This Sucks (am I talking about vacuums or the weather? You decide!)
Welp, I woke up to another two inches of rain right after everything had finally started drying out. At least it was nice all weekend? I took advantage of the sunshine and spring-like temps by spending most of both days outside and checking some things off my to-do list -- one of those things was introducing the girls to my vacuum. A few years ago, I picked this up used pretty inexpensively at our local tack store (which is on my list of topics to write about, because I LOVE that place), and I used quite a bit of consignment credit I had built up, so it cost me like... $20 out of pocket.
Stock photo from Double K -- mine has a blue body, not black, but basically the same as this.
I attempted to use it on Ruby once or twice when she was a baby, but she was not interested, and since I wasn't riding much then, it sat in a box in storage for a while. I've thought about it several times in the last year, so I finally remembered to pull it out a few weeks ago. The hose had a break in it, but luckily the design lent itself to just trimming the hose to be a little shorter, and it still works just fine. The attachments thread on each end, so I could actually shorten it even more if I were so inclined, and it would still work just fine!
Way more interested in snatching a mouthful of goat hay.
I started with Ruby, because I figured she'd be the easier study. I let her sniff the vacuum all over, then ran the attachments over her body without turning it on. She didn't care, so she got liberally rewarded with cookies. Then I stepped away, turned the vacuum on, and when she came over to investigate, more cookies. After that, it was no sweat to run it all over her body. I even cross-tied her and set my phone on a shelf to make this silly little video. Please ignore my hobo-like appearance, we were doing lots of clean up work on the farm all day so I was wearing clothes I could destroy, haha.
She did get a little nervous when I inadvertently pulled the cord taut against her chest, which was obviously my fault. She settled right back down, and after that I was more mindful of where I had the cords. I didn't really do much actual cleaning her up, mostly just wanted to desensitize her to it so I could start using it more in the future :) especially in the winter when there's so much scurf and dirt, and no bathing, I think it will help my horses look less raggedy and unloved.... haha.
I screenshot the start of the video because Ruby looked so dang cute!
I also attacked her with the Sleek-EZ -- it's the season I can't wear chapstick to the barn anymore, lol.
I figured Cinna might not take to it quite so well, so I enlisted DH to help. I wanted him to just be in charge of keeping her (more or less) still, while I worried about the vacuum. She actually shocked me, she gave it the hairy eyeball initially, but she came around really quickly! She got a little wiggly when Jack started screaming for her from outside, and he kept racing around the barn and pelting it with mud, so she jumped at the noises a few times, but she seemed fairly unconcerned by the vacuum.
Same as with Ruby, I didn't worry too much about cleaning her up, just wanted to get her comfortable around it so I can start using it more in our regular routine! All in all, a very successful hour of "training" with the girls, they're such good eggs! :)
What good girls <3
Stay tuned for entries about the fun stuff (riding!) later this week! ;)
hmmmmm interesting vacuum!! i've always used the big giant electro-groom machine, and pretty much every farm i've ever worked or ridden at has had one. when my last barn didn't have one i ended up buying and donating it (the barn was technically part of a school so the donation was tax deductible). the new barn also does not have one but i'm not sure i want to buy another one by myself again (this one would not be tax deductible either). at the same time tho i don't know how well it would last being shared among the barn as a whole. so... long story short, your smaller, less expensive version definitely looks like maybe a better solution for my purposes. bc damn i love horse vacuums....
I mentioned below, before I read your comment, but I just got a regular shop vac with the same sized motor as the electro-groom. Then added a horse attachment and voila! It was around $60 but for both items.
I can't say how mine would stack up against a big fancy one, but it works for me! I'd be leery of buying anything for a barn to share, mostly because I've seen how hard other people can be on "communal barn stuff" haha. But obviously I don't have that problem any more! 🙂
the shop vac is a great idea, tho my concerns of it wandering away in a shared space kinda.... increase dramatically lol. maybe if i literally chained it in place????>
I mean, you could throw a lock on the plug? (Something like this: https://www.masterlock.com/business-use/product/487). Might keep the borderline people honest 😉
They have smallish ones so you could just bring it with you when you think you'll need it? Or paint that thing hot pink so no one wants it? Monogram it all over maybe?
I was always pretty sure Rio would HATE the vacuum. He used to be really particular about... well everything. But he actually is pretty good with it. He loves how it feels, but he doesn't love when I first turn it on. I have just a shop vac with a horse attachment on it. I researched what size motor was in the horse vacuums, and then found a shop vac with the same sized motor. So much cheaper than buying a horse version, but you made it really well with yours too!
Yeah definitely! Right now it's in my barn aisle which is great from an outlet standpoint, but not helpful from a tacking up standpoint (I tack up next to my tack shed). I need to figure out an extension cord situation so I can use it in my tacking area!
Haha with 4 horses I turned into a "knock the mud off the saddle area and go" kind of person 😂 maybe the vacuum will help make up for my lack of effort?
Like Cinna, Q blew me away with how easily she dealt with the shop vac when I introduced it to her. Ironically, my horses in order of best to worst dealing with the shop vac are Q, Grif, Stan. I would have put money on it being the opposite!
What a nice, drama-free introduction of the vacuum!
ReplyDeleteI was pleasantly surprised! (Well, I figured Ruby would be fine, but I kind of expected theatrics from Cinna haha)
Deletehmmmmm interesting vacuum!! i've always used the big giant electro-groom machine, and pretty much every farm i've ever worked or ridden at has had one. when my last barn didn't have one i ended up buying and donating it (the barn was technically part of a school so the donation was tax deductible). the new barn also does not have one but i'm not sure i want to buy another one by myself again (this one would not be tax deductible either). at the same time tho i don't know how well it would last being shared among the barn as a whole. so... long story short, your smaller, less expensive version definitely looks like maybe a better solution for my purposes. bc damn i love horse vacuums....
ReplyDeleteI mentioned below, before I read your comment, but I just got a regular shop vac with the same sized motor as the electro-groom. Then added a horse attachment and voila! It was around $60 but for both items.
DeleteI can't say how mine would stack up against a big fancy one, but it works for me! I'd be leery of buying anything for a barn to share, mostly because I've seen how hard other people can be on "communal barn stuff" haha. But obviously I don't have that problem any more! 🙂
Deletethe shop vac is a great idea, tho my concerns of it wandering away in a shared space kinda.... increase dramatically lol. maybe if i literally chained it in place????>
DeleteI mean, you could throw a lock on the plug? (Something like this: https://www.masterlock.com/business-use/product/487). Might keep the borderline people honest 😉
DeleteThey have smallish ones so you could just bring it with you when you think you'll need it? Or paint that thing hot pink so no one wants it? Monogram it all over maybe?
DeleteI was always pretty sure Rio would HATE the vacuum. He used to be really particular about... well everything. But he actually is pretty good with it. He loves how it feels, but he doesn't love when I first turn it on. I have just a shop vac with a horse attachment on it. I researched what size motor was in the horse vacuums, and then found a shop vac with the same sized motor. So much cheaper than buying a horse version, but you made it really well with yours too!
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get the horse attachment? Someone commented on my FB page wanting one for their shop vac and I had no helpful suggestions, lol.
DeleteIf this one ever kicks the bucket, I'd be happy to go the shop vac route! I don't care about name brand stuff, as long as it gets the job done 😁
valley vet! I got the cheapest one which is fine, but they also have a pack of three that looks kind of awesome. More expensive though.
DeleteNice! Good mares! I have always wanted one for the winter as well. You'll have to use it more and give us an update/review! :-)
ReplyDeleteYeah definitely! Right now it's in my barn aisle which is great from an outlet standpoint, but not helpful from a tacking up standpoint (I tack up next to my tack shed). I need to figure out an extension cord situation so I can use it in my tacking area!
DeleteAwww good ponies! Mine was covered with mud this weekend - my arms got a good workout from all the currying
ReplyDeleteHaha with 4 horses I turned into a "knock the mud off the saddle area and go" kind of person 😂 maybe the vacuum will help make up for my lack of effort?
DeleteLike Cinna, Q blew me away with how easily she dealt with the shop vac when I introduced it to her. Ironically, my horses in order of best to worst dealing with the shop vac are Q, Grif, Stan. I would have put money on it being the opposite!
ReplyDeleteFunny how that works out sometimes! I was mentally prepared for a battle royale and she was like "nah it's fine". No complaints 😉
DeleteOh shedding season blegh! I wear my glasses if I'm doing a deep groom because I feel like the larger surface area protects my eyes lol
ReplyDeleteThat's a really good idea actually! 😀
Delete