ZEBRA equine services

11/01/2025

COPING WITH FREEZING WEATHER

Brrrr some really cold winter weather has arrived here in the UK ☃️❄️🐴

Some tips to help your horses stay happy and healthy:
❄️Feed plenty of forage, which helps keep them warm from the inside due to the fermentation process of digestion in the gut
❄️Add hot water to your horse's drinking water since many horses don't drink enough if the water is icy cold
❄️ Be sure to break ie on water of pasture-kept horses twice daily in freezing weather
❄️Add a handful of epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) to a soaked feed if there are any signs of dehydration e.g. slow skin pinch return/drier droppings than usual (epsom salts draw water into the gut and help avoid impactions)
❄️Consider high fibre mashes or forage pellets soaked down to increase moisture content of feed - but always make all dietary changes gradually
❄️If they can't be turned out when used to having grass available - even winter grass - feed soaked grass pellets or dampened grass chaff to slow the change in forage intake
❄️Try to get your horse moving any way you can if they have to be stabled full time and riding is limited since stabling does increase the risk of colic - turnout to arena/pen/hand-walking even if in boring circles in the arena!
❄️Immediately reduce concentrate feed for working horses whose exercise is reduced
❄️Horses cope better with dry cold weather than wet cold weather, but shelter and rugging will help those who have high energy requirements or drop weight easily
❄️Do monitor the individual horse as concerns rugging to ensure you're not over-rugging due to how cold it feels to you - they should not feel hot under a rug

Feel free to share and add your snowy horse pictures and your ❄️❄️coping strategies below in the comments

🐴🍏❄️

22/12/2024

The GMP Mounted Unit are on the lookout for potential horses 👀🐴

They are looking for horses that fit into the following criteria:
☑️ 6 years upwards (although may consider 5 year old dependent on factors including mental & physical maturity)
☑️ Breed - any draught breed, Irish Draught, sports horse or cross, heavier breeds preferred. Temperament is very important
☑️ Ideally gelding, (but mare maybe considered if used to working in close proximity to others in a ride)
☑️ Colour - Any
☑️ Fully vaccinated
☑️ Confident hacking in company and alone and to have had exposure to moderate traffic
☑️ Sound and in good condition
☑️ Good to shoe/trim, clip, load/unload and travel
☑️ Can cope with living in over winter months (with appropriate exercise)

The owner must be willing to allow GMP to take the horse on trial for 4-6 weeks pre purchase and be open to a 2 and 5 stage vetting.

Owner needs to be able to provide static pictures and dynamic videos to the GMP prior to any viewing. Viewings are conducted by two staff trainers and would be assessed statically, on the lunge and ridden when viewing.

If you think you might have a suitable horse for sale or long term loan (min 5 years) and want to find out more, please contact GMP directly.

Claire Hamer 62372
GMP Mounted Unit Stable Manager
Tel. 01618561795 OR 07966186892
Email: [email protected]

Greater Manchester Police

22/12/2024

25/11/2024

WHEN CONCENTRATE FEED IS POINTLESS

You only need to feed concentrate if your horse is losing weight.

There is no benefit from feeding half a scoop of a regular compound concentrate for a horse who is maintaining weight without it. You won't be adding useful levels of nutrients.

Feed a balancer or vitamin/mineral supplement instead.

Feel free to share
🐴🍏🧐

25/11/2024

I buy an annual pack from Poo Post, always a quick turnaround🦓

🚨PUT DOWN THE PRAMOX🚨

This is your yearly reminder to put that pramox away (for now)!

🪱Equest Pramox contains both moxidectin targeting encysted redworm and praziquantel targeting tapeworm.

🪱The most important fact about redworm is that when temperatures are consistently 5 degrees celsius and below they burrow into the gut wall, become ‘encysted’ and their activity dramatically slows down. This is when we want to use moxidectin as the worms are more susceptible. With temperatures currently very mild for November we are nowhere near reaching for the pramox and you will be wasting your hard earned pennies!

🪱Before worming with pramox we’d also encourage owners to perform an equisal test for tapeworm, horses and ponies with a negative result will only need deworming with moxidectin and will not need pramox which includes praziquantel.

Wormer resistance is an ever increasing problem for our horses and ponies, there are only 5 licensed drugs to treat equine parasites in the UK and no new ones on the way so far. Using these wormers with little care will lead to no drug being effective, ultimately causing untreatable parasite problems which would be a disaster!

To tackle the problem we highly recommend doing regular worm egg counts on your horses and ponies to confirm if the use of a wormer is necessary.

For those wanting to know more about worming resistance and how you can implement sustainable equine parasite control, the canter guidelines are a very useful resource.
https://canterforhorses.org.uk/horse-owners/

This is the yearly programme we’d recommend everyone follow:

🟢 Spring - Worm egg count
🟠 Summer - Worm egg count
🟤 Autumn - Worm egg count & saliva test for tapeworm
⚫️ Winter - depending on risk, blood test for encysted red worm or treat with moxidectin (only once the temperature consistently drops!)

💩Samples for worm egg counts can be given to any of our vets or dropped into the office/collection box outside with a clear label. (We only need 3g of poo).

👯‍♀️We do a discount for whole yard worming plans so please do get in touch if you would like a vet to formulate a plan for you.

23/11/2024

Great information

FEEDING OLDER HORSES AND PONIES:

🐴 Pay particular attention to their overall health including monitoring signs of health, parasite control, dental care, footcare (especially when retired) and regular veterinary evaluations
🐴 Provide a suitable environment including adequate movement, careful choice of field companions, help with thermoregulation (shade, shelter, rugs & clipping if required)
🐴 Monitor their condition even more regularly than a younger horse with weekly condition scoring and weightaping/weighing. Old horses and ponies can drop weight/condition very fast
🐴 Replace long forage (hay, haylage) with more easily chewed alternatives if any signs of dental insufficiency e.g. weight loss (especially in winter), quidding and reduced consumption of forage
🐴 Use hay replacer chaffs in early stages, then ground fibrous feeds, soaked to a mash e.g. unmolassed sugar beet, high fibre nuts, grass/alfalfa pellets, specialist fibre mashes
🐴 Feed a good quality diet with adequate vitamins and minerals but do not overfeed energy i.e. maintain a slim body condition
🐴 Use supplements strategically, including those to support joints and digestive health when there are dental issues
🐴 For those with PPID (Cushing’s syndrome), ensure adequate good quality protein, feed elevated vitamins and minerals and add extra vitamin C

You can claim a free article all about feeding older horses and ponies by commenting feeding oldies below

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🐴🍏

06/11/2024

🚨 Huge Thank You to Karl and GB Storage Ltd, Shaw! 🚨

We want to give a massive shout-out to Karl, who owns and runs the incredible high-tech, secure self-storage facility GB Storage in Shaw. Today, Karl has generously donated a storage locker to us here at Defibrillators Save Lives!

This amazing support means we now have a secure, accessible place to keep our installation kits, training materials, spare defibs, and pads all together. Our Trustees can access everything easily whenever needed, making our work so much smoother.

Karl, we can’t thank you enough for choosing to help us out in such a meaningful way. Your support truly makes a difference, allowing us to focus on our mission to save lives in the community. Thank you, GBStorage!

🌟 Please join us in thanking Karl for this incredible domation! 🌟

Visit GB Storage:
https://www.gbstorage.co.uk/

06/11/2024

Hi, Welcome to The Bit Doctor. I am Dr. Ginny-Marie Bradley BSc. Msc. PhD. and I am an independant Bit and Bridle Fitter based at Millstream Saddlery, Staffordshire. I am LANTRA and HBFA Courses - EAPER Bit And Bridle Fitting Consultants Qualified and also a member of The Equine Fitters Directory

I also operate a bit and bridle fitting and hire service all over the UK.
Though I'm based in Staffordshire and cover most of the central part of the UK including Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Shropshire, Nottinghamshire, Midlands, West Midlands, Manchester, Birmingham, North West, Wirral, Wales, North Wales, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Leicestershire, south Yorkshire. I will cover most places if there's a group.

If your horse has exhibited any of the following, then you need to contact The Bit Doctor and I can help you out in any way i can to get you and your horse riding in harmony as one team.
🐴 head tossing, tilting or shaking
🐴 head going up in the air
🐴 head going too low
🐴 tongue sticking out
🐴 tongue over the bit
🐴 horse not accepting the bit
🐴 horse not going into a rounded outline or avoiding the contact
🐴 not responding to rein aids
🐴 exhibiting bad behaviour I.E rearing, napping or bucking
mouth opening
🐴 chomping or playing with the bit
🐴 excessive salivation
🐴 lack of attention

👩‍🏫 Consultations:
Unlike other bit and bridle fitters I believe that horses need the bit that suits you and the horse. This might be a branded bit or it might be a standard stainless steel bit. I will bring a variety of bits based on the questions I ask prior to the consulltion. This means I will have bits that vary from £5 to £250 and I will allow you and your horse to try as many bits as it takes. So during the consulation you will get to try lots of bits, making it much more worth while than other fitters.

👜I stock both new and secondhand bits, I believe that this gives you a real chance of getting a grasp on whats right for you as a team.
I carry new Neue Schule, Myler, Bombers, Beris, Nathe, Fager, Stubben, Sprenger Korsteel, Elico, Winderen and loads of other brands of Bits. Unlike most other bit fitters I carry a huge range of new and used bits of different brands.

I carry Stubben, Premier Equine m, Ecorider, and colligate bridles which are all bulid your own. This means that we can get the bridle that is an exact fit for your horse and is perfect for what you need, your level and what discipline you are doing.

👩‍🏫Consultations will last around 1 and a half hours but if you need longer I will continue the consultation and wont cut you off. I will start by assessing the horse from the ground, assess your stable routines. I will be checking dental care, observing how they walk and trot up. I will observe how you tack up and how your horse reacts to this. Then we shall start with how your horse rides in your current set up and then work from there to see what suits you both as a partnership. After this we will try different bits and bridles to see what is suitable for your horses comfort.

🏘PRICES
Single horse £75 per horse
First 20 miles free after that mileage is charged at 50p per mile.

Group bookings of 4 or more £65 per horse plus 50p per mile (mileage can be split between everyone in the group). Horses have to be at one location.

I am willing to travel almost anywhere within the UK. Group bookings are preferred especially over 30 miles.

🌐 If youd like an online assessment or advice I charge £30 this will be me asking questions, requesting videos, photos and I'll make a recommendation on what bit I would suggest. Of course this doesn't allow me to full assess your horses confirmation, your horses needs and rider compatibility, nor does it allow you to try as many bits as possible but if you're happy with this I can help no problem. If youd like an online assessment with a video call it will be £35 and I can spend more time assessing your horses confirmation virtually.

🤯 Bitting and bridles are a complete mine field and it is so difficult to know where to start. Thats what I am here for to help you reconnect with your horse, get your horse to relax and for you to become one team.

Please get in touch, call me on 07801 556810 or drop me a message on whatsapp.

29/10/2024

New guidelines on equine worm control have been launched – with the warning: “If horse owners don’t make these changes now, it will be too late.” Cross-sector group CANTER (Controlling Antiparasitic resistance in Equines Responsibly), has published a “crucial” document setting out key pr...

03/10/2024

Mane & tail tidy ups for this lovely pair✂️

02/09/2024

A super relaxed training opportunity at Croft Top's Clear Round Night for the girls with Jack & Betty🦓

31/08/2024

*** Trailer Alert ***

We have seen an increase in thefts of trailers across the county, enquiries are ongoing to identify the suspects involved.
If you own a trailer, please consider the following target hardening advice.
- Use wheel and hitch locks whilst in storage
- Store trailers in areas covered by CCTV
- Block trailers in whilst being stored with other vehicle and locking gates
- Install trackers to trailers
- If trailers are not in use for a period of time consider removing wheels and other features to immobilise
- Make a log of any serial numbers, makes model and identifying features

PC Williams