Debunking the yard know-it-all’s favourite comments

Let’s face it, there’s always one. That person on the yard who thinks they know it all and sees it as their duty to pass that knowledge on to everyone else. The only problem is that their ‘expert opinion’ usually comes in the form of direct or implied criticism and it’s often wrong to boot, so, unless you think there’s some credence in what they’re saying, it’s probably best to either ignore it or check it out with a reliable source such as your instructor, an equestrian professional or Horse&Rider magazine!

With that in mind, here are 10 of the most commonly heard comments from the yard clever clogs and the truth behind them.

1. Your horse could do with losing a few pounds. Is he really too fat? It’s quite easy to check by using a weightape or a weighbridge if you have access to one and then comparing his weight to the average for that kind of horse e.g. a Thoroughbred would be around 500kg. You can then combine this knowledge with a visual assessment and by feeling him – does he have fat deposits on his crest and shoulders, are his ribs and backbone hard to detect, is there a channel running along his spine, are his quarters apple shaped rather than defined? If the answers are no, then his weight is probably fine.

2. You should soak your hay for at least 12 hours. There’s no need to soak hay for that long if you’re simply removing dust from it – in fact, you can soak it for as little as 30 minutes. Soaking for longer reduces the calorific content (which can be useful in some cases) and also the levels of certain nutritional minerals, making your hay less nutritious. Furthermore, the discarded water from well-soaked hay is a pollutant.

3. Don’t bother about pulling up ragwort – horses won’t eat it. It’s true that the vast majority of horses won’t eat ragwort because it has a bitter taste; however, there are anecdotal reports of some horses developing a taste for it or eating it accidentally along with other plants. Ragwort tends to grow in poor pasture, so there might not be too much grass available for horses to eat, in which case ragwort becomes an option instead. Ragwort should always be removed and burnt – and the bonus is you’ll be improving your pasture as well as protecting your horse.

4. Your horse is too big/small for you. If you’re riding a big horse and you feel comfortable and in control, then you can ignore this comment – many people ride Clydesdales and Shires – two of the biggest breeds – quite happily. At the other end of the scale, it all comes down to weight, and you can calculate if you’re too heavy for your horse quite easily. Horses can carry 15–20% of their bodyweight so to find out if you’re too heavy, multiply your own weight and the weight of your saddle by either 5 (for 15%) or 6.66 (for 20%). The figures from these calculations should be equal to or less than your horse’s ideal weight. Alternatively, you can take your horse’s weight, divide it by 100 and then multiply it by either 15 or 20 to give you the combined weight of the rider and saddle he can carry.

5. I know your horse won’t load, but you should force him to. While it may be possible to force your difficult-to-load horse onto your lorry or trailer that certainly isn’t the best way to achieve your end result and will only lead to more trouble down the line. Instead, spend time – over days or weeks if necessary – patiently teaching him that the horsebox really isn’t scary so you gradually build his confidence. You also might want to consider other reasons for his reluctance to enter – could it be your driving technique, or does he find it difficult to balance when travelling, for example? The first is easily solved but if it’s the latter, consider trying with him facing backwards or standing in a herringbone stall.

6. Your horse will get thrush if you don’t fully muck out every day. This can certainly be true if your horse is very wet and bedded on straw, but if you’re using an absorbent bedding, you can probably manage with a weekly muck out. The most important thing here is that droppings and all bedding that’s wet on the surface is removed at least once a day, so you’ll probably only have to remove patches rather than the lift the whole bed, with clean, dry bedding simply laid on top. In addition, some of the super-absorbent specialist beddings are designed to be used in this way, saving you both time and money.

7. You shouldn’t feed your horse before you ride because he’ll get colic. While a large cereal feed just before exercise could spell trouble, the latest evidence suggests that giving a small fibre feed – about 0.5–1 scoop of chaff – or some hay about an hour or 30 minutes beforehand can actually be beneficial, as it helps in the prevention of gastric ulcers. This is because exercise puts pressure on the stomach, causing its acid contents to rise and potentially splash the more delicate upper part of the stomach. Feeding fibre creates a protective mat that prevents this from happening.

8. It’s going to be cold tonight so you should put more rugs on your horse. Horses are much better at keeping warm than cool and they generally need fewer rugs than we think they do, especially if they have access to plenty of hay, which, when consumed, acts as internal central heating. Of course, the rug you choose will depend on your horse’s type, his coat thickness and whether he’s clipped. Also, if he spends a lot of time outside, he’ll cope better with cold temperatures than a horse who’s stabled most of the time. As a rough guide, for a stabled horse, if the temperature is above 10 degrees, he’ll probably only need a lightweight rug or sheet, between 5–10 degrees, a medium or lightweight rug and below four degrees, a heavy or mediumweight rug. A neck cover can be added if he’s clipped. Over-rugging can lead to sweating underneath the rug, which, in turn, can result in a form of dermatitis similar to rain scald.

9. You shouldn’t put so much cold water on your horse when he’s hot because he’ll catch a chill or get colic. If your horse is hot following exercise in the heat, he needs to cool down as quickly as possible and pouring or hosing copious amounts of cold water on him will allow this to happen. Rather than causing him to chill or develop colic, it will avoid the potentially dangerous condition of heat exhaustion that can lead to organ damage. The water should be applied over his whole body and not scraped away, and you should stop applying once the temperature of the water running off is the same as it was when applied.

10. I don’t know why you cut your schooling session so short – your horse was doing so well, you could have got a lot more out of him. When you’re schooling your horse, it’s important to know when to stop. Start your training session with an aim in mind and once you’ve achieved that aim, call it a day so you end on a positive note before your horse becomes tired or starts to make mistakes. A hack afterwards can be beneficial, too, to relax his mind and body. Remember, schooling should be enjoyable for you both and not a chore, and the maxim ‘little and often’ will help you achieve this. Over-schooled horses can become stale, which only serves to make training all the more difficult as they become increasingly resistant.

Photo credit: Jon Stroud