tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post6193798660573197573..comments2023-05-31T08:02:34.255-04:00Comments on Bitless horse: Science VS tradition: Idle thoughts and other thingsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14523660446608394720noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-46631337829804446152011-10-13T11:24:42.215-04:002011-10-13T11:24:42.215-04:00I like the way you explained hands/callouses as it...I like the way you explained hands/callouses as it relates to hooves! I think I already knew all of that, but the way you describe it is a fantastic way to for me to explain it to other people, like to my friend who is going barefoot with her horses but complains they are still sore sometimes. Thanks!<br /><br />LOL I love Indigo's expression!Achieve1dreamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15401246064499148344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-86235274546105693832011-09-30T18:21:06.438-04:002011-09-30T18:21:06.438-04:00haha I love that pic!! it's awesome!haha I love that pic!! it's awesome!Livhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08732778924970726373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-78663582212051098952011-09-27T17:35:36.102-04:002011-09-27T17:35:36.102-04:00Commenting from Great Britain, looks like hay pric...Commenting from Great Britain, looks like hay prices will probably go the same way this winter as they did last year, reasonable until the weather turns bad then they shoot up. I know some people like to shop around for the cheapest but we prefer to use our usual forage supplier all year round. He delivers to us weekly and as regular customers we are assured that he will supply us 52 weeks of the year and the price isn't going to suddenly shoot up. Some suppliers will have run out by Jan / Feb while others will be holding on hoping to achieve the highest possible price.horse carehttp://www.horsecarecourses.com/horse-sense/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-81198430652561123822011-09-26T15:52:56.858-04:002011-09-26T15:52:56.858-04:00Thank you M! I think too many horse owners only bu...Thank you M! I think too many horse owners only buy the hay and do not have any work in making it, paying the help, tractors or other prices. Grain has gone up again this year. I just bought a bag of beet pulp for my mare Annie and it's now at 18$ a bag!!! I bought it 3 years ago for my old horse Naigen and I paid 9-11$ for it! Yes it sucks but everyone's gotta eat.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14523660446608394720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-70443981349402597242011-09-26T15:17:19.956-04:002011-09-26T15:17:19.956-04:00Hey Sydney! Thanks for commenting the other day.....Hey Sydney! Thanks for commenting the other day...have been too busy to go back and answer...<br /><br />Anyway, I have an interesting perspective on the hay thing, as the fiance M does a lot of work cutting and selling hay (a big contract is paying for his purchase of 70 acres...). <br />**lack of rain...it has literally shot to poo our 2nd cut, which is the really beautiful stuff. In some places around here, it even affected the 1st cut too. M is hoping to actually do some later cuts (waay later...like end of Oct) for my brats since we now finally have some rain and growth.<br />**Fertilizer costs...ZOMFG! I think I threw up a little when I heard how much they are. Enough said!!!!!<br />**Gas...The diesel for the tractors is really ridiculously expensive. If you think about having to move all the equipment around, you are collecting a lot of operating expenses. <br /><br />I know I am feeling the crunch of all the above just in costs of sweet feed (which has gone up 2 a 50 lb bag this year) and my beet pulp pellets (shreds have gone up 4 dollars and pellets at least 2). <br /><br />I don't know anything to offer about how to cut the cost of hay. Perhaps if it is a local guy, maybe you could help by spreading some composted manure for them (if that is what they like to use...)? <br /><br />With all the overseas shipping of hay, and the overhead costs, the farm guys have got to make ends meet. I can't fault the price, knowing as many farm families as I do, but there has to be something you can do to directly help them that might influence your hay costs...Muppethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17442210791638198757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-47251192396477932952011-09-26T15:12:30.365-04:002011-09-26T15:12:30.365-04:00Nuz- Hay was ruined. A lot of it. The price inflat...Nuz- Hay was ruined. A lot of it. The price inflation is due to the fact they need to make up for what is lost or keep up with the prices of the grains on the market so they make it up in hay instead of planting their row crops. <br /><br />Lisa- I have the same pasture you do more or less. We have TONS of rocks. Indigo walks over them fine. I still had to condition her to the extra added weight of me on her back. <br /><br />Kristen- I would go for 3 times a week at the least. Every day is the best. Horses hooves are largely a use it or lose it functionality. If a horse has shoes on and their frog/digital cushion is not in contact with the ground it will contract and become less robust and able to absorb such shocks.<br />The thing is people see their horses are "ouchy" on certain surfaces and they try to avoid them completely and work on a softer surface.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14523660446608394720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-59756579094753648842011-09-26T12:51:15.290-04:002011-09-26T12:51:15.290-04:00Your post is SO very timely. I took Laz on a hand ...Your post is SO very timely. I took Laz on a hand walk and a walk ride for the first time since I switched barns, down the dirt road. So for two weeks, he's been on grass and sand pasture. No rocks, no pea gravel (I wish I could put some in there for some rougher terrain)but I've noticed that his fronts were more 'ouchy' (his rear hooves were in easy boots). Hmmm, I thought...how quickly their feet change. I dont think it's diet related, I DO think it's terrain related and with all the rain too softening his tootsies up. I wonder; if I have a goal of walking him for 30 minutes 3-4 times a week on the dirt road, would it help toughen his bare hooves up without it hurting him?? I'm going to ask my trimmer too.Kristen Eleni Shellenbargerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01458744919530540978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-27987358328524919032011-09-26T05:27:33.772-04:002011-09-26T05:27:33.772-04:00The first thing that popped into my head when you ...The first thing that popped into my head when you started talking about feet and callouses? Summertime. When I was growing up, my shoes came off the day that school let out and pretty much stayed off until it started up again in the fall (church and a few other things being small exceptions). <br /><br />Did a LOT of walking on roads and sidewalks and had some pretty hefty callouses going on: I could stroll over just about anything (once not even noticing tiny bits of broken glass underfoot until my friend yelled EEK! *laugh*) Those days are long since past, and these days I am sure that I would struggle to tiptoe my way anywhere outside with bare feet (owie). Makes total sense to me; and I am the same when it comes to thinking those deep thoughts during so called "mindless" tasks ;o)Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17608579972739041880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-85462837382338891232011-09-26T04:05:15.436-04:002011-09-26T04:05:15.436-04:00We're not paying just a few dollar more per ba...We're not paying just a few dollar more per bale than we have in the past. We're paying double now. What we paid just $14.00 a bale for 3 string, this year we're paying $26.00 a bale for. And our 2 string bales are going for $15.00, when they went for just $7.00 last year. <br /><br />I think even you could agree that that's a whole hell of a lot of inflation in just a year.<br /><br />A lot of the hay in the US, especially in California is being shipped to China and Japan because their buyers are willing to pay the shipping fees directly to the farmer, and are willing to pay higher costs. Many people are frustrated because many of our companies have been outsourced to China and Japan, as well as the majority of the products we buy. Now they are buying most of our hay and costing America much more than lost jobs.<br /><br />I mostly agree about the hoof situation, but my mare lives 24/7 on a rocky, steep, rugged hillside where she walks over small rocks, larger rocks, and imbedded boulders. Still, when we try to ride on a gravel road, or a rocky trail, she acts tender-footed.<br /><br />Apache will eat apples, but they aren't her favorite. She prefers carrots.<br /><br />~LisaLaughing Orca Ranchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03562627840013868980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-23575785463171444012011-09-25T20:29:44.007-04:002011-09-25T20:29:44.007-04:00I'm a first time commenter, and I have to jump...I'm a first time commenter, and I have to jump in and agree with you about the hay. Where we're at we're in a pretty bad drought- we got such little amounts of rain over the summer that our spring went from a decent amount to almost dry. Not to mention our hay, its a pretty much nonexistent fall cutting.Mariahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-38017532420201633852011-09-25T18:00:46.724-04:002011-09-25T18:00:46.724-04:00We are the lucky ones here, the hay crops are good...We are the lucky ones here, the hay crops are good, and the price is the same as last year. And, I can buy it as I need it from both of the suppliers that I use.Shirleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15454110560303310751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-27587024188704352682011-09-25T17:51:44.069-04:002011-09-25T17:51:44.069-04:00I have to argue about the price remaining the same...I have to argue about the price remaining the same for the past 20 years. That may be the case in your area, but 10 years ago I was paying $4 a bale and now the worst case scenario is $20 a bale.Nuzzling Muzzleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07649710635013663900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-50382321088005494302011-09-25T16:15:34.820-04:002011-09-25T16:15:34.820-04:00um... I have to agree on hay. My complaint is - y...um... I have to agree on hay. My complaint is - you know you are going to need it, so start buying extra in the spring and store it. I'm lucky I live in an area where hay is available and affordable still. $3.75 and up for a bale but $3.75 is the average for good, dry, heavy bales.<br /><br />I hope fall takes it time heading into winter. It seems like its here way too fast.Jenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03906855143092978620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875253307572682101.post-41334568163322774672011-09-25T15:02:54.442-04:002011-09-25T15:02:54.442-04:00Adorable apple-loving nickering Queen...um...Indig...Adorable apple-loving nickering Queen...um...Indigo.juliettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17488138405040629084noreply@blogger.com