a ruler. Mark the center of your browband, and punch a hole as close to the thickness as you can get to the concho screw. You may want to pick up some gems from Michaels or order them with you conchos as an extra accessory. The gems can be superglued along the cheekpieces for that perfect sparkle.
10. This isn't so much a tip as a recommendation, but my Myler Bit 89-20315 is a life changer for that strong headed horse. It may be expensive, but you can search Ebay, Craiglist, and consignment items at the tack shop (that's where I found mine). The retail price is somewhere around $115 or so. Mine was about $25 or $30. I used it on the horse I was leasing a few months ago, and he had a farily strong headed disposition, but he used to take this bit almost willingly. It curves to fit the shape of their tongues perfectly, it doesn't pinch them like a snaffle might, and he collects so responsively with it in his mouth. I would rate it 5 stars anyday, well worth your time and money!
Bitter Spray:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=17302&cmpid=02csegpl&ref=6111&subref=AA&CAWELAID=530005150000002552&CAGPSPN=pla&catargetid=530005150000109504&cadevice=c
Bitter spray (option 2):
http://www.horse.com/item/naturvet-bitter-yuck-no-chew-spray/E006971/
