Any MNers with horses out there?

[Longlegs1972]

and how do you cope?

I'm getting really down cos I never get the time to spend with mine....

Trace clip!!

Thanks. You can remind me of this in a few years when I'm an old hand!

LOL Hi Happy Chick. Congrats on getting your new horse. You have reminded me tho how much I fretted during the first winter with my horse about what 'clothes' to put on him to keep him warm, and what if he got too hot/cold while I wasn't there etc. I never studied the weather forecast so much before that. I felt it was like having a new baby, but that I didn't have within arms reach to check on all the time.
And despite feeling pretty competant before he arrived, I felt a complete novice for quite a while once he got there. It's the little details that got to me sometimes, - so absolutely don't worry about asking about all that here.

Congratulations Heppychick! And a Happy New Year to all horsey Mumsnetters .

Thanks ladies. He's all paid for and mine. He's the best New Year's present. Having always just turned up and been presented with a 'pre-prepared' horse, I am now having a 'What now' moment!

I think I have bought most things he needs for the moment thanks to notjustmom and theslownorris. He's an Irish Draft cross by the way!

Gah, I really need to change my nickname, it was made up in a moment of brain-drain and makes me whince everytime I see it, I'm not remotely chick-like.

Any mnetters out there who can give me some advice for cleaning a very muddy horse. He has been in the field since Sunday. I made a right pig's ear of it at the weekend and it took hours before he was gleaming (he then proceeded to roll in his stable so you can imagine the state. He's a grey by the way).

Many thanks in advance.

Hi, I find a rubber curry comb best for cleaning clumps of dried mud off a filthy hairy horse! You can give him a good scrub with it, it won't hurt, even on the clipped bits. You can then use your other brushes as normal. Also, having had a grey for 23 years I can recommend a cactus cloth for in the summer for rubbing grass and stable stains off. If you fancy giving him a proper wash in the summer you can buy special shampoo for greys that really makes them sparkle.

By the way, don't brush wet mud, wait until it's dry otherwise you might cause mud-fever. We used to stand them in the stable wearing a jute rug with straw stuffed underneath to dry them off really quickly but I expect there is some new-fangled rug that does the same thing now!

This is supposed to be good. One of mine is grey and I was going to try it on her tail. Word of warning though,don't use anything that shines the coat on the saddle area-you could end up making an unscheduled dismount

That looks interesting Slownorris. I suppose it's the same stuff as they put in coat-gloss/showsheen type sprays. They make the hair slippery don't they? (no good if you plan to put plaits in). Having just had a marathon mud-scraping session myself (dpony is growing there seems to be a lot of him!), I'm quite tempted to try some of that.

I don't know-will report back when I get some . I know some people use Mr Sheen on manes & tails but my girl has sweet itch some I'm wary about using something that might irritate her skin. The best stuff I've found is this. Not cheap,but a little goes a long way and it doesn't make the hair slippery. In fact the whole range is great and smells divine .

Reading that, I fancy putting it on my own hair - never mind the horse!

You can! I used it to detangle my dds' hair! It looked fab for ages afterwards.

Evening, thanks for those suggestions. I went this morning and he was covered, but I had a stab of it and he looked respectable when we went out. I saw some Mud Away in the tack shop and was going to ask you if you had any experience. Would be interested to know.

The previous owner used biological washing powder on the tail (stopped before the dock) and he said it works fantastically.

I'm so pleased I bought him, it's working out really well, he's a bit jumpy but is easily calmed and he's such a gent.

Thanks again for replying.

Oh by the way, got lots from Tesco and it was all good quality and arrived the next day.

Hello!

New to the thread, but have been lurking for a while

Horseless at present, as house renovations take precedence... I hope we'll be finished in time to hear hoof-fall in the autumn.

theslownorris - I love the look of Rosie We live on a small island in Denmark, and the winters can be harsh. But British natives are relatively popular here, so I should be able to find a Fell or Welsh sec D when the time comes!

Appalled by the news from England of that RSPCA rescue with all the horses - horrible

Hi Tickle! I would definitely recommend a Fell, I have so much fun with her .

The equine forums are full of that news . I've keeping up to date on it with Horse and Hound.

My sil was in attendance - she works for Redwings - she has seen all sorts, but says this was truly appalling, and some of the worst she has ever seen!

Just bumping this thread cos it's so good!
How's everyone and their horses?
Hello Pixel what's your news?! Did you see that film yet?
How's Madold since selling the horse??

Hi Manuka, how are you? I haven't seen the film yet unfortunately!
We are well at the Pixel ranch but completely sick of this weather. Nowhere to school because of the mud and if it's dry enough to ride out then it is blowing a gale which dpony hates so he is turning into a delinquent! Roll on summer I say (or a lottery win so I can have an indoor school ).

ah yes a lottery win would be great! When I win the maximum jackpot of the Euro lottery (£100m) I will buy a beautiful house in Keswick in The Lake District with lots of land and stables and horses, American Saddlebreds and Connemaras and lots of dogs too and in the house I will have a spa and swimming pool!

Hmm, I'm definitely with you on the Connemaras but not so sure about the Saddlebreds, a bit poncy for me. I'd be happy with any of our lovely native breeds but I've always wanted an Exmoor pony. Not sure why, I think I just like their faces and their dappley coats like conkers!

I like native breeds too. They're very tough aren't they like 4x4s!! Do you have a dartmoor pony or is that someone else on here??

Not me, I do remember seeing someone's photo of a dartmoor pony (with a little girl on it I think) but I can't remember whose it was. We have an on-loan shetland though.