Recent content by shelterwood

Marty, Fall is the absolute WORST time for sweet itch sufferers. It would seem not so, but my mare suffers terribly from Sept-end of Oct, and we are in a much colder climate than you. My guess is that Tennessee is still rocking and rolling with no seeums and other little biting insects. If this...

Geri, I was having trouble remembering the mixture I used to coat my mares problem areas. It was on the advice of a vet. Bag Balm, Swat, and Gold Bond Medicated Powder. Mix it up, it makes a lovely paste, soothes skin, and repels additional flies. Worked really well. Also, I am using Spirulina...

Geri, I think what you're describing is sweet itch. My older mare has it, and it is miserable. It is an allergy or "over reaction" by the horse's immune system to gnats, no-seeums, midges, whatever you may call them in your locale. It is common in shetlands and other breeds like Icelandics that...

There are some positives here too (I'm feeling guilty). The girls are wearing helmets, hats off to that. The horses are well cared for, tolerant, and well trained otherwise, or they wouldn't be doing as well as they are. The facility is lovely. But the hitching.....yeesh. FYI, admin....the edit...

Oh man is all I can say! Check this out... OK, I am not posting this to be mean. We all started somewhere, for sure. This video is just a variety of educational talking points, so I thought I would post so we could just discuss basic safety, harnessing, and rein use.....with a good example of...

Angie, I looked at the bug armor from Cashel. You're probably right, it could easily be made to work for a mini. And my girls are a "hefty" 40" right now, so all the better! I totally third the cuteness factor! The ear nets are adorable, and I'll have to at least get one and fiddle with it. I...

Susanne, thanks for the links! The first link, with the handmade ones, is really great and a good price. I will probably order some ear nets most likely. Our biggest two problem bugs here are gnats/no-seeums and deerflies. The deerflies are brutal, swarms of them circling my head and the horse's...

Cashel sells a neck protector, but its for the big guys. I'm wondering though if I could still use it and just have extra long coverage? I plan on getting the Cashel over the bridle fly mask in the "yearling" size, hoping it will fit over my larger 40" mares heads and bridle OK. I use open...

Thanks Targetsmom! Yes, I was considering the ear nets, but was really looking for more coverage like the mesh nets that cover the whole head and run down the neck like the link to Iowa Valley Carriage shows. I couldn't find the ear nets on the link you sent, did I miss them? I'm trying a...

I was cruising around reading some other driving forums today, and saw a thread dedicated to fly control gadgets for driving. I really liked some of the products put out by the members, but was very disappointed that none of them came in a size even close to mini or pony. Of the things listed, I...

Wow! Awesome. So glad you are off your meds and doing well. As a nurse I have seen so much medicating and so little of anything else. What you have done with your diet and using natural amino acids is fantastic. I think this is powerful stuff, and that we've only scratched the surface. Keep...

Wow! Awesome. So glad you are off your meds and doing well. As a nurse I have seen so much medicating and so little of anything else. What you have done with your diet and using natural amino acids is fantastic. I think this is powerful stuff, and that we've only scratched the surface. Keep...

GABA and gabapentin are 2 very different things. GABA, or gamma animobutyric acid, is a naturally occurring amino acid in the body that acts in an inhibitory way in the central nervous system. Gabapentin is a drug that treats nerve based pain and things like restless leg syndrome. As a hospice...

Thanks Susanne! I have about a 1/2 mile of gravel road to get to my trail system near my home. My girls have tough little feet, but each spring they regrade the road with gravel, and it is a bit rough. The idea of used boots is a nice one, as they are expensive, and this page is a nice overview...

Leia, Yes, I figure I can do a one rein type stop, assuming I can hold onto one rein. I was thinking it would be a good idea perhaps to make loops at the end of one or both lines that could loosely slip over my wrist so I would have a back up, yet still shake it loose should I ever be in a true...