March/April 2024 Issue

Page 74 March/April 2024 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN Go ahead... Ask da Mare By Malorie de la Mare Dear Mal… An acquaintance of mine is horse crazy. She loves every- thing related to horses, and talks incessantly about horses—what they like, what they don’t like, what scares them, etc. She told me she has a room in her apart- ment decorated with pictures of horses and throw pillows with fabric depicting horses. It’s re- markable on so many levels. But she neither has a horse nor rides horses. She has never even been on a horse and I’m not sure if she has ever been near enough to a horse to touch one or give it a carrot. Despite her lack of direct knowledge about horses, she has some very strong opinions about equine sports, and is not partic- ularly shy about letting people know what she thinks about show jumping, horseracing, etc. (She is vehemently opposed). Most of the time, her chatter is harmless; but it’s infuriating when she becomes vitriolic and obnoxious about these things. Recently at a wedding reception, this woman got into a pretty loud argument with another guest. It was about the Olympics and the equestrian competition. I was stunned by her bad manners, and decided right then that I didn’t want anything to do with her. But she’s hard to avoid, since we live in the same apartment building, and we work for the same company. Do you have any advice? -Embarrassed in Elkton Dear Embarrassed… Such a tangled web of impropriety, uninformed anger and messiness. Perhaps one good thing on which we can agree is that she loves horses. That’s a plus! Sadly, this lady’s minuses threaten to overwhelm that good thing. It seems that at one point you tolerated and—by merely enduring her chatter—encour- aged her unbridled babbling on a topic about which she apparently knows few actual facts. I’m guessing that, while you and the chatterer were not particularly chummy, you had at minimum a friendly relationship. The question is, what do you really want to do about that? She is hard to avoid, given that you and she work together and live in the same building. You suggest that you don’t want to have anything to do with her, but you may find avoiding her to be more com- plicated and awkward than you imagine. She probably has no idea how alienating and rude her behavior can be, and probably nobody ever took her aside to point it out to her. It might be an act of kindness on your part to let her know that her behavior at the reception made you and others uncomfortable. Perhaps you could ask her to explain the source of her passion for horses and how she arrived at the be- lief that some aspects of equine sport should be abolished. The fact is that our communities reflect the values we bring to them. You don’t need to become this woman’s bestie, but you can set an example of civili- ty. In the end, that might be a more comfortable solution than avoiding her. Dear Mal… Help! My poor horse looks like he has a major case of rain rot. Who knew that a warm-ish and rainy winter could result in this? The poor thing is nearly 30, and I don’t know what to do about the scabs on his back. We don’t have an indoor wash stall, and I don’t want to clip him be- cause we haven’t used a blanket on him in years. Do you have any ideas? I’m really worried about him, and don’t want this to get worse. -Scared in Pennsylvania Dear Scared… Rain rot, aka rain scald is actually an infection caused by bacteria. And it can happen any time of the year. As horses get older, their immune systems may not be as effective in resisting the infection. In warmer weather, regular bathing can help control it. But, in your situation, bathing is not an option. So, there are a number of anti-microbial sprays on the market. They have been tested and found to be effec- tive in disrupting the bacteria. But they are not once-and-do- ne treatments. You need to be vigilant, and curry your horse regularly, making sure to look for any new eruptions. Given the time of year, and your horse’s thick coat, you need to run your fingers through his coat, to feel his skin for any emerging signs of rain rot. You should also look for any signs that your horse’s behavior is changing. If he loses his appetite, or seems lethargic, it’s possible that the rain rot de- veloped into an infection. Make sure to call your vet at the first sign that your horse’s behavior changes. Good luck! Have a question for Mal? Email her at PAEquest@aol. com. Uninformed and Loudly Opinionated As of November 2023, Yered Trailers is Family Owned for 47 years! See page 82 for details. Not a print subscriber? Join the ongoing mailing list for just $20. FREE Classifieds for print subscribers!