Everyday objects – repurposed for horse riding

It can be so much fun to spend hours grooming our horse. Cleaning the tail, oiling the hooves, and so on... Many four-legged friends also enjoy a day of beauty. Of course, there is a wide range of products you can try out on your horse. There are entire beauty ranges for animals, and you can actually spend a lot of money in equestrian shops. But there are cheaper options. The simplest items from the drugstore can be wonderfully repurposed as horse care products. The same goes for equipment for ground work, fear training, or just for playing with your horse.

INHALT
Cleaning, care, and more Training, games, and fun
Cleaning, care, and more

You can stock up on grooming products for your horse at a drugstore. Here are a few ideas.

Care product checklist

  • Baby wipes – for cleaning the nose, eyes, and coat
  • Oil cloths – for cleaning and caring for nostrils and eyes
  • Milking grease – for wiping the corners of the mouth and softening dry areas
  • Vaseline – see milking grease
  • Baby powder – conjures up a brilliant white color on markings on the legs and also helps with hoof rot
  • Silver shampoo – washes white legs white
  • Birch water or apple cider vinegar – for tail rubbing
  • Burdock root oil – for dandruff
  • Hairpins – for sewing braids without a needle and thread
  • Tea tree oil mixed with water – for dandruff
  • Olive oil – a good substitute for hoof oil
  • Wound ointment – the benefits are obvious
  • Hair spray – for smoothness and easy combing of mane and tail
  • Microfiber sponge – as a head cloth
  • Diapers – to be used as hoof bandages (for example, for hoof abscesses)
  • Toothbrush – for cleaning the saddle
  • Shoe shine sponge – for shine on the bridle and boots
  • Zinc ointment – for treating wounds
  • Cotton wool – for cleaning spurs and outer bit rings (please do not use on the bit)

petsXL Sunny with baby powder umbrella ball
Training, games, and fun

So-called "shy horse training" has also become almost fashionable in the world of sport horses. Basically, it's about giving the flight animal that is the horse confidence in dealing with us, but above all in frightening situations. Whether on a simple ride, when ghosts could appear behind every other tree, or at the sight of a flag suddenly blowing in the wind in the riding arena. Your horse must trust you and master certain situations with you.

There are now more and more interesting methods being developed by various trainers from different disciplines of riding. But there is also an easier way. Get tips from experienced riders for working with young horses and feel free to use children's toys and other objects as training aids.

Checklist for repurposed training equipment

  • Pool noodles – available in different colors. They are easy to transport and suitable for a variety of uses. For example, you can trot around them or ride over them. You can place several of them in a row and lead your horse through them or ride through them with your horse. Your horse should also have no problem with you stroking its body with the pool noodle. Feel free to try it out – there are no limits to your creativity.
  • Baby potties – are small and handy and can be used as pole holders for cavaletti work or for a slalom course.
  • Flags – are wonderful for ground work.
  • A sitting ball – is perfect for ground work and playing in the paddock.
  • Balloons – come in a wide variety of colors and shapes. They can be tied to the arena fence or jump stands, for example. Or you can simply hold a balloon in front of your horse's nose.
  • Flying tape – can be used as a boundary. Or you can make a curtain out of a broomstick and flying tape that your horse has to walk or be ridden through.
  • A bed sheet – spread out on the ground, it's a real eye-catcher. Stepping on it and standing on it makes some horses feel uneasy at first.
  • A garbage bag – can be so many things. From a crackling bag to a jumping pad to a strange floor covering. Few horses step directly on it.
  • A hand clapper – available in fan shops, provides good acoustic training.
  • A rattle bottle – can be quickly made yourself from a small drinks bottle filled with small stones or buttons, and is also ideal for acoustic training.

With a pinch of creativity, you're sure to come up with a few other items that you can repurpose for use in your horse training. You'll see: it's exciting to see how your horse reacts to a new training session with unfamiliar equipment. Be inventive and have fun.