So what is thrush? Its a bacterial infection in the cleft of the frog, that is characterized by a putrid black discharge, and it stinks, it causes poor growth and degeneration of the horn. Its painful and left untreated can render a horse lame for life. Its caused by not keeping the hooves picked out and manure and mud are left in the hoof to fester. It happens more frequently when theres been alot of rain, causeing more mud then usual that gets mixed in with manure. Now any horse can get thrush and when caught early can be cleared up pretty quick. There are several remedies on the market to day any of which will work just fine.
Over the years I've seen people just pick a hoof out and squirt the thrush meds in and just leave it, and not doing anything else. How anyone thinks this is going to work is beyond me. My dad taught me that it requires a bit more work then that.
What your going to need is, 2 small buckets, with warm water in them one with a squirt of mild soap in it and stir it up, just water in the other, hoof pick, a small fingernail brush, 3% peroxide (only 3% nothing stronger), a micro towel, and your thrush medication.
With your horse tied and maybe munching on a hay bag,(keep him busy) pick out all dirt and debris from the hoof. next with the brush dip it into the soapy water and begin scrubbing the hoof, getting into the cleft, dip the brush into the other bucket of water to rinse it and then go back to the soapy bucket to continue cleaning, keep doing this till the hoof looks clean, dry it a bit with the towel. Pour just a bit of peroxide into the cleft, hold the hoof up so it pools there and bubbles, tip hoof to let it drain off, and repeat 2 more times, you'll begin to notice that the putrid black crap is getting "eaten" away, leaving fresh hoof behind, now use your towel and dry off the hoof, getting into the cleft so its dry too, apply the thrush medication into the cleft hold the hoof so it pools for a moment and then let the hoof down. Cleaning the hoof this way will help speed the healing process, and the medication can get down into the cleft where it has to do its job of killing off the thrush bacteria.
Happy Horse Keeping
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Where did "The Thrifty Equestrian" come from?
■Just where did " The Thrifty Equestrian" come from? Well this idea for horsekeeping tips, tricks, and hints came about 20 years ago. At that time there was a hand helded vacum on the market that sold for $39.99, but they had one that had horses all over the red dust bag that cost (brace yourself) $129.99 yes you read that right! When I compared the two items side by side they were EXACTLY the SAME, same power, same wattage, same tools, etc, but horse people were being charged an extra $90.00 for horses printed on the dust bag, I was outraged and so I began to put a book together with all the ideas I had used, come up with, and found over the years of showing, and just keeping horses and decided to share it with the world. I figured there were others out there who were like minded as well. Except after the book was done and I sent it out to publishers they all came back rejected, with a note saying "we don't think this will sell very well" or something to that effect. So I shelved it.
While on a facebook groups site, these ideas came back and I started to think that maybe this was a good forum for my research. (I spent two years working on this book, while my kids were toddlers, no easy feat, and without a computer.)
Everything in the book is all done with economy in mind. Not only financially more economical, but time wise too. Hey we all have very busy lives and they seem to get busier and busier even with all of our modern devices. I also have time stradegies too, hey if theres a quicker faster way to do something I'm all for it. And things need to be practicle and easy to do.
Plus ideas for being green. Going Eco-friendly is also something I have an interest in, so when I can there will be eco-friendly ideas too.
Someday in the near future I'm even considering doing an ebook and I've been posting videos on youtube, Keep your eyes open for that.
Happy Trails everyone!!!
While on a facebook groups site, these ideas came back and I started to think that maybe this was a good forum for my research. (I spent two years working on this book, while my kids were toddlers, no easy feat, and without a computer.)
Everything in the book is all done with economy in mind. Not only financially more economical, but time wise too. Hey we all have very busy lives and they seem to get busier and busier even with all of our modern devices. I also have time stradegies too, hey if theres a quicker faster way to do something I'm all for it. And things need to be practicle and easy to do.
Plus ideas for being green. Going Eco-friendly is also something I have an interest in, so when I can there will be eco-friendly ideas too.
Someday in the near future I'm even considering doing an ebook and I've been posting videos on youtube, Keep your eyes open for that.
Happy Trails everyone!!!
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Dressing Children for Less Hunt Style!
We all know that purchasing a horse is the most economical part of horse ownership. Its the upkeep of boarding, feed, vet care, farrier care etc. This even goes for those of us fortunate enough to own our own property to keep our horses on. But then what do you do when your child wants to start showing? Some of the most economical ways to do this is to purchase items that are used. Nothing wrong with this especially the big ticket items of trailers, and tack. But when it comes to clothing, purchasing used at tack sales and swap meets is a good way to get your child outfited for the season, especially since children are growing so fast. One minute those items fit and the next they don't. But beware!
One of the things to do when buying used is to check the stress points on clothing. Making sure its not freyed, or snagged is important, especially on jackets and jodhpers/breeches. If you notice wear and tear on these items its best to pass them up, since you don't want anything to tear or let loose at a critcal time during a ride in the show ring. Checking the wear leathers on jodhpurs/breeches is a good idea, if they seem stiff its best to pass them up. Children have a "thing" about how clothing feels when they wear something, and if they are not comfortable they will let you know it.
You do need to buy some items new, here are some tips for saving money.
***ALWAYS ALWAYS buy riding Helmets new. This is one item you can not scrimp on, no matter what. If a child does fall and hits their head, replace the helmet with a new one. Even if it appears to have no damage, the inner structure of the cushioning will have been damaged. Some helmet companies will even exchange the helmets at reduced cost or offer discounts on the next one.
When trying helmets on, it should fit snug, but not tight, (tight, will just give a child a headache, and then you a headache when they complain.) Have your child place the helmet on their head and then shake their head "no", if there is any movement of the helmet, its too big, DO NOT BUY A HELMET JUST A BIT BIGGER, THINKING YOUR CHILD WILL GROW INTO IT, THIS IS NOT SAFE!!! Most helmets nowadays have micro fitting adjustments in them, to creat that custom fit, since everyones head is different.
**Children DO NOT have to wear tall leather dress riding boots. As a judge I would prefer to see children under 10 (jodhpurs with paddock boots and garters, can be worn by children till they are twelve but lets face it they want tall boots by eleven.) wearing paddock boots with jodhpurs, and garter straps (these are worn just below the knee and keep the jodhpur from twisting, and riding up the leg, especially when posting. And pant clips can be worn also to keep the jodhpur from riding up, these clip on each seam and run under the heel of the paddock boot. Both items can be worn at the same time. And a spur can buckle over the pant clip elastic. For riding lessons and trail riding leggings and riding tights can be worn with paddock boots and pant clips. You can never have enough pant clips so stock up on them and always keep a spare pair in your truck or car. If the paddock boots are lace up style, keep an extra pair of laces in the truck or car too.pant clips so stock up on them and always keep a spare pair in your truck or car. If the paddock boots are lace up style, keep an extra pair of laces in the truck or car too.
**Buy the best quality you can "afford". Don't fall into the catagory of keeping up with the Jones', because they may be maxed out on there credit cards buying little Janey designer riding clothes.
**When looking at the fabric content of show coats/jackets, look for those that have stretch in them, look for words like lycra, and spandex, jodhpurs/breeches should have four-way stretch to them, that means if you pull the fabric straight up and down, there should be stretch and then if you pull it from side to side, there should be stretch, this makes for comfortable riding.
**Alot of shirts now a days are being made with stretch cottons as well, making them comfortable. But you can also wear a tank top with a ratcatcher dickie (ratcatcher is the strange name of this type of shirt, with the chocker collar, that most people wear under their jacket.), under the jacket. Any kind of a pin can be worn on the chocker part of the collar.
**Care of boots, theres an earlier article on the "Juls Designer Show Clothes" blog on how to polish boots.
All items mentioned in this blog can be found in any equestrain catalog that has clothing listed.
Happy Trails everyone and have fun in the show ring, I hope you find this blog helpful. Thank you for reading.
Photo credit: The Thrifty Equestrain, Julie Berghammer
One of the things to do when buying used is to check the stress points on clothing. Making sure its not freyed, or snagged is important, especially on jackets and jodhpers/breeches. If you notice wear and tear on these items its best to pass them up, since you don't want anything to tear or let loose at a critcal time during a ride in the show ring. Checking the wear leathers on jodhpurs/breeches is a good idea, if they seem stiff its best to pass them up. Children have a "thing" about how clothing feels when they wear something, and if they are not comfortable they will let you know it.
You do need to buy some items new, here are some tips for saving money.***ALWAYS ALWAYS buy riding Helmets new. This is one item you can not scrimp on, no matter what. If a child does fall and hits their head, replace the helmet with a new one. Even if it appears to have no damage, the inner structure of the cushioning will have been damaged. Some helmet companies will even exchange the helmets at reduced cost or offer discounts on the next one.
When trying helmets on, it should fit snug, but not tight, (tight, will just give a child a headache, and then you a headache when they complain.) Have your child place the helmet on their head and then shake their head "no", if there is any movement of the helmet, its too big, DO NOT BUY A HELMET JUST A BIT BIGGER, THINKING YOUR CHILD WILL GROW INTO IT, THIS IS NOT SAFE!!! Most helmets nowadays have micro fitting adjustments in them, to creat that custom fit, since everyones head is different.
**Children DO NOT have to wear tall leather dress riding boots. As a judge I would prefer to see children under 10 (jodhpurs with paddock boots and garters, can be worn by children till they are twelve but lets face it they want tall boots by eleven.) wearing paddock boots with jodhpurs, and garter straps (these are worn just below the knee and keep the jodhpur from twisting, and riding up the leg, especially when posting. And pant clips can be worn also to keep the jodhpur from riding up, these clip on each seam and run under the heel of the paddock boot. Both items can be worn at the same time. And a spur can buckle over the pant clip elastic. For riding lessons and trail riding leggings and riding tights can be worn with paddock boots and pant clips. You can never have enough pant clips so stock up on them and always keep a spare pair in your truck or car. If the paddock boots are lace up style, keep an extra pair of laces in the truck or car too.pant clips so stock up on them and always keep a spare pair in your truck or car. If the paddock boots are lace up style, keep an extra pair of laces in the truck or car too.
**Buy the best quality you can "afford". Don't fall into the catagory of keeping up with the Jones', because they may be maxed out on there credit cards buying little Janey designer riding clothes.
**When looking at the fabric content of show coats/jackets, look for those that have stretch in them, look for words like lycra, and spandex, jodhpurs/breeches should have four-way stretch to them, that means if you pull the fabric straight up and down, there should be stretch and then if you pull it from side to side, there should be stretch, this makes for comfortable riding.
**Alot of shirts now a days are being made with stretch cottons as well, making them comfortable. But you can also wear a tank top with a ratcatcher dickie (ratcatcher is the strange name of this type of shirt, with the chocker collar, that most people wear under their jacket.), under the jacket. Any kind of a pin can be worn on the chocker part of the collar.
Most if not all show jackets will be dry clean only, but one thing you can do to save on dry cleaning bills is to freshen it up in your own dryer, and not with the DryAll system. Either purchase a steamer ball, (can be found at large retailers in the laundry section) its a ball with a sponge inside that you wet and put in the dryer, also a wet washrag or small wet hand towel will work, set your dryer to air fluff, or no heat, put in your items and a dryer sheet for freshness, and turn on for 20 minutes. Remove and hang up immediately to prevent wrinkles.
**Shirts, dickies, jodhpurs/breeches socks, should all be machine washable, follow manufactures directions.
All items mentioned in this blog can be found in any equestrain catalog that has clothing listed.
Happy Trails everyone and have fun in the show ring, I hope you find this blog helpful. Thank you for reading.
Photo credit: The Thrifty Equestrain, Julie Berghammer
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Coupon Codes Demystified. Or What you didn't know about coupons!
Coupon Codes Demystified!
Here is a cheat sheet of coupon codes that can apply to just about anything, whether from your sunday circular or your local farm store.
SUNDAY INSERTS
P&G: Proctor and Gambl
RP: RedPlum
SS: SmartSource
V: Valassis
WBY: When you buy
IPQ: Internet printable coupon
$1/1, $1/2: $1 off one item, $1 off two items, etc
2/$1, 3/$2: Two items for a $1, three items for $2, etc
BOGO: Buy one get one free
B2GO: Buy two items, get one free
Blinkies: In-store coupon dispenser with blinking light
Cat: Catalina, coupons generated by the cash register
FAR: Free after rebate
MFR: Manufacturer
MIR: Mail in rebate
OYNO: On your next order
OOP: Out of pocket
PSA: Prices starting at
UPC: Universal product code (bar code)
YMMV: Your mileage (or manager) may vary-meaning some stores might give you a deal and some might not. Peelies: coupons attatched to the outside of a product
Storing your coupons is easy. By an envelope size organizer that has twelve tabs for creating different catagories for your coupons. People ones would be, medications, cleaning supplies, fruits&Veggies, Meats, Misc, etc.
For your horse or farm coupons,
supplies, feed, supplements, clothing horse or people or dog, tack, grooming supplies, medications, etc.
At truck stops just inside the enterance there are usually racks of booklets and flyers that have coupons for resturants and hotels. Some of which are quite good deals. Hotel rooms for $39. a night, hey beats full price, espceially when your at a multi-day show. Also when you book reservations ahead of time tell the booking agent that you are with such and such a show,and are there any group rate room deals. For 20 minuetes of calling around to different hotels you may find some great deals, espceially if they provide a hot continental breakfast.
And of course don't forget about catalog codes, when ordering on line. Most of these will give you a percentage off or will offer FREE shipping, just having free shipping is worth typing in the code. If you have signed up with your favorite catalog companies then you will recieve them in emails and on any mailed catalogs to your home, be sure though to check for expireation dates since some are time sensitive.
Happy Trails Everyone,
Here is a cheat sheet of coupon codes that can apply to just about anything, whether from your sunday circular or your local farm store.
SUNDAY INSERTS
P&G: Proctor and Gambl
RP: RedPlum
SS: SmartSource
V: Valassis
WBY: When you buy
IPQ: Internet printable coupon
$1/1, $1/2: $1 off one item, $1 off two items, etc
2/$1, 3/$2: Two items for a $1, three items for $2, etc
BOGO: Buy one get one free
B2GO: Buy two items, get one free
Blinkies: In-store coupon dispenser with blinking light
Cat: Catalina, coupons generated by the cash register
FAR: Free after rebate
MFR: Manufacturer
MIR: Mail in rebate
OYNO: On your next order
OOP: Out of pocket
PSA: Prices starting at
UPC: Universal product code (bar code)
YMMV: Your mileage (or manager) may vary-meaning some stores might give you a deal and some might not. Peelies: coupons attatched to the outside of a product
Storing your coupons is easy. By an envelope size organizer that has twelve tabs for creating different catagories for your coupons. People ones would be, medications, cleaning supplies, fruits&Veggies, Meats, Misc, etc.
For your horse or farm coupons,
supplies, feed, supplements, clothing horse or people or dog, tack, grooming supplies, medications, etc.
At truck stops just inside the enterance there are usually racks of booklets and flyers that have coupons for resturants and hotels. Some of which are quite good deals. Hotel rooms for $39. a night, hey beats full price, espceially when your at a multi-day show. Also when you book reservations ahead of time tell the booking agent that you are with such and such a show,and are there any group rate room deals. For 20 minuetes of calling around to different hotels you may find some great deals, espceially if they provide a hot continental breakfast.
And of course don't forget about catalog codes, when ordering on line. Most of these will give you a percentage off or will offer FREE shipping, just having free shipping is worth typing in the code. If you have signed up with your favorite catalog companies then you will recieve them in emails and on any mailed catalogs to your home, be sure though to check for expireation dates since some are time sensitive.
Happy Trails Everyone,
Monday, November 7, 2011
Time to get this blog back up and running.
As I'm waiting for the temperature outside to warm up a bit (I have some winterizing projects to get done before the snow flies) I figured I should really get this blog up and running again. So many ideas to get down. What to do? What to do?
So of my future posts will be reveiws of past ideas and projects as well as new stuff. So stay tuned.
One of my winter projects today is duct tape. Will post a short video of my favorite use of duct tape a little later.
Well with winter just around the corner, trail riding season is almost done. Note I said almost, there are still going to be those lovely wonderful days yet before the snow flies. One of the things to do after each ride, if you take thermos's along on your ride, its easy to clean them out, Fill them with hot water and drop a dentrue cleaning tablet in and let sit for 10 minutes, leaves thermos's sparkling clean.
When out trail riding in unfamiliar territory, always carry a whistle with you. If you become lost knowing morse code s.o.s. is easy to remember. Three short blasts, followed by three long blasts, followed by three short blasts. Wait, then repeat. These can be found in the camping area at any farm, or hardware store. Also take along a compass, flint, or water proof matches, (you may need to build a fire, practice with these at home), protein bars, and a space blanket, bottle of water, these items are small and can be kept in your pommel bag. Be sure to dress in layers, you can always remove items, but not having enough to start with is not good. I hope you found some of this information to be helpful. Happy Trails Everyone.
So of my future posts will be reveiws of past ideas and projects as well as new stuff. So stay tuned.
One of my winter projects today is duct tape. Will post a short video of my favorite use of duct tape a little later.
Well with winter just around the corner, trail riding season is almost done. Note I said almost, there are still going to be those lovely wonderful days yet before the snow flies. One of the things to do after each ride, if you take thermos's along on your ride, its easy to clean them out, Fill them with hot water and drop a dentrue cleaning tablet in and let sit for 10 minutes, leaves thermos's sparkling clean.
When out trail riding in unfamiliar territory, always carry a whistle with you. If you become lost knowing morse code s.o.s. is easy to remember. Three short blasts, followed by three long blasts, followed by three short blasts. Wait, then repeat. These can be found in the camping area at any farm, or hardware store. Also take along a compass, flint, or water proof matches, (you may need to build a fire, practice with these at home), protein bars, and a space blanket, bottle of water, these items are small and can be kept in your pommel bag. Be sure to dress in layers, you can always remove items, but not having enough to start with is not good. I hope you found some of this information to be helpful. Happy Trails Everyone.
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