UPDATE!
The banding was a NO GO! My poor Bertie - WHAT a fiasco. My vet was very unhappy with the banding job and complained that she could send her kids to college with the banding corrections she's had to do. It was a mess, tennis-ball sized hole. 5 days of antibiotics and anti tetnus...
Rearing is dangerous and you don't want to make a mistake here. You need a professional to help you out. By the way, a professional does not hit the horse, does not hit the horse over the head, lip chains will only make a horse go up as he will try to go up to get rid of the pain. Is the...
The shetland girls have arrived. I couldn't do it - I put them separate from the boys for now. They are very goat like - I hope they aren't..:rolleyes:
Tomorrow I will be adding to shetland ewe lambs (6 months) old to my "flock" of two babydoll southdown wethers. The two newbie have had health certificates 5 days ago and are part of the scrapie program (as are mine).
Any suggestions?
My wethers were banded by the breeder - their first time. I have one wether who tries to mount his brother with a full erection, and he has one well defined "lump" that could be a testicle. Is this possible???
where does one get wool cards. I have two skirted and washed fleeces residing in pillow cases. I need to card them though and thought that dog brushes would work, but I see you're point that they would be too flimsey???
Like anything, buyer beware, buyer beware, buyer beware. If you know what you're looking for, know what you're looking at, Craigs list can be great. I bought a horse over the internet (something I would NOT recommend) after months and months researching bloodlines speaking to the breeder...
I'm so glad to see someone of similar mindset! I spent this past summer showing all the big A shows in the northeast after a 20 year hiatus and all I can say is WOW! I wondered where all the saddleseat horses went I was sure glad to see they weren't lost. I found them in the huntseat, and...
don't go crazy with the horse grooming stuff, like the shampoo, the bug sprays, the blankets - you won't need them. A good hard brush, soft brush, hoof pick and one GOOD blanket is about all you will need. I recommend strongly the Rambo Wug (not Rug, but Wug) as THE best winter blanket. It...
think about fencing. seriously. We purchased two Babydoll Southdown sheep because they are minature, and because they don't challenge fencing. They are fun and very friendly. We converted a large machine packing crate box 4'x7' to make a run in shelter for them. We extended the sides, put...
what's the temp of the hoof? when you put water on it, does it dry fairly quickly? How old is the horse? Is there a pulse in the foot (check by putting your fore finger and thumb around and behind the fetlock, if there's a pounding pulse you got laminitis. Hose it with cold water and then...
To get a flavor of this venture, I would read autobiographies written by vets on becoming a vet. The reality is, having worked at a vet schooland saw first hand, is that the competition is stiff, the tuition will leave you in debt in excess of $100k, it takes 8 years, you have to be an ace in...
Say fellow shepherds, I need your views on the least labor intensive way to keep sheep. I have two wether babydoll southdowns. They are in clean, three-sided shelter facing south. The floor is two stall mats laid over crushed stone dust. I had just been using hay to bed the enclosure, but...