Great Ideas for Horse Owners

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HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN ''BLOCKER TIE RINGS'' FOR 6 BUCKS
(photos below)

Blocker tie rings are a great way to tie horses and to teach horses to tie without the associated risk of a horse setting back and pulling. They are a great way to reform a puller and prevent a young or nervous horse from learning to pull back. They work on the principle of teaching the horse not to panic due to feeling restrained and claustrophobic. The horse is not tied hard. The rope slides if the horse sets back and over a remarkably short time the animal learns that he is not restrained in a hard tie and can move if he wants. The result is that almost 100% of horses will stand calmly and will not set back - even former hard pullers. They are a VERY useful and safe tool. They can be used everywhere you tie horses including cross ties and trailers.

HOWEVER they cost a bundle. Usually around $25 to $32 bucks each. If you are only buying one that's not so bad. But once you see how well they work you will want more and if you have a stable or farm you'll need plenty if you decide to implement them. I have a farm and expenses are huge. I must be careful in my expenditures. I have learned to make a lot of my own tack and tools over the years and I must say that often what I make is SUPERIOR to anything I can buy and WAY CHEAPER.

You can make a tie ring for around six bucks or so. And in fact in my opinion they ARE BETTER than the original blocker tie ring. They are even safer and easier to use and much less likely for a horse to play out of it.

Here's how to make them. Go to your hardware store and buy a 3" out

side diameter steel ring. It should be about one quarter inch thick with a good weld. Also get a 4.5" double ended snap. The ring should easily fit into both ends of the snap. (see photos). To use it you attach the snapped ring to either a fixed ring such as in a trailer or cross tie etc, or attach it to a nylon web dog collar (small will do, and the collar will usually have it's own little ring attached to snap to) and the dog collar can be wrapped around a pipe corral rail or whatever. The bottom end of the snap can remain snapped into the ring or left unsnapped so that you can easily slide the rope in or out. That's the way I do it and because of the design of the snap the horse cannot play out of the tie unless they go all the way to the end of the rope which is not so likely. With the blocker tie ring the tongue in the middle of the tie is loose (unless you buy the even more expensive magnetic variety) and the horse can in fact work a rope out of the tie ring.

OK so here are some photos. If anyone has any questions just let me know.

How I Get Urine Crud Stains Off White Mares'  Hind Fetlocks and Tails

I just learned this the other day - and I am AMAZED. I used to scrub-scrub-scrub, first with detergent, then horse shampoo, then that purple/blue whitening stuff. Then I would rinse and repeat so many times I'd lose count. Results varied. Usually always some stubborn ugly yellow pee stain remained. I'd swear some of my mares pee right onto their fetlocks. Sure, don't even attempt to hit the dirt first,  just pee directly on the ankles. Grrr...And since I am a bit of the compulsive type I'd keep trying. Poor horse. An hour at the washrack at least.

Then I found this method. Works way better, takes less time, way cheaper, and I don't have to repeat over and over. It works for tails too. :D

Here's what I use: 

GOOP - Mechanics hand cleaning stuff found at WalMart. Cost about $1.59 for a tub. I have been strongly advised to NOT substitute any other type of hand cleaner. They are not all the same. (this stuff is safe for human skin and has been around a long time :)

JOY Dishwashing liquid - According to some sort of marketing study that compared all kinds of liquid detergents and shampoos, JOY is the best liquid detergent. 

Here's how the recipe goes:

Rub a handful of GOOP into the DRY hair to be cleaned. Do not wash and rinse first, just start with the dry dirty haircoat or tail. Use more if you need to, it's cheap. Work it in for about a couple minutes using more GOOP to really saturate the hair. Then, without rinsing or adding water, rub the JOY dish liquid into the GOOP saturated hair, using a lot so the result is almost like a paste/syrup/Goop/Joy/mess. Work it a couple more minutes. Make sure that all the stained hair is covered and worked. Just use your hands, you don't need a scrubbing brush or anything. Then you can rinse really well making sure all the GOOP and JOY are rinsed out. (the mixture does not make a suds). Now stand back and smile!!

I only wish I had discovered this years ago.  :P