Spring is well & truly here people!! The longer evenings are starting to set in & we couldn’t be more excited. To get us into the spring spirit we decided to compile a list of our Top 7 go-to products.
Have a read & when you finish be sure not to do too much damage to that bank card…
1. Le Mieux Pro Sport PRO-SORB System Half Pad
This is a product not only anyone with a growing horse should consider, but it is something of great value also. The Pro Sport Pro-Sorb Half Pad is an extremely versatile half pad. It can be used as a front riser, a rear riser or a multi riser to help adjust the fit of a saddle. The best thing about it is that you can build up & take away the padding as your horse grows & develops their muscles. In turn you can take out the rear padding to keep it in the front & vice versa.
For both Dante & Coco, this pad had been unbelievable, with them growing and changing so much over the last two years saddles & saddle fitting was not always an easy task. The half pad itself also offers extra cushioning under the saddle for your horse, making sure they are comfortable while you ride! The Pad retails at €54 from Old Mill Saddlery and we can honestly say it is a purchase that is 100% worth while.
2. Soft Rope Lunging Aid
Yes, I know what you are all thinking, here we go with another lunging gadget that will give your horse that false outline etc. etc. This product though is a life saver. One that I swear by. It is a very simple yet effective “rope”. It goes over the horses back and under their belly clipping onto the bit either side of the mouth.
Basically how it works is when your horse goes to raise their head, pressure is applied to their mouth therefore they are encouraged to keep their heads lowered. It’s great for Encouraging a long & lower outline and allows your horse to stretch though their back. The product can also be shortened & lengthened depending on your horses needs, from the swivel clip attainments that clip onto the bit.
In Comparison to other training aids, I found this the best to use as your horse is not as restricted, they still have that freedom to move, I can honestly say that this was an investment worth making. Available to buy for €30 from the Equine Warehouse.
3. HY Impact Brushing Boots
These boots, well we both fell in love with their colours before we even began to put them to use on the horses! I am sure you will agree that the amazingly vibrant colours, from purple to navy are absolutely stunning.
The boots themselves are amazing value for money, and quite frankly one of the best pair of brushing boots I have bought to date. The quality of the Velcro straps on the boots is unbelievable, I would find it extremely hard to hear of anyone ever losing one. They are quite versatile also, they can be used on front or hind legs of your horse.
They are extremely protective and very lightweight, We Would say they are perfect for schooling out around Cross Country. As for cleaning, a quick wipe & there back to looking brand new again.
They are very affordable for the quality you are given, I thought they would more expensive, Available to purchase from Ladychapel stores, also online at €24 from HY Impact
4. Fly Veils
I’ve always seen Fly Veils as nothing more than an accessory, but over the last few weeks I have come to realise that they are so much more than that. For any longtime blog followers you’ll know that Coco is a spooker. She’s not always that bad but lately she has been a nightmare so my new instructor recommended I try a fly veil on her to see if it helps reduce her spooking. To my shock, I found it actually helps SO MUCH!
I tested the theory by riding her without one for a week and she went right back to being so bad that I even fell off (AGAIN) from a particularly bad spook. So a Fly Veil is my new absolute must have accessory for every ride. I do feel like I’m over dressing a bit when I put one on at home but needs must!
You can get many different types of fly veils, from plain basic ones to actual noise-cancelling fly veils from Le Mieux (which is now on my purchase list). Fly Veils can be bought anywhere from €10 to €45 depending on the brand and type you’re looking for.
5. The Roma Miracle Brush
Calling all owners of hairy horses…oh wait, that’s all of us haha! Either way I have the answer to all your problems. The Roma Miracle Brush is everything your grooming kit is missing. This basic bitch product was actually one of the most worth-while purchases I’ve ever made.
The easiest way to describe this brush is as an alternative plastic curry comb. It features very similar bristles to a plastic curry comb but they are much smaller and closer together so it removes the harshness from the brush.
This brush is perfect for brushing away loose hairs while your horse is going through its shedding period but more importantly and the main reason I bought it…it is IDEAL for getting the hair off numnahs and rugs before putting them in for a wash.
With a bit of elbow grease, the brush removes about 99% of hairs meaning your washing machine won’t get clogged with horse hair, YAY!!
I bought mine at TRI Equestrian and its available to buy for just..wait for it…€3.75! Don’t even think twice, just buy it and you wont regret it!
6. Epona Tiger’s Tongue – Horse Groomer
This product seems to be the talk of the town! I picked one up to try one out to see what the hype was all about from TRI Equestrian at the price of €8.95. To be fair paying that much for a so called sponge had me quite skeptical until I learned what it could do, well It did not disappoint.
The Tiger’s Tongue Horse Groomer is a sponge that tackles a number of cleaning tasks when you go to groom your horse. From removing dirt, sweat marks or cleaning the horses hooves, this sponge seems to be able to do it all!
It is uniquely designed to work like a cat’s tongue, giving a deep clean while providing your horse with a stimulating massage. The Tiger’s Tongue wipes away dried up dirt not having you brushing for hours trying to get rid of the dusty residue the muck leaves, it gets rid of saddle/girth marks in seconds & the most useful one I found was that it cleans white markings and dirty horse hooves!
Something that would come in extremely handy if you’re at a show and notice a last minute dirt mark! It can also be used wet, which I have yet to do, but from all the raving reviews I cant imagine anything less that satisfactory!
7. Equine America Mouth & Bit Balm
The brand that I am falling more & more in love with, not just for their affordability but for their quality products. The Mouth & BIt Balm I stumbled across by accident & became quite curious towards it. Dante has quite the sensitive mouth, So Why not give this Balm a go see what its all about?
The balm itself softens, moisturizes & protects those prone to dry areas of your horses mouth, basically the area where the bit lies & the corners of your horses mouth.
It makes the bit slightly more comfortable for the horse, so this would be an ideal balm on a young horse helping them to mouth whilst introducing the bit for the first time, or if you yourself are introducing a newer bit to your older more opinionated horse.
Using this balm will give the horse more comfort, in turn helping with your horses performance giving you a happier horse!
Made from a mixture of natural ingredients from Coconut oil to peppermint oil, all the ingredients have been chosen for their ability to support the health, suppleness and softness of your horse’s mouth. It’s a massive thumbs up from me. Dante certainly does love the taste too! Available from Ladychapel Stores, as well on from the Equine America Website.
Have you been using any of the above products too?? Let us know in the comments below
As always, thanks for reading,