Assignment 1 - Yard & Grooming Flashcards
Giving details of the dimensions and materials, describe the key points of stable construction?
Giving details of the dimensions and materials, describe the key points of stable construction?
.The key points of stable construction are ensuring that it is big enough for the horse that is going to be stabled in it. Dimensions will depend of the size of the horse. The walls should be at least 3.7m (12ft) high and if wooden the walls should be lined with wooden kick boards up to a height of 1.2m.
.The materials normally used for stable construction are wood, bricks, breeze blocks and plastic or wood with metal grills on the top half. The door would be a minimum of 1.2m (4ft) and 2.1m (7ft) high with two parts so the top half can be left open and a stable window for ventilation. The roof should be sloped with waterproof roofing and guttering with downpipes. The flooring should be non slippery, hard wearing and impervious to moisture. These are all the keys point to know when constructing a stable.
Explain why good ventilation is important in the stable and how you would ensure a stable is well ventilated?
Explain why good ventilation is important in the stable and how you would ensure a stable is well ventilated?
.Good ventilation is important in the stable because it keeps air moving through the stable so the carbon dioxide the horse is exhaling, the ammonia from the urine and the dust from the bedding and hay are being removed from the stable and fresh air is being replaced.
.In hot weather good stable ventilation is important so the stable does not get too warm and the horse does not over heat.
.You would ensure a stable is well ventilated by leaving the top half of the stable door open at all times and supplying the stable with windows because if not the air will become stale from the carbon dioxide, ammonia and dust being trapped in the stable and may cause respiratory and fitness problems for the horse.
Explain what is meant by the term ‘horse sick’ paddock?
Explain what is meant by the term ‘horse sick’ paddock?
.The term horse sick paddock is a paddock that is not very well maintained. The paddock has been over used and has not been cleaned regularly.
.It could be covered with equipment, rubbish, droppings, weeds, patches of missing grass, over grazed, broken fencing, poached areas of the field, a circle of hay that has been trodden into the ground and overgrown grass which all make the field look untidy and not well maintained.
Describe how you will look after your horse’s paddock to keep it in good order?
Describe how you will look after your horse’s paddock to keep it in good order?
.I will look after my horses paddock to keep it in good order by having it analysed for any soil deficiencies and correcting them. I will fertilise and lime regularly, pick up droppings daily, rotate fields to give them a rest and top the grass or use cattle to graze the paddock to reduce worm larvae.
.I will also remove any poisonous plants or weeds, harrow and plant grass seeds in spring, fix and creosote fencing and make sure the paddock is well drained to avoid poaching in winter.
Explain why good paddock management can control worm infestation?
Explain why good paddock management can control worm infestation?
.Good paddock management can control worm infestation because if the grass is well maintained
there will be less worm larvae on the grass stalks and less chance of horses ingesting the worms.
.There are a few things you can do to control worm infestation in paddocks. Picking up droppings daily as worm larvae are found in horse faeces so if you pick up their droppings daily there is less chance of the worm larvae being on the grass stalks and the horse eating the grass and becoming re infested.
.Rotating the fields to give them a rest and removing the tops of the grass stalks by using cattle to graze the field or topping the grass to a height of about 15cm to help remove the worm larvae from the field.
There is a stream in your field. What will you check before allowing the horses to drink from it?
There is a stream in your field. What will you check before allowing the horses to drink from it?
.You would check that the stream has clean water so the horse does not become ill from rubbish left in it that could be toxic and that the water has not been polluted as this could kill the horse. I would check the base of the stream is a stony one and not a sandy one because a sandy base could give the horse colic and that the approach to the stream is safe.
Giving your reasons, explain what you would do with a pond in a horse’s field?
Giving your reasons, explain what you would do with a pond in a horse’s field?
.You would put fencing around the pond so the horses cannot get into it because ponds are dangerous to horses as they can get stuck causing injury to them self as they try to get out or become hypothermia in cold water and could possibly drown.
.Ponds are also dangerous because they do not have a current so the water stays still which makes it a better environment for bacteria and parasites to live in meaning it is not good for horses to drink from as they can become ill.
Describe three poisonous plants?
Describe three poisonous plants?
.Ragwort is a weed that looks like a bunch of very tiny sun flowers and thrives in poor soil which grows to about 0.75 metres in height. It flowers from about July to September every year and has a bitter taste when alive but is more palatable when dying or dead.
Ragwort contains alkaloid which causes permanent liver damage in horses and there is no cure for ragwort poisoning.
.Hemlock is a plant that looks like a bunch of very tiny white flowers and green leaves attached to smooth purple blotchy stems. It has an unpleasant smell and contains alkaloids so all the plant is poisonous to horses.
Hemlock even in small amount can be fatal. It causes a coma like state and paralysis followed by death.
.Yew Is a tree that has leaves with small dark green needles like a Christmas tree and red berries on them. All of the tree is poisonous as it contains alkaloid taxine which is a cardio toxin causing cardia arrest.
Very small amount like one mouthful can cause cardia arrest in minutes of eating the tree. Yew is bitter tasting but if eaten by a horse is fatal as there is no cure.
What would you do if these plants were in your horse’s field?
What would you do if these plants were in your horse’s field?
.For ragwort i would corner off the area where the ragwort is or move the horse from the field into another field that is safe. I would then wait until the ragwort is mature and pull it from the ground making sure to remove as much of the roots that I can and then taking all of the plant from the field and burning it . I would repeat this treatment every year. As ragwort thrives on poor soil i would also make sure the field is never over grazed and is not heavily poached in winter to prevent poor soil in the paddock.
.For hemlock I would do the same as ragwort so I would move the horse from the field or corner off the field and either kill the plant with herbicides or pull from the ground removing the roots and then burn all of the plants removed. Once the plants are successfully remove I would then be able to move the horse back into the field. I would redo this every year before flower production.
.For yew I would either corner off the tree or employ a tree surgeon to remove it.
When is strapping carried out and what extra grooming is involved?
When is strapping carried out and what extra grooming is involved?
.Strapping is carried out after you have exercised the horse. It is grooming the horse and the extra grooming involved is cleaning the hooves, removing the dirt from the coat with a dandy brush, removing the grease from the coat with a body brush including the horse’s legs and brushing the mane using a body brush.
.You would finish by going over the coat with a stable rubber to remove the last of the dust and sponging the eyes, nostrils and dock. Then using a damp water brush you would lay the mane and top of tail. Lastly you would apply hoof oil on the walls of the hooves .
.Banging - use a wisp or massage pad with a stable rubber and bang the muscle areas.
Describe the safe method for putting on and removing a turn out rug with cross-over belly straps and interlocking hind leg straps?
Describe the safe method for putting on and removing a turn out rug with cross-over belly straps and interlocking hind leg straps?
. Coat must be dry before placing rug.
.Putting on a turn out rug. First tie up the horse then fold the rug in half. From the near side place the front part of the rug over the withers and pull the other half down and straighten. Fasten the front buckles first then do the cross over belly straps and fasten the hind leg straps last.
.Removing a turn out rug. First undo the hind leg straps then undo the belly straps and then the front buckles. Redo the straps up so they don’t hit you or the horse and lastly pull the rug off backwards and fold.
Describe how to tell if a rug fits correctly?
Describe how to tell if a rug fits correctly?
.The belly straps are not too tight against the horse’s belly but not too loose that the horse can get tangled in them. It is straight and isn’t too far back that the front of the rug is rubbing against the horse. It will be covering the horse’s back nicely and isn’t too big or too small.
Describe how you will trim up your horse to improve his appearance?
Describe how you will trim up your horse to improve his appearance?
.I would trim up my horse by using scissors. I would use these to trim about 2.5cm from the mane behind the ears to help the headpiece fit comfortably and trim the external ear hair by holding the ear closed then trimming the hair.
.I would trim the mane just beneath where the numnah goes. Then I would go to the fetlocks and trim the hair there by using a comb to put through the hairs and cut the hairs that are coming out of the comb and after this use the comb to cut the hairs covering the hooves. I would then go to the tail and cut the tail straight 10cm below the point of hock and then finish by pulling the mane and tail with a pulling comb with blades on.
