Horse Remedies Please Share...

[big brown horse]

I see lots of us have horses out there, and I wanted to ask you to share your homemade, or store bought for that matter, remedies for anything...rain rot to biting and kicking (I have a good one for that too) even.

When we lived in Houston we got lots of rain. So for rain rot (scald) I would mix up some listerine and water to spray on the areas in question. I think the ratio was about 1/3 listerine and 2/3 water. (Horsies smelled like clean teeth too. ) It worked every time. I probably sprayed the areas about once a day after I groomed them for about 4-5 days.

You can get listerine cheap at dollar stores but it has to be the name brand I hear the other knock offs don't work as well.

It doesn't burn either. However, I never had a severe case because I stayed on top of it. For a rescued horse with severe case please consult your vet first.

Then I discovered a fly spray with waterproof sunscreen in it and when I used that on them, the rain just formed dropplets and dripped off...no soaking in, so no rain rot.

I have a lot of more ideas, as I think of them I will add them. I would love to hear all of your ideas, so please share!

 

[miss_thenorth]

I've got really easy keepers, so I haven't experience much. the only ailment we've had to deal with is an abscess, and for that, we soaked the hoof in ACV and warm water for 15 minutes a day, then packed his hoof with epsom salts, and applied a baby diaper with vet wrap. The abscess blew out right away (two days). We continued the soaking and packing for about a week.

 

[big brown horse]

Good one! ACV works very well for absesses.

 

[big brown horse]

I'm sure everyone (who owns a horse with a white tail) already knows this: blueing (sp?) in a bucket of warm water will clean all the stains out. I just hold the bucket up while their tail is soaking for about 10 minutes each bath time. I even rince my horse's body (he has white fur too) with the left over and let it sit for a little while then rince all over.

I use enough blueing to tint the water a faded blue. I don't measure this one.

 

[Beekissed]

My sis has used ACV for rain rot and found it very effective.

I have mixed up an EO preparation for her horses before to keep away flies, consisting of citronella, lemon grass, lavendar and orange oil in a water and denatured alcohol base. We would squirt this directly on underbellies, feet, legs, etc. Then we would apply some to a damp rag and wipe it around the face and ears. It works very well and the oils tend to cling well in the rain, so it doesn't have to be reapplied as often as other fly sprays. Be careful not to get it into their eyes.

 

[lupinfarm]

Anyone got a remedy for a horse that hates the living hell out of the fly spray bottle? Luna is being driven nuts by blackfly and flies out in the field and though she wears a fly mask I can't get fly spray on her. I was considering wetting down a cloth with it but she doesn't seem to enjoy the smell too much either.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Anyone got a remedy for a horse that hates the living hell out of the fly spray bottle? Luna is being driven nuts by blackfly and flies out in the field and though she wears a fly mask I can't get fly spray on her. I was considering wetting down a cloth with it but she doesn't seem to enjoy the smell too much either.

Call me a meany, but I only use fly spray when i work thehorses. Always start at the feet, and slowly work your way up. If it is the spray, try the cloths., or spraying a cloth. If she is still fussing, cross-tie her when you put it on. And then treat her. My QH is not a big fan of fly spray either, but when you gotta do it, you gotta do it. also try diferent brands, and see if she responds differently. i am also not a big fan of fly masks either, as I have seen flies get caught on the inside of the masks-not a pleasant experience.

 

[big brown horse]

Is it the sound it makes or the sensation of it hitting her fur? Either way, try spraying on a sponge (the natural kind) and then wiping her down. It will take longer, but if you use the spray that lasts for more days (usually the kind with sunscreen) you don't have to do it so much.

Ive had horses that hated being sprayed in the past. Some would eventually get used to it and some (my Arabian who was always very high strung) NEVER NEVER got used to the noise/spray. I hated having to sponge her, it was a pain but I had no choice.

If this is a horse you can work out, try to spray her after the ride/workout when she is a bit more subdued and more focused on listening to your command.

Good Luck!

 

[sufficientforme]

I had a super sensitive horse who hated most fly sprays, so I would rub him down with a mixture of avon skin so soft and water mixed. Worked quite well.

 

[freemotion]

I had an Arab mare who did a little better with a pressurized sprayer rather than a regular pump trigger sprayer. You can get the smaller ones for less than $10 and they are a great investment, saves your hands, too. These at least eliminate the noise of the trigger sprayer.

I would hold her while spraying, and position her against a wall with her head in the corner, then turn her for the other side. At 21, she still gave me grief about the sprayer and still was afraid of the bubbles on the ground when she got a bath, even though she loved her baths!

I mostly stopped spraying when I brought my mare home and she had free-choice 24/7 of hiding in the shed and going outside. She would eat when the flies were not biting and hide out when they were. I did use a mask in the worst fly weather, she knew how to take it off if a fly got inside, though. She was also smart enough to know that it did her good, too, and would leave it on, even without a halter over it to hold it in place.

Here is a winter hint for the colder, dryer winters: I would make an anti-static grooming spray with water, a tiny bit of Downy, and a bit of leave-in conditioner (Infusion 23 for people). Put it in a sprayer with a fine mist setting. Spray the inside of the blankets and the brushes or simply the horse before grooming. You will need to clean your brushes more, thought, as it helps collect the dirt on the brushes.