Horsey money saving hints? (merged)

SDH

Hello Horsey MSE friends ..... I did something not particulary MSE yesterday .... went out and bought a Mitsubishi Pajero (Shogun) .... for towing my beasties around the countryside!!
Never had a vehicle capable of towing before and totally fed up with asking for lifts / tagging along to whatever show my mates are going too.

Its not a new one - 12yr old but in excellent condition
Am using the MSE guide to track down insurance for it ....

and I kept my aging Punto to commute to work (cheaper petrol!)

orlao

SDH wrote: »

Hello Horsey MSE friends ..... I did something not particulary MSE yesterday .... went out and bought a Mitsubishi Pajero (Shogun) .... for towing my beasties around the countryside!!
Never had a vehicle capable of towing before and totally fed up with asking for lifts / tagging along to whatever show my mates are going too.

Its not a new one - 12yr old but in excellent condition
Am using the MSE guide to track down insurance for it ....

and I kept my aging Punto to commute to work (cheaper petrol!)

Well done you! A 4x4 is on my wish list for towing but since I drive 25,000 miles a year I really can't afford to have one....not with the price of diesel.

Potential MSE hint being tried out at the mo, pig oil andsulphur to cure and hopefully prevent mudfever.

The haffy has had a bad attack of mud fever which is now improving but not quite clear and after trying various treatments some of which worked better than others I'm now going to try the pig oil just to clear the last little bit...and hopefully prevent it in the winter!

I'll keep you updated ;-)

~Chameleon~

orlao wrote: »

The haffy has had a bad attack of mud fever which is now improving but not quite clear and after trying various treatments some of which worked better than others I'm now going to try the pig oil just to clear the last little bit...and hopefully prevent it in the winter!

I'll keep you updated ;-)

You've possibly already tried this, but the best stuff I found to treat mud fever was a thick green ointment/paste. I can't remember now if it has a specific name, possibly just called green ointment, but it came in a small tub and was very expensive :eek: but it lasted a very long time and was the only thing that worked for me.

Good luck with your remedy, hope it works! I know what a nightmare mud fever can be to treat

Jellicat

I found an American book on horse money saving that was talking about DIY foot trimming and teeth rasping :eek: ! Is this a totally insane idea or is it workable? Apparently they do courses in the US on learning enough to trim your horses own feet.

orlao

I don't think it's legal to rasp your horses's teeth, there were new rules brought in a few years ago about equine dentists having to be qualified and registered....but anyone can trim(not shoe) a horses feet.

Certainly wouldn't agree with "having a go" at a horses mouth but have to admit that some years ago when farriers were like gold dust around here I would sometimes rasp my horses hooves to prevent cracking when yet again the bl00dy farrier wouldn't show up......then when you finally got through on the phone would promise to try and get to you in the next couple of weeks......like he was doing you a favour:mad: That man was the reason I didn't dare to have my horses shod, sometimes it would be 12 weeks between visits.....mine stayed barefoot as I reckoned it was better for them even if it restricted what I would have liked to do with them but it's much better round here now, all it took was 5 or 6 newly qualified farriers in the area.....

orlao

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

You've possibly already tried this, but the best stuff I found to treat mud fever was a thick green ointment/paste. I can't remember now if it has a specific name, possibly just called green ointment, but it came in a small tub and was very expensive :eek: but it lasted a very long time and was the only thing that worked for me.

Good luck with your remedy, hope it works! I know what a nightmare mud fever can be to treat

Do you mean the Lincolns green? In a black and yellow tub! I used that years ago and don't remember seeing any for sale in recent years......

I'm curious now;)

Just had a thought it could have been Dermobian, that used to work a treat but it was discontinued in 2004/5, don't know why. It was a prescription product and eyewateringly expensive but very effective!

Fingers crossed that the pig oil mix will work, so nearly there just the last few scabs to go and then the challenge of keeping it away in future!!!

~Chameleon~

orlao wrote: »

Just had a thought it could have been Dermobian, that used to work a treat but it was discontinued in 2004/5, don't know why. It was a prescription product and eyewateringly expensive but very effective!

Yes!!! It was Dermobian. I didn't realise it had been discontinued, what a shame as that stuff was great. I dread to think what it would cost nowadays if it was still available as I'm sure I paid somewhere in the region of £25/£30 for a small pot over 10 years ago _pale_

On an MSE note, I found vaseline to be very good at helping prevent it if turned out in muddy fields, and also clipping off any feathering as this traps moisture in making heels more susceptible. My mare had 3 white feathered heels so it was a constant problem every winter.

Just realised it's a bit early in the year to be suffering MF but I guess that's due to the wet "summer" we've had this year

Raksha

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

On an MSE note, I found vaseline to be very good at helping prevent it if turned out in muddy fields, and also clipping off any feathering as this traps moisture in making heels more susceptible. My mare had 3 white feathered heels so it was a constant problem every winter.

I used to look after 2 hunters belonging to the ex MFH. One of them was a classic heavy weight cob who used to suffer with MF - his could be kept under control by cllipping his feathers and slapping on the vaseline. I just can't remember wether we had to wash all the mud off with a hose pipe and let his feet dry, or just brush the dry mud off though.

~Chameleon~

Raksha wrote: »

I used to look after 2 hunters belonging to the ex MFH. One of them was a classic heavy weight cob who used to suffer with MF - his could be kept under control by cllipping his feathers and slapping on the vaseline. I just can't remember wether we had to wash all the mud off with a hose pipe and let his feet dry, or just brush the dry mud off though.

We used to do a mixture of both depending on what we doing. If bringing in for the night they'd have legs and feet hosed down and dried off, making sure they were thoroughly dry before bedding down, and if bringing in for a ride we'd leave the mud on and brush it off once it had dried. Vaseline would be slapped on before turning out every morning.

I think you can buy MF boots these days to help protect heels and legs, but that's not very :money:

orlao

I know it's early for MF but this pony had it at the same time last year, he arrived with it and as I didn't know how he had been kept before I got him I didn't think much about it IYSWIM. He went through all last winter without any signs of it after using Muddy Marvel barrier cream regularly despite living out so I suppose he's just going to have barrier creamed legs all year round.....not the end of the world:D

One horse I used to look after used to have his legs washed daily and BLOWDRIED to make sure they were dry.....he was a HW hairy cob who was shown very successfully so his owner didn't want to clip his feathers.....but you used to get very funny looks:o as you sat there with a hairdryer and a horse who would groom you as you did this:rotfl: :rotfl:Mind you, he also had his mane and tail straightened for shows, his mane was down to his shoulder and his tail trailed on the ground.....he was gorgeous both to look at to handle/ride....he's still local but retired now and has had quite a haircut