Numbers on horses

Kathy Shank (kashank@worldnet.att.net)
Sun, 19 Jan 1997 11:55:26 +0000

I just wanted to write to say that I have also experienced the confusion
putting numbers on our horses butts causes to the non-distance horse
community. Shortly after I had moved my horse to a new facility (a place of
my own is still a fantacy), I went on a ride and came back with a big "23"
on my horses rear. The barn owner looked at the horse and then me with
concern, then said "did you take him to auction, then?". So I explained no,
that the horses are numbered at a ride to identify them. The next time I
went on a ride, my number was coincidentally "23" again, so I again came
back with a big "23" on my horses rear. This time the barn owner looked at
the horse and at me, and with a somewhat knowing tone commented, "so "23" is
your number, then." I think he and the other boarders are more accustomed
to it now, although there are plenty of other distance riding "practices"
that they continue to wonder about.

One tip I will give to new ride managers (such as I was last year) regarding
numbering horses. If you are using the colored "grease markers" (what
*are* those things made of?), they will develop a crust over time (i.e. the
ride the year before) which will keep them from working. So you may want to
scrape them off with a knife just prior to the ride. Perhaps not such a big
concern in endurance, since vetting in is usually the night before & there
seems to be more time, but on the CTR that I was running where vet-in &
briefing were the morning of the ride, once I was clued in as to why the
markers were not working, I was frantically trying to scrape them with my
fingernails (ouch!!!) to keep things moving along.

____/|_/|_/////////________________________________________________
/_ _ _____ 23 \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \
/_/ ----- | /___
_____________|__| |____________\___________ /
/ / _______________| / / /_______
/_/__/ /__/_________|__|
|_|__| Kathy & "Shane"
Camp Hill, PA
kashank@worldnet.att.net