[Foxhunter]

Many times the 'old' ways have died out thanks to modern medicines BUT in many cases some of these nearly forgotten remedies are cheaper and just as good as modern treatments.

VINEGAR (I have only ever used the Malt) for ringworm, thrush, rain rot and as a general antiseptic. Gives a great shine on horse's coats if ypused after a bath,

SUGAR A great coagulant if you have a heavily bleeding wound.

Just two to get you started, please add if you have anything to.

 

[boots]

I've used sugar, too, to stop bleeding. Sure works nicely.

I guess my old-time remedies are: cold water, ice, Mother Nature, and Father Time.

I have never used bute on a horse, including sport or working horses that have come in with soft tissue injuries.

 

[horseluvr2524]

Aw, I thought this was a thread on how to properly tip your horse, like you would any waiter or cab driver! :wink:

Great tips. I can't wait to read what others have to say. I'm too young to know much of the old ways from my own experience, but I love to learn of them and use when I can.

 

[AnitaAnne]

I use vinegar a lot. Have even fed apple cider vinegar to horses at a rate of 1/2-1 cup a day to keep the flies and no-see-ums off the horse.

Keep wounds moist to heal from the inside out with petroleum jelly. They used to make a medicated kind that worked really well, not sure if its still around. Also kills ticks (especially when in ears).

Can feed a horse tobacco to use as a wormer. This may not be very healthy, lol.

I never give Bute either, or cortisone shots.

 

[Caledonian]

Beer for the horses’ coats was one that was used in the yard when I was young.

I’ve used:

Garlic as a fly repellent, for allergies and respiratory issues. My gelding had really bad dust allergies when they were building houses next to his field.

Celery seeds for arthritis

Salt water or baking soda for any cuts, bites or cleaning

 

[Smilie]

Castor oil, for impaction colic, emergency treatment,and if it does not resolve, then haul to vet and get that tubing with mineral oil and electrolytes

Trailer ride over bumpy road for gas colic

I have given bute, short term, as in laminitis, but I have never given either bute or banamine for colic, esp without a vet first seeing the horse, so have not even kept any banamine around
Diluted dish detergent and mineral oil for a foal enema (meconium impaction)
Crest tooth paste for a sarcoid

Heard of that tobacco plug for de worming, but growing up on a tobacco farm, where my step father used that method, I am far from convinced that it works, as we had a foal born that became loaded with ascarids

My step dad also gave whiskey to cows with pneumonia, and can't re call if that worked either. I do know, that I was probably the only 10 year old, that got on the school bus with whiskey on their breathe, having had my cold remedy before going off to school!

 

[seabiscuit91]

Mouth wash + Vinegar is a great fly repellent / antiseptic and barrier against rain rot / rain scald.

 

[SilverMaple]

Iodine/Betadine and sugar works wonders on wounds. So does honey.

You can fix a lot of fungal/bacterial skin issues with the gold Listerine and/or vinegar.

Desitin diaper rash cream works well for small wounds or cinch galls and stays on, protecting the skin from irritation and flies.

If your horse is hard to deworm, fill empty dewormer tubes with applesauce and honey. Deworm a time or two with those and your problem may be resolved. For a horse who was previously difficult, I'll follow up a deworming paste with applesauce-- it keeps them happy and also helps ensure they swallow and don't spit out the dewormer.

If you have a horse who is picky and won't drink strange water while traveling, carry some Kool-aid or electrolyte powder in your trailer. About a week before you leave home, start adding a few grains to his water, increasing to about a 1/2 teaspoon as the week goes on. Then when you're traveling and you add it to strange water, he'll usually drink as it disguises the taste.

The first few times you bridle a colt, squirt a CC or so of liquid glycerin in his mouth. It helps keep his mouth moist, tastes sweet, and he won't chafe his lips if he works the bit hard at first.

 

[walkinthewalk]

When I was a kid on the farm, our grandfather always kept some extra corncobs (shelled) in a basket. Once we brushed the horses clean we could always get some added shine by wiping them down with a corn cob or two