Things you should know but are ashamed to admit you don't...

[OnyxThePony]

[QUOTE=Sakura;2009822]
What is the shelf life of an unopened bag of feed (considering it is kept in a cool dry place)?[/QUOTE]

It’s the same for an open bag, since the bag doesn’t actually block out much environmental spoilers (sun/heat/air/etc)

• and it varies widely according to the feed due to things such as moisture content, process (ie extruded vs pelleted vs mix), vitimin/mineral blend/interaction. etc etc
  If you have a particular bag in mind, you should ask your feed agent. They will be able to find out.

[twohotponies]

What a great topic!

There are so many things that I don’t know but here are the ones I would like the most help with…

1. I cannot clip feet/fetlocks without it looking like a my horse just had a fight with a weedeater and lost.
2. I am having the hardest time telling if my saddle is fitting or not. There are dryish patches symetrically behind each side of the withers and matching clean spots on the pad, I’m thinking it isn’t fitting.
3. How do we stop the wee beastie from pulling back when tied? So far she has fallen down twice when the knot didn’t give. Don’t tie her? Ever?

I am also at a self care facility now and there are quite a few interesting people there. The newest interesting thing I have been told is that you should never ride your horse in an arena if you use that arena to free longe in because your horse will take off with you. I am an experienced horsewoman and have never heard this before in my life, I also don’t believe it because when you only have one arena sometimes playtime and worktime happen in the same place and I have never had a problem. Come to think of it, neither has my trainer. Where do peole get this stuff?

[Lambie_Boat]

how much hay should each horse eat per day? how do I know how much each horse weighs? those flimsy weight tapes don’t seem very accurate. And the size of hay flake varies from bale to bale (we don’t have all-you-can-eat round bales here)

[Leather]

how much hay should each horse eat per day? how do I know how much each horse weighs? those flimsy weight tapes don’t seem very accurate. And the size of hay flake varies from bale to bale (we don’t have all-you-can-eat round bales here)

Here’s an article the discusses hay/forage intake.
http://www.admani.com/AllianceEquine/TechBulletins/TheOnePercentRule.htm

This is an easy way to estimate your horse’s weight based on measurement:
http://www.nacmo.org/members/weight.tpl

[I_m_EBO]

Digital pulse and boots

Here’s how to take a digital pulse: You’re feeling for a vein that’s about the size of a pencil lead, that is slightly above and centered between the bulbs of the heel. I use my middle finger, but you can use which ever finger is comfortable except the thumb (you feel your own pulse if you use the thumb). Usually, you’ll feel only a slight pulse unless something is wrong. If you can’t feel anyhing, feel around in a small circle until you do. It will be easier to find if your horse has been moving prior to the search, so walk him around if you’re initially stumped.

Pulses are different on every horse. If you can’t find one on your subject, try another horse. If you find it once, you’ll become an instant expert thereafter.:yes:

It’s a good idea to establish what’s normal for your horse at rest and just after exercise.

What I don’t know, among other things, are the particular uses of all the boot types that are out there. Fetlock boots? Overreach boots? (although that’s pretty self explanatory) galloping boots? I get they’re all for protection of some sort, but …? And how do you tell if your horse needs one or another?

[moonriverfarm]

Dressage terms.
Uphill/downhill.
Why we call a 17h 1300 lb horse “cute”.
Oh and the names of certain cross country jumps.

[Carrera]

@MacknCody;1999663

I also can’t “feel” the wrong diagonal. I have to look down. Anyone else have this problem?

Me too!!! I have been riding for 18 years and I can’t seem to figure it out…and let me tell you I have been yelled at a lot because of it!

[lotsospots]

JOIN PONY CLUB!!

And THIS, my friends, is why Pony Club was invented!! Well not exactly, but this is all stuff that is covered in Stable Management!! They really should have PC for adults!

[Groom_amp_Taxi]

How to pull a shoe

In the last week or so, I’ve learned to wrap legs and have given my first antibiotic injections - yay me. Have looked for a pulse but haven’t found one yet.

I can pull a mane, and though I don’t know how to do it yet, I see braiding in my future.

I can muck a stall and pull a bumper pull trailer. Have a decent eye for conformation and lameness but not as good as my 14yo daughter’s.

A couple of things I feel like I need to know how to do but don’t - yet - are pull a shoe, use a twitch, and change a tire on the trailer.

G&T

[Regalmeans]

I don’t pull my horse’s mane. I, in theory, know how to. But I hate doing it, and so I pay my trainer to do it and she tacks it on my bill.
I know HOW to give IM shots, but I’m slightly scared of doing it (needle phobia) so I make the trainer or my best friend (who’s a former vet tech and works in a lab with animals) do it for me. I’ve also never wormed my horse (full care board is a lovely thing).

That said… I can clean a sheath (well my gelding’s anyway, he’s super easy though) and do perfect wraps (to the point where at one point I was one of the only people my trainer would let do HER show horse - I used to work as a groom), and make an amazing liniment brace/rub down for my horse post show. I have an AWESOME eye for lameness (owning a 22 year old OTTB does that to you!) and I can change a tire on our four horse trailer (although I can’t drive anything larger then my Honda Civic - I CAN change a trailer tire, dangit!).

[LSM1212]

Executing a slip/quick release knot. For the love of God, I just can’t seem to “get” it.

And canter leads… most days it seems I have no clue. Somedays, I’m just lucky!

I’m also in the “can’t start posting on the correct diagonal” club and the “don’t know how to wrap properly” club too.

But after a discussion with my trainer the other day, these are some of my goals for next year. To master these things.

[I_m_EBO]

Know what? These helps/definitions/how tos should be compiled, put in alpahbetical order and stored in the archives.

[Not_So_Practical_Hor]

omg I feel so bad for not knowing this but I can’t identify colic for the life of me

but im young and i still have so much time to learn

add me to than non-conformation eye club

though i can spot lameness fairly well, i never trust myself and always need that second opinion

[Invested1]

[QUOTE=LSM1212;2013030]
I’m also in the “can’t start posting on the correct diagonal” club [/QUOTE]

I know my diagonals unless I get flustered. Perfect example: I took my horse into a dressage show where he was acting like a total pig. Watching the video, I actually looked very composed whereas inside I was freaking out about forgetting the test, trying not to brace, remembering to breathe, etc. I remember glancing down and honestly having absolutely no clue if I was on the correct diagonal or not!! I had a 50/50 shot and I chose WRONG!! :eek: :lol: Every time I watch that tape, I cringe.

[crackerjack]

Bits… I’d like to know more about the function of bits. Any good websites?

[LSM1212]

@Invested1;2013274

I know my diagonals unless I get flustered. Perfect example: I took my horse into a dressage show where he was acting like a total pig. Watching the video, I actually looked very composed whereas inside I was freaking out about forgetting the test, trying not to brace, remembering to breathe, etc. I remember glancing down and honestly having absolutely no clue if I was on the correct diagonal or not!! I had a 50/50 shot and I chose WRONG!! :eek: :lol: Every time I watch that tape, I cringe.

I know if I’m not on the correct one. And about 75% of the time I can feel it w/o having to look. It just transitioning up and down and trying to pick it up the first time that I can’t seem to master.

[JoZ]

Is chocolate bad for horses?

I know it is very bad for dogs and cats. The local Mexican restaurant has a candy dish at the front – I usually take some peppermints for the heese. Last time I took a few tiny Tootsie Rolls for me as well… and the horses mugged me for them. I will admit I handed some out. And then said “well I hope THAT wasn’t a bad idea…” :eek:

[sk_pacer]

@JoZ;2013344

Is chocolate bad for horses?

Don’t know of it being bad for them in the same way as cats and dogs, but I don’t think it is all that healthy either. IF you show, don’t even THINK of letting them have chocolate - positive test for caffeine and theobromine

[ElonGrad1997]

I would love to know the meaning behind the letters in dressage arena. They seem so random to me.

[JoZ]

@sk_pacer;2013531

Don’t know of it being bad for them in the same way as cats and dogs, but I don’t think it is all that healthy either.

Don’t worry, it won’t become a habit, I like the Tootsie Rolls too much myself, LOL. Frankly I was surprised they liked them. On the other hand I’m not too concerned with them being “not all that healthy” when you consider the size of a Tootsie vs. a horse. Can’t imagine Peeps are at the top of the nutrition list either!