Ottakee Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 We had the vet out today for coggins test, teeth floating and sheath cleaning. Click on my blog to learn more. http://www.xanga.com/ottakee Just a warning though, the squeamish might not like the sheath cleaning article--or want their kids to read it. Just another wondering part of horse care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 what about horses in the wild??? Who becomes Mr. Hand for them??? Or maybe I don't really want to know:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted February 26, 2008 Author Share Posted February 26, 2008 Well, in the wild, the boys get to USE their parts and therefore get a "natural" cleaning. Not too many geldings out in the wild.;) what about horses in the wild??? Who becomes Mr. Hand for them??? Or maybe I don't really want to know:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanamom Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Is it ok if I link your blog under my "Equestrian Blog Links"? Hee hee, I hope so, because I just did it. ;) Oh yeah... sheath cleaning. Ugh. That's another thing I don't pay the vet to do... though sometimes I wish I didn't have to do that job. I'll have to write a blog post about it so I don't offend other readers' sensibilities with this discussion! LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted February 26, 2008 Author Share Posted February 26, 2008 Sure, that is fine. http://shadysidefarm.blogspot.com/ Here is a blog you might enjoy--fiber arts, farming, a few horses, sheep, a llama, etc. Normally I would just do the sheath stuff myself--well, my friend said I WILL learn to do it myself--but with the vet there today and Spy being brand new I thought I would have the vet take a look/feel. We didn't know when he had been cleaned last but thankfully it was either fairly recently or he doesn't get very dirty. His previous owner that owned him for the past year didn't know how to catch him out of the pasture, tack him up, lift his feet, etc. She didn't know what a bridle was and told me that he rode in "the purple kind" when I asked what type/size saddle he rode in. Hopefully she will be learning more with the 2 new horses she just bought to replace him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Our horse vet says that unless you have a reason to do this to leave it alone. You couldn't pay me enough to do it. Our gelding when we were growing up NEVER had his cleaned, and he died a healthy old horse close to 30. I also refuse to pay a chiropractor to adjust my horse. (Getting out my extinguisher) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanamom Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Our horse vet says that unless you have a reason to do this to leave it alone. You couldn't pay me enough to do it. Our gelding when we were growing up NEVER had his cleaned, and he died a healthy old horse close to 30. I also refuse to pay a chiropractor to adjust my horse. (Getting out my extinguisher) LOL, no I like that advice! I just have one gelding that is really old, and one that is really... don't look if this is going to gross you out... greasy. Those two need attention about once a month. The greasy one gets all swollen and uncomfortable if he isn't cleaned. The others can go a lot longer than that in between cleanings. No way am I paying a vet to clean them as often as the greasy one needs it! Ok... that was the gist of what I would have blogged anyway... so sorry if anyone finds this totally gross. It really is pretty gross. Just one more bit of info: I have found that you can use this product: Wound Relief Lotion as a sheath cleanser and not have to worry about rinsing it off. That makes the job easier & more comfortable for the horse. It also makes cleaning "Mr. Hand" a lot easier afterwards as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Well, in the wild, the boys get to USE their parts and therefore get a "natural" cleaning. Not too many geldings out in the wild.;) Well, this city girl now knows way more than she wanted!:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 My 11 and 12 year old girls weren't overly impressed with this idea either. Well, this city girl now knows way more than she wanted!:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 No flames here. Our vet is one that says, if it needs cleaning, clean it, if not, leave it alone. Just since Spy is brand new to me I wanted him to check. Oh, on the chiropractor stuff, the lady just called me and is coming out the end of March. She does chiropractic work, massage, etc. A little "interesting" in some of her ideas but it does seem to help the horses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinMominTX Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I think it really helps keep them from rubbing their hind ends and breaking off the hairs on their tails. Our horses tails are beautiful so I get out the gloves regularly (we have 7 geldings and 1 stallion). By the way, I also clean between the teats on our mares. Same thing - seems to help with the broken tails. Do you guys also bean? I don't care what anyone says, having that little bean in there cannot be comfortable for any horse. My dh jokes that I should start my own business. Clean the Equine Bean. He thinks I'll make a fortune. TK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 I bet you could make good money at it. The vet charges $40 per horse for sheath/bean. If you could do several horses an hour at even $20/horse you would do well. Not a job I would want though. Thankfully, Spy didn't have a bean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanamom Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I think it really helps keep them from rubbing their hind ends and breaking off the hairs on their tails. Our horses tails are beautiful so I get out the gloves regularly (we have 7 geldings and 1 stallion). By the way, I also clean between the teats on our mares. Same thing - seems to help with the broken tails. Do you guys also bean? I don't care what anyone says, having that little bean in there cannot be comfortable for any horse. My dh jokes that I should start my own business. Clean the Equine Bean. He thinks I'll make a fortune. TK Yes-- getting the bean is the trickiest part! LOL, you probably could make a ton of $$. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 How funny! We did all that stuff here today too! Sheath, teeth, shots, coggins, worming. Tough day for the boys. They still haven't finished their morning hay. :( (They can't eat hay well right after their teeth are smoothed down.) And then, my little donkey was trembling this evening! I've never seen a horse tremble! I called the vet to see if it could be a reaction to the shot. He said possibly. So Eeyore is wearing his blanket tonight for the first time. I've never even heard of a donkey being blanketed! But I just bought him one a few weeks ago. It's way too big for him; it hangs down past his knees. And that reminds me -- I need to go outside and check on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 My friend's donkey was WAY back in her stall yesterday, making SURE she wasn't getting a turn at anything. It was her best buddy, Reward, (my friend's Arab) that had his teeth dremeled. The other 2 horses were outside, not really caring, but Betsy would NOT stay outside while someone was messing with her "man". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph the vet Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 When I was a kid I had to clean my own gelding's sheath. Maybe that is why I became a vet so I could charge other people for it:D! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinMominTX Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 My friend's donkey was WAY back in her stall yesterday, making SURE she wasn't getting a turn at anything. It was her best buddy, Reward, (my friend's Arab) that had his teeth dremeled. The other 2 horses were outside, not really caring, but Betsy would NOT stay outside while someone was messing with her "man". I have a small standard sized donkey named Violet. Her new best friend in the whole entire world is Opie our 8 month old cremello stallion. She is stuck to him like glue! I rather like it because it keeps her off my heels, but sometimes I can just imagine him saying "give me some space - would you!" I had no idea that Donkey's get so attached to other animals or humans. I'd be curious to kow what was causing your donkey to tremble. Was it cold? Violet seems to be the sturdiest animal we have with regards to cold. Keep us posted ok? TK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 Just be careful unless you want a "little one" around. Not sure how young a stallion can breed but I have often heard it is younger than the owners expected. It is funny as Reward is an Arab gelding that was used on cows before he became my friend's trail horse. He will cut and herd to make sure that NO ONE messes with his girl. He is fine with the people coming and getting her, just no other critters can get to his girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I have no idea what caused him to tremble. ?? I blanketed him overnight -- the first time he'd ever been blanketed as far as I know. (It wasn't all that cold when he was trembling. Around 50 degrees, but with a cold wind.) Everyone seems OK this morning. The horse is still having trouble with hay, but both are eating grain. I spent a lot of time with them this morning. I don't know if the trembling was shivering or muscle tremors. It was only on his hind quarters. I've never seen anything like it. ?? BTW, my donkey is also a miniature, and he is totally bonded with my horse. If I take the horse out, the donkey wails and grieves. Fortunately, the horse doesn't call back to the donkey. What kind of horse is your cremello stallion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinMominTX Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 What kind of horse is your cremello stallion? He is a quarter horse with really old school bloodlines - King, Wimpy, Cutter Bill, etc. We are hoping to begin a breeding program using him as "the stud". Of course, he is 8 months old and not really interested in all that business yet. He is happy to hang out with the donkey and frolic in the pasture! TK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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