Reggie is a great horse; getting older, but still good. He keeps his owners busy. Four hours is no small swatch of time, but Reggie deserves the care he gets. Every spring, his belly gets crusty because the gnats chew away at the one place he can’t reach with his tail-swishes. The nasty midget flies even cause allergy reactions. So a good gentle underbelly scrub is in order. Yesterday, today, and no doubt tomorrow, he will get his wash. First wash includes antibiotics, followed by a cool rinse. Next wash requires a gentle soap wash and sponge down. Last wash needs to be a thorough cool water rinse and scrape down. A long handled scraper works like a squeegee to fling off the water that drips down under. Reggie only winces a little in the spot between his front legs where the gnats dig into his skin. After putting a nice thick coat of Swat under his belly, a turnout does him good. He happily stands sunning himself all afternoon. He won't even need to work his tail, because the fly spray administered along his flank keep him happily fly free.
Another rancher ace in the hole includes watering the dirt. When the dusty dry ground gets watered down, it keeps the flies at bay. Is that why the water department offers farmers special agricultural rates for service? Watering a half acre of land takes gallons. It works, and so does the 4 hours of care. Reggie can walk again (he had been hurting so much from the gnats he could hardly take a step yesterday). Now he's running around the lot, and even his hair is growing back where the crusty scabs are fallling off. No doubt, continued care will keep him healthy and happy all summer.
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