Full Care Retirement Services

Blanketing, Fly Sheets, Masks

Halters- We prefer washable nylon halters with breakaway crowns. Hard to catch horses wear nylon halters with breakaway crowns. Horses wear halters with breakaway crowns until integrated into their herd.

Horses are blanketed in early winter depending on the temperature, after first being allowed to grow their winter hair coat.  

​

Turnout sheets are utilized on milder winter weather days.

​

Fly sheets are utilized for horses, generally thin skinned TB's, who are bothered by flies. An alternative for sensitive horses is a stall during the fly season.

​

Fly Masks - We utilize various brands depending on what fits your horse best. Halters with break away crowns are used to keep masks on horses who like to shed their masks. Fly masks prevent health issues caused by pollen, allergens, and insects.

​

Shoo Fly Leggins reduce horses stamping flies & bot eggs.

Fly Masks and Shoo Fly Leggins are provided as part of the flat rate board option. 

Berks's Blanket Service

Donna Tomanelli of Berk's Blanket Service with over 30 years' experience in all aspects of blanket cleaning and repairs handles all of our horse blankets, sheets and fly sheets washing and repair. Donna also handles washing our nylon halters and cotton lead ropes.

If your horse’s blanket or sheet is damaged, Orchard Equine Retirement provides the use of a replacement at no charge, dependent upon size availability. Again, depending on size availability we can provide blankets or sheets for owner’s whose horses don’t have a blanket or sheet. This service is made possible by owners generous donation of their horses’ wardrobe when they pass away.

The washing and repair of your horse’s blankets, sheets, fly sheets, and halter washing is included in Orchard Equine Retirement’s flat rate boarding option. Owners who prefer itemized invoices are billed for this service.

Bathing, Clipping, Brushing

Regular weekly grooming with weekly or monthly bathing is an additional service.

Horses are groomed before blankets put on. Visiting owners are welcome to use our grooming vacuum when visiting their horse.

​

Manes & Tails - We prefer to let retired horses' manes and tails grow as nature intended for protection against biting insects and protection against the weather. However if a shortened mane is your preference, we will trim their mane. Mane pulling is uncomfortable to the horse, and hey this is their retirement so we prefer to not pull manes to shorten.

Spring and Late Summer baths and hosing off in hot weather are complimentary.

​

Body clipping for horses with Cushings is billed separately.

Treatments

Minor cuts and abrasions are a normal part of herd life. Minor cuts and abrasions are cleaned with Betadine or Chlorhexidine and a wound medication such as AluSpray applied at no charge.

Hoof Abscesses are a common ailment among newly retired Thoroughbreds, many of whom have thin soles and have had their front shoes pulled for the first time in years. Once acclimated to being barefoot hoof abscesses are rare. Customers are billed for wrapping and poulticing hooves.

We strongly recommend discussing with your farrier the application of a product to toughen your horse's soles before their shoes are pulled in an effort to reduce the chance of an abscess developing from a stone bruise.

Skin conditions caused by Dermatophilus congelensis is a bacteria that behaves like a fungus. On the horses lower legs it is known as dew poisoning or scratches while on the back it is known as rain rot. Both conditions are time consuming to treat require bathing, softening and the removal of scabs. A horse’s immune system plays a role in whether or not a horse develops the condition and its severity.

Colic Post Op Care

Horses requiring stall rest utilize the oversize 12’ x 16’  box stall in the Upper Barn with a tack room observation window allowing occupants to be observed without disturbance. The exterior Dutch Door is equipped with a top and bottom grill allowing for excellent cross ventilation and providing occupants with a clear view of other horses.

Restricted turnout is provided in a 80’ x 40’ dirt paddock with its own run in shed or slightly larger grass paddock with access to a run in shed. Smaller paddocks can be constructed utilizing fence panels with access to a run in shed.

Fees, if any, for these services are determined on an individual basis.