Anyone got any good horsey trade secrets?

Esther.D

Esther.D

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Jan 3, 2003
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Just seen the Equestrian one of the 'Trade Secrets' series on TV and it inspired me to ask if anyone has any trade secrets of their own? There was a couple of good ones new to me on the programme but most of them I had come across before (old favourites like using gel or baby oil to calm manes etc).
 
ehm...dont really know of any good ones.

I use baby shampoo or normal herbal shampoo on my horse instead of horse labeled shampoos and that saves money.

I buy creams like arnika from the chemist instead of arnika for horses. Also cheaper. I also buy my fly repellant for cows and horses from the chemist instead of the horse shop because it's all cheaper and the same stuff.

Oh and i also only go to one specific horse shop here because the other charges more for the same products.

best money saving stuff is to resist buying stuff unless absolutely necessary and then go to big horse exhibitions and buy the stuff there.
 
Well the two that were new to me on the programme were:

- adding 1/2 pint of milk to your bar of saddlesoap and boiling it up, tip it into a tub and allow to cool - this makes the saddlesoap last longer and gives you a good soft paste to use on your tack. Never heard of that one, has anyone on here tried it?

- If going to a show carry your hay for the way back in a bin bag, then just place the whole lot into the haynet, close and remove bin bag via one of the holes - one neatly filled haynet without wrestling with the hay whilst in your show gear. Very cunning I thought :) Will definiately try that one!

I don't have many of my own I must admit...I use baby oil in moderation on ponies with bad hair days :D Or firm hold hair gel to keep it (temporarily :rolleyes: ) on the right side or if appropriate, in plaits. Or just to reveal that they do infact possess ears :D

Be very careful with the babyoil as too much attracts dust and is disasterous if rubbed against your show gear:eek: But is a lot cheaper than detangler/show sheen.

Ummmm.....

I'm sure I do have plenty more but brain has gone on strike tonight (I have caught Stephen's cold :mad: ):eek:
 
I don't know many but I do the whole "vaseline on boots" thing.

Also I went to a shoe shop called "Balls" and found loads of boots that looked EXACTLY like jodhpur boots AND they started at about £10! I couldn't believe it.

And of course, I stick to carrots and apples for treats. If I say to the local fruit/veg shop that I'm buying them for the horses, he picks out loads of the bruised apples or slightly wrinkly ones and gives me them for free.:D
 
At my yard, we use fairy up liquid to bath horses in as it is cheaper than human and horse shampoo. (just be careful if you have a grey horse as they may end up with green stains if you squirt it directly onto them!)
I also find that Pledge furniture polish is good for polishing boots, and have been told that it makes a good mane and tail detangler, but I have never tried this myself.
 
I think I read that coating the horses sole & frog in vasaline in snowy weather stops the snow balling up under their feet. Don't quote me on that though, as I haven't tried it myself!
 
Get the 'old' newspapers from the shop and tear them into strips and mix it in with whatever bedding you use. it bulks it up and saves on straw/shavings :)

fairy liquid in a bucket of water is much cheaper than shampoo!:)
 
Lots of you have recommended using fairy liquid for things like bathing etc, but I've an even better idea, Tesco's washing up liquid for two reasons:

1) It's cheaper still

2) Tesco don't test their products on animals but I'm willing to bet all of the ingredients have been tested on animals by various other companies and so are still safe
 
Why don't you put the filled hay net into the bin bag then just undo it when you get to the show? Less fiddly.

I used to use a dolly blue for washing a grey horses tail. I wonder if you can still get them?
 
Lgd - Ive used plastic feed sacks for foot poultices. Like Alfa A ones-just cut to size!

Vaseline and snow doesnt work-I froze my hand off once putting it on 4 horse's feet, to find they were on stilts just walking round the field 10 mins later.

Never buy buckets from tack shops - £3 there whereas B+Q sell them for 98p!

eBay for horsey bargains!
 
Apply Vasaline, Petrolium Jelly, even cheaper to dry legs before turn out in muddy fields to repel moisture to prevent mud fever. This does work well and have be doing this for the last 3 years now.

Instead of expensive hoof oil/moisturiers use human creams that you have around to keep hooves in good condition.

Keep loads of cotton wool on the yard, the best things I have found to use are the flat make-up pads you can pick up cheaply as these hold creams, water, solutions etc and can be squeezed into small spaces.

Disposable gloves for mucking out bought from one of those car shops motorworld etc are good value and keep hands nice, especially when having to rush off to work after mucking out. I find washing up glooves have a bad smell after a few uses.

Quick way to fill hay nets, get an empty dustbin, put the hay net inside and pull the string and stand on the end so it is secure under the lip of the bin, then just fill away to the top, release the string and remove. No more trying to hold the damn thing open breaking your back bending down stuffing hay in.

When at the feed merchants beg their freebies, I find you can never have enough measuring cups for various feeds.
 
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