Barney, aka "Barn Cat"

It seems Barney has settled into house cat status! He was brought in to escape the frightful construction equipment trundling up and down our driveway. Aside from which, some of those construction workers drive like they are on the freeway, rather than a private drive.

At least now the barn cat knows the joys of life inside!

Cottagecore Aesthetic continued...

I recently bought this dress that I love, and plan to try it with this apron I recently sewed... Thought and opinions? 😁

"Patience Pole" theory and highline for horse training

I prefer an overhead tie, or what is known as a "highline" in the world of horse packing and camping.  There is something else that has popped up frequently online lately, called a "patience pole", which serves the same purpose.  I started using this with my young horses after I had one that would completely freak out and pull back when tied to the hitching post after having an accident.  I think this is the safest way to tie if you can.

* If horse throws a fit, elasticity of branch and rope bounces them back. I actually had one rear and slip, falling over, and the branch and rope was so elastic, he bounced back onto his feet!

* If the horse does freak out when tied with this, the safest thing to do is stand back and let them sort it out... don't go in to try to untie them and get yourself hurt.  I have always had them calm down after a minute or so.

* make sure you use a swivel on the tie.  I have noticed that antsy horses tend to turn in the same direction, which means they will gradually twist and tighten the rope without a swivel.

* As always, horses are dangerous and unpredictable, so use this method at your own risk.

A little hard to see in this photo, but this is Pimms tied to an overhead branch at my grooming area.  I also have a solar, motion-activated light for returns after dusk, and a gravel pad with a rubber mat where they stand.

Sports Tracker App for recording rides

UPDATE! As much as I loved the Sports-Tracker App, a friend introduced me to a new one which is actually geared toward horses, called Equilab. I actually use the free version, which is still chock-full of great features. For example, you can enter multiple horses, which is very handy for me.  Also, if you have a riding lesson in the arena, or maybe forget to turn on the app when you start riding but really need to track the ride, you can manually enter a training. 

There are additional features in the paid version, such as a "safety tracker" - where you can choose someone to get a real-time notification of your ride.  So for example, if you are riding alone, a friend or spouse can monitor the ride to make sure you get back safely, and if something should happen, they can see on the map exactly where you are.

Here are some screenshots from my phone to show some of the features:

Oct. 26, 2014

So I have a new favorite way to track my rides and horse workouts.  It's an app for your smartphone called Sports-Tracker, and it uses your GPS to record a map of your route, your speed, your time, and numerous other functions.  Yesterday I took Teddy out for a ride, and here's the "dashboard" of info:

I think what I like most is just the sense of accomplishment I get from looking back at what I've done!

Some Favorite Grooming Products for Dogs and Horses

I just finished cleaning up some very dirty and muddy horses (and 1 long-haired dog), and it inspired me to post some of my favorite horse grooming products (many of which can be used on dogs as well!). 

                                                      First off, these Grooming Gloves...

I have tried numerous other types of scrubby mitts, bath mitts, and curry gloves, but these really have more teeth that actually get down to the skin.  As proof, my sensitive TB is not a big fan.  BUT, you can also use them on tails!  Just put your palms together with the tail hair in between and stroke down.  Works great!

The next product, I actually purchased from my vet, but it is available on Amazon, and I intend to buy more.  It is Hylyt Shampoo by Bayer 

My long haired Shepherd, Zoey, has had a problem with flaky skin and sort of a greasy-feeling coat for quite a while.  I have tried numerous shampoos and conditioners, to no avail.  I mentioned it to the vet, thinking she might need some sort of heavy duty dip treatment.  He quickly said, "Oh, that's no problem, we can give you a shampoo for that".  I looked it up, and reviews said it was full of fatty acids and didn't contain detergent. So, figuring it would take a couple treatments, I gave her a bath with it.

Wow!  One bath was all it took!  No more flakes anywhere to be seen on her skin, and her coat was super soft.  I really wish I had taken a before picture, as I was extremely impressed by the difference.  I can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can try it on the horses.... particularly those prone to rain rot and fungus issues.

If you go through this stuff in large quantities due to having a kennel full of dogs or a stable full of horses, here is the gallon size for you.

Update: Works great on horses as well, and left their coats super soft and glossy.  I also love the fact that this is safe for cats. One of our kitties was neglected as a kitten and never learned to properly groom herself.  So she tends to get greasy and have lots of loose fur.  A bath with this shampoo leaves her soft and clean for a long time.  I am very impressed.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.