Tip

PENNY-WISE PURCHASES

Don’t overlook the dollar store for items you may need around the barn. I go there to purchase things like spray bottles, sponges, hairbrushes and basic first-aid supplies.— Joanna Warner, Aubrey, Texas

Send your suggestions for inexpensive horse-care substitutes as well as hints for saving effort and time to Hands On, EQUUS, 656 Quince Orchard Road, #600, Gaithersburg, MD 20878; fax: 301-990-9015; email: EQLetters@aimmedia.com. Senders of published items will receive selected EQUUS merchandise. serious risk of injury to the horses kept in those areas.

If you have a paddock that is notorious for the appearance of mystery items all winter, it may have previously been a dumping ground, filled over decades with metal, glass and other debris. The safest option is to keep horses off such areas, but if that’s not feasible, you’ll need to be extra vigilant about checking for hazards during the winter months.