Runner

Bedding for Runners

It is bad for runners to stand for too long on a bare, hard flooring so there should be a thick layer of bedding laid both at night and and in the day. The best bedding is wheat straw, though sawdust makes a comfortable bed as well. Care must be taken that materials that the runner might consider good to eat, like oat straw, and materials that are too scratchy, like barley straw, are not used.

Bedding should be laid thickly, to help absorb waste. If not enough bedding is laid, more will have to be removed when the pen is mucked out. Also, the night bedding should be thicker to encourage the runner to lay down to sleep and to provide a comfortable place to do so. Bedding should be tossed well and banked up the sides. Day bedding is made by sweeping and airing the floor and replacing straw after mucking out the pen.

Feeding of Runners

There are three rules to remember when feeding runnerbeasts:

• 1. Feed often in small quantities.

The runnerbeast digestive system is adapted to leisurely feeding. Hay and grass are considered bulk foods and should be supplemented by concentrate feed, such as oats. However, care should be taken not to overfeed a runner on concentrates, as this can lead to colic which is not only extremely painful, but can be life-threatening. Between 1.3kg (3lbs) and 1.8kg (4lbs) of concentrates is as much as can be handled at one time. Feeds, both bulk and concentrates, should increase in quantity as the day progresses, with the largest meal given at night since runners do not sleep straight through the night, but sleep and feed intermittently. If it runs out of hay in the night, a runner may start eating its bedding.

• 2. Do not work the runner hard right after feeding.

The reason for this is that after eating concentrates, the runnerbeast's stomach and bowels are enlarged, which pushes on the diaphragm and puts pressure on the lungs. Hard work at this time will cause distress and labored breathing. Concentrates should be given at least one candlemark before activities such as galloping, jumping, or draft work. Though no harm will come of a quiet ride, it is still a good idea to give as much time as possible after feeding.

• 3. Always provide plenty of water.

If fresh, clean water is always provided a runner will never develop the kind of thirst that causes it to drink too much. A hot tired runnerbeast will want to drink a lot, and should be allowed to do so.

Runners need protein, fats, starches, sugars, salts, vitamins, and fibrous or woody substances every day, along with plenty of water. The concentrate feed that provides he best balance of these, is oats.

List of Concentrate Feeds

• Oats: Should be fed bruised instead of whole. They can have an exhilarating effect on some runners so care should be taken on giving too much to runners to be used by children or inexperienced riders.

• Barley: Should be fed bruised, though boiled is good as well. Barley is very close to oats in nutritional value, though it has a less exhilarating effect on runners. It has a higher portion of fats and starches, a lower amount of salts and fiber than oats.

• Corn: Should be fed with other grains. It is lacking in salts and fiber, though it is very palatable and can be used to encourage runners to eat.

• Bran: The by-product of wheat after flour has been removed by milling. It has little nutritional value, but is useful as it makes runners eat more slowly and chew properly, and it helps regulate the bowels.

• Legumes: High protein feed to be mixed with grains, especially good for runners involved in heavy work or in severe weather conditions.

• Linseed: the seeds are boiled and then set to simmer until a jelly is formed. The jelly, mixed with grain feeds, is good for a runner that needs fattening. It also is beneficial for the runner's coat.

• Fingeroots, Redfruit and Turnips: Fingerroots should be sliced and mixed with grain feed. Turnips should be fed whole. Redfruit can be fed whole or sliced...alone or mixed with grain feed.

• Gruel: made by pouring boiling water into a bucket with a double handful of oatmeal. Should be fed when cool and is good for very tired runners.

Grooming for Runners

Grooming is very important for the skin and coat of runnerbeasts, and so should be done thoroughly every day. Grooming is not a gentle rub down with a brush, but in fact, a strenuous exercise for the groom. The following items should be used:

• Dandy brush: Used to remove surface mud and dirt from the body. It should never be used on sensitive areas, such as the underbelly, between the thighs, or the face. It should also not be used on the mane or tail as it breaks off the hairs.

• Body brush: Used to clean the coat. It should be used with firm pressure and with an ungloved hand, so that the tips of the fingers can be used to discover any unusual lumps or scratches or other skin irregularities.

• Curry comb: Used to vigorously remove dead skin and loose hair from the runner's face and body. It is especially useful when the animal is shedding, and runners find it particularly pleasing on their faces between the eyes.

• Mane comb and water brush: The mane comb is used to comb the mane and/or tail. The water brush is used wet to help lay the mane and/or tail in preparation for braiding or bandaging.

• Hoof pick: Used to clean debris from the runner's hooves.

• Oil: Oil should be applied to the runner's hooves in order to prevent brittleness. It is especially necessary for light colored hooves.

• Towel or small blanket: Used either to rub down the runner after grooming, or to dry off a wet runner.

• Sponges: Used to clean the eyes, nostrils, dock and mouth.

The groom should run his or her hands over the legs while grooming. The legs should be cool to the touch and the tendons should be firm. Any dirt should be removed, including any that may be lodged on the inside of the pasterns, between the coronet and the fetlock joint. Special care should be taken, when grooming the head, not to bump into the runner's eyes with the brush.

Runner Pens

Runner pens should be large enough for the beasts to be able to lie down, roll and get up again without getting too close to the walls and thus being unable to roll themselves free. The ideal dimensions for runner pens are 3.5m x 3.5m (12ft x 12ft). However, 3.5m x 3m (12ft x 10ft) is sufficient.

Runner pens need a manger that is, ideally, set at around 60cm (2 ft) from the ground for feed. The actual height of the manger should vary in relation to the size of the runnerbeast, since small runners are not able to reach food placed in a manger set at a proper height for larger runners. The pen also needs a hay rack, or ring for attaching a hay net, a tie ring for securing the runner while it is being groomed, and a bucket for water. The bucket should be heavy and difficult to tip over and should be placed in a corner and braced with a cross-piece of wood.

Runners need to be able to look outside of their pens, so each pen should have at least one window which should stay open at all times, except during threadfall or harsh weather. Most bad behavior in penned runners is caused by the boredom of solitary confinement. Runners are herd beasts and so do not do well when isolated.

The flooring of the pen should be roughened to prevent the animal from slipping and should slope slightly towards a corner away from the entrance. That corner should contain a small hole that is dug out into a draining gully.