BouncyBunny Productions™
MP Animal Care
Horse Blankets
Horse blankets are thicker than sheets and fly blankets. They are basically a jacket for horses. They are important to have because without them your horse can bacome ill, get frost bite, or just be plain cold. Horse blankets are only for the winter and if used during the summer horses can over heat. You may think you see horses wearing blankets during the summer but they are most likely fly blankets, sweat sheets, etc. Some horse blankets only cost about $30 while others can cost $200. Don't cheap out on a $40 blanket, it may not be high quality and it will be just as bad as not having a blanket.
Sweat Sheets
Sweat sheets help air out all of the horses sweat and cool them down. Sweat sheats are thin and are all most always covered in tiny holes that help the sheet do it's job. They are not for the winter or any time it is cold. If you live some where warm you could possibly use it during the winter. Here is how to know when to use a sweat sheet; only use a sweat sheet if the horse is sweating and it is abovne 60 degrees F outside(15 degrees C). Sweat sheets are NOT multi purpose and are only used in the described time and setting above(with the only exception of you can use sweat sheets as fly protection,read about fly protection on the 'Fly and Bug Protection' page).
How To Pack A Hoof
There are many reasons you may need to pack a hoof. You could have a missing shoe. You could also have an abcess, stone bruise, or your horse worked quite hard on bad footing, or just has sore feet for whatever reason. Knowing how to pack a hoof and having the supplies is important in case of emergancies. The supplies should be kept in your horse's first aid kit so if you aren't at your barn when it happens you can still fix it.
Here are the supplies needed to pack a hoof:
-hoof pick with brush
-diaper or gauze or rolled cotton. If you use a diaper, do NOT use one with a baby in it.
-duct tape
-your packing material (be it ichthammol, magna paste, sugar-dine, or hoof cushion, etc.)
-latex gloves
-perhaps a temporary "boot"
First, clean and brush out the hoof and collateral grooves. The "plan" is to use the diaper to hold the packing material on the hoof. My experience has been that the hoof packing materials do not scoop easily from their container. They also do not smear on the hoof well, or release from your glove well. This is great when you are practically upside down holding a moving leg.
I prepare my diaper by piling in the packing to the middle part of the diaper, so that once on the hoof, the tabs go around the hoof and you can sort of close it up. You don't have to be perfect here. The weight of your horse will smear the goo around once you get it secured.
So, your diaper/gauze stack/rolled cotton is loaded with your goo of choice. The hoof is clean. Slap it on and there you go. Now grab your duct tape and wrap the hoof around the edge of the hoof. It's very important to leave the coronary band alone, no duct tape applying pressure there. You will likely wrap the front of the hoof diagonally back to the heels and then wide up front again.
Now you should be OK till morning with this packing. It may take you a few tries to figure this out. No worries. You can also then put your diapered hoof into a roomy temporary boot to protect the bottom of the diaper from destruction, which only takes a few steps to happen. If you don't have a temporary boot, fashion a few layers of duct tape to slap on the sole and then a few more layers around the hoof edge.
You don't need a bare foot to pack the hoof, although it's likely if you are fighting an abcess the shoe is removed.
Good Luck and hopefully your horsey gets better soon!
