LOL, glad I helped. Get the ice cream, clean the boots, impress your mom, fall asleep from exhaustion reading that thing, ya know, it all works.
Ciao,
KBird 
pony_scribb1er@hotmail.com
Maybe I am weird, and maybe its due to my thumb still healing from when I sprained ity this summer, but I like the liniment on my hands. Infact the last time I reinjured my thumb… I ran to my tack box and rubbed the liniment in… it did wonders for keeping the swelling down!!!
I do use the dishwashing gloves for when I apply a really strong rub-down, like DMSO… and the nice thing about those types of gloves is that they usually come ribbed… so it seems to me that the rub down is a little more invigorating and stimulating.
I also definately agree about the lint remover rollers. They are great. I will definately need one this show season with two grays!!!
This is a great thread, I just wanted to add my 2 cents.
For getting bits really clean, including the nasty hay/grass taht gets stuck in your half eaten rubber bits, I put them in a pot with a little detergent, and I boil them. Also works great on spurs.
On the same line as scratches is scurf. The BEST way to get rid of scurf is to do a furason sweat. Layer on the furason (make sure ladies use gloves!!!) Cover that with saran wrap and then wrap as usual. The heat opens up the pores and the scurf literally melts away.
for shining boots, I suggest used dryer sheets. They work wonders, and you have them, why not put them to use right!
Believe it or not, WINDEX works great at getting manure stains off of gray horses, and it doesn’t irritate their skin. Saves lots of time in the wash rack!!!
Hi,
I really don’t take very good care of my boots, I always forget to clean them. At least they stay somewhere warm in winter, cool in summer. Duffy, or anybody else, why shouldn’t you use saddle soap on your boots?
I’ve found that an applicator mitt is a great way to apply fly spray to my horse’s face. I spray the mitt w/fly spray and can then just rub it all over his face (out of the eyes of course!) - he thinks he’s getting a mini-massage and I don’t end up w/fly spray everywhere but where I wanted it to go. Tack In The Box used to sell a great sheepskin mitt - that’s what I’m using now - it’s soft and the strap fits right over the fly spray bottle so I never lose it.
Kellybird:
I’m interested in hearing your tirade on boot cleaning! Thanks!
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Lionheart:
here’s a great one… put liquid liniment or rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle and spray on legs to keep from getting all over your hands. nothings worse than rubbing in some liniment and then touching your face/eyes! 
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
This sounds like a good idea, i hate it in teh winter when my hands go numb from the liniment. But I was always taught that it is the rubbing it in that counts when bracing. So is spraying it on as effective as massaging it in, even though your hands are falling asleep??
Just to continue with the icecream tangent…Ben + Jerry’s has a new flavor “Candybar Crunch” which is awesome.
It has so much great information to share with the BB
I like this thread! Well, I have to groom a lot. I have a bay who loves to be dirty and a grey who likes to stay clean[er]. 
- Baby powder: It’s great for touching up socks/white facial markings.
- Vaseline: Makes chestnuts easier to pick. If your horse has scars, it makes them look alittle better, too.
- Baby oil: I won’t give a bath without it! Mix it in with rinse water to make coats shinier and softer. Use it when you clip a bridle path too. It gets rid of that chalky, just-cut look.
- Tack products with beeswax: It softens leather great! It also adds a great shine to boots.
Hi mac_legs - I don’t use saddle soap on my boots because it ruins the shine, thereby negating all my hard work to get them that way. I’m sure it’s not bad for the leather, but I’ve found it makes them tacky and hard to polish.
I love the ideas on this thread! I definately second bringing those double-ended snaps, extras! I also ration out seam rippers and hoofpicks. If I put all of them in my trunk at once, they’d be gone in the course of a show or two. So, I keep my extra stash in my car/garage and bring those little supplies out one by one. I find that way people “borrowing” them end up taking better care of them. They seem to end up back in my trunk more often than not. That goes for ear poms as well.
[This message has been edited by Duffy (edited 03-05-2000).]
Lionheart - the most important part of putting liniment on your horse’s legs is massaging it in! Ya gotta get your hands in it.
Hi Kellybird - Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies and Boot Care - I thought I was the only one. I buy the cookies by the case and freeze some for later in the year. And boot care. . . . .if you think you’re a titch fanatical, you should see my earlier post on this thread (3/5).
tbhunter36 - yes, rubbing it in is 1/2 the equation. Why not get either some dishwashing gloves, or a box of disposable plastic ones? Then you can rub in, and still be able to feel your hands!
When I got my TB mare, she had the worst case of scratches I have ever seen. I used a product called “Axenohl” and I was amazed how well this spray worked, not only on the scratches, but on other wounds and skin problems,as well. This product is a spray developed for use in water purification for developing countries. It is a silver-citrate and ionized water compound that has been tested for toxicity to many microorganisms. This product may only be in Florida, but let me tell you, it works!!! Check out the web page (read around the chemical uses,formula etc, go to equine applications) http://www.eti-net.com/axen.htm
Now I use it as prevention, and haven’t had a scratches problem since. I also used Desitin and zinc oxide creme to get rid of the flaky skin. (Generic zinc-ox creme cheaper) When it rains, for prevention I use the Axenohl spray, let dry and apply the zinc ointment as a water-barrier.
Always rub the legs with a soft curry (they’re round and the “teeth” are soft and look more like soft rubber bristles than hard teeth) to help prevent scurf. When I’m drying the legs after a bath, I just use the towel in place of the curry.
In the winter, I like to rinse the bit under hot water for a short while until it’s just warm. How can you expect the poor horse to happily let you put a piece of freezing cold metal in his mouth??
If you’ve been riding a while, always loosen the girth a bit immediately after you get off, and then removely it completely when you’re untacking in the barn. It’s good to rock the cantle up off his back and then rock the pommel up (after the girth has been loosened, of course – you should NOT be able to do this when the girth is tight!!) so that a little bit of air contacts his back before you take the whole load off. Loosening the girth also serves to gradually let the horse release his belly muscles.
Always wear chaps, half-chaps, or new tall boots when working with a known kicker so that the leather takes the shock of the impact should the horse kick, instead of your leg! I was once kicked by a 15.3hh warmblood while at a prime distance to get the full force of the kick. But because I was wearing tall boots that hadn’t yet been broken in, the leather took 99% of the impact and all I felt was a light punch below the knee. Of course, I had a nice scratch on the brand-new Ariat dress boots, but one cleaning and polishing nearly eliminated in and one more cleaning and polishing (that was the last time I wore those boots! LOL I just can’t bring myself to go through the pain of breaking them in) should cover it up completely. 
Checkers324
Ride the wind, and be at one with your horse!
Hi;
These are great ideas. Here is another one that may seem odd but I have done it for years. I can’t afford those fancy boot bags, so take my high boots to shows in a pillow case! It keeps them clean, is easy to carry and recognizable in my tack trunk!
Another good thing to use to treat scratches on legs is Destin… it works great on white areas as it whites and protects…
I am not usually one to be brand loyal, but I shampoo with anything but Quic Color ( works on my grey with black flea bits and an colored horse. And it really works… And it does great on helping a sunburnt coat look much better!!!) Though I do sometimes use Orvus as it is not only econmical, but gentle and works in hot and cold water. Word of advice with orvus… add to a full bucket of water… otherwise its suds city!!!
After trying several shine enhancer products I still prefer Show Sheen… ya gott be careful around the saddle area, but nothing keeps stains and dirt away better.
And while winter seems to be over at least here in Michigan… vaseline, or cooking spray on the soles of hooves helps keep snowballs away.
I also always pack extra lead ropes and most importantly halters for shows. You never know when you or a friend will need them.
And while it may look a little odd… I have found that once dress a pair of nylon soccer shorts… the baggy style wokrs well in keeping stains off britches… and a light weight oxford shirts protects your hunt shirt. The shorts are easy to pull off and light wieght enough in summer to keep heat stroke away!!!
OK, time for my 2 cents!!!
***Afrosheen, YES, that’s right, is a great spray in conditioner for manes, tails & coats. It’s the exact same thing as World Champion Pepi, it smells great & is ALOT cheaper, it runs around $3 a can at your local WalMart or beauty supply. Look for it in the “ethnic” hair section. Best ones, in order: Alternatives (in a green can), TCB (in a tan can) & Isoplus (in a royal blue can). make sure you buy the conditioning spray & not the holding, or you’ll have a sticky mess! 
Also, use it sparingly on your horses coat, too much attracts dust, but for manes & tails, be as generous as you like!
***Shimmer Lights~ This is the “old lady” shampoo by Clairol, it’s just like Quiksilver (thick & purple), but a lot more economical. You can get a large pump dispenser bottle at places like Sally Beauty Supply for around $14. I swear by this stuff for getting whites & greys sparkling~ I used it religiously when I rode in a dinner show for 6 years.
Hope ya’ll like my suggestions! SUZ
