ridecamp@endurance.net: [endurance] clean horses

[endurance] clean horses

Dominique Freeman (fadjurs@sadandy.hpl.hp.com)
Thu, 2 Nov 1995 11:04:51 -0700 (PST)

Hi Diane,
Interesting reply. I keep my guys in the pasture too. After years
of dealing with the "Wooly Mammoth" syndrome, I got tired of the
endless cooling down periods (Up to an hour after only 1 hour ride
to make sure they didn't return wet to the pasture), the caked mud,
and always wondering just what was going on under all that fur. Now
I "chase" clip the boyz, double blanket them, and have a better sense
of security knowing that they arn't growing some fungus, or girth gall
that I can determine. This was an especially important point for me, as one
year when I came back from 4 days at Death Valley, Fadjurs had picked up some little
thorns in his hairy legs (high too, not just around the coronet band,
but up to his shoulders). I groom quite a bit and still dind't pick these
suckers up until they had started working their way out. On clipping with
a #10 blade, it became evident what had happened. So now, a chaser clip
(leaves hair on like a blanket clip, but V's up the neckline, so not so much
neck is showing) and flat clipping legs with a #10 is my m.o. We do get
down into the 30's here in N. Calif., but do not have a lot of ice and snow.

Besides keeping the horses clean, the reason I blanket is so that they don't use energy trying to
stay warm, but rather save it for workouts, and keeping a little fat on for insulation.
They also tend to act a little less like beavers, and the wood poles (the rest
of my fence is PVC covered C wire) take less of a beating, as to their pasture-
mates tails :) :) :)

Even with the additional blanketing (and taking the blankets on and off when
the seasons change) it has been worth while. My point is, safety and good
horse health is my reson for the extra effort, rather than the aesthetics of
clean horses. I also enjoy the extra time with them while we groom,and they
seem to enjoy it too, rather like having a regular massage appointment. This
extra time spent also allows me to observe each horse (there are four) and
make sure there are not any cuts, lost shoes, sores, bites the usual BS that
happens when keeping horses in pasture. So if my guys look like show horses,
it is by accident rather than by design, most people *are* surprised to find
theyare kept in pasture. Compliments are always accepted!

Dom (and the boyz, Fadjurz, Jur prize, Jayare, Marco Fadjurs - clean and lovin it)

______________________________________________________________________
Dominique Freeman | "Life is short, science is long" |
fadjurs@sadandy.hpl.hp.com | |
Hewlett Packard Laboratories, | |
Palo Alto, CA USA | |
Phone: (415) 857-8596 | |
FAX: (415) 852-8576 | |
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