The adventures of Gilly the rescue horse and his side kick and partner in crime, Pokey the donkey.

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Being with a horse is a journey that never ends. What they have to teach us is amazing; but we must quiet our mind to hear them. ~ jca

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Saturday, June 25, 2011

New Helmet

Gilly and I have been working on going straight and forward. He is NOT a very forward moving horse and so we work.  I wanted to learn to sit his trot but a girl that I have working with us said I should concentrate on getting him to go forward and me strengthening my legs. So I post and post and post and it's working, it's also giving me a more secure seat. Yea!

Got a new helmet too a Tipperary Sportage and I LOVE it!!! It doesn't pinch my forehead like the other one and I really love the fact that it has so many air vents in it.....it's COOL, really cool! and light weight, feels like you aren't wearing a helmet at all. I'll use the other one that doesn't breath as much for winter riding.

Last week I saw and killed my first huge horse fly. Dang I wish somehow those darned things would just go away. They will be coming out in force in a week or so. I got some fly spray the other day it had Citronella scent it said. I forgot that Gilly is allergic to. I sprayed him lightly the next day he had hives all over him, HUGE ones! Poor boy, so I start looking at the feed store for a different fly spray that is good, well all of them have citronella in them now. I did find one, an off brand and I can't remember the name now. Today I used it but sprayed it on a mitt and wiped him with it, will have to see if makes him break out. He also has large flaky, dandruff looking patches too. I have been using Vetericyn on him and it is helping. I couldn't ride yesterday because of a sore place at his girth area from the hives.
Have any of you had this kind of problem? I wanted to use Pyranha but that is what had the citronella in it, couldn't find any around here that didn't have it in. I have also tried the home made fly repellent and it doesn't work with Gilly the flies still love him.
Hope everyone is having a good summer so far!
Jane

7 comments:

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

I must admit that when I first saw the Sportage helmet when I did a post about helmets, I didn't much care for the sporty look of that helmet, but after seeing a few other horsewomen wearing it, I've changed my opinion. It's cool! Both from a temperature standpoint and an aesthetic one, too.
I also like how the back comes down lower to protect the base of the skull....very important.
Congrats on the new helmet.
I'm in the market for one, too, after my twinling was wearing mine last summer and was bucked off by Bella. The helmet sustained a crack and the foam was compressed and separated.

~Lisa

allhorsestuff said...

Missed you gal, so nice to hear of your "forward strides".
Gilly, he tries hard for you I know.

My mare is very sensitiveto things applied to her skin, and sometimes the bugs themselves- can leave welts. She has 2 on her that the vet says "imploded".

I used "Calm Coat" and also vicks vapo rub, cedar lotion...last time out with bugs. But those large, man eating horsefly creatures....not too sure what thier nemisis is! Ever tried the best working stuff(for humans) "skin so soft" by Avon? I've got it in the trailer, for me...but for the horse, never tried it!

Love your new look!
XO Kac

That helmet is awesome huh. It'sthe one i got too recently. First time I wore it....forgot it was on and actually drove home with It on!

Unknown said...

Try MTG for sensitive skin patches, dandruff, rain rot or just about anything else. It's the magic cure all. Plus it repels the "no seeums" that cause sweet itch in my pony. In general WIPE works the best. I do events and it's the ONLY fly spray that works on all bugs. I put it in a twist top tupperware container (the oil in it makes the snap lids come loose eventually) and use a rubber dish glove to put it on the horses with. I just add a few tablespoons, give or take when it gets dried out.
I hope you like your new helmet purchase I have seen a lot of riders with those.

jane augenstein said...

Lisa, I didn't know about them at first either but read so many good reviews and my friend got one and she loved it! I wore it for the first time today and wow, I know I'm an air head but it really does let the air blow through, wonderful!!! and it's sooooo comfortable, hope you get one too!

KK, I've been lacking in my posting of late, need to do more. He does try for me and he is doing well in the forward process, I am glad. I am getting stronger in my legs for all the posting! :-)
I used a citronella band around his neck once, an herbal fly repellent and it took all the hair off his neck where it was, I should have remembered that!
I used to make him the skin-so-soft, vinegar, water, dish soap and lavender but it doesn't help much. He sure smells good though. He has that really good horsey smell and when he sweats it makes the flies attracted to him even more.
Thanks, I too love the new helmet!

Syd, I used to use MTG but the Vetericyn seems to work really well and not so messy. It must feel good cause he will stand really still when I spray it on him. I used KONK last year but it didn't work very well on Gil, I will try the Wipe and see how that does. The helmet so far is the most comfortable, lightest and coolest I have ever had. :-)

Jeni said...

Hi Jane, I have the same helmet and LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! This helmet converted me to a wear it every ride kinda gal.

We've got the huge horse flies too. Someone in my barn was spraying their horse with deep woods off before they headed out on the trail. I'll have to ask how it worked.

Unknown said...

I use Bronco, but have no idea if it has citronella. Skin sonsoft works, but for very little time.

I use MTG too, even ifnit makes lily and smokey smell like bacon. Actually the very best thing I used after my horse had hives was bacon grease. It was a miracle cure, hair grew back immediately.

Edward said...

That’s a very nice helmet, my helmet is a classic black one with a bow on the back, but the bow fell off and Pip ripped the back near where the bow used to be, I think when I get a new helmet I would like one sort of like this. Sorry no I haven’t had a horse with that kind of skin problem but you might like to try a baby cradlecap shampoo for the dandruff and our equine vet here in the UK recommended a cattle product called Flypor to keep the flies away, don’t think it contains citronella and it’s quite effective.
Regards
Edward

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