Fly Spray that WORKS

MSRP: $19.95 for a 32oz spray bottle (not available as concentrate)

RATING: **** (4 out of 5)

One of my clients, who switches fly spray brands like celebs switch hairstyles, bought "Green Hippo Organic Fly Spray" by Paddock Pride a couple of months ago, and I have to say I'm impressed!

Green Hippo is a blend of organic cedar oil in a water base - it contains no pyrethrins or citronella like most other fly sprays.

I'm not the type of person who makes buying decisions based on what's "green" or "environmentally friendly" - I've never gone to the supermarket looking for organic, free-range chicken, and my tack store buys are based solely on what's best for my animals and my wallet. So imagine my pleasant surprise when I started using Green Hippo. Not only does it actually kill and repel flies, but it actually continues to do so for more than fifteen minutes! In my experience, Green Hippo worked for up to two hours, even when the horse was sweating, and longer when the horse was at rest. It also smells good without being overpowering.

The downside is the price. I've seen it in local stores for as low as $16.99, but that's still expensive, even compared to the higher-end Farnam and Absorbine products. Also, be sure to spot-test your horse before applying. Some horses are susceptible to skin irritation/allergic reactions to certain oils.

My Pony Sunblock

MSRP: $20 for a 4.5 oz container (enough for about 60 daily applications for one horse)

Rating: ***** (5 out of 5)

Manufacturer Website: http://www.myponysunblock.com

I love this product! I own a two year old APHA Medicine Hat filly, and of course her face sunburns easily. I had tried baby products on her, but they irritated her skin and the smell deterred her from eating for awhile after it was applied. I also worried, like many horse owners, about her licking the human sunblock chemicals off her lips. So when I discovered My Pony Sunblock at the Pomona Equine Affaire, I was very interested in a sunblock made especially for animals.

My Pony Sunblock is made of 100% pharmaceutical-grade natural minerals, it's safe to put around animal's eyes, nose and mouth, rectum and genitalia. It's not just for horse's either: the manufacturer lists their product as being suitable for dogs, cats, cattle, and pigs as well.

Each tub of the product comes with a small, diamond-shaped cosmetic sponge, and you can apply the sunblock dry, or mix it with water to form a paste. The minerals actually bond with the skin and create a thin protective layer, rather than needing to be rubbed into the skin like with traditional lotions. Basically, so long as you can see the powder, it's working. In my experience, one application lasts nearly a full 24 hours.

Moreover, I think that this product is a fantastic value. A little goes a long way, and at the rate I've been going, I think that my 9 oz tub ($32) will likely last me the rest of the year.

Pomona Equine Affaire Special Report Part II

Event: Equine Affaire Horse Expo

Location: Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, Pomona, CA

Part 2: The Clinics, Seminars & Demos

Rating: *** (3 of 5 stars)

Because this post is so long in coming, and thus, no longer news, I'll endeavor to keep this entry to a brief overview.

Featured presenters and clinicians at the Pomona Equine Affaire including the following:
Monty Roberts, Craig Cameron, Linda Allen, Richard Shrake, Stacy Westfall, Mark Rashid, Linda Tellington-Jones, Charlotte Bredahl-Baker, Allen Pogue, Linda Hiby, and many more.

Clinics and demos included breed exhibitions, saddle fitting, trick training, horsekeeping and health care, conformation, rider fitness, equine acupressure and herbal medicine, and of course training for all disciplines and styles.

Hiatus and a Correction

The long hiatus was unanticipated, and I'm sorry if anyone was put-out by it. The only reason for it was that in spite of the slowing economy, business has blossomed for me - I'm currently riding/training 12 horses a week, teaching 15 hours of riding instruction, while helping to manage two different facilities, and taking 9 college units at night. I thank God that I have the ability to do what I do for a living, but it does rather limit my internet time. So again, I'm sorry if anyone was annoyed by a lack of posts.

Also, a correction to my first post regarding the Vetrolin Shine coat spray. The old label stated that the product did not contain any silicone. However, a friend of mine contacted the manufacturer and found out that the product now contains 15% silicone, a chance which was not reflected on the new label.

Pomona Equine Affaire Special Report Part 1

Event: Equine Affaire Horse Expo

Location: Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, Pomona, CA

Part 1: The Shopping

Rating: *** (3 of 5 stars)

I attended my first Equine Affaire five years ago, and I remember being nearly overwhelmed by the fantastic deals on essentials from wormers to trailers, as well as the plethora of new and innovative products. Since then, some years have been better than others, and this year I wasn't overly impressed by either prices or selection. The primary exception seemed to be the bridles. Good harness leather western headstalls and split reins were available all over the place, and I saw some very high quality dressage bridles I was afraid to look at the price tags on. The saddle selection was disappointing, however. I saw some nice Western show saddles, along with a limited number of Western trail and work saddles, but there were only two or three vendors at the entire show offering English saddles at all. Now, I did go on the final day of the event, but some asking around revealed that the selection hadn't been much better earlier in the week.

There weren't many booths offering horse wear (blankets, sheets, lycra hoods, etc), though Kensington had a large presence in one of the buildings and seemed to have plenty of sizes and options available (I very much like their products; look for an upcoming review on Kensington). Rider apparel was limited to a couple of vendors selling breeches and cute T-shirts, though Ariat had a huge boot sale going on, with last season's fashion boots going for 2 pairs for $100. And of course there were the usual peddlers of worthless "training gadgets" that made me cringe.

Nevertheless, I did find a couple of products that stood out to me, which I'm currently reviewing for later blog extries.

Coming Next, Equine Affaire Special Report Part 2: Expo clinics and demos

Rio Vista Color Enhancing Shampoos

MSRP: $9.75 for a 32 oz bottle

Rating: *** (3 out of 5)

Shampoos as a whole are generally homogeneous products, and while some are better than others - just about any shampoo will "do the job".

Aside from medicated shampoos, the one consistent niche for shampoos has traditionally been whitening shampoos - ones that can get those annoying green spots out of gray coats and white markings. Rio Vista has taken that desire one step further buy providing horse owners with a shampoo that brightens other coat colors.

The Rio Vista Color Enhancing Shampoos come in a number of shades for different coat colors: Hi-Ho Silver, Ravishing Red, Golden Palomino, Sorrel Chestnut, and Hi-Black Burgundy.

While I initially thought I'd like these shampoos and that they would work like the one I use for my color treated hair (using chemicals to enhance how the light hits the surface of the hair), that turned out not to be the case on either count. The Rio Vista shampoos have some sort of dye in them - a dye that stains your skin and clothes, the horse's white markings, and even light colored hooves. To the manufacturer's credit, the shampoos say on the bottle that they will stain skin and white markings, but on a horse with sizable leg markings its nearly impossible to prevent the shampoo from getting on the white areas during the course of a bath. Moreover, I was less than impressed with the outcome. The noticeable color enhancement to the horse's coat was both minimal and short lived (about 2 days).

In summary, this product line certainly has it's place, such as the day prior to a show or other event. But given the other factors it's just not all that practical or convenient for regular use.

Resources: horsetackreview.com

I'm reviewing another review site? You betcha! horsetackreview.com is a fantastic website, and one I refer to often when tack shopping.

Users submit reviews of equipment they've actually bought, citing the brand and model, place of purchase, and cost; along with a summary of the buyer's experience and likes/dislikes. The site is popular enough that readers can often get multiple opinions on a single tack model, giving the discerning buyer a clearer view of possible purchases. And while it's best to take any review with a grain of salt and to visit a tack store or dealer to assess big-ticket items like saddles, horsetackreview.com can go a long way to helping buyers narrow down their search.

The site is broken down by category: English, Western, Horse Gear, and Barn & Stable - each with multiple sub-categories for the different disciplines and styles under each heading. In addition, horsetackreview.com is easy to navigate, and reviews are ordered alphabetically by brand, and then by model - which means you don't end up scrolling through page after page of search results like you would on Google.

My rating for this site: **** (5 out of 5 stars)

Book Review

Title: "Rick Lamb's Horse Smarts for the Busy Rider: Insights in Small Bites from The Horse Show Minute Radio Program"

Author: Rick Lamb

Publisher: The Lyons Press Publisher Website

MSRP: $16.96

Rating: **** (4 to 5 stars)


This book is a compilation of over three hundred quotes from a number of equestrian authorities - professional riders, trainers, and veterinarians, all with a brief introduction and commentary by Mr. Lamb.


"Horse Smarts for the Busy Rider," could be read in just an hour or so, but it's perfectly suited to be a kind of daily devotional. This book is filled with little pearls of equestrian wisdom and insight, and while reading it I found myself dog-earing pages and highlighting passages I found relevant or inspiring. The commentary however, wasn't consistent. Mr. Lamb simply paraphrased what the expert had to say just as often as he added to or explained it. Also, there were a number of entries that seemed somewhat redundant. In addition, the book was heavily geared towards the Natural Horsemanship crowd - many of the contributors quoted were NH clinicians - Parelli, Anderson, Lyons, Shrake and so on, which is unsurprising considering that Rick Lamb is a long-time advocate for the NH movement. And while I personally practice natural horsemanship philosophy and technique, I am also very much interested and in favor of the classical methods of riding and training and I would have liked to see more of that reflected in this book.

Overall, I really enjoyed, "Horse Smarts for the Busy Rider." The book had a lot to offer and was a fun, easy read. I would definitely recommend it for any rider's home library.

Online Store: Show Horse Supplies

For those readers looking for professional-level supplies for show horses, or for those readers who like to keep their recreational horses looking like they just stepped out of the ring, I'd like to introduce showhorsesupplies.com

Owners Jonathan and Julie are dedicated to providing customers with the highest level of quality and service possible. Their business is geared towards the the serious horseperson and competitor looking to buy brand-name barn supplies, supplements, tack, hand-crafted horsehair jewelry, and even fun animal-themed office supplies! Showhorsesupplies.com is also a mobile physical retail business, traveling with Jonathan and Julie as they attend APHA breed shows to promote their Paint Horse breeding and showing operation based in Arizona. You can check out the front page of showhorsesupplies.com for details on where Jonathan and Julie will be next.

Book Review

Title: "Horse Gaits, Balance and Movement: The natural mechanics of movement common to all breeds."

Author: Suan E. Harris

Publisher: HowellBook House Publisher Website

Rating: ***** (5 out of 5)

MSRP: $21.99

In her book, Harris does an outstanding job breaking down and explaining the movement of the horse within the context of classical riding principles, and with the aid of over 3000 illustrations.

The book begins with a brief discussion of why the reader - and all riders, should take the time to study equine gaits, balance and movement. The author then progresses to an anatomy lesson; describing what denotes good conformation along with conformational faults (a topic revisited in even greater depth further on in the book), and an explanation of equine skeletal and muscular systems at rest and in motion. From there the book goes on to illustrate the mechanics of the gaits, the effects of impulsion and engagement (or lack thereof) and what differentiates the overall qualities of a good gait from a poor one. Included are examples of good and bad transitions, the phases of a horse's jumping effort and a detailed study of rider influence on the horse's balance and gaits.

Overall this book is a must-have for any serious equestrian's library. The information is fantastic and the illustrations are clear and precise - enhancing even the most advanced reader's understanding of this vital material.

Vetrolin Shine by Farnam

I'm going to kick off this blog with one of my favorite grooming products, Farnam's Vetrolin Shine coat spray and conditioner.

***** (5 out of 5 stars)

MSRP: $10.95 (for 32 oz, ready to use spray bottle).

Why I like this product:

I was never a big fan of coat conditioners, primarily because every other coat spray I've come across has alcohol and/or silicone in it. Both alcohol and silicone damage the coat by drying the skin and hair with repeated use, especially in horses not bathed frequently to remove the silicone. Vetrolin Shine has neither, and instead has B-vitamins and sunscreen built in to protect the coat from drying and sun bleaching. Still, like any other coat conditioner Vetrolin Shine will make the hair a bit slick, so it's best not to spray it on the saddle area if you intend to ride bareback.

This product also effectively repels dust and manure stains. After a thorough grooming or bath I simply spray it on my horses then follow up with a finishing brush to work it into the coat. In addition, Vetrolin Shine works well as a mane and tail detangler, without being sticky or slick. And while I know it's relatively unimportant in the grand scheme of things, I like the product's almost minty scent.

The bottle warrants a mention as well. Farnam's no-drip spray head is robust - I've only had one sprayer break in the two years I've been using this product, which with all the flimsy sprayers out there is a huge bonus in my book.

I usually find that a once per week application is sufficient to help limit the dust in my horses' coats and keep the hair and skin conditioned and tangle-free.

Introduction

Welcome to Equine Solutions!

About This Blog

The purpose of this blog is to provide readers with practical suggestions and help in regards to the everyday challenges of owning and caring for horses. I hope to achieve this goal by reviewing a wide variety of products, resources, and services for horses and their owners, as well as by doing my best to answer reader-submitted training and horse-care questions.

I will be using a simple 5-star rating system, following the guidelines below:

* 1 star = Product was of poor quality, effectiveness, or value
** 2 stars = Product was substandard in terms of quality, effectiveness, or value
*** 3 stars = Product was of reasonable or average quality, effectiveness, or value
**** 4 stars = Product was of above-average quality, effectiveness, or value
***** 5 stars = Product was of exceptional quality, effectiveness, or value

Contacting Me/Submitting Products for Review

While readers can leave comments to my posts here via Blogger, you can suggest a product you'd like to see reviewed or ask a question by emailing me at nekomegami.chan@gmail.com But please realize that like most people involved with horses, I have a rather limited budget, and thus big-ticket items like saddles, trailers, and $100 for a 5lb bucket supplements are beyond my ability to purchase simply for the sake of review.

If you represent a company which manufactures or distributes products for horses and/or riders and have a product you would like to submit for review, please feel free to email me at the email address given above. Before you do so however, understand that just because you send me samples for trial does not mean that the product automatically receive a positive review - I am always honest and fair in my assessments.

About Me

My name is Samantha, and I make my living as a riding instructor, horse trainer and assistant farm manager. I have been riding for nearly fifteen years in a variety of disciplines both English and Western. I have studied under several locally respected horsemen and women, and currently continue to apprentice under an accomplished breeder. I recently took about five years off from showing to focus on continuing my education, both collegiate and equestrian, though I will be returning to the show ring this year. First in the spring with my coming two APHA medicine hat filly "Every Girls Dream" (halter and showmanship), and later with my coming four year old Belgian x TB gelding "Avishay" who is now being prepared to begin under saddle work and whom I plan to show Training and First Level Dressage this summer and fall.

I have written reviews for equestrian products before and I have a passion for helping other horse owners by sifting through all the hype and anecdotes and finding the things that not only work, but are a good and consistent quality and value.

In Conclusion

I honestly hope that this blog and the information and opinions I provide will help other horse owners, as well as providing a medium for discussion of other people's experiences with various products and services via reader comments.

Thanks for reading!