By Judy O'Brien Van Put
JEFFERSONVILLE — June 17, 2003 – Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 12. This is a great opportunity to partake in a fun and exciting Trail Ride, and one that will benefit a good cause, as well.
Susan Fehsal has announced the particulars – a Trail Ride to benefit the St. Jude Foundation will be held at Aquazen, site of the former Indigo Stables, in Jeffersonville. The trail ride begins promptly at 11 a.m, and lasts about one to two hours. The day’s events conclude with a barbecue lunch at $5 per plate.
All horses must have current immunizations and negative Coggins test. ASTM SEI safety helmets are required for all riders. For those who wish to participate but do not have their own mounts, Pat Congelosi indicated he might have some horses available to rent for the occasion; interested riders should call ahead.
Pledge sheets can be obtained by calling Susan at 482-9366. They will be available through July 4.
St. Jude offers an array of prizes for those who secure sponsors in the amounts of $35, $75, $125 and $175. Those who raise a minimum of $35 will be awarded a St. Jude t-shirt and patch. For those who raise $75, the St. Jude Foundation awards a sports bag, t-shirt and patch. The $125 fundraisers earn a sweatshirt, sports bag, t-shirt and patch, and those who are able to raise $175 earn a sweatshirt, sports bag, t-shirt and cap.
There are still a few weeks to get your horses in shape for this noteworthy event; for additional information please call Susan at 482-9366. Rain date for this event will be Saturday, July 19.
Fly woes
The neverending rainy season has left many pastures and paddocks with wet, swampy and puddly areas which are prime spots for insect infestation.
Be sure to empty out buckets and extra troughs and get rid of all old tires which can serve as a breeding grounds for mosquitoes (and West Nile Virus).
Liberal use of fly repellants will help. One trick I’ve learned for my horses’ ears (which are so sensitive to the black flies) is to smear some “Bag Balm” inside the ears. The heavy, sticky product must be repellent to flies, as our horses are much more comfortable when they’ve had the Bag Balm applied.
Not all horses are amenable to having fly spray applied. For those who really put up a fuss, try the new “Absorbine Ultra-Shield” towelettes. These single-use insect repelling wipes are supposed to repel several types of flies, gnats, fleas and mosquitoes for three to five days, according to the manufacturer. Washing your hands is recommended after use. Each box contains 10 towelettes.