My horse is boarded at a place with paddocks that have a high clay content. This is triggering my asthma terribly. I have looked into getting horse vacuum, but since I’m one of those unfortunate owners that is not made of money I wondered if it would be possible to make due with the small shop vac that I do have. Or it’s that just crazy?
Has anyone used a shop vac, or has another alternative.? I wondered about noise, ate house vacs quieter?
it won’t let me edit and the link is wrong:
here’s the one
https://www.newegg.com/workshop-ws0255va-wet-dry-vacuums/p/058-000V-000B0?item=9SIA63YA8K1948&source=region&nm_mc=knc-googlemkp-pc&cm_mmc=knc-googlemkp-pc--pla-workshop+wet+dry+vacs--hi±+shop+vacs-_-9SIA63YA8K1948&gclid=CjwKCAiA-vLyBRBWEiwAzOkGVEFYA7PFK3O2BO9iolV6C4kuhD-Z-bS1z9zRutTQSjzp004gtlgEihoCt3kQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
I have a little ShopVac and the grooming attachments. Mine’s an older model but I think it’s the same size as the link above. The grooming attachments were given to me so I can’t help with where to buy those.
The first time I used it, I put my horse in the crossties, made sure the other horses’ doors were all closed :lol: and then turned it on, watching for reactions. I got “ho hum” from all of them. I tried it on my horse, who as far as I’m aware had never been vacuumed before, and he was totally fine from the beginning.
The only thing he ever startled at (and only the first time), was when I moved the canister around to the other side and the power cord slithered on the ground like a snake :lol: I got bug eyes and a little startle-in-place, then he realized what it was and that was the end of it. He’s pretty chill overall though.
Shop-vacs work just fine. I have a small one. They are fairly loud. One of my horses didn’t care and one needed a fair amount of time to get used to it. I find they work better on the “blow” setting, but that’s probably not the right option for you and your asthma.
I use a 2.5 HP shop vac with a Dr. Smith’s curry attachment, mostly during shedding season. This combination works very well.
https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=2e87c077-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5
I have always used a shop vac. I borrowed DH’s years ago and never took it back to his workshop. It took him a few years to realize he should go buy another one, lollol
All my horses have loved the shop vac - just don’t vacuum the head or the nether parts - especially the male nether parts:)
i know they are a suffocating thing to wear, but buy yourself some dust masks AND Vick’s if you can tolerate it.
For years I have used my grandmother’s trick of putting Vick’s in her nose before she went to milk and do barn chores. She insisted it kept her from having “sneezing fits”. Vick’s keeps my nose from stopping up:)
I do use the mask, but I also wear glasses, which then creates more problems. I can breath, but not see LOL. And I found the hard way that Vicks is not to be used if you has asthma. I read the label after I used it and couldn’t breath. Man that stuff is hard to wash off, especially when you can’t breath.
Thanks everyone. We have a small shop vac… although not as small as the one in the link. That is much better price than $250.
I use a small canister home vacuum, quieter than a shop vac, uses bags which filter exhaust and make for easier emptying. I have a Dr. Smith grooming head (from Valley Vet) which has currycomb teeth, and recently found a discontinued model Bissell Pet ShedAway head that is like a shedding blade for a vacuum. It is great for dried mud and clay. The new ShedAway tool is more like a comb, but there is one like I have on Ebay right now.
OMG I am such a dope! My mother in law gave me one of those, I think it is a closet up stairs because I don’t use it!
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