If you were around in the 50’s you’d well remember “The Lone Ranger” and Tonto.  I haven’t seen the new version so I can’t comment on that.  At the end of every episode, as they were galloping out-of-town, someone would always ask “Who was that masked man?”

When I put fly masks on my horses, in the morning, I always say that to Zoey.  She looks at me weird, since that is not part of her vocabulary, but she thinks I’m a little strange anyway.

To mask or not to mask, that is the question.  I don’t think that’s really what Shakespeare was thinking about when he wrote those famous words.  Anyway.  Some people never put a mask on.  Some horses never need them.  But some do.

Living here in Florida there are days (depending on the wind directions) that my horses are looking for a mask first thing in the morning.  And then there are times that they really don’t want them on at all.  Those annoying little bugs like to drink from the fountain of youth (tear duct) of the horses eyes.  However, there are more reasons than that to put a mask on.

The two Mustangs that came in from Tennessee reacted to the different allergens here in Florida.  Eyes got puffy and teary, which in turn attracted flies.  The mask helped keep the pollen out, and the flies away.

On a windy day there is so much “stuff” blowing in the wind (I don’t think that Peter, Paul, and Mary had that in mind when they sang that song either) that a mask is also a good idea.  Eye infections are a lot of work to cure, some more than others.

The UV rays can, over time, create sight problems.  Masks are a good way to cut down on the rays.  They’re easier to keep on than sun glasses.

Then I have Miss Savannah who has a pink nose that gets sun burned.  A fly mask that comes down and covers her nose is just perfect for her.

Before we had fly masks we used Desitin, baby tush ointment.  we made a circle around their eyes.  They all looked like Indian Ponies back then.  That is before we ever heard of Swat.  Then everyone had pink circles around their eyes.  I just always worried that they would rub it into their eyes.  They never did.

I have never seen as many eye problems as I have in Florida.  I don’t know it’s “just a Florida thing” I guess.   I asked the vet why, and that’s what she told me.  There are a lot of “just a Florida things”, but eye problems are something I could live without.  It must have something to do with hot humid weather that fungus and bacteria thrive in.  I don’t know, but it only takes me a couple of seconds to put a mask on, and take it off in the evening.  So why not.

So the next time you put on your sun glasses stop and think – Hey, maybe my horse would like a mask?  They have them now in designer patterns.  My girlfriend got one with sun glasses printed on it.

Even if you don’t live in Florida, and don’t have flies, saving your horses sight is “A Good Thing.”  According to Martha Stewart.  Well I don’t really know if she thinks that, but everything she creates she says is a good thing, so I’ll just borrow that from her too.  Why not.  Shakespeare, Peter, Paul, Mary, and Martha have all contributed to this post.

It’s a cheap insurance, to saving their eyes.

I just read the funniest email about UPS pilots and maintenance crew.  I’m going to have to come up with a post that is that funny about horses.  But this isn’t it.

I have a new horse coming in and he is currently on a Seminole Product.  I have nothing against Seminole Products, I just use a different company.  I have shied away from companies that produce both horse and cattle feed.  After some very old, established, large companies have had issues of ingredients meant for cattle, finding their way into horse feed, poisoning, and killing horses, I choose to stay with a company who deals purely with horse feed only.  For over 50 years I have used other companies products without a problem, but now I have made this decision, and am sticking to it.  Seminole was not a company that has had any cases of bad feed, but my feed dealer does not carry their product line.

Now when switching a horses feed it should always be done slowly.  I try to take a week or more to switch, depending on the amount of grain the horse is presently receiving, and how much of his old brand I have on hand.  So I decided to look into the ingredients of the grain he is currently on, and the product I was going to purchase to make this transition.

When I went to the Seminole site they had an interesting article on their web page.  Horse Feeding Myths and Misconceptions, by Beth Stelzleni M.S., PAS, Blog Webinars.

Being an older horsewoman, and growing up with even older horsemen, I was raised on many of these old Myths.  If Pop said it was to be done this way, he would know.  So I followed their recommendations.  (It’s done this way, end of discussion.)  One of them is feeding bran mashes.  Pop always had a bucket of bran mash steeping by the side of his old wood burning kitchen stove, with a towel over it.  Fond teenage memories.  Now we have colleges and other companies who do research on our old myths to find out how much of it is true.  Much of what we were taught to believe really has no merit.

I must say that it was a very interesting read.  Some of it, I understand and will take into consideration.  Some of it, the jury is still out on for my way of thinking.  Oh I’m very sure that they have done their testing and have found their conclusions to be true.  But being an old horsewoman, I have had experiences that have had a lasting impact on my mind.  They said Coastal Hay does not cause colic.  That other issues bring upon the colic when the horse has eaten it.  Well I have a Clydesdale who coliced on it the three times I tried it, who would like to testify otherwise.  Yes I agree with them that if it is harvested before it’s matured, it is too fine and will perhaps colic a horse.  Some horses do not chew their food as well as others.  I now have found a local hay man who grows Tiften-44 (a courser local hay) who is very particular about the timing of his cut.  He assured me that no one has ever had a horse colic on his hay, and he was right.  The Clyde can eat it with no problem.

I think this article would be an interesting article to read and take into consideration.  It also included the myths about a hot horse drinking cold water (we all remember what happened to Black Beauty), soaking Beet Pulp, bran mash, and many more myths.

Never just accept one persons ideas or information on what to do with your horse.  In this day and age where information is so available on the internet, do not hesitate to do your own research into any matter.  The more you know the better decision you can make.  BUT!  I like the commercial with the woman who met this guy on the internet who said he was a French Actor (I think or he was French something.)  Anyway he obviously was not, she turned to her friend and said “They can’t print anything that isn’t true on the internet.”  Well they do.  So don’t believe everything you read on the internet either.  Check things out, really check things out.  Then, armed with all your information, consult with your vet.  Now different vets hold different views on many subjects, according to their knowledge and experiences.  So once again, gather all your information, make an informed decision, but keep an open mind.

Remember when we were kids, spinach was the best, most healthy, thing you could eat?  Well years later they found that the decimal point was in the wrong place, and it wasn’t as good for you as they once believed.  First eggs were bad for you, now they’re not.  Oh then it was don’t eat chocolate, now it might cure cancer.  Hello!  Anyone out there really know what’s going on?

Yes some of the myths, I was sad to learn, were not true.  Some of the things I had already decided where not in the best interest of the horse, through my personal experiences.  But I did learn a lot through this article.  The bottom line is that I will take everything, old and new into consideration when making my own personal decision, after discussing them with my vet.

I can only hope that you have the kind of relationship with your vet that I have with mine.  She never thinks a question is stupid.  She is patient, and if she is not sure of the answer, will consult with specialists in that particular field.

There is right, there is wrong, and then there is just plain different.  It’s up to you to figure out where your information lies.

Lumps, we all hate them.  They stir terror into the hearts of many.

Are they tumors?  Cancer?  Or as a teenager, the start of a Zit on the most important date in the history of man (or woman).

My granddaughter came out of the bedroom early one morning with the biggest Zit I have ever seen.  I tried to make light of it and said Wow!  That’s the greatest Zit in history.  She left the room mumbling about what a rotten grandmother I was.  I was just trying to make her laugh.  Didn’t work.

But lumps are not something to take lightly, and they certainly should not be ignored.  Not on a person, or an animal.

Will someone explain to me why with all our technology that more people and animals are not only contracting cancer, but they are dying of it?  I really can answer that myself, I just don’t understand why we keep allowing it to happen.  We are poisoning our systems and our animals systems with preservatives, hormones, and chemicals that are in our food, air, and water.  Even if we choose organic, it’s still infected.  The sad thing about it is, that it still continues.

I’ve recently had to deal with two lumps.  One on the side of my husbands nose, and a couple on one of the horses.  When they were first noticed, both the doctor and the vet said just keep an eye on them.  We did, and they grew.  So it was time for biopsies.  Both were cancerous, both were removed and hadn’t spread anywhere else.

Whites, greys, and I’ve been told, red horses are prone to cancer/lumps.  Even if you have a horse of a different color, check it out.  If your horse has a lump ask the vet to look at it.  They will tell you if it’s something to keep an eye on or not.  If they tell you to keep an eye on it, please do.  If you notice major changes (and they can happen fast) sound the alert.  Have it checked, removed, and go back to your normal life.  If you wait, it can spread, and then you will pay big time.  Financially, and perhaps with the loss of a life.  I know people who did not have it checked.  They didn’t want to mention that they had a lump.  They swept it under the rug, and hoped it would go away.  Sometimes little fatty tumors just do go away.  Sometime a more serious lump won’t.

Don’t take a chance with your life, or someone whom you love.  The sooner you check it out, the better chance you have of removing the possibility of it getting serious.

Don’t wait, act.

And we’re not talking potato chips here.

When I had my first horse I spent all the time in the world fussing over her.  She wanted for nothing.  I used to spend hours brushing her, and my friend would say “you’re going to wear the hair off of her.”  Then I got my TB too, my time became divided, but not my love.

It’s fascinating how the more love you give, the more you have to give.  Oh don’t get me wrong, there are days lately, I think I’ve reached the end of my rope.  The two puppies (now two years old) are sucking the life out of me.  They are both smart (even though one is deaf).  The deaf one is ADHD.  She lives in her own world, wants to love on you every chance she gets, has an abundance of energy, and even drives her full sister crazy.  They’re like two human sisters.  They can play, play, play, and then all of a sudden it’s a knock-down drag-out fight.  I now have two beautiful girls with torn-up faces.  I’ve watched every episode of Cesar Millan, and am still at a loss for words.  I can control a 2,000 lb. Clydesdale, but not two 45 lb. Catahoulas.

But are there ever too many horses in your life?  No way.  Yes there may be too many things to accomplish in one day, but never too many horses to love on, and be loved by.  Too many feed, vet, and farrier bills, but never too many smiles, and memories to cherish for the rest of your life.  Each one is an individual spirit, special in their own way.  You will make the time to simply touch their face, and gain peace to your soul.  On some days there won’t be enough time to ride both, or any of them, but just knowing they are there encourages us to go on.

What will I do when I get too old to sit on a horse?  I’ll sit and watch them graze.  I’ll brush their coats until I wear the hair off.  I’ll let their spirit fill me, and I’ll just love on them.

What about you?

This is kind of the other side of the coin from the last post.

My Clyde baby (now 15 but still my baby) came in with a swollen hock, and it quickly turned into a swollen leg.  My first reaction was injury.  But when you have a Clyde with a swollen leg from stifle to hoof, you call the vet.  My vet said cellulitis.  Okay I’ve dealt with that, with a friends horse.  Some antibiotics, poultice, wrapping,  and we’re good to go.  Or not.  The leg came down, but the hock didn’t.  More antibiotics.  Horrible tasting antibiotics.  How did we know that?  Beside the fact that she spit them out, don’t syringe a horse with your mouth open.  Now when a Clyde decides she’s done with oral antibiotics they put their heads up to the ceiling.  Even with a step-ladder you’re not going to convince her otherwise.  So we went to IV.  No, she was done with that too.  Okay, so here we have a Clydesdale who has a raging temperature, swollen leg, that will not take any meds, so up to the University we went.

They always start with the obvious.  With the temp there was obviously an infection, even though they couldn’t find an opening or a wound.  But they thought the infection  was on top of an injury.  So they started treating both the infection and the swelling.  When it wasn’t responding, I told them they had to look in another direction.  I know my horse and she is not a fighter, and neither are the horses that are with her.  My fencing is horse safe (I checked it for damage, there was none), and they don’t run around like idiots.  Dawn has no work ethic, she thinks work is unethical.  They did an ultra sound, and found nothing.  They kept treating, and I kept insisting they look for something different.  They eventually found an abscess that left a hole so big you could put your fist in it.  It didn’t go into the joint or the bone so we kept treating it.  The abscess was caused by a bug bite (probably Black Widow).  A year later,  the hock is still bigger than her other one, it will never have normal skin, but she’s sound on it, and can still leap in the air and jump a fence.

Moral of this story is, yes, always look for the obvious, but keep an open mind for the unusual.  Mostly – check all the signs, look for red flags, and know what is normal for your horse.

My friend called me the two weeks ago in a total state of panic.  She lives up north where winter has been down-right ugly.

It seems her horse had been acting blah for a couple of days.  Not really eating right, not drinking enough water, not interested in who was around him, and walking as if he’d been out drinking all night.  The inevitable question came – “what’s wrong with him?”  Hello!  I’m thirteen hundred miles away.  So I go through the normal set of questions back at her.

• Did you take his temperature?      Answer – no.  Don’t know where the thermometer is.  It’s cold out and I’m not going back down the barn.  I felt under his blanket and he didn’t feel hot.
• Did you check his gums for color and refill time?    Answer – no.
• Did you check his eyes?     Answer – no.
• Is he dehydrated?     Answer – I don’t know.
• Is he urinating and what color is it?  Answer – Yeah, his stall is wet.
• Is he passing manure and is it wet or dry?  (Before freezing into poopcycles of course.)  Answer – frozen.

So once again she asks – “what do you think is wrong?”  He wobbles when he walks.  He just stands there with his head down, and he doesn’t even acknowledge that I’m there.  Maybe he had a stroke.”

I told her it could be neurological, but first you need to go down the check list.  It could be a stroke, but you need to rule out the simple things.  Those questions I asked her, would be exactly what a vet is going to ask you when you call them.  Other things, in other circumstances would be any blood, heat or swelling.  You are not going to check for a neurological problem, by yourself, on a sheet of ice.  I told her to call her vet.

By the way, the vet came the next morning and the horse had a 103 temp.  When she told me this I asked her, well what is the first thing you’re going to do next time?  She said, find my thermometer, and take his temperature first.  I told her she would have had a better nights sleep if she had, instead of being up all night worrying about what was going on.  The vet told her it could be Lyme disease, but the first thing they were going to deal with was the temperature.  Now it hasn’t been warm enough for ticks in about five months.  When my horses had Lyme, up north, I knew it in a short period of time.  They weren’t acting like themselves or performing as usual.  I asked her if she noticed anything different.  She told me she had, but just chalked it up to him getting older and arthritic.  He is retired, and she hasn’t ridden him in years, but……….

The vet said he is totally blind in one eye and only has a small window of sight in the other.  After three IV’s of heavy-duty antibiotics, and a $400.00 bill, he’s been having some days that he is eating and acting better, but a couple of days after the antibiotics he was pawing at the door and acting quite aggressive.  Very strange to me.

Again the question – “what do you think?”  My advise – call the vet, I have no idea what to tell you.  I’ve dealt with a lot, but I am not a vet by any means, and I haven’t seen this horse in years. (Didn’t know him that well back then either.)

So when something just isn’t right, go through the check list, and if someone asks you what do you think?  Just say, I think I’d call the vet.

Side note – I’ve spoken to her, and he seems to be back to normal.

Keep first things first, and go from there.

Winter has blanketed a lot of the country already.  Black Friday has passed and some of the shopping is done, and now it’s time for wrapping our treasures.

My husband and I would always rush home to ride in the first snow fall of the winter.  By February we didn’t even want to think about it.  Although riding on your horse on top of his winter blanket was always a warm thing to do.

Wrapping and blanketing has a different meaning when it comes to our horses.  Up north blankets have gone on, but unlike Christmas presents, the wrapping won’t come off until spring.  Ahh, I remember it well.  Once again, that’s why I live in Florida.

This is just one of the those “Public Service Announcements.”  Don’t forget to remove those blankets every once in a while, and make sure you still have a horse underneath.  We go along and assume that what we covered is what we will uncover in six months, but that is not necessarily true.

When a horse is cold, they shiver.  When they shiver, they burn fat.  When they burn fat, they lose weight.  So check for weight loss.

Also check for dry skin, or other skin conditions that you won’t notice with the blanket on.  Perhaps the blanket may be rubbing a certain spot raw.  Make adjustments or add more padding.  They now have sleazy sleepwear for horses that could help keep those rubs from happening.

I know it’s cold out, and you don’t want to be out there longer then you need to be, but think of his/her comfort.  Oh yeah, you are going to get the look when you take it off, but sometimes just leave it off long enough for them to roll in the snow or on the ground.  They still need the stimulation of a curry and brush on their bodies to get the oils and the circulation going, and it massages the muscles as a bonus.  You know how great it feels to get that tight object off your body after it’s been on a while?  Well they feel the same way.

There’s nothing like a good scratch by an old friend.

P.S.  Don’t forget to oil those clips with 3 in 1 oil to keep all moving parts moving when you need them.  Our moving parts, not so much.

Well we all know that putting our horse down is the absolute hardest thing we ever have to do, but turning your neighbor in for neglect is not easy either.

This actually happened about 10 years ago, or more, but it still haunts me.

When I lived up north I was involved in a rescue group.  The horses we took in were bones with skin hanging on them.  Some had no hair left because of the burns, from laying in their own urine.  Walls were collapsed on them, no food, no water.

The worst part was trying to get the courts to charge the owners with neglect.  The one woman was allowed to buy back some of the horses that we had just rescued from her.

My friend dealt with a farm where the body parts of the dead horses were cut up and left in buckets.  Horses were roaming through the house.  You wouldn’t believe how many years it took to prosecute her.

However, these were people I didn’t know personally.  When it comes to going after one of your neighbors, it was a different story.

It was winter, it was going down into the 20’s over night here in Florida.  That is considered a “Hard Freeze.”  It’s tough enough bouncing from 80’s to freezing, back to close to 80 again.  It really plays havoc on your body, but 20 is crazy.

So here I am double blanketing one night, (my horses were shaved for Fox Hunting) and giving them extra hay to get through one of the coldest nights we had since moving here.  Then I looked across the pond to my neighbors horses, and my heart dropped down to my toes.  There were five horses next door.  Some older, mostly young, unbroken.  They were skin and bones, with no hay, no pasture left, no shelter to get out of the wind.  That was it.  I couldn’t watch anymore.  I knew that the horses belonged to the wife, she had walked out on the husband, children, and animals.  He was trying to keep it together, but I knew that he traveled over an hour away for work, got home late, and was just getting by.  I’d never seen the horses up close, and didn’t realize how bad things had gotten over there.

When my vet showed up the next day for shots, I spoke to him about what could be done.  He said, “you have to turn him in.”  I thought, “I can’t add more trouble on him.”  My vet told me that as a professional, I had to.  My other option was to start feeding them myself.  I couldn’t financially take on that many horses.  So that day I made the call.  They sent out the sheriff, and an animal control officer.

I spoke with my neighbor several days later.  I was going to try and take any horses that might fit into my lesson program.  None would.  But I wasn’t really prepared for what he told me.  Yes he told me what I already knew, that his wife had left, and that they were her horses, and he knew nothing about taking care of them.  He thought they’d be fine on the pasture, and he was hoping that she’d come back, and would do something with them.  He then told me that the best thing that could have ever happen, was the sheriff coming.  Now something would be done for the poor animals.

I was shocked.  I was expecting anger, actually rage, but there was nothing there except gratitude.  He went out and got them hay, and within a couple of weeks, the horses were loaded, and sent to other places to find homes.  But when we have cold nights, I still see those horses looking across the pond at me while I’m feeding my horses.

This was a welcomed intervention, a happy ending.  They are not usually like that.  It usually plays out that people threaten you with a gun to get off their property.  They tell you there is nothing wrong with their horses.  It’s a situation that you have to approach with great care, if at all.

Our group, up north, discussed many ways to approach an owner.

• First thing is you have to know the situation.  You can’t assume, because a horses is skinny, that he is being starved.  He could be very old, or he may have a health issue that the owners are trying to work through.
• They may have just rescued him.
• Look at all the horses.  Are they all in the same shape?
• What a control officer looks for is if there is any hay and grain on the property.
• If you have to approach the owner, say something like – I’ve noticed your horse in the field, and I was wondering if you’d be interested in selling him, I may know someone who is looking to buy.  They may then tell you the story about the horse.  That they are struggling to feed him right now.  They may have lost their job.  It was their kids horse, and the kid moved away.  Then you can either offer help, or suggestions.  Or, if necessary, call the sheriff.

Look to see if there are people around regularly.  We had one rescue where there were seven horses in a field.  Someone who passed every day noticed that the horses were eating snow and digging under the snow to find dead grass.  It took them a little too long to act on what they saw.  When the control officers went to investigate, they found two dead horses, and removed five others.  It seemed that the woman who owned them was an alcoholic, and would go off on binges, and not returned for long periods of time.

Once again I say, don’t assume, but don’t hesitate to call the right authorities when you believe there is something to worry about.  Times are rough for everyone, especially for the animals who can’t fend for themselves.

You may be the only one standing between life, and death.  Don’t stall, make the call.

Sometimes we get up on the wrong side of the bed.  Sometimes the horse gets up on the wrong side of the stall.  With women and mares it’s usually a hormone thing, or life.  With men it’s a bad day at the job, or a hormone thing, or a full moon or a ………… you fill in the blank.  Those are days that I say “I’m really Ugly”, best avoid me at all costs.”

Anyway, we always believe that if we go to the barn or ride our horse we’ll feel better,  right?  But let’s think about this.  When some one is in a really “Bad” mood, do you want to hang with them?  Their energy is so bad that you can feel it across the room.  Well now you have an animal who is highly sensitive to energy, after all that’s what keeps them alive.  Do you really think they want your negative energy inflicted on them?  You hang with someone with a black cloud over their heads for any length of time, and it rubs off on you.

There are just some days that I know I should not ride, train, or even handle my horses.  I’ll sit and chill.  Maybe watch them peacefully move around the pasture, and hopefully their peace will rub off on me.  Sometimes they just nuzzle you and make you smile, or check your pocket for a treat.

Never ride or work with your horse when you are one match short of starting a 4th of July Grande Finale.  He’ll react and you’ll both take two steps backward in your training, and your relationship.

Everyone gets “One Of Those Days.”  When I’m in a mood, I just feed the horses, tend their needs, love them, try to let their positive energy influence mine, and wait for a day when we can both move on to the “Good.”

With that said, “Have A Nice Day!”  Your horse will be glad you did.

I’m not really a person who likes surprises.  I don’t like change either.  I know that says a lot about me, but I’m not sure what it is.

But seasons have a habit of sneaking up on us, and it’s about to happen again.  Although you would never believe that summer is coming to an end here in Florida, it is in other parts of the country.

Every year, at the end of winter, I say “This year I’m going to get my sheets and blankets washed and repaired early, and be ready for next winter.”  Even though we have more time to prepare here, I never get it done as early as I thought I would.  So for you all in other parts, best be getting on the ball.

We’re getting into the most beautiful riding season of all, “FALL!”  With its cool, crisp mornings, riding through the woods and fields with the leaves changing color, our horses feeling frisky, and the best, no bugs.  We’re excited, and ready to go.

Hold your horses just a minute.  This beautiful time will be fleeting and all of a sudden, bam!, the water buckets are frozen and your blankets are a haven for mice and bugs.

So get those blankets out, wash them, and check them for needed repair.  It’s always a good idea to get them to the person who will be repairing them before they get backlogged with everyone elses last-minute blanket needs.

You know the climate where you live, so you know how soon winter is going to come crashing in on you.  Get the blankets out-of-the-way and enjoy the moment.