horse question

[helmstead]

You're totally right...I misread. LOL Back to the corner for me!

 

[Moonwalker]

Do NOT use hay to soak up water/mud! The hay will rot, ferment and mold quickly. If you have to use something like that use straw. It will do all the above, but much more slowly and the horses will not be tempted to eat it. (well, MOST horses) You don't want to use it over large areas, just high traffic ones, as eventually, you will have to scrape it up and dispose of it if you put it down thick. A thin layer will help protect grass from cold and damage, but not heaps of it.
I agree with whoever suggested the electric fence. You can use it until either the weather gets better or you finish your fences. It will also save you a lot of money and trouble in the future by moving them around before they totally destroy the grass roots (their hooves go down in the mud and tear it up) If it is torn up enough, the pasture will have to be plowed and re seeded to be good again.

 

[chickbea]

I have no idea if this is a good suggestion or not, but I know I have seen people doing this in the Spring around here - how about putting down pine boughs in the most heavily trafficed areas?
If I were going to try, I would probably use hemlock or something where the branches are flat so the hooves don't roll sideways.
It certainly wouldn't be a long-term solution, but maybe it would give them some relief.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Good for people and wheelbarrows, but probably useless for horses who will just punch right thru. Horses' hooves have sharpish edges and a LOT of psi

But you know, it IS a good solution for people traffic, I've done it before but forgot about it, and I may just chop up the xmas tree to do some mud remediation at the people 'pass-thru' into the paddock whicj is getting muddy... thanks chickbea!

Pat

 

[miss_thenorth]

Hey there! ok--let me clarify ph/perch almost 2--needs work lifting his feet. We have talked to the guy we bought hm from and he says its his fault-- he trained him that way. He liked it when the horses lift slow. thunder is young and he does need practice--but he is healthy and HEAVY.-- and yes --he needs to learn to balance.

Morgan cross--when we get him into the barn--we can do his feet and when I said he snaps his feet up-- I meant that I llike the way he lifts. you basically just have to tap his leg and he will snap it up quick for you to get it done. The last couple of times we did his feet--we didn't even need to put his halter on. I still need hubby there though, bc the morgans favourite thing to do with us is turn his butt to us--he has never kicked...I think he jsut wants us to kiss his A$$--one of the reasons we are selling him back to the original owner. He was her baby-- and other than her-he is standoffish to everyone

Yes-- the paint needs still to learn-- and I need my hubby to help. Other than the bucket idea--I like that btw, ioften wondered about doing it like the farrier does it, but I thought that would still kill my back.

Well, my break is over ---- back to digging.....

MissC