July 2020 Issue

Page 26 July 2020 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN Print subscribers get FREE classifieds! FREE Print subscribers get FREE non-commercial classified ads! Just email your non-commercial (events, horses/trailers/tack for sale, boarding/lessons/training etc.) classified, 35 words or less to steph@eastcoaste- questrian.net . Be sure to include your name and mailing address as it appears on your subscription label. (Not a print subscriber? Sign up online at eastcoastequestrian.net .) Classifieds can run in more than one issue but must be resubmitted each month. Deadline is the 12th of the month before publication. By Malorie de la Mare Dear Mal… I have a question about man- ners, more specifically a terrible lack of them. I keep my horse at a relatively small barn (12 horses), and most of the boarders get along very well. There are occasional per- sonality clashes, but for the most part, it’s a happy place. One of the boarders, though, seems to think that he has zero responsibility other than to pay his board. I’ll call him Bubba. His horse poops in the aisle, kicks hay into the aisle and is sort of a nuisance. Bubba laughs and pretends it’s just his horse having fun. The other day, the horse was in the cross ties for more than an hour while Bubba sashayed around the place yakking with everyone. His horse managed to both pee and poop in the aisle waiting for Bubba to put him back in his stall. I put my horse in his stall, went to Bubba and demanded that he clean up after his horse. He laughed in my face! In the tack room, Bubba’s stuff is everywhere and I’ve tried to get the other boarders to join me in confronting him about his rude, arrogant behavior. They tell me that I should just cool it. They say there are several workers in the barn who regularly clean up once everyone has left for the evening. I don’t like Bubba for several reasons, besides his rudeness, and have not been shy about letting him know he’s a royal pain. All that aside, don’t you think his behavior needs some kind of intervention? Should I talk to the barn owner, or continue trying to mobilize the other boarders? -Irritated, Really! Dear Irritated… I’m trying to sort through all the adjectives you’ve heaped on Bubba to find something to latch onto here. Barns are sometimes fragile ecosystems, with vibrant personalities often clashing. Frequently the boarders who clash with one another have forgotten why they’re together in the first place. It’s not a workplace. It’s a place people go for peace and the chance to be with their horses. So, let’s start there, shall we? Bubba and his horse are irrelevant to your ability to enjoy your horse—un- less they interfere with you while you’re riding, or Bubba steals your tack or uses your stuff without your permission. The world outside the barn is fractious and often mean and cruel. All the more reason to stop looking for things about which to be annoyed while you’re with your horse. Of course it’s not your job to clean up after Bub- ba—especially since he’s given to “sashaying around yakking with everyone.” And I’m assuming Bubba is an adult, so it’s also not your responsibility to correct his behavior. However, you are re- sponsible for the friction you cause as you try to mobilize the other boarders to confront Bubba. You say that you’ve made clear to this man that you don’t like him. Why is that? Why don’t you try to make Bubba is Rude. Ignore Him it clear to him that you want an amiable relationship? Are there any written guidelines for boarders? If so, you might consult them to make sure you’re on solid footing if your intention is to make him more accountable for his horse’s poop. Before you do that, though, think about all this, and the possible consequences. We all have failings. These days, one thing is abundantly clear: we all need some kindness and compassion. What do you think would happen if you did what the other boarders apparently do? Ignore Bubba’s horse’s poop. Do you think that your anger and spite toward Bubba hurt him? It doesn’t. But it makes you miserable. I think you should set yourself free, and decide that Bubba is irrelevant. It may take a while to perfect your technique, but you’ll be surprised at how much more pleasant things are around the barn. Dear Mal… In the past several days I’ve noticed that my horse’s front hooves seem to be cracking around the bottom. This is the first summer that he has gone shoeless, and I’m now worried that I made a bad decision when I pulled his shoes in February. We had so much rain since February that the ground was really soft and muddy. But now it’s very dry and of course the gnats and flies are back. Is there something I should be doing to protect his hooves in this weather? Should I limit his turnout so he can avoid the flies? He doesn’t seem lame or unhappy; but I’m very worried. -Shoeless Dear Shoeless… Horses have a million ways to make us worry, don’t they? You didn’t say why you pulled your horse’s shoes, so I’m guessing it was because of all the mud. If he’s never been without shoes until now, his cracked hooves may be because of the dry ground and the flies. You should probably contact your farrier (your horse is probably overdue for a trim if the farrier last saw him in February), and talk to him about the situation. Some people swear by various hoof treat- ments; others just swear at them. Your farrier may have suggestions about something that will protect your horse’s feet during these dry, buggy days. In the meantime, make sure you keep your horse’s feet clean and try to find a fly spray that you can use before you turn him out. There are also fly boots you can try. These are mesh “sleeves” you put on his forelegs and they keep the flies off. Like most things that horses wear, however, they get wet, muddy and occasionally lost in the pasture. So if they work for you, you should probably get a couple of sets. Since the bugs are back, please also make sure to check your horse’s legs carefully for ticks, unusual bumps, sores, etc. Good luck with all this! Have a question for Mal? Email her at paequest@aol.com . Go ahead...Ask da Mare FARMS HORSES MISC. Horse Lay Ups: 20 minute drive to New Bolton Center/ University Of Pennsylvania Vet School. (No self care avail- able). Owner owned and run. Over 30 years experience. Two references requested. Rates upon request. 610-721-5902. Foaling Stalls: Limited space available for mares that want to foal in Pennsylvania. 20 minute drive to New Bolton Center/ University Of Pennsylvania Vet School. Over 30 years experience. Reasonable rates. 610-721-5902. TRAINING: Westfield Farm LLC, Tailored for horse and owner. ALL Breeds and disciplines. We will make your trail horse safe or a winning show horse More info at Westfieldfarmllc.com or CALL 717-432-2828. Travel Possible. Take lessons on, and/or lease, a rehabilitated horse on our farm in southern NJ. We have given a few rescues a second chance as pleasure mounts. Take a peek at www.russellsacresequine.com. Looking for a self-care farm? Pine Grove, PA: 4 stall barn w/ heated tack room, hay & feed storage, grass ring, 11 acres elec- tric fenced w/run-in sheds, water hydrants. Access to State Game Land trails. 272-228-0321. 4 Year Old TB Gelding: Very reasonably priced. 16 and 1 hands. Dark bay. Very quiet. Sound. Trail rides. Paper chase. Green in the ring. Lovely ground manners. Ships/clips. Good home only. 610-721-5902. Large Chestnut Colt: Full brother to Devon/Upperville Winner. Unregistered TB. PA Bred. Will win on the line. Very athletic. Good mover. 610-721-5902. Omega Horse Rescue located in Airville, PA has a variety of horses and ponies ready for their forever homes! Please visit our website to see pictures, videos and how you can help! www.omegahorserescue.com Better than right off the track! The PTHA's Turning for Home, Inc. always has OTTBs that are properly rehabbed, retrained and ready for their new careers. Find your next horse at www.turningforhome.org or call 215-808-7562. Gorgeous 11 y.o., 15.1 palo- mino QH gelding. Rides English and Western, trails, quiet, and a very cute mover. $5000. Call 610-384-5540. CATS: Barn homes in Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties, PA. are needed to give rescued strays a chance at life. Cats are neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated; delivered and acclimated. Fill out an application to adopt at StrayCatBlues.org or call 215-631-1851 Exiss 6 Horse slant aluminum gooseneck 2001. Stainless nose. Lighted, carpeted dressing room. Extra rear compartment. Many saddle/ bridle racks. 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