Our top 5 product picks for grooming shedding horses

 Shedding season is upon us again, as horses drop tumbleweeds of hair anywhere they rub or roll. In most climates, horses shed out twice a year, making way for their emerging summer and winter coats.

Here’s a look at our favorite tools for grooming shedding horses. For convenience, each title link leads to that product on Amazon. (Full disclosure: I’m an Amazon affiliate, meaning I receive credit for purchases made through their links on my sites. These products may also be purchased from saddle and tack merchants, pet stores, and other retailers.)

 

1. Equestrian Fuego Horse Shedding Bar-Blade – Get a grip on horse shedding with this handy tool. The metal combed edge easily scrapes away stray hairs all over the horse.

 

2. Farnam Slick 'N Easy Horse Grooming Block – This hand-held coarse fiberglass block uses friction and elbow grease to groom the horse’s coat. It’s super for putting the finishing touches on shedding, after using more heavy-duty tools. It’s also great for doing a quick touch-up before a ride or show class.

3. LuxPal Five-Fingered Deshedding Gloves – Horse shedding doesn’t get any simpler than this. (It’s the same principle as those old car-washing mitts. “Wax on. Wax off” (to quote The Karate Kid movie.) Lots of companies offer this kind of shedding glove. Quality varies. Pick a pair, rather than a single one, for quick and easy horse grooming.

4. Oster Coarse Curry – This spiky curry only looks fierce. It’s actually soothing to many horses, and it works well in stirring up and removing shedding hair. (My Warmblood, Paint, and Morgan couldn’t get enough grooming with this curry, although my ticklish Thoroughbred didn’t favor it so much.)

5. Wahl Shedding Blade –
This looped tool has serrated edges, making it extra useful for shedding out a horse quickly. The handles separate, making one long blade for two-handed grooming. It’s also handy for clearing off mud or scraping off water after a horse’s shower.

 

A few comments on other horse shedding products and practices:

 Ringed metal curry combs (with concentric circular toothed blades) are frequently found in the hands of those shedding their horses. This is a matter of some debate, as certain equine experts and owners maintain that these tools are intended for cleaning grooming brushes, not for actual use on horses’ coats. I think it depends on how you use them. And they can be super for shedding or for removing dried mud.

Many equestrians choose to clip their horses’ hair periodically throughout the year, especially if those equines are housed in heated barns and wear weatherproof blankets (and possibly neck and hood coverage) for turnout. Some purchase their own clippers, while others pay professionals for clipping.

 Equine grooming vacuums are also popular. In some cases, show barns have such vacuums for grooms to use, or they make the machines available for boarders to use. Some equestrians buy their own horse grooming vacuums. Although these seem convenient, I have never found them useful with my own horses. None of my horses have been fans of the suction or noise these machines make.

 Horse shedding is messy work, but it can be quite pleasing to the horse. Done well, it’s sort of a form of massage, and it offers quality bonding time for horse and human. In addition, shedding horses are frequently regarded as harbingers of the changing seasons.

 

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Image/s: Public domain photo and product promo photos (fair use)

It's tack sale season: Need pricing pointers?

 

Whoa! It’s tack sale season again already.

 Like lots of horse lovers, I’ve been cleaning out closets. I’ve dug through my garden shed (where I’ve perennially stored lots of horse stuff).

That’s right. I’m vending again. This time it’s a tack sale organized by the local 4-H group. This event tends to be extremely well-attended, year after year.

 My table is reserved. My saddle pads are laundered. The boots are polished. The saddle is clean and sparkling. The show shirts are washed and ironed. You get the picture.

 

Now it’s time to price all that stuff.

 As I pack my jumbo totes for the trip, I am hoping not to have to repack them after the sale. It was hard enough weed through my long-time collection of equestrian-related accumulation. I really don’t want to bring stuff home and try to find places to store it again.

 

So I am pricing my items to move.

 Sure, a couple of things may command higher prices. My faithful big-name dressage saddle, for instance, may draw real money. My quilted saddle pads are (You guessed it!) $5 apiece. So are a handful of halters that suddenly materialized in my shed. (Just when I thought I had sold, donated, or given away all of them.)

 

Deep discounts draw shoppers!

 A few years ago, my table was quite popular at a local tack sale. Folks started calling it “The Five-Dollar Table,” because I offered tons of items for that price. Old bridles, saddle pads, bits, brushes, halters – you name it. Almost everything was $5.

 I went home with two filled totes and three empty ones. And a pocket full of $5 bills. On the way, I stopped for lunch with a friend and lightened my pocket a bit as well. All in all, I counted that day as a win.

 

Boots must be clean to sell.

 

Tack sale vending is largely about pricing things right – as in, small prices.

 For costly items (such as fine condition saddles, fancy leather chaps, sparkly show shirts, and leather full-seat riding breeches), many sellers start pricing at 50% below retail. That stuff has to be pristine, even at half-off.

 Basic items like grooming brushes, bits, halters, buckets, are usually priced much lower. Shoppers can find those on every table at the sale.

 Used boots may go cheap too, unless they are genuine leather, pricey brands, and super condition. I’ve seen Ariats, Dublins, and even Hermes for $10-$20. (I’m selling a lovely pair of Frye cowboy boots for $30.)

 Safety helmets usually don’t sell well. It’s hard to tell if they’ve been compromised by a tumble. So people steer away from them, unless they are practically give-aways. There may be someone gearing up for kiddy rides, pony camps, or birthday parties that’s willing to pick up a few extra helmets for a song.

 

The big question about tack sale pricing is simple.

 Are you willing to haul all that stuff home with you after the sale?

 If you really want to lighten your load, then your prices have to be low enough to draw the bargain-hunting browsers.

 

Negotiations are part of the game.

 Tack sale shoppers expect to haggle over prices. Everyone does it!

 “You’re asking $25 for this turnout blanket? I only have $12. Is that OK?”

 “Your tall field boots are $40. I’ll give you $18.”

 “These riding crops are marked $10 apiece. Can I have three for $20?”

 “If I buy the bridle, will you toss in a bit to go with it?”

 This stuff happens. And most sellers are willing to play along with the give-and-take. Some will make counter-offers, encouraging some back-and-forth with buyers.

 In fact, as the sale progresses, many begin dropping their prices, just to empty their tables. The best bargains can always be found in the final hour of the sale, as the crowd begins to thin. Sure, the pickings may be thinner then, but shoppers can scoop up some super deals from eager sellers. It’s not uncommon for a buyer to return to a seller with a repeated offer (or even a lower one), right before the sale closes.

 

Donations are always an option.

 Last fall, I set up a table at a local tack sale. When it was over, I made two piles: KEEP and DONATE. I packed accordingly.  I drove to my chosen donation site and dropped off that pile. Then I went home and stashed the other pile in preparation for this next sale.

 This time, I have resolved not to bring anything home (except maybe that saddle, if it doesn’t sell). I’ve already inquired, and the hosting 4-H group will accept donations on-site. That will definitely lighten my load for the trip home!

 

 

Feel free to follow on Twitter. Don’t miss the The Mane Point page on Facebook. You are invited to visit my Amazon author page as well.

 

Image/s: Public domain photo/s

Spoiler Alert: Horse feed storage is critically important

 Specialty feeds for horses come with all sorts of intriguing extra ingredients, mostly for added vitamins and minerals and other nutritional bonuses. Sometimes equine grain formulations are aimed at easier digestibility, or even better taste.

 

Horse owners pay extra for all that good stuff.

 I was all-in for my horses, willing to shell out extra dough-re-mi to obtain the optimum feed choices for each of them. And we were basically happy with our feed supplier, who was generally pleasant and dependable. Also, he was local and accessible and convenient, storing his inventory in a big airy outbuilding not far from the horse farm.

 So I bought bag after bag after bag from him. And all was well.

 

Then I found a surprise inside a bag of pricey grain.

 Fuzzy, stinky, damp, decaying horse feed was not exactly what the equine veterinarian ordered. My horses wouldn’t be likely to approve of it either. 

Most horses will reject moldy grain (or moldy hay), if possible. But if they consume the offensive feed, it can cause digestive troubles (even colic), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (heaves), reproductive problems and other issues.

 Avoiding this exact situation was one of the main reasons I bought our horses’ feed on an as-needed basis, rather than stockpiling at the stables.

 

I was a little steamed. Maybe more than a little.

 I schlepped the bulky bag back to our animal feed guy. He blamed the unseasonably humid weather we’d had for the moldy grain. He offered to credit me for half the price of the product.

 Let’s see … how much of that fungus-filled feed was I going to be able to use?

 

Hey, sometimes ya just gotta break the mold.

 Or at least, sometimes ya just gotta find a new feed supplier, if the grain comes with mold.

 Ever since that moldy mishap, I have purchased our horse feeds from merchants with climate-controlled feed storage. They’re a little out of the way, but worth the trips.

Feel free to follow on Twitter. Don’t miss the The Mane Point page on Facebook. You are invited to visit my Amazon author page as well.

 

Image/s: LAN photo/s – All rights reserved.

Foaling in the Field: A Natural Nativity

 

Our grandest plans were subverted.

 We waited eleven months for the exciting event, but we were surprised. We had every intention of bringing our beloved warmblood mare inside to a cozy breeding stall, softly bedded with fresh hay, when her time arrived for foaling.

 Of course, the mare had another plan altogether. In fact, she had a completely different timetable than the rest of us.

 According to the calendar, she was not due to foal for another few weeks. So much for modern science!

 

NOTE: Written by this author, this copyrighted material originally appeared on another publisher’s site. That site no longer exists. This author holds all rights to this content. No republication is allowed without permission.

 

Surprise in the Pasture!

 A friend went out to the pasture around 11 a.m. to collect her quiet gelding. He refused to exit through the gate with her. Instead, he practically dragged her to the three-sided shelter, across the pasture. There, she saw an amazing sight.

 Inside the lean-to, she found the entire herd. About a dozen horses huddled inside the shed, guarding and watching the mare and her perfect newborn filly, like an equine nativity scene.

 An hour earlier, the mare had been peacefully grazing outside. When she was ready, she simply entered the shelter and delivered her offspring on her own. Her pasture mates gathered and observed.

 Perhaps they were protecting the blessed event, or possibly, they were simply curious.

 My friend left her own horse in the field and bounded over the fence to herald the news to the barn staff. All hands came running to collect the horses from the pasture. When the coast was clear, they led the mare and her brand-new, full-term, bouncing filly into the barn.

 

That’s where we came in.

 Around noon, my kids and I drove through the barn gate and noticed the parade, headed for the foaling barn. We leapt out of the car and raced to the stall.

 Usually, a mare will guard her newborn foal attentively. She will place her own body between others and her offspring, making herself the physical boundary to keep others away.

 However, this time, it was somehow different. We’ve been together nearly ten years, and this was her third foal. The sweet chestnut mom quietly stepped behind her baby and welcomed us into their world. It was as if she wanted to tell us, “C’mon in. I trust you. Share our happy moment. Look what I have!”

 

“Please allow me to introduce my pride and joy.”

 A sturdy fawn-colored face, with a huge, crooked white stripe, fairly grinned up at me and my children. The friendly filly accepted our attentions eagerly, as her mom nuzzled her own baby and my human children as well.

 In that moment, I caught a glimpse of what it must feel like to become a flesh-and-blood grandmother, to watch your own daughter deliver a child. Pride and affection, adrenaline and tenderness, all mixed together.

The vet arrived several hours later and pronounced everyone exceptional.

 

What a day!

 

Feel free to follow on Twitter. Don’t miss the The Mane Point page on Facebook. You are invited to visit my Amazon author page as well.

 

Image/s: LAN photo – All rights reserved.

Book Review: Horse Lover’s Daily Companion

 

Horse Lover’s Daily Companion: 365 Days of Tips and Inspiration for Living a Joyful Life with Your Horse, by Audrey Pavia, gives daily devotions a brand-new meaning, at least for horse lovers. Like many traditional devotional books, this one even includes an attached ribbon bookmark.

 The 320-page, hard-cover book is a daily delight for equestrians and horse enthusiasts, from its photo-insert cover to the topical index in the back. Filled with 125 artistic full-color equine photographs (most taken by professional cameraman Tom Sapp), Horse Lover’s Daily Companion: 365 Days of Tips and Inspiration for Living a Joyful Life with Your Horse is a super gift idea for a horse lover.

 Equestrians and horse lovers generally enjoy learning about equines and how to care for them. Horse Lover’s Daily Companion: 365 Days of Tips and Inspiration for Living a Joyful Life with Your Horse overflows with practical and positive ideas for horse management, training and enjoyment.

This book is available on Amazon.

 

 NOTE: Written by this author, this copyrighted material originally appeared on another publisher’s site. That site no longer exists. This author holds all rights to this content. No republication is allowed without permission.

 Author Audrey Pavia has organized Horse Lover’s Daily Companion: 365 Days of Tips and Inspiration for Living a Joyful Life with Your Horse into regular daily categories for a year’s worth of brief, but instructional and inspiring, horse-related readings.

 Monday readings focus on specific breeds of horses: Akhal-Tekes, Andalusians, Appaloosas, Arabians, Cleveland Bays, Connemaras, Fell Ponies, Freesians, Hackneys, Mustangs, Paso Finos, Saddlebreds, Thoroughbreds, Trakehners, Warmbloods and many more.

 Tuesday entries offer information about all sorts of equestrian disciplines, from trail riding to team penning, from cattle drives to mounted treasure hunts and from driving to dressage.

 Wednesday pages detail intriguing facts from horse history. Audrey Pavia has included profiles of famous horses from history and literature, such as Black Beauty, Comanche, Flicka, Idaho Gem, Man o’ War, Napoleon’s Marengo, Sea Biscuit and Xenophon.

 This book reviewer purchased the book described and evaluated here, and the reviewer has no prior or existing relationship (either familial or professional) with the author or publisher.

 Thursday sessions provide helpful how-to’s for smart stabling of horses. Pages spell out advice for horse breeding, caring for horse pastures, catching runaway horses, choosing bits, finding equine insurance, maintaining horseback riding arenas, preventing biting, equestrian tack cleaning, and other horse management concerns.

 Friday writings describe equine health and horse care. Items explain horse acupuncture, arthritis care, chiropractic treatments, dietary concerns, equine influenza, equine strangles, gastric ulcers, horse hoof care, thrush and more.

 Saturday and Sunday sections zero in on ways to foster the horse and human relationship. Audrey Pavia has penned instructions for finding equestrian trainers, great grooming and equine bathing, horse record keeping, in-hand grazing, learning lunging, practicing trailer loading, pre-ride stretching, riding vacations and other equestrian activities.

 Horse Lover’s Daily Companion: 365 Days of Tips and Inspiration for Living a Joyful Life with Your Horse, published by Quarry Books in September 2009, retails for $19.99 ($24.99 in Canada). The book is available from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, Borders.com, Buy.com and other merchants.

 

About the Author: Audrey Pavia

 Audrey Pavia, a former Horse Illustrated editor, is the author of many horse books, including Appaloosa Spirit, Horseback Riding for Dummies, Horse Health & Nutrition for Dummies, Horses for Dummies, Paint Spirit, Trail Riding: A Complete Guide, The Ultimate Horse Lover and Why Do Horses Sleep Standing Up? Audrey Pavia has published articles in Appaloosa Journal, Equestrian Retailer, Equine Veterinary Management, Horses USA, Paint Horse Journal, Quarter Horses USA, Trail Rider, USDF Connection, Western Horseman and elsewhere.

Image: Cover photo – fair use

 

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Buying saddles or tack? What about COVID-19?

Mid-pandemic, tack shops and equestrians alike are still marketing their saddles and bridles and other horse tack. Money is tight for many, as jobless rates soar with pandemic-related layoffs and business closures (both temporary and longer), and the stock market fluctuates more wildly than the greenest colt.

But some horse-people still shop for equestrian equipment.

How does COVID-19 affect your purchase of a saddle or tack?

Safety is definitely a concern, as the coronavirus is extremely contagious. By government decree and/or merchant caution, many brick-and-mortar stores are closed, but still offering their wares online. And individual sellers still advertise used and new items on websites, in blog sidebars, on online bulletin boards, and through social networking.

The buying and selling has not ceased, although folks may have grown more frugal in the current economic climate.

Even remote buying and selling merits some caution.

Is your new stuff coming in with an unexpected add-on, the dreaded virus?

 Some experts believe the virus is able to linger on various surfaces. Here are a few pertinent examples for horsey folks (thanks to WebMD):

• Aluminum – 2-8 hours
• Cardboard – 24 hours
• Ceramics – 5 days
• Copper – 4 hours
• Glass – varies (up to 5 days)
• Miscellaneous metals – 5 days
• Paper – varies (up to 5 days)
• Plastic – 2-3 days
• Silver – 5 days
• Stainless Steel – 2-3 days
• Wood – 4 days

Think about that fancy saddle or bridle, with hand-tooled leather and silver conchos. Consider the shiny new plastic water bucket or grooming tote. Ponder the handy halter, the sweet wooden dandy brush, the fluffy saddle pad, or the metal shedding blade. How about that brand-new new hoof pick?

COVID-19 may last from hours to days on porous items like fabrics and leather. (Check out that beautiful new show coat, those flashy breeches, or that amazing pair of boots.)

Don’t assume something is virus-free, just because it’s brand-new.

Any one of these could still carry coronavirus, if it was handled by someone who was infected. Especially if you picked it up in person or paid extra for express delivery.

Even that sweet pedigree paperwork or breed certificate on the new foal could be contaminated.

And all that second-hand stuff? All bets are off there too.

Have you heard the glitter analogy about COVID-19?

This analogy helps to paint a clear picture of the situation. Let’s assume (for safety’s sake) that anything you obtain these days is tainted with the virus. Pretend it’s shiny like glitter, so you can see it. And it’s all over your new stuff.  Now you have to wash the glitter off before you use your new stuff.

Let's just consider everything contaminated for now, for the sake of safety. If we are over-cautious, we still may come out healthier.

What can you do?

Go ahead, and buy that pretty bridle. Order that sensational saddle. Splurge on that spiffy show shirt.

When your stuff arrives, you can open it outside, and toss all of the outer packaging. Don’t even bring it into the barn till you disinfect it (in a safe spot, like outdoors or in the wash-rack, if you plan to clean that after you’re done). Household disinfectants, laundry detergent, cleaning wipes, and even soap and water can clean your newly acquired items. Saddle soap does the trick for leather goods, if you scrub a lot and rinse and buff well. You may even opt to hire a professional tack cleaner for your new saddle or bridle.

Be sure to toss all of the outer packaging.

Then wash your hands.

Image:

Public domain photo

Feel free to follow Twitter. Please visit my Amazon author page as well. And I am happy to share my RUNDERDOG ambassador code for 10% off on Bondi Band Athletic Headbands, Accessories, and Fashions. (Simply enter the code at online checkout.).