More from Red...
Horse behaviour and Training
I own two horses 19hh and a 18.3hh and I have trouble hacking out the 18.3hh one because he doesn't want to be on his own and he is also very cheeky and naughty. I don't know what to do becouse I have to have someone else with me when I want to go and ride him! What can I do? Help please!!!!
Red says: There may be many reasons why your horse is unhappy hacking out on his own - us horses are naturally herd animals and some of us find it very hard to leave our friends - he is clearly a bit of a worrier and likes the security of having another horse around when you hack out. It would be best for you to ring our Welfare helpline on 01508 481008 so you can talk your situation through with them - I'm sure they will be able to help. Good luck!
When I was riding at my riding school, someone watching put an umbrella up and the riding instructor asked him to put it down. Why?
Red says: I'll let you in on a little secret - us horses hate umbrellas! Well most of us do, anyway. They frighten us because they are so bright and colourful and so your riding instructor probably asked the person to put the umbrella down so the horses weren't frightened. Otherwise your lesson might have gone horribly wrong with everyone galloping all over the place!
My pony had been beaten in the past and because of an incident with a bike she is now very scared. I go out riding with my dad on his bike and me on Misty but do you have any other ways of regaining her trust with bikes?
Red says: Poor Misty, that's very sad. There are things you can do but regaining her trust will take time and you need to be aware that she may never fully accept bikes. You need to start by building her confidence in her field first, as this is a place that is familiar and somewhere she feels safe. The best approach would be to slowly build up to working on her accepting the bike (while it is laying down or not moving first), by placing some other strange objects in her field first. This will help to start building a bond and gain her trust. The objects need to be easy ones to start with that you know she will be good with, then once she is happy, move on to something a bit scarier. Every time she is good give her lots of praise and reward for every time she is settled and well behaved. It is important that she is given lots of time and things do not end up in a battle, as you will always lose.
After 3 or 4 good sessions with her and you are happy that she is better at accepting the bike being in her field, then you can build up to someone walking with the bike. At first this needs to be some distance from her and gradually reduce the distance - again make sure you give her lots of praise for good behaviour. If at any point she is not happy, you will need to go back a step until she is settled then continue. If things are taken at her pace with no pressure, she will learn that it is a nice experience and nothing to worry about. In time you will be able to have someone cycling out with you on your rides, but you will always have to keep a safe distance and remember her previous fears.
Hope that helps but if you want further advice, try Kelly Marks' website www.kellymarks.co.uk as they are specialists in humane horse handling and she has a very good book out on horse behaviour. Otherwise, please try our welfare helpline on 01508 481008. Good luck with Misty!
My Mum and I share a beautiful gelding, who we have only had for a month. But already he refuses to walk into the barn to get to his stable. We've tried food, but it doesn't work. Can you help us?!
Red says: It is not easy to tell you exactly what's wrong without meeting him, but it sounds like your horse has either had a fright on the way into the barn or something in there is scaring him. Firstly I would check his route and try and see it from his point of view - look out for flapping plastic bags or big scary shadows as that may be what is causing him to worry. Try putting a trail of straw or shavings on the floor leading up to his stable as it may also be the floor that he is not keen on and the bedding will give him a substance he recognises.
Horses love a leader so try walking in with him on a leadrope but slightly behind your shoulder so you are leading the way - he will feel a lot less scared. Also, and most importantly, be patient. If you try to rush him he is likely to panic. Instead, use the fact that us horses are naturally curious, give him a loose headcollar and allow him to sniff his way into the barn. Make sure his haynet or feed is in the stable first and give him time to find it. Hope that helps but if you are still having trouble, call our Horse Care Advice line on 01508 481008. Good luck!
My mum and I share a 17.3hh thoroughbred type who is very cheeky. He is a bit headshy but we still managed to catch and ride him. Recently we haven't been able to catch him. We've tried everything we can think of including using treats but it won't work. HELP US!!!!!!!!!!
Red says: With us horses there is always a reason why we don't want to do things. Your horse may have had a fright the last time he came out of his field or he may be learning that getting caught automatically means doing work! Be patient with him and just try to catch him to spend some time with him or give him a feed or nice groom, not just when you want him to do something for you.
Horses are very curious types so use that to your advantage. Don't approach him directly but instead enter his field slowly and quietly, don't look him straight in the eye and just sit or stand in the middle of the field, maybe fiddling with a rope or muck picking and ignore him for a while. He'll soon wonder what you're doing and come over. If that doesn't work, make his field smaller with electric tape so it's easier to catch him, then try approaching him from the side. Every time you move towards him and he doesn't move away, reward him by stepping away again. Do this a few times until you are close and you can stroke his neck. Take your time, keep talking to him and don't grab at him or he will probably decide he'd rather be somewhere else!
Hope that helps but if you are still having problems, trying phoning the Redwings Welfare helpline on 01508 481008 and they will do the best they can to reunite you with your lovely horse!
Hey Red! I was wondering if you do Natural Horsemanship at Redwings?
Red says: Here at Redwings we have a Rehabilitation team, trained by one of the country's top equine behaviour therapists Kelly Marks who is a specialist in humane horse handling (Intelligent Horsemanship). Our fantastic team are dedicated to working with rescued equines with psychological problems. These problems may arise from ill treatment, pain or from lack of contact with humans. If you would like to find out more about Intelligent Horsemanship you can visit Kelly Marks' website www.kellymarks.co.uk . Hope that answers your question!
Hi Red, we have two ponies aged two and three, they are very naughty and cheeky and when out walking them they start to go up on the their back legs. They try to run away when we just want to walk with them. It is like they are telling us off and we are the ones that are meant to be in control. Any reason why they are like this?
Red says: Thank you for your question. It does sound like your ponies are being very cheeky indeed. Often ponies around this age are very playful and they need lots of consistent handling. I am sure they are not telling you off but it does sound like they are trying to boss you around. This can be very frightening and upsetting when your ponies are misbehaving. Please follow this link and read our information on horses behaving badly http://www.redwings.org.uk/welfare-lfts.htm.
In order to get your ponies' confidence you must be fair, clear and confident yourself. Hope that helps but if you want further advice, try Kelly Marks' website www.kellymarks.co.uk as they are specialists in humane horse handling and she has a very good book out on horse behaviour. Good Luck!
Horse food and feeding
Is it safe to give ponies mints?
Red says: An excellent question! Us ponies do love the taste of mints and the occasional treat can be very nice for your pony but mints are basically just sugar so it's like giving us sweets. Too many can be very bad for us and make us very ill...not good news - a nice juicy carrot or apple would be a bit more nutritious and just as yummy!
However, please remember it can be very dangerous to feed any pony that you don't know. That pony may be on a special diet where it can't have too much sugar so you could be making it ill by feeding it. When people come to visit us we ask our visitors not to feed us as lots of us have been poorly and treats could make us ill. Instead, they leave them with our carers who dish them out later on, that's always a good moment!
What food do you like to eat?
Red says: What a good question to ask, I love eating yummy food. My favourite thing to eat is lovely grass, it is even better when I am out in my field with my friends munching into the luscious grass. I also love to munch on some nice hay and I also enjoy getting a treat like an apple or carrot. I am so lucky!
Poorly Horses
My 14.1hh 12 year old New Forest x TB is lame and we cannot find anything on his X-rays. He was on bute for a while and seemed to get better so we took him off it but he still trots up badly and is quite pottery on his legs, he is usually very fit. His mum had hereditary ligament problems, could that be the cause?
Red says: Without meeting your horse it's very difficult for me to say but it does sound like he is very uncomfortable on those legs of his. It is hard to say whether it's a hereditary condition or not without complicated genetic tests but if he is trotting up badly he shouldn't be ridden until he has been seen by your vet - I'm afraid a qualified vet is the only person who can diagnose what the problem is and treat it correctly. You may be lucky though, it may simply be a spell of lameness and he may just need a bit more of a rest before he is able to be worked again.
See what your vet has to say and if you would like any further advice try ringing our Welfare helpline on 01508 481008 or emailing welfare@redwings.co.uk. Good luck!
My pony is prone to laminitis. How can I help prevent it?
Red says: The best way to protect your pony from laminitis is to make sure you don't let him or her become overweight. That doesn't mean starvation or anything but being overweight is very likely to make your pony come down with it. Speak to your vet about how to help your pony maintain a healthy weight, feed little and often rather than large quantities all at once and be especially careful in the Spring as that is when the grass is rich in the sugars that can bring on laminitis. For more information, you can download a leaflet from the Redwings' main website all about it, just follow this link >>>>>>>>. I hope that helps, good luck!
What would happen if you rode a pony when it had laminitis? Whenever the pony I ride has laminitis, my neighbour says I can't ride him.
Red says: Your neighbour is right. When us ponies get laminitis, it's really really important that you don't ride us. Laminitis is a very painful condition of the feet and if you rode your pony while he had it you would be causing him even more pain, which I am sure you don't want to do. Please wait for your vet to say that he is all better before you start riding again, and don't forget to give him lots of cuddles while he is poorly! There are ways you can prevent and manage a pony that is prone to getting laminitis. In all cases a vet should be called to investigate and give you advice. For more information, you can download a leaflet from the Redwings' main website all about it, just follow this link >>>>. I hope that helps, good luck!
What is Colic?
Red says: Thank you for your question. The term 'colic' means 'pain in the tummy'. There are many types of colic, ranging from mild to very serious even life threatening. The most common signs of colic are, lying down more than usual, getting up and lying down repeatedtly, standing stretched out, turning their head towards their belly, pawing at the ground and kicking their belly. If anyone is ever concerned that a horse might be colicing they should always call their vet for advice straight away. If you would like to read more about colic you can follow this link and read our information on food for thought http://www.redwings.org.uk/welfare-lfts.htm. I hope that answers your question. Take care!
I have a very old pony called Folly and she is not very good at walking but if we walk her slowly she does walk to her paddock. She also itches all the time, what is the best thing I can do for her?
Red says: Thank you for your question. Let's address one thing at a time, you say your pony is not very good at walking. It may be your pony is just very old and we all tend to slow down when we get a bit old. But it could be your pony needs to see a vet as it might be suffering from stiffness or another veterinary problem. It would be a good idea to contact your local vet and ask for some advice. As for your pony itching all the time, this is another thing your vet can help you with. It could be suffering from a condition called sweet itch which is basicaly your horse having an allergic reaction to an insect bite. There are many ways you can prevent and treat this. However it is best to get a vet to see your pony to determine exactly what the problem is. Your pony will be so grateful to you helping him. I hope this helps!
Riding and horsey tack
Can you please tell me what you describe to be light work for a horse and what I should feed my 13 year old mare who is in light work?
Red says: Light work for us horses means being ridden about three or four times a week, maybe just going out for hacks or doing a bit of schooling, nothing too strenuous!
With horses in light work it is better not to feed anything with too much energy in it - keep to feeds like chaff, hay and basic pony nuts rather than anything with too much sugar in it. Unfortunately I cannot advise exactly what to feed your horse as it depends on her size and what type of horse she is; every horse is different you know. The best thing to do is check out Spillers at www.spillers-feeds.com as they have a feed finder and loads of advice on what to feed your mare. Otherwise you can phone the Redwings welfare advice line on 01508 481008. Hope that helps, good luck!
Before my mum bought me my pony he was mainly used for lead rein showing classes so when I take him to a ridden class I can't get him to move away from the other ponies. If the judge walks over to me my pony just wants to follow him instead! Most of the time it seems that he prefers human company to other horses. When I hack out with others he is very forward going and is always happy to be in front. I think the world of my pony and if he is not happy in the show ring then so be it, I will enjoy hacking him out and looking after him.
Someone has suggested that we try taking him back to basics and long reining or lunging to get him going away from a handler, do you think this is a good idea or can you suggest something else? By the way I love the website!!
Red says: Thank you so much for your question and glad you like the website!
It sounds like you love your pony a lot which is great to hear. It also sounds like he definitely prefers people to other ponies which can sometimes happen. Actually it sounds as though he is used to living on his own and not with other ponies, is that the case? Horses that are used to living on their own quickly learn to treat their humans as their friends and leaders and look to them for love and support instead of other horses.
Us horses can be quite unconfident and we are always used to having a leader - your pony looks to the nearest human for that leadership and that security, whether that's you or sometimes the judge!
Lunging or long reining sounds like a very good idea to help him to get his confidence and learn that it's ok to go it alone. Also if he does live on his own you could try turning him out with other ponies to see how he gets on as horses quickly regain their herd instincts when they are with other horses again. If you continue to have problems, you could get a professional horse handler to help you - log on to www.kellymarks.co.uk to find out more or phone our Welfare helpline on 01508 481008. Good luck!
My friend's pony has rather flat withers and his saddle doesn't fit properly. Is this a massive problem or just a minor one?
Red says: Yes, this is actually a big problem and could be causing your friend's pony a lot of pain. All horses should have their saddles fitted properly and checked regularly in case they change shape - even if this pony has flat withers they should be able to find a saddle that fits. Please tell your friend not to ride their pony until they have seen a professional saddle fitter. They can even come to your house and make you a saddle specially - ask your local tack shop if they can recommend someone. It doesn't have to be expensive and your pony will be so grateful.
My friend's pony is only 4 going on 5 and they can't find a saddle to fit him. Every saddle that is put on him, he starts to rear. They have had the vet out to check his back and it is fine but we don't seem to know what the problem is?
Red says: It sounds like your friend's pony is in some kind of discomfort when he has a saddle on. If the saddle doesn't fit him correctly then it will cause him some pain. I would tell your friend not to ride their pony until they have seen a professional saddle fitter. This doesn't have to be expensive and will rule out that the saddle is the cause of their pony's rearing. It could also be that their pony has a problem with their teeth, this can often cause a pony to rear when being ridden. If his back has been checked and is fine and a saddle fitter has correctly fitted a saddle and he is still rearing then I would advise your friend to get her pony's teeth checked by an Equine Dentist or your local vet - ask at your local tack shop if they can recommend someone. Your friend's pony will be extremely grateful for you help. Good Luck!
I ride every day at some stables and the pony that I ride bucks and seems to always be moody. Why is this?
Red says: Thank you for your question. Some ponies can be cheeky when ridden and often buck when excited, just acting naughty really! However he/she may be in some discomfort which is causing him/her to buck. If this is the case the pony may also act moody as it is in some pain. The best thing for you to do is talk to the stable owner about your worries regarding the pony. It could be the pony has a sore back which is causing it to buck, which in this case it would need to see a vet. It may be the saddle does not fit him/her correctly which would cause it discomfort, it would then need to see a saddle fitter. Both these problems are serious as the pony maybe in pain, I would recommend it is seen by a vet as soon as possible. It doesn't have to be expensive and the pony will be so grateful. I hope this helps!
Redwings Stuff
How many horses have Redwings saved over the past year and how many mares and foals have you saved as well?
Red says: Over the last year, Redwings has taken in more than 100 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules, with around four sets of mares and foals including Cinders and Gulliver, a lovely mother and foal rescued by the RSPCA. Cinders was very thin and poorly when she was found as there was not enough food to eat, but her foal Gulliver was quite fit and healthy because Cinders had been giving him all her nutrition through her milk and suffering herself, poor thing. Mum and baby are doing very well now though!
How many horses do you have?
Red says: We currently have 1150 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules living at the Sanctuary, plus another 550 living out in Guardian homes around the UK. That's a lot of mouths to feed!
I love coming to visit the horses and ponies at Redwings, but please can we ride them when we come?
Red says: The horses and ponies you meet at our visitor centres are not suitable for riding I'm afraid. They have all been rescued and they may be very elderly or have poorly legs. Lots of them have worked for many years already or they have been treated very badly before they came to us so we think they have earned a break!
The younger horses and ponies that we rescue sometimes get trained to be ridden by our re-homing team and if they enjoy it we find them a new home with a Guardian family. I think our re-homing team are very lucky indeed!
Where is Redwings?
Red says: Redwings Horse Sanctuary has its headquarters in Norfolk but we also have visitor centres in Essex and Warwickshire. In total we have nine sites across the UK and we look after more than 1100 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. Our welfare team works throughout the UK to help horses and ponies in need. Hope that answers your question!
I would love to work with you at Redwings but I am 13 years old. When can I come and help?
Red says: It is lovely that you want to come and look after us! Unfortunately you need to be 18 years old before you can work for us but there are lots of other ways you can get involved. You can tell all your friends about us or why not try raising money for Redwings instead - it's a great to help us and have fun at the same time. Email fundraising@redwings.co.uk to get your free fundraising pack!
I really want to do some fundraising for Redwings but I don't know what to do. Can you please give me some ideas?
Red says: Thank you so much for your question, it is great you are interested in ways you can help Redwings. Fundraising can be good fun and a great way to help us horses here at Redwings. There are many ways you can help raise money and at the same time raise awareness of Redwings. You could hold an event at home or in school, for example cake sales, non uniform days or you could do a sponsored event or challenge, like a fun bike ride or sponsored silence. This all sounds like great fun to me! If you would like more information on fundraising then please contact fundraising@redwings.co.uk and we can send you out a fundraising pack. Good luck and remember to have fun!
Adoptions
Hi Red! I have just adopted Boo! He is so sweet, me and my mum instantly fell in love with him! Do you know how tall he is and how old?
Red says: Boo is a very handsome chap, isn't he? He was very excited to hear that you have decided to adopt him so thank you! Boo was born in 1994 so he is 13 years old and he is 14.3hh which makes him technically a horse rather than a pony, but only just!
Who is Dylan from Oxhill's best friend?
Red says: That's an easy one! Dylan is friends with Stig, Romeo and Puck but his bestest friend in the whole world is Snuffles, a very cute pony with a twisted muzzle who Dylan loves to play with all day.
What breed of pony was Polly and what breed is Finnegan?
Adoption pony Polly was a native pony, although as she was a rescue case I'm afraid we don't know any more than that about her history. Beautiful Finnegan is a traditional cob - he even has hairy legs (known as feathers) which gives the game away! You can read more about all our adoption horses by going to the Adoption pages of the main Redwings website - follow this link >>>>>>> but don't forget to come back soon!
Red, what sort of horse is Darcey? And when I visit her (my adoption horse) I always leave some carrots. Should I keep leaving the carrots or give you the money instead?
Red says: Our adoption horse Darcey is a very pretty dapple grey German Warmblood - I'm so glad to hear you adopt her, thanks for your support! It's very kind of you to leave carrots when you come to visit Darcey as she loves them! In fact, all the ponies are always very grateful for them. But of course if you would prefer to leave money then that is very welcome too and can help the team here to buy all the medicines and food that we need. As there are more than 1000 of us that's an awful lot of mouths to feed! Thanks for your question and we look forward to your next visit.
Did you know that I have adopted Sampson? I haven’t met him yet, do you think he will be fun?
Red says: Thanks for your question, it is great you have adopted Sampson. He is such a sweet and lovely pony. You will have to try and get to see him one day, as he is such good fun. He loves to play with his friends in his field, I heard the other day that he was a little cheeky when the lady photographer went to get his photo. He ran around so much he got covered in mud! So he looked very muddy when she took his photo. Isn't he naughty? I hope you enjoy adopting Sampson and that you can see him soon. He is definitely good fun! Enjoy!
General
How many breeds of horses are there in the world?
Red Says: There are over 300 different breeds of horses in the world, each with different abilities and temperaments. Below I have listed a few of my friends and which breed they are.
Finnegan is a cob
Misfit is a Shetland
Boo is a Arab.
Those are just a few of the different breeds we have living here at Redwings. Hope that answers your question!
How much does it cost to keep a horse per month on average?
Red says: This is a good question. Us horses cost a lot of money to be cared for. It is not possible to say exactly how much it costs as every horse is different. However I have listed a couple of things that cost money:
Farriers: If your horse has shoes on this can cost up to £60 per set and this is necessary every 4-6 weeks. If your horse doesn't have shoes on it will still need trimming again every 4-6 weeks.
Worming: All horses must be wormed on a regular basis, every 8 - 10 weeks and prices can vary from wormer to wormer between £5-£30.
Those are just a couple of the costs, some others are things like feed, stabling, grazing, veterinary bills, insurance, tack and rugs. So us horses are not cheap to look after but if looked after right we can be very rewarding and great fun. I hope that helps!
What would happen if a horse or pony ate ragwort?
Red says: That is a good question. Ragwort is a very poisonous plant to us horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. It may look a harmless plant but it actually damages our liver if we eat it. There is a poison in the ragwort that causes damage and this builds up over time and cannot be repaired. It can be just as serious to eat small amounts over a long period of time as it would eating a large amount in one go. It is very important for all ragwort to be removed from our fields and disposed of correctly and carefully. If you are concerend that a horse has eaten ragwort then a vet should be called as soon as poosible. This is a very good question and if you would like any further information on it please visit our website www.redwings.co.uk and have a look in our welfare section. I hope this helps!
What do you get up to on Christmas day Red?
Red says: On Christmas day I am greeted by all our lovely staff who feed me and look after me. I am also out in my field with my friends and we spend the day eating yummy hay and then having a lovely nap to rest. I will also play with my friends in my field, we love to run around and have lots of fun. So we do have a fantastic time on Christmas day and even our lovely carers come and look after us, it is a full time job looking after us horses. We are very lucky to have them looking after us! I hope you have a lovely Christmas and have lots of fun!
