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)

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

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Product review: Who's wondering about Winnie's Cookies organic horse treats?

Winnie’s Cookies are showing up in equine feed buckets and horse lovers’ hands all over, with horses nickering for more.

What are Winnie’s Cookies?

Made from certified organic ingredients, Winnie's Cookies are soft, sweet, grainy horse treats that include nutritional supplement ingredients like amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. Product publicity materials claim the cookies detoxify a horse’s digestive tract within two months of regular daily usage.

Basic ingredients of Winnie’s Cookies include alfalfa seed, barley, corn, dulse, flax seed, millet, molasses, rye, triticale, wheat bran, whole wheat, and filtered water.

Winnie’s Cookies are produced and sold directly by the manufacturer. They are also available from Amazon.  The equine treats are marketed in quantities ranging from four dozen (currently priced at $27.95) to 32 dozen. A  Cookie Club offers quantity discounts.

The company agrees to bake and ship the cookies on the same day, sending the parcels directly to customers’ homes or barns. Auto-ship  promotions are also offered.

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.

Do horses like Winnie’s Cookies?

The equine treats, which smell a lot like fresh oatmeal-molasses cookies for humans, seem to appeal to all sorts of horses. A recent sample, received from Winnie’s Cookies, was shared (with horse owners’ permissions) with an Appaloosa, an Arabian, a Morgan, a Paint, a Quarterhorse, and a Thoroughbred in a Southeastern Wisconsin equestrian boarding facility. All of these horses gobbled the treat readily.

Because of their soft-baked organic nature, including the complete absence of additives or preservatives, Winnie’s Cookies must be refrigerated or frozen for safe storage. Also, they need to be handled gently, as they tend to break and crumble easily.

Complimentary (0.5-lb.) samples of Winnie’s Cookies are available (with customers paying for shipping).

Reviewer’s Note: This product reviewer received a free sample of the product described and evaluated here, although the reviewer has no prior or existing relationship (either familial or professional) with the creator, manufacturer or marketer of the product.

What other Winnie’s Cookies products may be found?

Winnie’s Cookies also offers versions for calming, flexion, and mare care needs. A canine cookie variety is available as well.

Image/s:

Adapted from public domain artwork

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