Get ‘em before they are gone! Good through June 2, buy 2 chicks, get one free! Chickens are “eggs”-celent barnyard companions for horses and other livestock. Free-ranging chickens eat up bugs, flies, and slugs, helping keep your barnyard pest-free. And, they are entertaining!
Anyone with a dog knows that foxtails are the bane of summer, but did you know that foxtails in hay or pasture can cause serious problems for your horses too? While a horse occasionally gets a foxtail in an eye, it is also common for foxtails to become embedded inside the mouth, under the tongue and between the teeth. This causes ulcers and sores in the horse’s mouth, sometimes to the point that veterinary care is required. Symptoms that your horse has a sore mouth due to foxtails can include slobbering, flopping the lips or shaking the entire head, refusing to eat and terribly smelly breath. Check for foxtails by lifting your horse’s upper and lower lips to examine the front of the teeth. Remove any collection of foxtails by rinsing the mouth with a hose on low pressure, or using your hand (wear a glove, as the foxtails can be very stinky) to scrape the 
foxtails away from the gums, lips and teeth. If the horse has open ulcerations, try rinsing with salt water, although plain water will help. Some horses will get foxtails when eating the same feed or pasture that others are eating without issue. Older horses with longer teeth are more prone to the problem. Check frequently to be sure that the foxtails are not starting to collect up in the horse’s mouth or under the tongue. Prevent further infestations by mowing down any foxtails in your pastures, preferably when they are immature and green. Remove and do not feed any hay that has foxtails. Left untreated, foxtails in a horse’s mouth can cause major ulceration and even work into the tissues of the horse’s face and gums. This year has been a good one for the grass and for foxtails, so don’t forget your ponies when doing the “foxtail check” on your pets!
June is the month for Grads and Dads! Stop by Rainbow for something that will make your grad or dad smile! How about a new, cool short-sleeve Western shirt from Wrangler, or some kicky Carhartt shorts? A head-saving straw Cowboy hat to keep the sun out of Dad’s eyes? Boots, belts, ball caps … or maybe something for the yard and garden? Let that Grad know she’s special with keepsake jewelry from Montana Silversmiths! There’s a ton of gift ideas in the Rainbow Ag stores – and you can go for something really memorable and unique like a ton of hay, pallet of pig feed or a new water tank! Father’s Day is Sunday, June 18!
Events:
A weekend of fun is planned June 3 & 4th at the Willits Horsemen’s Association. Join them for the 68th Annual Beef Barbecue and Rodeo, at the Willits Horsemen’s Rodeo Grounds on East Commercial Street in Willits.
Gymkhana, Team Roping, Beef Barbecue, Rodeo Events for All Ages! Free to Spectators Complete information and entry forms also available on The Willits Horsemens’ Facebook Page.
4H Horse Project Showmanship Practice with Terry Silva, Saturday June 3, 2017 10 AM to Noon, at the Redwood Riders Arena at 8300 East Road in Redwood Valley. View the complete information HERE.
Summer is Fair and Show season, and Rainbow Ag is here to help no matter what animal you are showing! Check out the selection of horse, livestock and show supplies in both Rainbow stores. There’s everything you need from clippers to shampoo, and Rainbow’s experienced staff is available to answer your questions and help you choose just the right product. Don’t miss this month’s subscriber coupon either – save 20% on any Fly Repellent Spray!
Oats are a good source of calories, fuel from starch and a decent amount of oil, some protein and amino acids. However, they lack many important nutrients performance horses need to stay in top form. Maybe that is why successful horse trainers through the ages have often fed the best-quality oats they could find, but then added various supplements to try and meet all the nutritional needs of top-level performance horses. They just could not maintain top performance on oats and hay alone. Learn more about the value of oats and their place in proper nutrition for your performance horse, in this month’s Purina article by Karen E. Davison, Ph.D.
Trivia Contest: Last month’s winner is Vicky Johnson, and the correct answer was, This year’s Potter Valley Spring Festival and Rodeo is the 71st annual event. Answer the question for June – Which event will NOT be part of the Willits Horsemen’s 68th Annual Beef BBQ and Rodeo? — to be entered to win a $15.00 Rainbow Gift Card! Enter Here!