We took a spill on the hunt last weekend

[CindyCRNA]

It was 43 degrees and slick, some from mud and some from frozen ground as it had been cold. We were coming around a corner and all of a sudden, all 4 of my mares legs went out from under her and, wham, we went down hard and fast. My mare fell completely on her side. On a side note, I got to test my new Devonaire Matrix helmet!

So here is what I learned. After the first snow, we are using studs on every hunt. Decent sized ones. What do you all use to plug your stud holes? I have discovered I need to remove my blanks I have in, WD40 them and put them back in or I will never get them out! Cotton, it seems, allows the threads to get buggered up and the rubber things fall out. :mad:

[JSwan]

I switched from borium to studs years ago. It’s a bit of extra work but at least that greasy footing isn’t quite as hazardous.

If the rubber stoppers don’t stay in, I think there is a plastic blank that you can use. I agree the cotton is horrible; what a mess.

I’ll try and find that blank; I was thinking of trying them too. Sometimes I have trouble getting the rubber stoppers out.

Glad you and your horse are ok. Greasy footing is the worst. I do use borium tipped studs; those seem to work well. Not that I’ve been foxhunting in the last two weeks… grrrr… stoopid weather…

ETA: I can’t seem to find the plastic ones when I did a google search. (Note to self; be careful of your search terms when researching “studs”). I did find these and I haven’t tried them - might these work better for you?
[URL=“http://www.victorycanter.com/Rubber-Stud-Hole-Plug-400925.html?gclid=CPX-h8_y7rsCFStBQgodv0sAoA”]http://www.victorycanter.com/Rubber-Stud-Hole-
Plug-400925.html?gclid=CPX-h8_y7rsCFStBQgodv0sAoA

Wait - here they are. I haven’t tried these either but I was thinking about it. http://www.victorycanter.com/Nunn-Finer-Stud-Blanks.html

[Ponyclubrocks]

I have no problem with the hard black rubber plugs. I also have some grey dense foam ones that stay in pretty well. If the cotton is soaked in oil they lubricate and clean the threads, but they allow too much gunk in for my taste. Sometimes I clean the hole with oiled cotton then plug it with the rubber plugs.

If your horse motorcycles around the turns on her forehand, might be worth spending some time in balancing exercises. I last hunted on New Years day in terrible footing and was very grateful that I could do a little balancing half halt before sharp turns and get my guy back on his haunches. Doesn’t mean he’ll never slip or fall but certainly reduces the risk. Glad you are both OK!

[CindyCRNA]

[QUOTE=JSwan;7360710]
I switched from borium to studs years ago. It’s a bit of extra work but at least that greasy footing isn’t quite as hazardous.

If the rubber stoppers don’t stay in, I think there is a plastic blank that you can use. I agree the cotton is horrible; what a mess.

I’ll try and find that blank; I was thinking of trying them too. Sometimes I have trouble getting the rubber stoppers out.

Glad you and your horse are ok. Greasy footing is the worst. I do use borium tipped studs; those seem to work well. Not that I’ve been foxhunting in the last two weeks… grrrr… stoopid weather…

ETA: I can’t seem to find the plastic ones when I did a google search. (Note to self; be careful of your search terms when researching “studs”). I did find these and I haven’t tried them - might these work better for you?
[URL=“http://www.victorycanter.com/Rubber-Stud-Hole-Plug-400925.html?gclid=CPX-h8_y7rsCFStBQgodv0sAoA”]http://www.victorycanter.com/Rubber-Stud-Hole-
Plug-400925.html?gclid=CPX-h8_y7rsCFStBQgodv0sAoA

Wait - here they are. I haven’t tried these either but I was thinking about it. http://www.victorycanter.com/Nunn-Finer-Stud-Blanks.html[/QUOTE]

I have the black plugs shown above in one foot and the allen wrench ones in the other 3. The trick to the allen wrench ones is to loosen, WD40 them and put them back in twice a week. I put the black rubber plugs in yesterday and “hammered” them in to get them to stay. The issue with the allen wrench ones if they are frozen in, they are a bugger to get out. My farrier had to pull a shoe and re-drill a hole because we could get it out…but they had not been removed in over a month. My bad! What did help on some is running about 1 1/2" of hot water in a flat pan and soaking the shoe/foot in it to help loosen the nuts.

[JSwan]

The jelly type rubber plugs don’t work for you? Those are the ones that fall out? Or are you having problems with the solid black plugs.

[CindyCRNA]

[QUOTE=JSwan;7361881]
The jelly type rubber plugs don’t work for you? Those are the ones that fall out? Or are you having problems with the solid black plugs.[/QUOTE]

We just slapped in the solid back plugs yesterday so I will know Sat when I go to remove them. The jelly ones with a hole tend to stay in ok but give no protection for the threads as they get push up deeper with mud and stuff. The allen wrench ones work great in theory but a stuck one is a bugger to get out. You need an allen wrench breaker bar!

[JSwan]

I hear ya; I have a knockout multi-purpose tool in the barn; kind of like a Leatherman. I used the screwdriver to pry the jelly type plug out of the studhole; the darn thing broke wedged in it. Used the pliers to get it out. I was hopping mad. I’ll stick with the Leatherman.