Horse Health Pet Peeves..

This may be a bit of a negative post...but I need to vent

1. Letting Strange/New horses touch noses (under saddle or on lead). It is okay if the horses are meeting eachother out in pasture/paddock under watchful eyes or over the fence. But I would prefer not to have a playful hoof strike out at me while I am in the saddle or while holding onto the lead. (yes! Even by my own horse)

2. Not sweat scraping a dripping wet horse! Letting a horse drip dry after hosing them down will make a horse even hotter and more miserable. Please sweat scrape thoroughly! :(

3. People cross-tieing a horse that is spooking or is obviously distressed/nervous. I have seen too many horses spook in the cross ties,break them and run down the aisle with other horses tied or get completely turned around and tied up. I would rather not have to run to un-hook my horse and move him to the side to avoid me and my horse getting trampled! Best thing to do is hand hold a nervous horse or put them in a stall.then you have control or is relatively safe if they decide to flip out

4. Not properly cooling out a sweaty horse/leave him stand around "cooling out" that is not how you cool down a horse . They need to move their muscles to reduce the lactic acid buildup (the cause of tying up).

It is okay if you have cooled your horse down enough to put him back out in the pasture to walk around. But please don't just put him back in the stall sweaty and still hot! (horse ownership 101)

If you don't have the time to warm up or cool down properly that day. Don't ride your horse. Please plan for at LEAST 10 mins warm up and cool down. 15mins is preferable that is how long on average most horses warm up their tendons,muscles etc. and to reduce lactic acid in the cool down phase.

5. Dogs that are well behaved around horses and other animals are most certainly welcome in the stable and around it. But if it is getting under my horses feet, chasing my horse or nipping at it at anytime. I then have a problem! And have no trouble saying so! If your dog gets stepped on or kicked while "playing" with my horse...it is not MY problem infact I think he deserved it (same would go if it was my OWN dog...and yes it did happen before)

I agree! Especially with the dog thing! I have a 4 yr old mare who is spooky, and a friend's stupid dog ran up under her feet and she spooked and started bucking. We were walking up the driveway and she threw me off and I ended up with a concussion, road rash on my face, stomach, and elbow, and a broken blood vessel in my eye. That was not a fun day!

Yes peoples dogs should always know how to properly behave if they are going to be brought around horses. I know a few dogs that should be dead...they are lucky my gelding is so calm and hasnt played baseball with their heads yet...

Also cooling out and warming up are important and should never be over looked. (I will admit that I didnt know forgetting to sweat scrape could make them hotter, I usually do but I an guilty of forgetting and such sometimes...)

I would like to add Not picking your horses hooves on a regular basis. They get packed with mud, dirt, rocks, poop, and all sorts of other things then people are like "how did my horse get this rock in their foot?" or they are like "Why does my horse have thrush?" when their hooves have been packed with moist dirt and fecal matter for weeks...Mine get picked atleast once a week...twice if I have the chance. (not always home with college)

Yes, the worst are the dog owners who have never been around horses and then proceed to let their dogs out of the car to do whatever!

The dog runs around and through the barn,chases the cats,barks at the horses, gets in the paddocks,chases the horses around. All the while the owner is saying "how cute little fido is!" then when he gets hurt or almost gets hurt. They go on on how mean the horses are and that they should be locked up for not playing nice with the dog!

Also, people who lock up barns AIR TIGHT in the winter is another peeve of mine. Yeah , okay it is all nice and warm for you...the horses are 1: getting more prone to respiratory illness from breathing in the LOVELY perfume of ammonia,manure,sawDUST,and dust from all other various things. 2: most likely overheating if they are blanketed AND shut up that tight in a stall. Unless they're clipped.

And people who think horses can't go out in winter because their "ear tips will freeze off..." or they'll break a leg! Okay if it is SUPER icy...then fine. But if it is just cold . They deal perfectly fine! Especially with adequate hay and shelter and even a blanket! "rolls eyes"

They can feel free to leave their horses inside to go nuts (NICE VIEW! FOUR WALLS! *crib*crib* crib*) ...but yea, as for mine he will be outside eating hay! (yes, even in negative degree weather! With shelter) and actually be able to breathe! And have a different view and be able to walk around keep a little bit fit and limber LOL

But that is just my very obvious opinion. :P