- Make a tube-sock tail wrap
Rather than buying a tail wrap, make one from a length of elasticized tubular bandaging, or Tubigrip (available from pharmacies) — a cost-effective way to protect your horse’s tail on your way to a show. Here’s how:
1. On each side of the tube’s cuff, cut a strip that will remain attached — each one about 8cm long and 2cm wide.
2. Braid your horse’s tail and slip the tube sock over it.
3. Interlace one of the loose tube-sock strips with the top of the braid, then tie the second sock strip to the first one, knotting it tightly, to keep the tube sock in place.
- A simple cure for rain rots
Rain scald, or rain rot, is a common skin infection affecting horses, particularly in winter when their skin stays wet for long periods of time. After giving the affected area a good brushing, apply iodine solution (available from pharmacies and some supermarkets) to the scabs, leave it on for a few minutes, then rinse off. Repeat a few times a week until the condition clears up. Don’t blanket your horse while he’s being treated for rain rot. Caution: keep iodine away from the horses’ eyes, and consult a vet if the infection doesn’t clear up within 2 weeks as your horse may require antibiotic therapy.
- Shine her up
After hosing off your horse, sponge on a solution of white vinegar and water (1 part vinegar to 10 parts water). This simple mixture will remove soap residue, help to repel flies and also shine up her coat.
- Alternatives to expensive hoof dressing
Keeping a horse’s hooves in good condition is essential to his wellbeing. Like human nail tissue, hooves are made of keratin and need to be nourished to prevent cracking and splitting. There are plenty of commercial hoof products available on the market, but here are three dressings you probably already have at home:
- Margarine
- Olive oil cooking spray
- WD-40
In cold areas, it’s important to apply dressing to the hooves to prevent snow freezing in a hoof. This makes it hard for a galloping horse to place its feet flat on the ground, often leading to sprains. Just remember that any of these dressings may make the hoof and shoe slippery, so make sure you don’t apply too much in winter too frequently,
- Deter flies and other insects
Keep flies away from your horse’s eyes by mixing together a few drops of any of the following oils: tea-tree, eucalyptus oil, lavender or citronella. Dab a cotton wool ball in the oil mix and wipe along your horse’s cheeks and forehead, then watch the flies flee! Another great remedy is to feed your horse garlic so that his garlic breath drives away insect pests.
- Shine up metal parts of a saddle
Clean and polish your horse’s chrome bits, buckles and straps with toothpaste. This handy and inexpensive polish works wonders on the shiny parts of a saddle.
- Saddle smarts
When you take apart your saddle for cleaning, it’s easy to forget which stirrup strap is left and which is right. Take two empty toilet-paper tubes and mark one Left, one Right. As you remove each strap, lace the strap through the correct paper tube and buckle it. And remember to rotate your stirrup leathers to prevent stretching on one side, or they’ll end up uneven.
- Hair gel keeps manes tidy
Forget fancy grooming techniques and tools; if hair gel works for you, it will work for your horse, too. Use a dollop to make braiding easy and to keep stray hairs from popping out of place on show day. A bit of hairspray will tame stray hairs, too.
- Smear stalls with chilli to stop chewing
To keep stalls from being chewed on by nickering nags, simply wipe some hot chilli paste, hot mustard or wasabi paste onto the stall. Horses hate the taste of anything hot and spicy, so they will leave the wood alone.