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“You’ve Got Trail” June Newsletter
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Correction: The June Specials, which included all varieties of EZ-Ride Stirrups, are priced as always, by the PAIR rather than “each” as quoted in the e-mail. Visit our June Specials page to save on these deluxe stirrups!
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Our last tips ‘n tricks newsletter was a very big hit – if you missed it visit our Newsletter Archives - so we’re here to offer more morsels from the tips and tricks bag, with the help of some LRG customers who have submitted great ideas! We trust you’ll find these tips helpful and money-saving, while using your own better judgment when applying them to your particular situation.
Would you like a 10% discount on some of our outrageous gear? Share your savvy or your ride photos! Just hit the reply button and type in your equine tips and tricks or attach your own ride photo and include your name and location. If we select your tip or photo for use on the website or in a future newsletter we will e-mail you with your own discount code.
Tips & Tricks for Horseowners
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2007 colt (name pending) taking a siesta. Owned by Sun King Farms Arabians in Arroyo Grande, CA. Photo by LRG customer Chris Matheson.
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Cutting Bailing Twine
The horses are insistently letting you know it’s feed-time and you can’t find your cutting tool to open a new bale of hay. rather than keeping a knife or scissors around the barn that can injure children, just use another piece of twine! Slip it under the one you wish to cut, and slide it back and forth. Sometimes it’s the simplest things we never think of!
Cost-Effective Wound Dressing
Vaseline is effective and inexpensive as an aid to moisturize and heal wounds. Here is a great addition to keep flies away! Depending on the packaging material your Vaseline came in, you may need to spoon it into a small recycled glass jar. Warm the Vaseline in your microwave with a paper towel over the top until just liquefied (just a very few seconds will do even on the “defrost” setting). Be careful as the jar may be hot. Now add a few drops of tea tree oil and mix in. Let your mixture reset to its original thickness and your homemade wound dressing is ready to go!
Sheath Cleaning
Try an old, clean sock as a glove! The sock acts as a gentle abrasive to remove grime. There is no need to purchase special cleaning agents unless specifically recommended by your vet. Warm water works perfectly and naturally. If your boy’s parts are particularly a-mess, use plain Ivory brand soap without the anti-bacterial agents. Never use anti-bacterial substances on these parts (especially a stallion’s) as the body’s system produces beneficial bacteria for good reason!
Keep Water Tanks Sparkling
This is a fantastic natural alternative to the questionable bleach method or the smelly gold fish method that can attract rodents. Pond fanciers know the little secret of setting a bundle of lavender and/or barley straw afloat in your water tank! Use 1 oz. of lavender/barley sprigs tied into a bundle for every square foot of surface water (algae is initially formed primarily on the water’s surface, so depth/volume does not need to be taken into account). It will even clean up algae that already exists - depending on how grimy your tank is already it may take a few weeks. Unless your horse is quite unusually inquisitive he will leave your floating bundle alone; however you should use organic material to tie the bundle as opposed to some other substance that might injure your horse if ingested.
Organize Your Horse Trailer Storage Area
Purchase Velcro in the bigger sheets. In the corner of the door, attach a 3 ft. piece of PVC pipe to stow your crops so they won’t get tangled with bridles on hooks or end up trampled on the ground. Right along side of it, Velcro can be used to attach your broom or manure fork to the trailer wall to keep them from falling over during travel. A three-drawer plastic unit can also be attached securely in place to hold first aid gear, including leg cottons and polo wraps, or a catch-all for fly masks and spare parts. --Submitted by Beth Haynes of Skowhegan, ME
Cable Zip-Ties
Cable ties can also be used to repair tack; just poke a hole in the two pieces of leather and run a tie through them and zip it closed. You can also attach saddle bags with plastic cable ties. The ties come in several lengths, are easy and quick to use and cut away with a pocket-knife. You can "snug down" your packs that have D-rings to the D-rings on your saddle without the nuisance of not being able to untie strings later. Cable ties may be found in any auto supply or hardware store. --Submitted by customer Anne Sands of California
Feed Storage
Use a plastic trash can with wheels. The feed bag can easily be eased into the trash can directly from your vehicle and wheeled into the barn. When you get to the bottom of the can, always dump the last of the can out into a bucket before adding a new bag so you don’t get old and moldy tidbits at the bottom of the can.
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