By
Administrator on September 18th, 2008
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(9/16/2008)
An estimated 20,000 head of displaced cattle and horses in Chambers and Jefferson counties in southeast Texas are in immediate need of hay and fresh water resulting from Hurricane Ike’s storm surges, livestock officials said Monday. Contributions of hay, water troughs, feedstocks, such as range cubes, or cash contributions are needed in helping keep the animals alive.
“We need water troughs, hay, feed, portable panels, assistance trailers for livestock (horses and cattle),” said Chambers County Judge Jimmy Sylvia in a request to the State Operation Center. “These cattle and horses need care immediately so they don’t die.”
Fences were destroyed and many of the cattle that survived the flood waters are now heading northward in search of fresh water and feed, said Tyler Fitzgerald, Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent in Chambers County.
“Fresh water is very hard to come by, especially since many of these sources have been overtaken by sea water as a result of the storm surge,” he said.
Coordinating efforts are AgriLife Extension in cooperation with the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), Texas Department of Agriculture, Independent Cattleman’s Assn., Texas 2-1-1, Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Southwest Cattleraisers Assn., Governor’s Division of Emergency Management State Operations Center and Chambers County officials.
To make a tax deductible cash or credit card donation, call (979)845-2604 or go to http://agrilifevents.tamu.edu and follow the prompts to “No Fences” Hurricane Ike Horse & Cattle Relief.
To make a donation of hay, feed, water troughs, transportation and other in-kind donations, call the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Hay Hotline at (877)429-1998 or (800)835-5832 and press zero.
Please take a few minutes and visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles and Sensation Ride treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!
By
Administrator on September 17th, 2008
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From MyHorse.com, some valuable info:
With hurricane season in full swing, there’s a reminder to have an evacuation plan set up for your horses—even if you board them.
If you live in an area that’s prone to natural disasters, such as flood, fire, tornado or hurricane, have a plan in place for what to do should the call go out to evacuate. And remember to share it with family, friends and the caretakers of your horses.
The first step is to have all of your paper work in order. Collect your horse’s negative Coggins (get one annually!) his brand inspection, his passport, ownership papers and microchip card in one place and always keep it there. If necessary, purchase a fire-safe box for these items, or store them in a safe-deposit box at the bank with the rest of your important personal papers. Take pictures and videos of your horses to make them easy to identify. Store visual identification tools with your important papers.
You may need to prioritize which animals you’ll need to evacuate first—of course that’s a personal choice and a difficult one, but a choice that needs to be made before you need to move your horses.
Plan in advance where you will take your animals. There are often emergency facilities set up for evacuees, but a secondary location will be necessary in case the official location is at capacity by the time you get there.
Keep your horse trailer in working condition at all times. You won’t have time to change that flat tire or fix the door latch if you have to evacuate. Also, teach your horses to load quickly and easily.
In a worst-case scenario you may have to leave your horses behind. Leave halters on and lead ropes nearby. Get nameplates engraved with your name and cell phone number and attach them to the halters. If you have to leave your horses behind report their location to the local authorities.
Please take a few minutes and visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles and Sensation Ride treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!
By
Administrator on September 2nd, 2008
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From the folks who brought us Bares, Epics and Boas, here ’s good info about hoof boots for mules!
Mules typically have longer feet than horses, as measured from the toe to the heel buttress. In addition, they also have steeper angles and larger heel bulbs. The three biggest challenges that you will face when booting are: 1) sizing the boot, 2) getting the gaiter to fit over the heel bulbs, and 3) determining what you can and cannot adjust to get the boots to fit.
In general:
Of all the boots we offer, Epics and Bares work the best (for mules). We have heard success stories with Old Mac’s (that have inserts), but not to the extent of the other two boots.
Proper fit, of course, is of utmost importance. (We will talk about the gaiter later. Later, gaiter. ) Know how to measure and do it twice right after a fresh trim.
Look carefully at the size chart. The upper end of the measurement on the chart is the actual physical dimension of the inside of the boot. For example, a size 1 Epic boot is 4 7/8” wide 5 1/8” long. The boot will be too wide if your length exceeds the width by more than one size. If this is the case for your mule we don’t recommend the boots.
It is best if the width and length are in the same size range. If, on the length, you are only slightly over the range (1/8” or so) try the smaller size. If you think that mule might be just a tad too large you can remove the back strap which will give you an extra 1/8”. While lots of people ride without the back strap, it sometimes affects hoof stability in the boot. The hoof is more secure with the back strap, which keeps the toe pushed forward. If you remove the strap, you will have to replace it with tapers to keep the gaiter screws from rubbing the hoof wall.
With mules you have to be especially careful that the boot doesn’t twist. Read up on how to tighten your boot (available in the brochure or on our website.) If you can turn the boot even the slightest bit with the adjustment as tight as you can get it, the boot is not a good fit. Except for the Old Mac’s G-2’s which have inserts, there isn’t a way to shim a boot that is too wide. It will twist.
With some mules, the gaiter that comes with the boot will be too small to fit over the heel bulbs. It is possible to install a larger gaiter, with modifications. Karen Reeves, a hoof care practitioner who boots a lot of mules, gives suggestions on her website here. Keep in mind that if you modify your boot you won’t be able to return it.
Boots must be snug! If they go on really easy, they’ll come off really easy!
You may have a mule that just won’t fit into our boots. Mules with narrow hooves or very large heel bulbs often cannot wear anything in our current line. At this time we are not planning to make a boot specifically for mules, but there might be something in our 2009 boot line up that will accommodate them better. Keep checking in to Savvy Sport Saddle!
Please take a few minutes and visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles and Sensation Ride treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!