Reader Question - Carrots or Apples?

I received a reader question, from Shirley, asking which was better for Horses,..carrots or apples?

Actually, both carrots and apples are good feed supplements. Carrots are a little bit higher in energy, producing around 1.7 Mcal of Digestive Energy (per pound) compared to 1.3 Mcal for Apples (per pound), according to Lon Lewis' "Equine Clinical Nutrition - Feeding and Care".

I feed both as supplements from time to time and neither are a mainstay of my feeding routine. Carrots, around 10% protein are twice as high as Apples, and have a higher percentage of calcium and phosphorus at .4% and .35% respectively, compared to Apples at .1% and .15% respectively. Again according to Lon Lewis' "Equine Clinical Nutrition - Feeding and Care".

So all in all, Carrots provide more nutrition for Horses than Apples. I reckon you could substitute one pound of carrots for one pound of hay every day but this is hard to keep up with. Carrots, are cheaper than Apples in most places, and are at least 4 times more expensive per pound than Alfalfa.

I am much more likely to feed Apples as a supplement in the hot months, than Carrots, as the Apples contain more moisture. Sometimes when I'm riding all day on a hot day, I put a couple of Apples in my Saddle Bags so I can give something to my Horse that has some moisture.

I also feed watermelon and watermelon rinds on occasion. I think most of my Horses prefer Watermelon over Carrots and Apples, and in fact, my Mustang won't eat Apples at all. Hope this answered your question, Shirley. Safe Journey.

Reader's Horses - Zeus and Sami

Pam and Patrick McConnell sent pictures of their horses, Zeus and Sami.

Zeus is an Bay Irish Thoroughbred, who was a rescue horse. Very gentle and very sweet guy but does have some health issues. He is allergic to Alfalfa hay and maybe more since he breaks out in hives every once in a while. They have not had him too long but he was under weight when Pam and Patrick got him but now is perfect weight.

Horses can do well just on grass hay. I feed about 50% grass, 50% alfalfa in hay. I have a couple horses that get 95% grass and 5% alfalfa. It's getting harder and harder to get grass hay - which is more expensive that alfalfa. However, before I totally eliminated alfalfa from Zeus diet, I would try soaking a flake of alfalfa in a hay net in a stock tank, then seeing if that changes Zeus' reaction to the alfalfa. I have also used Tri-Hist (a powdered antihistamine) but I would hate to use it routinely.

If you are concerned about Zeus not getting enough protein than maybe consider feeding him some pelleted grain with a 14% to 18% protein content.....grass hay is generally 10-12% protein. I have also used Calf Manna which is around 25% protein. But start with small amounts such as 1/2 cup then gradually increase as the horse tolerates it. I never feed more than 2 lbs of 12% - 14% pelleted feed at any one time and much less if it's Calf Manna. Corn oil can also be a good feed supplement, but can get expensive at today's prices.

Ask you Horse Vet about this and realize all horses may react differently. In the wild, horses are eating natural grass. When we insist on owning them and penning them up, then feeding all sorts of things that in nature they wouldn;t get,...well, that's when problems are more likely.

Sami is the Paint gelding, and a good looking Paint Horse he is.

Trail Horse Obstacles - Cowboy Curtain

If you have never watched Craig Cameron's Extreme Cowboy Competition or his Old Time Cowboy Competition, then you are missing a great show. If you can't make it to a competition near you, RFD TV shows it from time to time, or go to the web site: http://www.extremecowboyassociation.com/

I mention this because I replicated one of the obstacles, known as the Cowboy Curtain, to work my horses through making them better trail horses.

This is nothing more than a frame of 4x4 posts anchored into the ground with pieces of rope hanging from the top to create a curtain and something a horse will be uncomfortable going through, giving your horse another chance to figure things out and give him some confidence.

You can make a easy Cowboy Curtain by simply hanging yellow caution tape or rope from a bow gate and let your horse work through it. I'd be careful about how you hang the rope. You don't want anything catching on your horse, saddle or you as you move through it, nor do you want the ropes long enough for the horse to step on, as it could pull down your frame depending upon how things are anchored or hung, or just simply cause a wreck. Safe Journey.

Reader Question on Horse "Barring It's Teeth"

I received an e-mail from 14 year old Latasha in Florida who dearly wants to take horseback riding lessons and is trying to convince her Mom to let her. Latasha wrote she visits a local horse farm where she pets the horses but one horse "bares it's teeth" at her. Latasha's questions where "Is the horse mean or attemting to bite her?".

Latasha, I think what you are seeing is the "Flehmen" response where a horse curls up it's upper lip, exposing it's top teeth in order to open up the nostrils and smell what interested them. A horse will usually raise their head up and extend it's nose as well when they do this.

I've only seen two horses who liked to intentionally and maliciously bite people. The horses that I'm referring to both had postures and body language that gave them away, but they can still move quick so we were always rady for them. When my Mustang bit me, it was a defensive reaction, he just thought that's what he had to do - I held no grudge...he doesn't bit anymore.

If the horse that you are referring to in your e-mail had it's ears back and was lunging for you, then that's a diferrent story. If what you are seeing is like the horse in the video below, then it's a safe bet that the horse smells soap residue or perfume, or maybe your are just a different smell than it is used to. Maybe you can find somebody at the horse farm to talk to you. It's probably a good place to learn about horses, even if you just watch them and see how they interact with each other...watch their body language it's very interesting.

Good luck on convincing your Momma to let you take riding lessons. Horses are great for kids, you just have to find a good instuctor with safe horses. I think horse kids grow up with better personal skills that other kids in many cases. You'll learn to read body language and how to approach language barriers. And if you are cleaning stalls in the hot and cold seasons, and doing other chores you will pickup a good work ethic. Safe Journey.

Running a Horse Stables

I received an e-mail from a reader in September, sorry it has taken me so long to respond - it just fell through the cracks: "You don't know me but someone who boarded their horses at the Fort Bliss Horse Stables told me about your site and that you used to run the Fort Bliss Horse Stables. I am a stay at home Mom with schooled aged children and am thinking about opening up a small boarding stables. My husband supports this if I can give him an idea on the costs and problems and potential income produced by this venture. We have an 8 acre plot with our house and the area is horse friendly, although you would have to trailer someplace to ride in open areas. Can you give me some tips or problems areas to consider? How much should I charge for boarding one horse?"

I could talk to you for hours on this subject listing all the problems areas and things to be concerned about. The first thing to understand is this is not a money making deal. The way to make a little money with horses is to start with a lot of money. There would be a lot of work on your part at very low pay, even less than what the minimum wage would support.

Some people start out boarding horses because of their love for horses, but as soon as it becomes a business, it ceases to become fun and becomes work.

If you are still interested, you will have to determine if you want to run a "full care" facility or just provide space and facilities for owners and their horses. Basically, full care would be much harder on you, but you would retain more control.

For instance now when I board horses, I charge $300 per horse per month for basic full care. This includes a 15x15 foot covered stall, and access to a 80x160 foot arena and 45 foot round pen. This also covers hay, cleaning the stalls, manure disposal, water, feet getting trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks, and worming.

I figure the cost of water, feed, trims, worming and manure disposal to be $180 to $200 a month, so we are paid $100 to $120 a month to do the manual labor of cleaning the stalls twice or more a day, and turning the horse out almost every day. Plus having eyes on the horse most of the day in case of problems. So payment for labor turns out to be $8 a day. Try finding someone to clean your stalls and dump manure, clean and fill water buckets, and throw feed for $8 a day.

So you can see why I say this is not a money maker.

If you just rent a facility for boarders and they have to provide their own hay and wormers, clean their own stalls, and make their own trimming/shoeing arrangements then you will much sooner than later have a problem with someone not fulfilling their end of the bargin.

There is a women about a mile from my place who ran a boarding stables for several years. She only charged $150 per month full care. But the stalls were small and put together which various components - mostly wood; water buckets were very dirty and often ran dry; they only cleaned about twice a week (if that); and the hay she bought was often better used on cows,...sometimes called #2 hay. Yet she was full most of the time.

SO really the only way to own and run a private stables is to have full care, so you have control of the feed and rules on cleanliness. I have seen too many facilities charge a very minimum fee for full care and the horses are standing in manure, water and half the time their stock tanks are dry. You get what you pay for.

When I ran the military stables, people went to great lengths to avoid obeying the rules. Dogs and Horses get along, but not necessarily your uncontrolled dog and everyone else's horse. People over feeding or under feeding horses and not liking worming on a schedule; did not like obeying the turnout rules. Sometimes dumping manure in piles in the arena or round pens. Horses with untreated injuries. Unbelievable.

Just a lot of problems mainly with people. If only they were honest like their horses. You should have a list of rules posted and have the boarding owner sign a copy. Again, post your rules. Get paid in advanced. Consider a deposit. Consider part of the payment to be a "work day" where the boarding owners contribute to the upkeep such as painting, repairing fences or panels, pulling weeds, filling and leveling stalls, etc.

And try this out on a limited basis. Interview and pick your boarders. You may even want to talk to lawyer and an insurance company, and, check your state laws on liability. Good luck and safe journey.

Reader Question on Cowboy Handguns

Received a comment and question from Bill W. I watched a couple of your videos on shooting from horseback. What guns do you use and or recommend? Great site and thanks!

Thanks Bill, for your nice comment. I use a single action revolver in .45 Long Colt because blanks are available, from Buffalo Blanks. I have two .45 LC single actions that I primarily use: a stainless steel Ruger Vaquero and a nickel plated single action from EAA called the Bounty Hunter. The Ruger is by far the better gun. I have also carried a single action in .357 Magnum made by Taurus - which is a great little gun, but I don't want to have to make my own blanks for it. When I was a Conservation Law Enforcement officers I carried a Smith and Wesson Model 686 revolver in .357 Magnum. The guns in the picture above are, from top to bottom: Smith and Wesson Model 686, Taurus, Ruger Vaquero and the EAA Bounty Hunter.

I'll try to explain more in the video below. Remember if you start using gun around horses, go slow and be safe.

Reader Question on QH-Morgan cross with Bad Ground Manners Including Rearing

A reader sent me the following question on a horse of theirs with bad ground manners,…”I recently bought a Quarter Morgan cross she has horrible ground manners. Last time I took her out off the halter she bucked and reared and I had a hell of a time getting back under control. I have been doing basic round pen work with her and trying to get her to pay more attention to me. Any suggestions to help her and I get on the same page. I like her spunk but I like my fingers and arms too lol. Thank you”

Having fingers are good. Having thumbs is what separates us from monkeys, although I have seen people act as monkeys when working around horses.

If your QH-Morgan mare is stalled or not handled for days on end, especially when the weather is cold, then this will tend to make them more “energetic”. If you are using a webbing halter, then I suggest you get a good rope halter such as a Double Diamond Halter and tied on lead rope. Your horse should, of course, stand still as you remove the halter, and should even position her head to make it easier for you to remove the halter and not move off until you walk away.

Re-building ground manners starts from haltering and instilling these habits. She'll learn from the release of pressure be it pressure from the halter or pressure that she perceives from you. I would lead her around until she does everything I ask her to do under halter, before turning her loose. I would walk off, stopping, back then standing still. Mix it up some.

She’ll rapidly figure out what you want. If she doesn’t stop then back her with a bump on the lead rope tied to your rope halter. I like my horses to stop immediately when I stop, even at a jog, then back one step. This will translate to a better stop under saddle. When she is correctly position then let her stand for a few seconds then move off. Not necessarily each time you walk of then stop, but more than occasionally, I would also stop and back her. Horses get better at almost everything else when they can back well. But you have to stop before they want to stop or before they resist otherwise it does no good.

When I’m leading or lunging a horse on a long lead or lunge line and they rear, I sharply bump on the lead line as their front end is off the ground,…this is a good point on why the rope halter is good. I didn't have much effect on one horse, until he time he reared, I bumped the halter lead sharply then back him with energy.

Before I take off the halter, I ask the horse to drop his head through a slight downward pressure on the lead line and slight downward pressure with my off hand on their poll. You need to quickly release the pressure at the slightest try in dropping their head. Several repetitions will make them better at this, until they can drop their head, like in a collected position – nose vertical, and hold it there until you take the halter off and walk away.

I would try to keep on hand (left) on the lead and use my right hand to un-tie the halter,...if the horse tries to move away before the halter is off you can use the lead rope to bump her and get her attention.

I hope this helps you. A QH-Morgan horse is an excellent cross. Safe Journey.

Mantracking - Reading Deceptive Print, Walking Backwards

Continuing on with some short videos on Mantracking, I am depicting what it looks like for someone to be deceptive and walking backwards to throw off the tracker.

The three biggest indications of someone walking backwards trying to make you think he is moving in one direction when actually moving in another, are:

Absence of Toe Dirt. When moving forward, the toe of the footwear will drag dirt and debris forward creating what we call "toe dirt" indicating direction of travel. When walking backwards there is no forward momentum to create the natural plume of dirt in front of the toe.

Light Pressure Release in the Heel. Because when the individual is walking backwards, a lot of pressure is taken off the heel and in effect the walker becomes a toe walker.

Shorter Stride. The stride length,....distance between the toe and the subsequent heel,...are greatly reduced when walking backwards, sometimes as much as half - even more when the individual is carrying a heavy load like a rucksack.

To a lesser obvious extent, the pressure release in the toe of the boot is deeper and as the foot rolls from the toe to the heel, the ball of the footwear creates a good readable pressure release on the ball of the footwear.

If the individual is trying to walk backwards fast, there will normally be some dirt dragged by the heel as it rocks off the ground and is pulled backwards. This can help identify the deceptive practice of walking backwards and the direction of travel.

Keira, an Abused Horse, Needs Help

I would not normally solicit for donations for even the animals we rescue, but this is a special case,...the Vet bill will be big and the Horse is in foal. I received this information from a woman I trust completely, with the new owners of the abused horse in the story below being friends of hers. If you could see fit to contribute to Keira's vet bill, they would appreciate it. Even $5 and $10 will certainly add up. Safe Journey.

Keira is around 10-12 years old and is a beautiful black mare, that up until now has only known neglect and abuse at the hands of her former owner. Her former owner was a drunk and for sport would chase after Keira in the pasture while on a four wheeler. One afternoon she was chasing Keira and ran her right into the fence, when Keira became unable to free herself from the fence, her former owner shouted "thats what you deserve." Keira's former owner left her there and when the neighbors attempted to assist Keira the owner warned them to stay off the property or she would start shooting. The neighbor waited for her to go into the house, cut Keira loose, and promptly notified animal control. Although animal control told the former owner to get a vet out for a visit, Keira was left almost a year without proper medical attention. One day the neighbors saw Keira and noticed she had a huge mass on her leg, and again called animal control. I was called in to help this mare or they were going to have her put down.

As soon as I laid eyes on Keira, there was no other option, and I took her home with me. We also have good reason to believe that Keira is currently pregnant and due in approximately 4 to 5 months, this is according to her former owner. Keira is a sweet girl, but she is understandably shy and untrusting. Please help me get her the care she deserves, so that she can be pain free, and continue on with her pregnancy peacefully. Lets show Keira that not all humans want to hurt her. Thank you.

The link to the Keira site is here. There is a donation link on the top right hand side.

Packing Trip with Bob and his Friends

Made a packing trip the other day taking three city boys up into the mountains to hunt Muleys.

After we made camp, setting up one cook/storage tent and two 2 man smaller sleeping teepees, one of the boys approached me and said “I got to warn you about Bob. He snores like jet engine. Nobody wants to sleep in the same tent with him. So I’ll try tonight, but be warned I may be crowding into your tent.”

I said “Okay, suits me. Give it a try and we can always figure something out.”

The next morning the first guy appeared like he didn’t get a wink of sleep all night. So I asked “What happened to you partner? You look like you’ve been sorting Bobcats.” He replied “Bob snored all night long and I didn’t get any sleep whatsoever.”

So I guided all three of them through the mountains that day looking for Mule Deer but the man who didn’t get any sleep was dragging on us and holding us back. When we returned to camp and after I attended to the horses, the second guy say’s,……”Okay, I’ll sleep in Bob’s teepee tonight. I’m so damn tired I don’t think even Bob’s snoring will affect me.” So the sleeping arrangements made, we all sacked out for the evening.

The next morning the second guy stumbles out of Bob’s teepee looking like hell warmed over. I offered him a cup of thick black coffee and asked him, “So, you look like the other guy did yesterday morning. Did Bob keep you up all night with his snoring?” The second guy replied, “I don’t think I got even two minutes of sleep last night. And I still have ringing and roaring in my ears from Bob’s snoring.”

So after another day of unsuccessful hunting because now I had two guys who couldn’t keep up, we returned to camp. Since the next day was our last day of hunting, I volunteered to sleep in Bob’s teepee and give the other two boys a chance of rest. Both warned me about Bob, but I said not to worry,…that I’ll be damn sure to get some sleep.

The next morning I was finishing making breakfast when the first two boys pulled out of their teepee and seeing me they both remarked that it looked like I got a good nights sleep and wanted to know how I managed that with Bob being such a loud snorer.

I said “Well we got ready for bed. I went and patted Bob on the butt, tucked his sleeping bag around him, and kissed him good night. Bob sat up and watched me all night."

Exposing Your Horse to Gunfire - Part III

My next step in sacking my horse out to gunfire was to move him forward and rate his speed as I fired blank .45 LC cartridges off to either side of him.

Sometimes if you move a horse away from smething that is a problem for him or something that causes him anxiety, you are confirming to the horse that moving away is a good idea,...sort of like validating his fear. So for me success in shooting from the saddle during forward movement would be to rate his speed on loose reins,.... where it would be a different measure of success for training to shoot off your horse for hunting purposes. For preparing a horse to shoot off of for hunting, I would think I would be okay with a horse that moved alittle after the first shot, settling down as I worked the action and readied for a second shot.

To take a shot off a horse at a game animal, you should be pretty sure that you have a valid shot where you can kill or stop the animal. No sense in shooting just to shoot or otherwise just wounding.

In any event, when doing anything involved with firearms, even shooting blanks, abide by the four safety rules: Guns are always loaded until you have physically determined that they are not; Never point your gun at something you are not willing to destroy; keep your finger off the trigger until you are sure of your target; be sure of your gun to target line and what may be past your target or coming into the gun to target line.

Safe Journey.

Reader Question - Wrapping Tendons

I had a reader write me abut sweating her horse's legs. Apparently her horse was lame and someone told her to sweat the lamed up leg.

I don't have much to go on here, but probably what your friend was alluding to was treatment and wrapping for the tendons, probably the flexor tendons in the back of a horse's leg which are often injured due to their function and extended use. This probably occurs often on the front legs due to much of the horse's weight is carried on the front end and the over reaching motion, such as in thick sand, often contributes to tendon injuries.

Now before I go further, I highly suggest you seek competent Veternarian authority or research more on your own to understand the horse's leg anatomy and the different types and severities of tendons or other leg injuries.

If you run your thumb and fore finger over the flexor tendons in back of the horse's legs they should feel smooth. Sometimes with small inuries there will be alittle swelling or some bumps evident as the tendon sheath tears alittle...could be scar tisue from old injuries too.

A more substantial injury is the "bowed" tendon, where there will be a visible bump or bow in the tendon. If this is not treated competently with anti-inflammation therapy and rest, this can become chronic....your horse won't be the same.

What I do when I suspect a tendon injury, and again if I think it requires a Vet, I will not hestitate to get my excellent Vet out to my small ranch. That's partially why I'm a poor man. Anyway, Hydro (water) therapy, hosing down the legs to reduce swelling and pain is a good first step. And sometimes I do it for a couple days.

Sweating the tendon, which was your question, involves wrapping saran or plastic wrap around the leg to keep the heat in promoting blood flow. Usually after some type of medication is applied.

I use a mixture of NitroFlurazone and DMSO, and using a rubber glove, I apply it to the horse's tendon, rubbing in it as much as the horse will stand. In the past I have use a steroid mixed into the Nitro and DMSO.

Caution on DMSO. Whatever is mix with the DMSO or what is on the surface of the skin will be taken straight through by the DMSO, so the leg must be clean, and again use rubber gloves. There is alot of debate on DMSO. I use it sparingly and I know some people who would rather be trampled by a stampede of draft horses then use DMSO.

Follow the application of medication by wrapping saran wrap around the leg, then a thicker cotton bandage, before I finish the wrap with Vet wrap. It is generally necessary to use medical tape on the vet wrap to secure it really well. The thicker cotton bandgae pads the injury and keeps you from wrapping it too tight with the Vet wrap.



I'll keep this wrap on for 24 hours, take it off and do hydro therapy and keep the wrap off for a day, then do it all over again until I see improvement. The longest I have had to do this was for about six days at which time the horse's lameness appeared to be gone however I gave him an additional week to 10 days of rest before I tested his soundness in a round pen before riding.


Prevention is key. Running your horses up hills and through thick sand can increase thir chances of injury significantly. Think about using splint boots on the front end to provide support. I need to do a much better job myself using these aids.

Custer's Last Guidon

An Associated Press article from December 11, 2010.

BILLINGS, Mont. – After spending much of the last century in storage, the only U.S. flag not captured or lost during Custer's Last Stand at the Battle of Little Bighorn sold at auction Friday for $2.2 million.

Frayed, torn, and with possible bloodstains, the flag from one of America's hallmark military engagements had been valued before its sale at up to $5 million.

The 7th U.S. Cavalry flag — known as a "guidon" and with a distinctive swallow-tailed shape — had been the property of the Detroit Institute of Arts. The museum paid just $54 for it in 1895. "We'll be using the (auction) proceeds to strengthen our collection of Native American art, which has a rather nice irony to it I think," said the museum's director, Graham Beal.

On June 25, 1876, Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and more than 200 troopers and scouts from the Crow Tribe were killed by up to 1,800 Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors near the Little Bighorn River.

Of the five guidons carried by Custer's battalion only one was immediately recovered, from beneath the body of a fallen trooper. According to testimonials from Indians involved in the fight, the trooper, Cpl. John Foley, was attempting to escape on horseback — and had almost succeeded — when he shot himself in the head.

All the other flags under Custer's command were believed captured by the victorious Indians. The recovered flag later became known as the Culbertson Guidon, after the member of the burial party who recovered it, Sgt. Ferdinand Culbertson. Made of silk, it measures 33 inches by 27
inches, and features 34 gold stars.

While Custer's reputation has risen and fallen over the years — once considered a hero, he's regarded by some contemporary scholars as an inept leader and savage American Indian killer — the guidon has emerged as the stuff of legend.

"It's more than just a museum object or textile. It's a piece of Americana," said John Doerner, Chief Historian at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in southeastern Montana. For most of the last century the flag was hidden from public view, kept in storage first at the museum and later, after a period on display in Montana, in a National Park Service facility in Harpers Ferry, W.V., according to Beal, the museum director.

A second 7th Cavalry guidon was recovered in September 1876, at the Battle of Slim Buttes near present-day Reva, S.D. Now in possession of the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, that flag was poorly cared for and is now in horrible condition — "almost dust," according to the monument's chief of interpretation, Ken Woody.

Reader Question on Pulling Shoes in the Backcountry

I received an e-mail from Meghan who asked what would be a good tool to carry in the backcountry, where weight and space is at a premium, that she could use to pull a shoe if she needed to.

With a good knife to use as a clinch cutter, to bend the horseshoe nails straighter, and a fencing tool, I think you could do a decent job albeit not as easy as using a farrier's pull offs.

I carry a Plammer, which is a fencing tool with a hammer head. This comes in handy if I have to cut then repair a fence and pound fencing staples (U shaped nails). I have a smaller version that is 8 inches long and fits in my saddle bags. The jaws open wide enough so I can grab a horseshoe and twist off once I get the nails un-clinched. The idea is to minimize hoof wall damage by straightening the nails first.

I'll place the blade of the knife under the clinched nail then rap sharply with the plammer. Once I get all the nails un-clinched, I'll use the plammer fencing jaws to grab the horseshoe and twist off.

This will be tougher if your shoer gouge the hoof and clinched the nails tightly into the gouge, or if the shoes have been on for awhile and make the nail end hard to get to. My shoer uses toe or bar clips on the shoes which makes it harder to twist off, but the plus side is that I have had only two loose shoes with this shoer and neither were his fault.

By the way, I use Diamond Bar V Horseshoeing out of Silver City, New Mexico. Best shoer I've ever had.

I suggest the next time you have your horses shod, ask your shoer about taking off a loose shoe or even re-nailing when in the back country. I carry a few extra nails for this purpose - never used them - and would think the knurled head of the Plammer may make it difficult to drive a nail straight.

I have also used just my knife and a rock to un-clinch nails then wedge the knife underneath the shoe to lever it off. It was on a buddy of mine's horse and I did not like doing it this way, that's partly why I carry a Plammer now.

Other than that Meghan, the only other solution I can think about it cutting down a long handled pull offs or finding a smaller version. But the Plammer has more uses than just pull offs so I think you'll see the advantage. Safe Journey.

Reader question on a Horses Salt Needs

I received an e-mail from a lady in Pennsylvania asking about how important it is to provide your horse salt and what is the best way to do so.

Salt or sodium is an essential electrolyte that is minimally present in any of the normal feed we provide horses. The more a horse works and sweats, the more salt he will lose which if not replaced can cause an electrolyte imbalance.

Most horses will eat hay until they colic, but with salt most horses will only consume what they need. There are going to be odd horses, and I have seen one, where the horse will chew and chew on a salt block until it is disintegrated.

I always keep two or more salt blocks in the corral for the horses to lick on. I prefer a white salt block as opposed to the reddish mineral block which is rougher on the horses tongue and makes them less likely to consume any. Again, there is always the odd horse who would lick the mineral blocks. I place the 50 lb salt blocks in a rubber dish with drain holes for the water, so the block is kept off the ground (see picture above).

So I would definitely recommend adding a salt block so the horses can access free choice salt whenever he wants to. I previously wrote a post about this, you can read it here. Also, from time to time you'll need to scrap the dirt and debris off the block. And don't forget the fresh clean water!

Recipe - Range Rider Green Chile Stew

I recently had an old friend of mine ride with me into an area that I had found an old Spur of a design that makes us think it was made by August Buermann. The spur in the picture is an example of his work, not the rusted old spur that I found. Riding throughout the Southwest, moistly in Arizona and Texas, my friend was aware of the history and treasures you could find. Plus it was just a good time to catch.

When we got back to the property and had the horses brushed and turned out, my wife had a bucket of Green Chile Stew for us. My friend liked it so much he said we oughta let other people know the recipe,..here it is:

Range Rider Green Chile Stew

Ingredients
Two 12 oz cans of Chicken Broth, or 24 ounces of water and 3 Chicken Bullion Cubes
One 12 oz can of Rotel tomatoes
One 12 oz can of Green Chiles or an equivalent amount of fresh green chiles, chopped up
One small onion
Tablespoon of Garlic Powder
One to 1 ½ pounds of boneless Pork cubed small
Three cups of Red Potatoes, quartered
Seasoning such as Adobe or Cattlemans

Cooking
Bread the pork by dunking in egg then cornmeal; could use water and flour I suppose then brown in large deep skillet or Dutch Oven (browning with butter would be nice)

Then add all other ingredients into the pot, bring to boil then simmer for a couple hours until potatoes are tender. I like to use a Dutch Oven as you can pile coals over the top and cook more evenly. A Crock Pot will work and to tell you the truth, that’s what we use most of the time when we’ll at home.

Buttermilk Biscuits go well with this.

Safe Journey,…with a full stomach.

Reader Question - Cold Weather Riding

I received a reader question, through the contact me form, asking just how cold is too cold to ride her horse and what gear I ride in when it's cold.

Well, first of all cold is revelative. If you literally grow up in the cold environments like the Northern border area of the United States, then not only are you going to be more used to that weather, but also familiar with the steps you take and the clothing you wear to keep yourself safe.

If my memory is correct, I have rode when temps are in the low teens, although I'm sure I did not do alot of galloping and loping. I think that if the horse can live in the cold, he can be ridden in the cold with some caution not to over work him or get him too sweaty.

In the fall and winter, I routinely ride for five to seven hours in mid 20 degree temps, again just being careful not to overwork the horse. No sense loping up hills or in thick sand or snow if you really don't need to.

I would be sure to cool down and dry off your horse and even put a blanket or a slick sheet on him if you are trailering him home. I keep an old towel in my trailer and blanket lined canvas blanket for this reason.

Some people will have their horseshoer tack on some boron spots on their shoes to give the horse better footing on snow and ice and well as keep the shoes from wearing so much.

Now, cold weather to me is temperatures in the mid 20's. I sustained frost bite when I was 14 years old up in Northern Idaho, so when the temps get into the 30's I can start feeling my hands, then feet tingling, then stinging. I always wear gloves, summer or winter. The gloves in the winter time, depending upon the temperature, are insulated. I like the Heritage leather gloves with 40 grams of thinsulate. I also use their un-lined and un-insulated leather and nylon version for work gloves as well as just some thin pig skin gloves.

You need to dress in layers and not get sweaty yourself. There are a wide variety of sweat wicking shirts, like from Under Armor and such, which help take moisture away form your body. To get wet in the winter time, especially with a wind, can mean a cold injury.

I like plain old cotten, so when the temperatures get in the 20's, I'll wear a long sleeve thermal cotton shirt, then a work shirt, then a vest all under a Carhartt or Schaefer work coat. Colder than than that I trade my work coat for a sheepskin line long coat, cut for riding which also gives from protection to my upper legs.

If you wear a hat, there ear muffs available at sporting goods stores that can cover and protect your ears from the freezing winds and frostbite.

You do not want to get frostbite as then you'll be more susceptible to the cold and another cold injury. I think with common sense and the right equipment you and your horse will be fine.

Army Scout - Billy Dixon

William "Billy" Dixon (September 25, 1850 – March 9, 1913) scouted the Texas Panhandle for the Army, hunted buffalo for the train companies, defended the Adobe Walls settlement against Indian attack with his legendary buffalo rifle, and was one of eight civilians in the history of the U.S. to receive the Medal of Honor.

Dixon was born in Ohio County, West Virginia on September 25, 1850 and was an orphan at age 12. He lived in Missouri until 1864. He worked in various capacities along the Missouri River until he started working as an mule skinner for the government.

He was a skilled marksman and occasionally scouted for Eastern excursionists brought by the railroads. In 1869, he joined a venture in hunting and trapping on the Saline River northwest of Fort Hays in Kansas.

He scouted Texas as far south as the Salt Fork of the Red River when the buffalo hunters moved into the Texas Panhandle in 1874. He and his group hunted along the Canadian River and its tributaries.

Dixon led the founders of Adobe Walls to the Texas Plains, where he knew buffalo were in abundance. The group of 28 men and one woman occupied the outpost of five buildings 15 miles northeast of Stinnett.

The outpost was attacked on June 27, 1874 by a band of 700 Indians, and that is when Dixon went into the history books for firing "The Shot of the Century."

The stand-off continued into a third day, when a group of Indians were noticed about a mile east of Adobe Walls. It is said that Dixon took aim with his Big 50 Sharps rifle and fired, knocking an Indian off his horse almost a mile away. The Indians then left the settlement alone. Commemorative "Billy Dixon" model reproduction Sharps rifles that supposedly recreate the specifications of Dixon's famous gun are still available today.

Billy Dixon quit buffalo hunting and, the following August, became an army scout. In September 1874, just three months after Adobe Walls, an army dispatch detail consisting of Billy Dixon, another scout Amos Chapman, and four troopers from the 6th Cavalry Regiment (United States) were surrounded and besieged by a large combined band of Kiowas and Comanches, in the Battle of Buffalo Wallow. They holed up in a buffalo wallow located in Hemphill County and, with accurate rifle fire, held off the Indians for an entire day. An extremely cold rainstorm that night discouraged the Indians, and they broke off the fight; every man in the detail was wounded and one trooper killed. For this action Billy Dixon, along with the other survivors of 'The Buffalo Wallow Fight', were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor (for Gallantry in Battle). A Texas Historical Marker documents the battle site.

In 1883, Dixon returned to civilian life and built a home near the Adobe Walls site. He was postmaster there for 20 years and also was the first sheriff of Hutchinson County, Texas. He also served as state land commissioner and a justice of the peace.

In 1894, he married Olive King Dixon of Virginia and fathered seven children. They eventually moved to Oklahoma around 1906.

Dixon died from pneumonia at his Cimarron County homestead in 1913 and was buried in Texline. In 1929, his body was reinterred at Adobe Walls near where he stood when he first saw the Indians riding up the valley.

Reader Question: Bad Manners Coming Off The Halter

A woman named Carol wrote to me about her horse having bad manners coming off the halter when she went to turn her horse loose, both in the stall and in turn out. Carol says that otherwise her horse is good to ride and a fairly well mannered horse.

Actually this is pretty common, you have to let your horse know you expect him to stand until you cue him to move away after the halter is taken off. The better the overall ground manners is with this horse, the better he will be standing for the halter to be removed. I’ll just bet that Carol’s horse will continue to walk off if she stops when leading it.

If you get in a routine of keeping a horse in the stall for a couple days, then taking the horse to a turn out, the horse is going to pretty antsy about it and will often anticipate the halter release and pull away before that is complete. When putting the horse back in the stall when feed is present is another common point where the horse will be quick to get out of the halter and get to the feed.

Every time I get a halter on a horse to lead him someplace or other (shoeing stand, wash rack, round pen, tie rail for grooming, etc.) I always make it a short training exercise by stopping the horse, backing him, have him move his fore end or hind end over,…..having him drop his head, and sometimes just stand until I’m ready to move off. I think you should do this each and every time you put a halter on a horse to reestablish those ground manners which will transfer to other things as well such as standing when the halter is removed….only takes a minute or so to do this.

I always use a rope halter. I prefer the Double Diamond brand. The rope halter can be used to get the horse attention just a little more because the rope will apply more pressure than the traditional webbing halters. So Carol, I suggest you use a rope halter.

I don’t have a horse with this problem, so I am demonstrating in the video with a horse I board. Biscuit is a black, grade mare who is not handled a great deal and gets away with some things because of it. The night before I shot this video I had put her back in her stall, with feed present and she pulled away as I getting the halter off. I put the halter back on and off until she understood to stand still until I had the halter completely removed and cued her to move off. So she remembered this lesson the next day when I shot the video below. So you won’t really see a horse having this problem corrected. You’ll see me lead the horse out of her stall, stopping, backing to reminder her of her manners, then placing her in the arena where I ask her to stand still while I get the halter off.

So Carol, I suggest you tighten up all the ground manners and don’t let your horse get away with the halter routine. Do it right until the horse gets the message. Good luck and safe journey.

Recipe - Hardtack Biscuits

Hardtack. Think of concrete biscuits. This was actually a staple back in the old west since it could be easily carried without degrading. Some soldiers, like the foot infantry, even carried hardtack biscuits in their pockets for days/weeks.

Made simply by mixing 6 parts flour and one part water; kneading into flat biscuits (about one half to three quarters inch thick) then baking for one half to one hour. Hardtack was, sometimes with Arbuckles Coffee, all Cavalry soldiers had to eat when on patrol. Sailors often subsisted on hard tack biscuits when at sea for long periods of time.

Making Hardtack biscuits even thinner, about 1/8 inch, would reduce cooking time and make them (supposedly) easier to eat. Be sure to poke holes into the biscuits so they cook more evenly. This will give them the “saltine” cracker look.

Hardtack is best eaten after soaking in water, gravy or soup stock. You can add a little corn or vegetable oil or even butter to make them easier to eat, but start off adding very small amounts such as a teaspoon or tablespoon. Butter can also be used, in small amounts. I have heard that adding a handful of steel cut oats to the mixture will also enhance their taste and ability to digest the darn things.

If you add Salt, either iodized Salt, Sea Salt or Light Salt (half salt, half potassium) be aware that your hardtack be more likely to attract moisture.

You can order a pound or Arbuckles Ariosa Coffee from Arbuckle Coffee Traders