Young horse perdicaments

Jason,

The highly secret Imperial Knowledge formula for Equaide is as such:

a five gallon bucket of water….cool

a blob of molasses, maybe a cup……..

a good handfull of redmond salt…..

mix…….

Goodluck on marketing this at Walmart. We’ve been using a Fertrell Grazers salt mix lately. 50# bag not cheap but has lots of trace minerals in it, We give it to our cows as well. the eight sip rule when hot is good horse sense. I know, with your picture on the bottle the dough will be rolling in.

Good to hear from you, maybe we’ll catch up with you in Vt. in the fall

Neal

It is not supposed to be good. Although I have never let them drink their fill, I always operate on the premise that when I’m hot and thirsty, I need to drink. It is no different with horses. 15 swallows is the most when they are “hot”, but generally an easy walk back to the barn will cool’em down enough, so that they are ready for a drink.

I did have a horse get colic once from drinking water with ice on it in the winter, but he was a horse prone to colic (died of a twisted gut)(not that time).

I prefer switchel with vinegar, maple syrup, and ginger, but never thought of feeding similar to the animals, although we do put vinegar in the water for the milk cows as part of milk fever prevention.

Only weeks after getting the young mare, having just put shoes all around, I returned to the barn to find her cast. SOMEHOW(???) she had gotten her hind foot caught on her hitch rope by the heel caulk. Having reacted negatively she has snugged the rope into the crack between shoe and hoof, and was tied up tight as a pretzel. Never was sure how long she was like that, but she wasn’t too sweaty, nor too tired, but she worked with me as I had to cut the rope from the manger first, because I could give her head with her foot still caught. (There was no pulling the rope free from under the shoe) Then I had to cut the rope between head and foot. It turned out to be one of those times when although I would never try to restrain a horse to develop submission, just by being there to release her, she regarded me in a different light. She was fine immediately, and went back to eating her hay. Never before, nor since have I had any similar problem in my tie stalls, but now at least I have it in the back of my mind.

Nice cool morning, gotta go. Carl

I’m sure you’re all aware that Walmart has undertaken a Green Marketing Initiative. I bet it isn’t targeted at the back-to-the-landers though. The big enviros are trying to back it though, as it is supposed to advance the discussion, and open the eyes of the less informed. I’ve never heard of such a ridiculous concept. Don’t stop consuming, just consume Green!! I’ld love to see Walmart promote Reduce-Reuse-Recycle. That’ll be the day.

Hey Jason, aren’t you supposed to be putting on a large forestry demo in your neck of the woods the week before NEAPFD?

Kind of interesting that HPD is skeptical that there may not be enough turn-out. One of the best ways to make sure you have a low turn-out is to skimp on content. Unfortunately content costs, and there are few in the world of horse powered forestry with less content than you brother.

At NEAPFD we will offer three workshop tracks this year, one with round-table discussions. We are hoping to give participants the opportunity to flesh out topics, brainstorm solutions, and develop networks. Among those under consideration are Energy Drinks for Hor…. no kidding, Food Policy Issues, Farm/Community Resource/Networking Centers, and Cooperative Regional Marketing of Value-added Sustainable Forest Products (a la Draftwood). Any interest in fertilizing the latter discussion with your considerable experience would be welcome.

Carl