We’re trying to organize the tack room and, once again, my daughter, being the genius she is, has come up with a brilliant idea. We have a few too many saddle pads and needed a place to put them that was easily accessible. In order not to put wet, sweaty, hairy, stinky saddle pads in the trunks, they would usually wind up laying on top of a tack trunk or draping over a saddle. Everything looked messy and unorganized until she found this rack online at Schneider Saddlery. We hung it in an out-of-the-way unused area of the tack room. This rack lets the saddle pads dry and they are neat and ready to go when we’re ready for them. I like the fact that the arms swing to the left or right so the pads slide on or off with ease. The arms are also removable, so it can be dismantled easily. We bolted this one to the wall, but it is designed to also be portable and can be hung over a stall wall from the hooks included with it. We have another for wet blankets that we can hang over the wall of the wash stall. If you’re interested in purchasing one, visit www.sstack.com.
We may finally have the chance to make our voices heard and ban Rollkur/hyperflexion for good. The furor over this particular video has been the spark igniting the controversy about Rollkur. Billie at camera-obscura, has done a wonderful and thorough job of researching all the links and petitions for us to sign. She has also written many thoughtful posts on the subject. Please visit her blog for more information about this disgusting and abusive practice that needs to be condemned and stopped now. We need to get back to the classical and humane way of interacting with our riding partners.
Until next time
Quote for Today
What the horse does under compulsion...is done without understanding...and there is no beauty in it. - Xenophon
We’ve recently purchased our hay for the winter months ahead. This particular batch of second cutting timothy hay is some of the best hay I have ever seen but it was also very expensive. During the winter when the pasture grass is dead, we normally put hay in the hayracks and throw flakes in different locations for grazing. Our horses have figured out how to drag it through the paddocks and they waste quite a bit. This year in order not to waste this expensive hay we needed to come up with a better way to distribute the hay during the winter months and I'm happy to report that we found a solution.
My daughter had the brilliant idea to make a’ hay tree’. I’ve included some pictures below so you can get a look at it. So far, it has been working out very well, there is minimal waste and the hoovers of the herd have to slow down their eating. It also keeps them busy and they are less bored and less likely to decorate the paddock with the hay their discerning palettes reject. In addition, I don’t think it looks bad at all.
If you would like to erect your own, ‘Magical Hay Tree’ here is how we did it:
We purchased a 6x6 – 12 ft. pressure treated pole and two 1x8x8 pine boards and two 1x6x8 pine boards. The pole needs to be this length so no one will be able to run over it and skewer themselves. Dig a 4 ft. hole and insert the pole, fill in the dirt around it and make sure it’s straight, (I’d use a level). Then put the pine boards on the pressure treated pole, we used crown molding and a cap to displace any water from rain or snow, so it won’t go in between the pine boards and the pressure treated pole. Next, we stained it white with an acrylic stain. Any color stain will do but we used white to match our fences and make it highly visible to the horses. Acrylic stain is also not poisonous in case anyone decides to chomp on it, one of the reasons we also covered the pressure treated wood with pine boards. Next, we added 8 mounting plates with rings on each hay tree; we bought these from Big D’s. I’m sure many tack shops sell them also. We used galvanized screws so they woudn’t rust (brass screws are also good) and I think they are recommended for pressure treated wood. Our hay nets are the small hole type, it takes a longer time to finish off the hay with these nets and it keeps the waste down.
Until next time
Quote for Today
Ask not what your horse can do for you - Ask what you can do for your horse.
The Hag is astride,
This night for to ride;
The Devill and shee together:
Through thick, and through thin,
Now out, and then in,
Though ne’r so foule be the weather.
A Thorn or a Burr
She takes for a Spurre:
With a lash of a Bramble she rides now,
Through Brakes and through Bryars,
O’re Ditches, and Mires,
She followes the Spirit that guides now.
No Beast, for his food,
Dares now range the wood;
But husht in his laire he lies lurking:
While mischiefs, by these,
On Land and on Seas,
At noone of Night are working,
The storme will arise,
And trouble the skies;
This night, and more for the wonder,
The ghost from the Tomb
Affrighted shall come,
Cal’d out by the clap of the Thunder.
But I’ve got to opt out of the picture challenge. It’s raining today and I’ve got a miserable cold, so I won’t be skipping around the farm like Little Red Riding Hood, toting a camera instead of a basket of goodies. Grandma babysitting duties call and we’ve got Halloween activities with the little ones coming up. Houseguests will also be arriving for a few days. I’d like to thank everyone for their wonderful comments and Holly for inviting me to the challenge. It was fun while it lasted…
Welcome to Grey Horse Matters, this blog will address issues facing the aging rider and equine enthusiast. Nowadays, most of the information we receive from trainers and publications is geared toward the younger rider; we recognize that not all of us fall into this category. We hope to create a forum for the mature rider which will include such topics as : health and exercise for the older rider; selecting the right trainer; helpful products and equipment; book reviews; inspirational stories; and just about anything else that might be of interest.
Most of all, we will try to address the challenges of aging with our horses with sympathy, support, and humor.
