Colleen Peachey

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All Choked Up

By Colleen Peachey on Jul 5, 2014 12:00 pm -

Rufus - this little (ok, not so little anymore) guy almost gave me a HEART ATTACK! Photo by Lorraine Peachey

The Fourth of July is one of those completely awesome holidays, in my humble opinion. It’s a time when I like to think about all the individuals who suffered hardships and lost their lives when they stood up to defend the United States of America. My chosen barn colors are red, white and blue, because I hold all things stars and stripes dearly. Heck, one of my horses was even born on July 4th (Happy Birthday Mark!)…how much more patriotic than that can you get?

Sure, the fireworks and picnics are great, but let’s make sure to remember the meaning behind this particular day. This Fourth though, my day started out with a dose of complete and utter terror, when I had my very first experience with choke. Let’s rewind to this morning, shall we?

So I’ve been around horses long enough to know that there are more strange and obscure maladies than I can keep track of. Many injuries and illnesses are only ones that I become familiar with if my own horses, or horses belonging to someone that I know suffer from.

This morning when I went down to the barn to feed my three geldings, everything seemed normal. I was greeted by a chorus of nickers, and proceeded to give everyone their breakfast, and then start cleaning stalls while they ate. After a minute or two, I noticed my youngest gelding, Rufus, seemed to be acting a little weird…and here’s where the morning started to go from normal to slightly disturbing.

Rufus stopped eating his grain, and started to paw very violently at the floor of his stall–which was weird since he LOVES his grain. He then started to put out his front legs and stretch; I like to call this his “downwards horse” pose, which he normally does once in the mornings. But not while he is trying to eat his grain. During the next 5-10 minutes, Rufus started to circle his stall, shake his head, and slam his body into the stall wall…all while pausing to paw some more or repeat the “downwards horse” pose.

I was absolutely beside myself, because the first thought that came to my mind was the “c” word. You know the one that I’m talking about. The word that horse folk never like to mention, but always worry about. I was pretty sure that I was standing and watching my young, promising baby boy start with an onset of colic. He ate all of his hay from overnight, and there was plenty or manure…but I couldn’t think of what else the symptoms would point to.

I pulled him out of his stall and started walking him around the paddock to keep him moving. But, Rufus wanted to keep stopping to paw. And paw. And paw some more. Uh oh. I stopped him to try to check his gut sounds, but he just kept pawing.

It got to the point where I decided that I needed to call and speak with the on-call vet at the practice that I use. I paused to take Roo’s temperature, as I always like to have my full bearings on the situation before speaking with a vet. My sister held Rufus while I checked, and rubbed his neck to try to keep him quiet. And interestingly enough, he stopped pawing and became eerily calm.

Roo’s temperature was normal, and my sister returned him to his stall as I called into the answering service for our vet’s office. When Rufus was put back in his stall, he was acting completely normal. He walked back and polished off his grain, paused to sip down some of his fresh water, and then started eating the hay I put in his stall.

I was absolutely baffled. About that time, my cell started ringing and I got a chance to speak with the on-call vet about the symptoms that I had just witnessed with Rufus. When I finished recounting the events, the vet told me that it sounded like Rufus has gotten choke while eating his grain – she said that this is a condition that can be brought about when younger horses are excited and eat too fast without chewing their food, or in older horses with bad teeth.

Once the word choke was mentioned, things really started to add up in my mind. The on-call told me that choke is often mistaken for colic (check) and can be very disturbing to watch (double check). She mentioned that while a horse can still breathe, they basically have a lump of food stuck in their throat – usually it can pass on it’s own, but sometimes the horse needs the assistance of a vet.

Thankfully, it seemed that Rufus passed his case of choke pretty quickly. I told my sister that perhaps her rubbing his neck helped. In any case, my ‘oh crap’ moment of the day was when I stood completely terrified that my Rufus was starting to colic.

In my 17 years around horses, I have never seen a case of choke before today. Now that I have, I can add it to my mental catalog of equine maladies. It was, without a doubt, a terrifying experience. But now I am familiar with it’s symptoms, so that I can hopefully recognize choke if I ever have the misfortune of seeing it again.

Product Review: Kentucky Performance Products Elevate Maintenance Powder

By Colleen Peachey on Jul 3, 2014 10:30 am -

Welcome to EN’s Product Review series! Who doesn’t love shopping… especially when the object of your search is new gear for yourself or your horse? As an enthusiast of all products equine, I LOVE trying out new gear. Which is why I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to try out products, so that I may share my many adventures with all of you! Please join me as I narrate my personal journey of trying out all of the products featured. While I will make no recommendations, I hope that you simply have fun and find entertainment while reading about my many adventures of trying new products, and that hearing about my personal experiences might help give you factors to consider when you are on your own quest for new gear!

Front Label on Elevate Maintenance Powder by Kentucky Performance Products - Photo by Lorraine Peachey

I have a lot of great memories from when I was a kid – hanging out with my friends, going on family vacations, and generally being fearless in the face of the world. As most of you may agree, I think that some of my favorite memories involve my early years spent riding.

Back then, there were times that I might have thought that my favorite lesson horse Trooper was the most stubborn a-hole in the world. But I’d give a lot to be able to see him again to give him a pat, and a hug, and a giant apple to thank him for everything that he taught me over the years.

In those precious days of teenager-dom, I chuckle when I remember the independent streak that I developed. Which became increasingly present when I didn’t want to be told what to do, and what not to do.

I don’t really know why, but one thing that sticks out in my mind is my mom reminding me to do some things daily…such as “remember to take your vitamins”. Now, the last thing that I was worried about was taking vitamins; I mean, I had super important things to be doing. Especially during the summer, when I was just trying to get out the door to go to the barn.

In reflection, each piece of advice and everything that my mom related to me over the years was pretty much spot on. And by pretty much spot on, I mean she was always right. Even something which seemed to be completely silly to me at the time, makes sound logical sense to me when I think about it now. Especially something as small as taking a daily vitamin.

In the half a decade since I’ve stopped boarding my horses, and have shouldered the responsibility of their care, I have tried to learn everything that I can about horse keeping. Back when I used to board, I left all feed, tack, training and routine healthcare decisions to my trainer. Since then though, I feel like I’ve not only learned a lot, but I’ve also had the chance to get to know my horses better.

KPP Elevate Maintenance Powder is available in a 2-lb container, which is a 130 day supply for one horse on a maintenance dose – Photo by Lorraine Peachey

After some very educational correspondence with an individual from Kentucky Performance Products, I found some gaps in the nutritional needs of my small herd.

In particular, Mark displayed behaviors that indicated that he would be able to benefit from the addition of Vitamin E to his diet. So I was glad to have the chance to start Mark on Elevate Maintenance Powder from Kentucky Performance Products.

Mark has always been a pretty unique horse – I’m lucky enough to be able to say that I bought him as an extremely large and awkward looking 11 month old. Mark will be turning 8 years old soon—actually on July 4^th (so HAPPY early BIRTHDAY Mark). So we’ve developed what I’d call a pretty strong understanding of each other over the years that we’ve known each other.

Before I started him on Elevate, I had a small collection of words that I would use to describe Mark’s personality – moody, nervous, dependent, not confident, and spooky. When talking about Mark, I tended to also call him by one of my favored nicknames…which was “Diva-Boy”.

Unfortunately, Mark developed a habit that when I would go to catch him in his stall, he would swing his rear around to face me, and stick his head in the corner. This was actually a bad habit that he developed during his initial training, way back when he was a four-year-old.

From the time I would catch Mark, things didn’t get much better. He always wanted to be RIGHT beside me when I would be on the ground – like he was afraid that the boogie-man would get him if he detached from my side.

He then would not be pleased when I reached for the saddle to throw (way) up there on his back, and often side stepped from me. Even after I mounted up, Mark always seemed anxious—most of the time, he was a super quiet ride with an edge…like the wrong thing could set him off. And occasionally it did. Boy, is the trip to the ground a big one.

There were other things too though – I mean, Mark has always been a moody horse. If anyone other then me scolds him, his ears go right back. And sometimes they still do even when it’s me who is scolding him.

I’d also get the “the look” from Mark if I dared to put fresh bedding in his stall while he was in it. Or move him away from his hay. Or, there were even just some mornings when I would come out for AM feeding that Mark would already have on his “grumpy face”.

At my small farm, we don’t have a grand amount of pasture space – we have less than 2 acres of pasture for 3 horses. For Ripley, this works out great; as an easy keeper, I like that his grass is limited and that I can supplement it with hay. Because he would NOT stand for a grazing muzzle.

But I realize that since my horses are not able to get all of their roughage in the form of grass, that they are missing out on essential vitamins that their bodies need to function at their best.

KPP Elevate Maintenance Powder is easy to measure with the included scoop – Photo by Lorraine Peachey

I thought that starting Mark on Elevate Maintenance Powder would definitely be a good thing – because I know that he was definitely missing out on Vitamin E with the way that his feeding program is set up.

The Elevate container has a lid that twists off easily, and a scoop is included for easy measuring. The supplement comes in a white colored powder format, which makes it easy to see when added to grain and swooshed around – I like the light color, because I can tell when I’ve swooshed the bucket enough to attain an even coating of it on Mark’s grain pellets.

I started out by putting Mark on ½ a scoop of Elevate on Day 1, and within a week’s time worked him up to being on 3 scoops a day due to his size (Mark is a 17.3hh horse, and I’d say is somewhere in the neighborhood of 1400-1500lb).

The Vitamin E contained in Elevate is ALL NATURAL, and not synthetic. This means that the Vitamin E is highly absorbable by the equine body. Something else that puts my mind at ease is that Elevate contains no other vitamins or minerals, so I can give Mark the amount of vitamin E he needs, without being concerned that I will cause other nutritional balances.

Within the first two weeks of being on Elevate, I absolutely started to notice a difference in him. One of the first things that I really noticed about Mark once he was on the Elevate Maintenance Powder was his improved attitude.

My “Diva Boy” started to seem…well, happier. The changes were small to start out with. I noticed things like when working around him, he just seemed more like a giant marshmallow then a ball of ‘tude. Instead of Mark pinning his ears at me when I would ask him to move out of my way, he started to crane his big ‘ole neck around to sniff me. It was a little eerie, actually.

I’ve also found that Mark actually comes to the front of his stall to greet me now when I approach to slip on his halter for work him. Imagine that – instead of being greeted by a bum, I’m greeted by a happy looking face with ears pricked up. I’ll admit, it melts my heart every single time.

Mark also stands better for being tacked up, and act fussy when being saddled. But I also have noticed a significant difference in his demeanor when I am in the saddle. I used to feel like Mark was anxious when I hopped up into the saddle, and I wasn’t standing right beside him.

But since starting on Elevate, Mark feels to me to be an overall more relaxed and calm who I can depend on.

I also can say that he has become more active as well. Even from a young age, Mark was never an overly active horse. When he started in to work, he was not a very forward horse (for which I was glad–I prefer an easy going horse rather than a hot one). He is now more willing to move forward; even when he is turned out on pasture, I see him running and playing more.

Weeeeeeeeeee! Mark is happier and more active since has been on Elevate Maintenance powder for over 3 months now - Photo by Lorraine Peachey

Weeeeeeeeeee! Mark is happier and more active since he has been on Elevate Maintenance powder for over 3 months now – Photo by Lorraine Peachey

I don’t really understand how the Vitamin E has been able to help Mark to be a happier and more relaxed horse…but it has. Maybe that’s because I’m not a scientist or any type of equine health professional. But I know my own horse, and I get to see the difference in him every single day.

Mark has now been on Elevate Maintenance Powder from Kentucky Performance Products for a little over 3 months at this point, and I plan to keep him on the supplement going forward. Once Mark finished his trial period of Elevate, I went ahead and purchased another, because I am happy to invest in a product that helps to bring out the best in Mark.

Elevate Maintenance Powder is available in a 2-lb container that retails for $58.50. The 2-lb container is enough for a 130 day supply for one horse on a maintenance dose–but of course, Mark requires a higher dosage since he is gi-normous.

Go improved attitudes and healthy muscles. Go Kentucky Performance Products. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Ovation Cool Rider Zip-Mock Shirt

By Colleen Peachey on Jul 1, 2014 3:00 pm -

Embroidered Ovation logo on left sleeve of the Cool Rider Zip-Mock shirt. Photo by Lorraine Peachey

In the true spirit of Summer, I just spent some time down at the shore this past weekend. There is nothing better then breaking the routine, even if it is just for a few days. Every single day, I’m used to having AM feedings and barn work as part of my normal routine. Words simply can’t begin to describe how refreshing it is to wake up late, throw on a swimsuit, and hit the beach.

I’m not going to deny, it’s really pretty freaking fantastic to lounge around in the sun. But there is a downside for me; I guess that somewhere in my genetics, it was predetermined that I tend to go the way of sunburns, rather than suntans. Which is a trait that puts me a little bit at odds with myself. When the weather turns warmer, clothing layers tend to get lighter as I attempt to stay cool. Which is an action that tends to earn my skin tone some color…of the red and peeling variety.

Ok, so when I’m riding or doing barn work at home, obviously I’m not going to be running around the farm in a swimsuit. At least, I haven’t felt the need to yet, no matter how sweltering the temperatures get. Kidding aside, I do have a difficult time combatting the sun while spending time around the farm. That may have something to do with the fact that I often waltz right out the door without stopping to apply some sunscreen.

The Ovation Cool Rider Shirt kept me cool…even on 80+ degree days! Photo by Lorraine Peachey

So what’s a girl to do to get a little relief from the sun and the warm temperatures? Well, I’ve recently been delighted to be introduced to the Ovation Cool Rider Zip-Mock shirt, available from ERS-Eventing. The Cool Rider is a long sleeve shirt that is made out of Evercool™ fabric. Evercool™ was designed in order to help bring down the body’s temperature, through helping sweat to evaporate from the body quickly.

Now, I know what some of you might be thinking right now–wearing a long sleeve shirt to stay cool might seem a little….well, counter-intuitive. I used to think exactly that. But I’d describe myself as someone with an open mind, who is more than willing to change my opinions when I find out that I’ve been mistaken about something.

From the time that I pulled the Cool Rider shirt out of it’s packaging, I couldn’t help but notice how smooth to the touch and soft the shirt is. The fabric definitely has a lightweight feel to it; one of the first features that I noticed were the sheer mesh panels that run the full length of the underside of the sleeves. The Cool Rider also includes a quarter-zip on the front, as well as a small embroidered ‘Ovation’ logo on the left sleeve.

The lightweight feel of the fabric foreshadowed my experiences of riding and working in the Cool Rider shirt. I pulled the Cool Rider on to wear outside during days that were above 80 degrees. I’ll admit, I was a little hesitant at the thought of long sleeves, because I had no desire to be sweaty and dripping while pursuing activities around the farm.

The mesh panel that runs along the underside of the sleeve is instrumental in helping me to keep cool! Photo by Lorraine Peachey

Anyway, I digress – when I set out to ride in the 80+ degree weather, I noticed that the fabric of the Cool Rider shirt felt, well cool again my skin. As I went through my warm up, I observed that I had a nice flow of air moving through the mesh panels on the underside of the sleeves of the shirt. But the most important part–I didn’t feel too warm. At all.

While riding in the summer heat, sweat is a reality. The Cool Rider shirt can’t actually stop sweat (that would pretty much a miracle). No, instead the Evercool™ fabric harnesses the power of sweat. The shirt actually helped to wick the sweat away from me. And while wearing the Cool Rider shirt, I’ll admit it…I sweat. But the thing was, that my sweat evaporated quickly. And that left me feeling dry and cool.

Even after a ride in the 80+ degree weather, I was feeling good enough to untack my horse, and then proceed to do my evening barn chores and PM feeding routine. The fast drying fabric, coupled with the mesh panels of the Cool Rider did indeed keep me feeling fresh. I spent hours outside, wearing the Cool Rider shirt in warm temperatures. And now? I’m a convert to wearing long sleeves.

…and I keep staying cool, even during riding or barn chores! Photo by Lorraine Peachey

Just one more plus is that the Ovation Cool Rider Zip-Mock shirt is available in a number of colors – of course, I gravitated towards the ‘Baltic’ – a lovely shade of blue…but that’s no surprise since I love all things red, white & blue – with stars, stripes and/or spangles. The Ovation Cool Rider shirt has an affordable retail price of $39.95.

Want to get your hands on your very own Ovation Cool Rider shirt? Well, don’t miss out on a chance to WIN one of your very own! Don’t forget to check out the Hot Or Not? contest, presented by our fabulous sponsor ERS-Eventing.com. Check out the contest, and submit a photo to show us how you beat the heat. And remember, the more creative and hilarious your entries are, the happier the chinchillas will be!

Go Sun Protection AND Staying Cool. Go Ovation. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Goode Rider Elite Shirt

By Colleen Peachey on Jun 26, 2014 9:15 am -

Goode Rider Logo Patch on left sleeve of Elite Shirt. Photo by Lorraine Peachey

Every morning when my alarm clock goes off at 5am, I hop out of bed to start my day. Ok, I may have to drag myself out of bed on some days. Regardless—after hitting up the treadmill to log a couple of miles, I grab a shower to head out to the barn (because, by the way, 5am is the only time I can fit a run into my crazed schedule!).

There are three faces peering out of their stall windows at me, and the grain buckets in my arms usually elicit a chorus of nickers. I’ve got “breakfast” to serve, stalls to muck, water buckets to fill, and hay to throw. Oh, and I definitely can’t forget to throw on fly gear and empty that muck cart!

Finishing my morning barn chores feels like an accomplishment; but after I’m all done, it’s time to rush back inside to get ready to head into my full-time office job. It’s always a little sad to have to rush off from the barn every morning, because it is one of my favorite times of the day. The horses are quiet, and it’s just so peaceful in the early hours of the day. As much as I wish I could take a morning ride, my time in the saddle will have to wait until I return home later on.

The Goode Rider Elite Shirt can go from the barn to the office…. Photo by Lorraine Peachey

Being someone who is involved in equestrian sports, I think it’s inaccurate to call what I do a hobby. Really, it’s a lifestyle. So, when I finish all of my morning chores and am getting ready for work, I sometimes wish that I could keep that aspect of myself with me during the day—and let my equestrian flag fly high in the office. Ok, so everyone already knows that I’m a “horse person” at work. That’s really an ambassador job in and of itself, that I won’t even try to digress into at this time.

As an equestrian though, I find that definitely impacts my style. I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve been stopped in the office by someone asking me about a particular brand of jacket or vest I’m wearing, because it looks “horse-y”. So I was definitely glad to recently have the chance to try out the Elite Shirt from Goode Rider.

While wearing the Elite Shirt, I felt so fab that Mark & I took a ‘faux jog’ down the drive! Photo by Lorraine Peachey

One of the aspects that I liked when I first saw the Elite Shirt was it’s neat and polished appearance. While I could see myself riding in this shirt (when striving to look slightly more prim), I could just as easily picture myself walking into the office wearing it (and I actually have several times!). Or even wearing it for a jog. Though, in my case I’d probably just be watching a jog for now–but I can dream of the future. If all else fails, I can always even practice jogging in my own driveway.

…and it looks great from the back too! Photo by Lorraine Peachey

Beyond it’s clean lines, I definitely appreciate how lightweight the cotton material is that the Elite Shirt is crafted out of. I’ve worn shirt during the crisp weather of Spring, as well as cooler Summer days – the fabric does a great job at helping to keep me cool, even on slightly warmer days.

I do typically layer the Elite Shirt over a black cami or tank shirt due to the thin nature of the fabric (with lightweight fabrics, it is always safer to layer!) The shirt also does feature ruching on the front, as well as two cotton side panels, which gives it a very attractive look.

The Elite Shirt that I’ve had the chance to try is in the Black Gingham pattern. I guess I would say that I was drawn to this particular print because I am a huge fan of plaid (what can I say…us country gals like our plaid). The shirt buttons up the front, and has two front pocket as well.

There is also a stylish Goode Rider logo patch on the left sleeve of the shirt–which makes my inner equestrian happy while I’m wearing the shirt in the office during the day.

The clean & polished lines of the Elite Shirt look great from the side as well. Photo by Lorraine Peachey

I really like the style and functionality that Goode Rider’s Elite Shirt has to offer. Not only can I wear it when I want feel fab in the saddle, but also provides a clean, professional appearance for when I’m away from the barn (and still want to let my equestrian flag fly).

The shirt is lightweight enough to be comfortable to wear in slightly warmer weather. And it also incorporates little extra details that really make it feminine and stylish. The Elite Shirt has a retail price of $79.00. I personally very much like the Elite Shirt, and feel like it will be a crossover staple piece in both my riding and professional wardrobes.

Go Style…from the Barn to the Office. Go Goode Rider. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Omega Alpha Equine Neemella After Bath Lotion

By Colleen Peachey on Jun 23, 2014 10:30 am -

Label on the Omega Alpha Neemella After Bath Lotion, Photo by: Lorraine Peachey

I love this time of the year. Here in Pennsylvania, the days are pleasantly warm–but not overly hot yet. The freezing days of Winter seem to be a bad memory at this point, as flies buzz around the barn. The cold. The snow. The mud. Horses rolling in said mud. Once mud dries, I feel like I can never truly get my horse clean until I am able to bathe them. One of the (many) things that I like about the comfortably warm days of the present is that I finally feel like the temperature is warm enough for bathing my horses.

A perfectly clean horse is a wonderful sight to behold. Finishing up after bathing one of my horses gives me a sense of accomplishment. Well, for about all of five whole minutes – once I turn said horse loose and he goes out for a nice roll…not so much. Of course, I just try to keep a good sense of humor when I’m around horses. They roll when they’re clean. Or sneeze on you when you’re clean. I always just go with the theory that a horse feels so good after you bathe or groom them, that they just have to get down to get their roll on, since I think that makes them feel even better.

Neemella After Bath Lotion is easy to apply with a spray applicator, Photo by: Lorraine Peachey

But it’s a little disheartening when you feel like all of that scrubbing and shining up went to waste. After a good ‘ole fashioned roll, no horse still has the squeaky clean look or smell. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. And the only thing that can really bring it back is a(nother) bath. And who has time for that when you’ve got other horses to clean and ride? Which is why, I was very happy when the chance came up for me to try out Neemella, which is an after bath lotion made by Omega Alpha Equine.

There’s this smell that a horse gets after you bathe them – the aroma of shampoo blending with their natural horse-y scent. It’s definitely one of those great summertime smells. Throw a little fly spray in to the mix, and you’ve really got a great combination. Anyway, I digress. I’ve started to apply the Neemella after bath lotion on my horses after…well, naturally after their baths! Neemella is available in both a 1 liter and 1 gallon container. From my own experience, I liked using the 1 liter container; it is easy to handle and very convenient to use with a spray nozzle attachment.

Neemella goes on nicely via a spray application. And it has, in my very humble opinion, a pleasant aroma. Rufus certainly seemed to want to get a better whiff of it while I was applying it to his coat anyway. The application went quickly, and again the only indication that I sprayed anything was a pleasing aroma that lingered in the air afterwards. After bathing all three of my geldings, I put them into their stalls for the night.

Neemella smells pretty darn good when spraying it on – Rufus thought so as well! Photo by: Lorraine Peachey

The next day after their coats dried, they felt noticeably soft to the touch. And, the nice aroma still hovered around them. Too bad that within five minutes of turning my ‘boys’ out the next day after their baths, they all rolled. Or was it? When I went to bring the gang in later in the day, I observed that their coats were still nice and soft, and they still had the subtle scent of the Neemella hanging around them. Ok, so maybe I needed to lean in to sniff them – the scent was pleasant, but not overbearing.And, I did detect a bit of a shine as well.
So what does the Neemella smell like? It does have a fresh lotion aroma; Neemella also contains both Neem oil and Citronella oil, because it is made to “lessen Summer’s annoyances”. Which is why I got the sense of there being a hint of the smell of fly spray that was a part of the aroma of the Neemella. Personally, I really like the fragrance that the Citronella helps to add to the after bath lotion, because when I close my eyes and breathe deeply, I smell Summer.

Mark was pretty interested in Neemella when he heard that it could help keep those pesky bugs away… Photo by: Lorraine Peachey

Another observation that I made when I rounded up my horses to bring them in from pasture was that they did not appear to be getting harassed by clouds of flies. In fact, they did not seem irritable or bothered by bugs. I really like that not only did the Neemella help make my horse’s coats softer, but it also acts as a type of insect repellent. Since one of my gang is a giant beast of a horse, who is acutely sensitive to fly and insect bites – well, let’s just say insect repelling properties are much desired around my barn.

The Neemella after bath lotion made by Omega Alpha Equine is very easy to use, especially with the spray applicator. I personally liked the soft feel and shiny appearance that the Neemella gave the coat. And, the Citronella helps to not only give it a nice aroma, but it also helps to deter flies and bugs as well. Which is a huge plus in my mind. I am quite pleased to have found a convenient after bath product that helps to make my horse’s coats soft and shiny, while deterring bugs at the same time. Happy Summer, indeed.

Go Bug-Fighting After Bath Lotion. Go Omega Alpha Equine. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Tredstep Ireland Da Vinci Stretch Field Boot

By Colleen Peachey on Jun 19, 2014 12:04 pm -

Subtle yet stylish Tredstep logo found on the side of the Da Vinci Stretch Field Boot. Photo by Lorraine Peachey

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder — at least that’s what I’ve heard over the years. I like to think of myself as a person who enjoys the simple moments of life and finding beauty in random moments of each and every day. For me, the sound of my horses whinnying at me when I pull in the driveway is music to my ears. The smell of freshly baled hay stacked in the barn or the fragrance of fly spray and horse are aromas that soothe and relax me. And when I pause to actually watch my horses running out in the pasture, it never fails to take my breath away.

Of course, not all moments have to be so cathartic. Beauty can take many different forms. Freshly trimmed and shod feet. A sparkling clean horse. And gleaming, well — broken in — tack and riding gear. Some of my favorite moments of each day are spent around the barn, so I find a simple kind of joy in pulling on properly fitting gear to work and ride in. Sure, I have my favorite saddle. And maybe I tend to grab the same pair of gloves. Depending on my mood, I’ll most likely hop into a different pair of breeches. But I usually pause for a moment or two before I pull on a pair of boots.

A pair of comfortable boots that have been through the war are something lovely to behold. In my humble opinion, they are worth their weight in gold. Obviously, comfort and function are the most important aspects to me. If I come across a pair of boots that are comfortable to ride in right out of the gate and that have a stylish, attractive appearance? You better believe that I’m going to grab onto them with a kung-fu grip. Just saying.

The Da Vinci Stretch Boots look great from the front … Photo by Lorraine Peachey

You may recall that I am a fan of riding in my Tredstep Ireland Raphael Dress Boots, because of their comfort, function in the saddle, and overall very sharp appearance. I’ve also had the chance to try out Tredstep Ireland’s new Da Vinci Stretch Field Boots — or, I like to think of them as the Raphael Dress Boot‘s counterpart. I was quite happy to observe that one of my favorite features of the Raphael Dress Boot has carried over to the Da Vinci Stretch Field Boots (hint — it’s a great feeling to be able to move your ankles!).

Right out of the box, I was struck by how lovely the Da Vinci Stretch boots looked and felt (and smelled — love the aroma of the leather!). The calf skin leather that the boot is crafted of is smooth to the touch, and it feels slightly softer than that of the Raphael boot (which I would definitely expect when comparing a field boot to a dress boot). Looking inside of the boots, I found that the leather lining feels even softer and smoother to the touch yet. And while the Tredstep logo on the outer side of each boot is discreet, it adds a nice touch to their overall appearance.

… and from the back (check out those stretch panels!) Photo by Lorraine Peachey

I actually caught myself just sitting and admiring the Da Vinci boots for a moment. Just sitting. And staring. And possibly hugging them. I digress. I would describe the lines of the boots as being graceful, and I also get the sense of a traditional and refined appearance. I started to think about how appropriate the name is for the Da Vinci Stretch boots because they reminded me of two works of art.

When I pulled the Da Vinci Stretch boots on for the very first time, I just had the feeling that they were a proper match for me. After the zipper finished its smooth journey up, I then snapped both the top and bottom zipper guards into place. I was once again struck by the feeling of having full movement of my ankle, even though I pulled on the boots straight away after they came out of the box. Tredstep’s own Pro Flex ankle design allows me the freedom to pull on a brand new pair of boots and literally hop right into the saddle — without having to dedicate some pretty uncomfortable hours to breaking in new boots.

The Pro Flex ankle design of the Da Vinci Stretch boot allows full freedom of movemet...right out of the box! Photo by Lorraine Peachey

The Pro Flex ankle design of the Da Vinci Stretch boot allows full freedom of movement right out of the box! Photo by Lorraine Peachey.

Aside from the complete and total awesomeness of the Pro Flex ankle design, I also really appreciated the slim cut of the Da Vinci Stretch boots through the ankle. As someone with narrow ankles, I’ve had the problem in the past of trying on boots that fit my calf but are too loose in the ankle. The cut of the ankle worked beautifully for me.

For me, the most exciting feature of the Da Vinci Stretch boots is the full length stretch panel that runs alongside of the rear zipper. While the panel is a subtle feature of the boot, I noticed a difference in the fit — hands down. With the addition of the stretch panel, I felt like I got a close and contoured fit of the boot against my leg. Between the combination of the boot’s stretch panel and flexible spine, I felt as though it hugged my leg, feeling akin to a second skin.

That close and contoured fit translated brilliantly to provide me with excellent functionality in the saddle. Of course, my ankle had the freedom to move around comfortably and without limitation straight away out of the box — which is still something that is a little hard for me to wrap my mind around. This freedom of movement enabled me to keep my ankle in exactly the position that I desired, with no feeling of stiffness or limited mobility.

With a close and contoured fit, the Da Vinci Stretch boots provide me with a nice grip on the saddle. Photo by Lorraine Peachey.

Since the fit of the boots is so contoured, I felt like I was able to have a nice amount of contact against the saddle. Without any extra bulk or looseness in the leg, I had the benefit of being able to get a good grip. And I was able to hold my legs in place nicely while riding — both in my regular seat and in two point. My biggest takeaway is that the Da Vinci Stretch boots offer me a stellar fit, which definitely help them to perform in the saddle.

The Da Vinci Stretch boot fits my leg. Just. That. Well. The brand new stretch panel that has been incorporated into the boot does a simply terrific job of helping the boot to contour just so to my leg. In addition to the great experience that I’ve had with the fit and functionality of the boot, I also appreciate their elegant and refined appearance. They are almost too pretty to wear around the barn. Almost. But let’s face it, just keeping a pair around to look at would be a complete waste. The Da Vinci Stretch Field Boots from Tredstep Ireland have a retail price of $489.95. In my opinion, they really do give the feeling of being a more expensive boot then the price point indicates. Click here to get your own pair.

Go Boots that Fit & Function Brilliantly. Go Tredstep Ireland. Go Eventing.

This Week in Horse Health News Presented by Absorbine

By Colleen Peachey on Jun 18, 2014 6:00 pm -

Running — check. Rearing — check. Now let's talk about joint maintenance. Photo by Colleen Peachey.

As an owner of two young horses in training, I tend to worry about keeping them healthy and injury free. The “kids,” as I affectionately like to call them, love to tear around the pasture — bucking and flailing all the while. I often find myself wondering how it is they keep themselves in one piece. Even with their seemingly endless amount of energy, I try to ease the youngsters into more strenuous activity when I am in the process of increasing their workloads.

Something that always tends to linger in a part my brain is the concept of joint maintenance. I strive to support the health of my youngsters, through methods such as keeping them on a joint supplement. Since one of my young guys is a super gigantic beast of a horse, standing at 17.3 hands, I also worry about the “a” word. Yep, you guessed it — arthritis. Recently, researchers in the U.S. have shown that it is possible to prevent joint damage that can lead to arthritis through the management of your horse’s diet and the use of anti-inflammatory aids.

This Week in Horse Health News:

Weight Loss in Hot Temperatures: Horses require a higher amount of energy in order to properly regulate their body temperature when outside temperatures are outside of the equine “thermo neutral zone.” In spite of higher energy requirements, many horses tend to eat and drink less during periods with higher temperatures. [The Horse]

Working Nerve Cells Created from Horse Stem Cells: Researchers have created the first working nerve cells by using horse stem cells. This type of advancement could benefit horses that are suffering from neurological illnesses or conditions. [EquiMed]

The Genetics of Heaves: According to researchers, Recurrent Airway Obstruction, more commonly known as heaves, appears to be passed down through genetics. While the way that symptoms present can be similar in various cases, the underlying genetics will appear differently for one equine family tree versus another. [The Horse]

The True Age of Equine Physical Maturity: Dr. Deb Bennett suggests that there is a definite schedule for bone formation in the horse, with the spine being the last part of the body to fully fuse. Building on Dr. Bennett’s exploration of equine skeletal development, an alternate view of basing a young horse’s training on their level of physical maturity has been presented. [Horsetalk]

Foaling Mares Are … Relaxed?: After studying a variety of domestic species, a group of scientists has determined that, contrary to popular belief, mares appear to be completely relaxed while delivering a foal. [The Horse]

Product Review: UltrOZ Equine Ultrasonic Therapy System

By Colleen Peachey on Jun 16, 2014 10:30 am -

Photo provided by Hamilton BioVet.

Being involved in eventing, or really any equestrian sport, can involve a lot of commitment. We invest much in our horses and partners; giving tangible things like time and money. But there are also those intangible things; I’ve certainly poured blood, sweat and tears in along the way. You fall off. You get banged up a bit. You heal. And you get a leg-up to get back in the saddle, and kick on.

When you love the sport, and love your horse, you keep going in spite of the difficulties that you may face. Looking back, I feel like I’ve poured my heart and a piece of my soul into my own riding, and training my horses. It’s not a hobby, or a passing fancy. This is a lifestyle.

With having so much of ourselves invested in our horses–and I’m talking about pleasure horses to upper level event horses, and everything in between–it is very stressful when an injury pops up. Not only are riders invested financially in their horses, but they are oftentimes invested emotionally as well. In any case, riders want to get their horses to recover as quickly as ~~humanly~~ “equine-ly” possible. So what can we actually do to help speed the healing process?

I’m someone who favors therapeutic methods for healing, rather then surgical. So, I was extremely excited to recently have the opportunity to try the UltrOZ Equine Ultrasonic Therapy System that is available through Hamilton BioVet.

Prior to my trial of the system, I read a number of testimonials, case studies, and published research available on Hamilton BioVet’s website, in which the system demonstrated that it could produce some truly fantastic results.

The system was originally created, as the observation was made by both scientists and clinicians, so that a low intensity type of treatment administered over a longer period of time helped to increase the healing rate of the body. The technology was originally geared towards helping to heal fractures (in the instance of a non-union) and expanded to also treat soft tissue injuries (such as tendons and ligaments).

I have recently had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Holly Schmitt about her experience with the UltrOZ system. One of the case studies that we chatted about involved a Grand Prix jumper who had sustained a carpal bone fracture. At the time that the UltrOZ system was introduced as a treatment for this particular horse, the fracture was approximately three months old and the bone had not healed back together yet. One month later, after having introduced the UltrOZ system as a part of treatment plan for the patient, the bone was fully healed (not to mention that the patient was 100% sound within two weeks after starting treatment).

Hamilton BioVet Sponsored Rider Lizzie Snow uses the UltrOZ system on her competition horses, Photo by: Leslie Wylie

I also was able to connect with upper-level rider Lizzie Snow, who is sponsored by Hamilton BioVet. You may have recently seen her competing at both Jersey Fresh and Bromont at the CCI3* level.

Lizzie uses UltrOZ on her own young horses that are currently in competition, and here is what she has to say about the use of the system and the results that she has experienced: “I’ve been using the UltrOz system on one of my horses with a minor soft tissue injury and it is incredibly user friendly and straightforward. I have seen significant improvement with the use of the system on this particular injury and also on a variety of different injuries. I am very impressed with the outcome of all of them! I love how small and portable the system is. It’s easy to take to the events and easy to use anywhere.”

As part of my trial of the UltrOZ system, I decided to begin by trying the system out on my older Quarter Horse gelding, Ripley. If you have been following along with my series of product reviews, you may feel like you have gotten to know Ripley fairly well. For anyone not familiar with Ripley, he is in his mid-20s (but just try telling him that). I have noticed that Ripley has been showing signs of aging during the past several years: he started to come out of his stall stiff in the mornings, and would generally have a cranky attitude when he would go for turnout after morning grain. I also noticed that he was very short strided when I would start out any rides on him and it would take about 10-15 minutes to get him warmed up and moving more forward.

The UltrOZ system is easy to use, and compact for grabbing to take on the go, Photo Provided by Hamilton BioVet

I can’t really say what exactly I was expecting after starting to use the UltrOZ system – definitely a higher comfort level for Ripley, and I was hopeful that it would help reduce stiffness in the morning, and short-strided warm-ups for him as well.

So, I started my journey with the UltrOZ system and Ripley. I was a little concerned at first, because I wanted to make sure that I used the system properly—after actually using the system, what I realized is that it is super easy to use, convenient with my busy schedule and extremely effective for me.

To start out, I want to note that the case in which the UltrOZ system comes in is very useful in keeping everything organized and stored properly. The unit arrived fully charged, and I took out the UltrOZ device and attached tab (the tab is how the therapy is administered), and selected an UltrOZ Wrap to use it with.

The wraps are very convenient to use – the hock wrap includes a pocket on both sides, so switching it from one leg to the other makes no difference. To operate, I put the actual unit into the pouch on the wrap – and then passed the wire with the application tab through a slit on the back side of the wrap. It was super easy and convenient!

Starting an UltrOZ treatment is extremely easy, when using one of the wraps specially designed for the system, Photo by: Lorraine Peachey

Application was a breeze. Really. To set up to start a treatment, you need to use the UltrOZ Ultrasound Gel (a bottle is included with the system) to coat the area to be treated, as well as the side of the application tab that will lay against the horse. UltrOZ will be more effective if the area to be treated has been clipped at the application site – this will allow the ultrasonic waves to penetrate better.

Of course, I also wanted to make sure to be precise with my placement of the UltrOZ, so that treatment was administered right where it was needed. The UltraOZ actually radiates about the size of a softball, so having the exact placement isn’t really necessary.

And the best part was, once I set up Ripley and started the treatment, I left him unattended in his stall, while I headed off to spend my time elsewhere. No supervision during treatment is needed, as the system has been designed to leave your horse unattended for up to four hours while being treated!

I targeted one of Ripley’s hind legs that had become a bit of an issue for treatment with the UltrOZ system. He had developed a hardened windpuff in the leg, and the inflammation would not go down. Nothing seemed to help; increased turnout, applying therapeutic wraps, and even medication would not bring the leg down.

I even spoke with my vet about Ripley’s leg. After taking a look at it, she told me the appearance of the leg basically was what it was. She was happy to see that Ripley was sound, but that there really wasn’t anything that could be done to remedy the “filled up” appearance of his leg. While I wasn’t thrilled to hear this news, I figured that the upside was the Ripley was basically sound on the leg (and just had the stiffness issues that I mentioned earlier).

I can say that I absolutely noticed a difference in Ripley after starting him on UltrOZ treatments, and I loved the convenience of being able to start a treatment in the morning before leaving for work, and then leaving Ripley to hang out in his stall. I started to notice a difference after only the first few days of administering treatments. He now seems much happier when I come out for morning feedings, and he cruises right out to the pasture after coming out of his stall. I even notice that when he gets down to roll, that he appears to pop back up more easily then before.

The most pronounced difference I notice is how well Ripley is performing for me under saddle since we started UltrOZ treatments. I certainly can tell that he is feeling better, because when we start our rides, Ripley’s stride is longer, and he wants to move forward right from the start.

I don’t miss his short, choppy strides during warm up. In fact, I’ve even returned to schooling him over small jumps again since he has been feeling better, and he truly seems to love it. I can only guess that his heart soars over each and every fence, even if they aren’t as big as the fences that he used to tackle “back in the day”.

It is fantastic that Ripley seems to have such an improved attitude, and appears to be more comfortable (and much more willing to move forward), since he started UltrOZ treatments. But I never in my wildest dreams imagined that his hardened windpuff would actually decrease in size. Which it has gone down, to the point that Ripley’s leg basically looks normal to me.

I was absolutely shocked; I truly couldn’t believe what I was seeing, because I was convinced that Ripley’s leg was going to have that filled up appearance for the rest of his life. I was ok with that; it made me a little sad on the inside to see, but as long as he remained sound and seemed to be in good health for his age, I was ok. But I am simply astonished at the difference that I’ve seen in Ripley.

With his leg returning to looking basically normal, his improved attitude and overall better mobility (both in the pasture and under saddle), I feel like I’ve gotten my horse back. Truly, I did not believe that Ripley could come back to this level of physical (and I would even say mental, with his improved attitude) well being. I’ve never been more glad to be wrong.

So what are some of the features and benefits that I really like about the UltrOZ system?

Convenience of Unsupervised Treatments: Do I like being able to start a treatment and then move on to my next activity? YES! The UltrOZ system was designed so that you can start a treatment on a horse, and then leave them unattended for up to four hours in their stall. I personally don’t have time to hang out with my horse for hours at a time to watch as a treatment is delivered. After I start a treatment on Ripley, I just leave him in his stall to comfortably wander around, munch on some hay, and lick his salt rock. It’s that easy and I have not had the wrap slip during usage.

Easy to Use: The UltrOZ application tab radiates ultrasonic therapy waves in an area about the size of a softball from the site of treatment, so you don’t have to be precise in your placement of it. And an aspect that is important to me is that a horse owner, trainer, barn manager or groom can administer the treatments; a medical professional does not need to be present to do so.

Specifically Designed Wraps for the UltrOZ System: There are a number of easy to use wraps available that are designed to work with the UltrOZ system, including a leg wrap, a hock wrap, a stifle wrap, and a back wrap. The hock wrap does come in a standard horse size and a pony size. I’ve personally used both the leg wrap and hock wrap, and they work beautifully. The unit goes into a pouch, and the application tab passes through a slit in the back of the pouch to apply to the treatment side, so there are no exposed wires.

No Danger of Overtreatment: The low intensity of the treatment allows it to be delivered over a longer period of time – I’ve done anywhere from one to four hours. I’ve been told that there is no danger to your horse if you leave it on for hours. Something that I found interesting is that the UltrOZ treatment radiates at such a low intensity, that you can’t even feel that it is on (there is no vibration type feeling). There is a blue light that lights up to indicate that the UltrOZ unit is in operation.

Range of Effective Uses: The UltrOZ system is versatile enough to be effective to use for young horses in training and equine athletes in competition, while still being able to help improve the life of my senior horse. It can be used in both a maintenance capacity, and to heal soft tissue injuries or even fractures. I like that different horses at various stages of their lives and with different work loads can benefit from treatments.

Compact and Portable: With the UltrOZ being such a small and portable system it is very convenient to grab and go with it – that makes it easy to use at the barn, or while on the road traveling to an event.

UltrOZ Hock Wrap, Photo Provided by Hamilton BioVet

I personally believe in the UltrOZ after what I’ve seen the system do to bring Ripley to an improved state of well being. So much so that after my trial, I am purchasing the system myself – not only so that I can continue use on Ripley, but also so that I can use the system in a maintenance capacity for Mark and Rufus—my two young geldings in training.

While the UltrOZ system is an investment, having a retail price of $1,295, Hamilton BioVet offers 6 months of interest free financing through Paypal in order to make the system more affordable.

When I look at how much I’ve previously spent on multiple types of therapeutic wraps, and medication from my vet to alleviate symptoms of stiffness, well, I’d much rather make an investment into the UltrOZ system to maintain the health of my horses.

The fact that it is also able to help treat some injuries that I could face in the future also is a plus in my mind. I think my biggest take away here is the fact that I’m glad that Ripley is “back”.

Go Ultrasonic Therapy. Go UltrOZ. Go Eventing.

Product Review: JoJo Sox

By Colleen Peachey on Jun 11, 2014 10:30 am -

JoJo Sox Logo, from the bottom of the 6" Cool Max Sox

These days, there are many fun colors and interesting styles that are being incorporated into equestrian apparel. I, for one, certainly appreciate all of the various technical fabrics that have been designed to deliver superior performance in the saddle. And do you know what’s even better? When said performance apparel comes in bright colors and/or funky patterns. What, that’s just one perk of being an eventer–we can have a little bit of fun with our attire!

Sadly, there is one piece (actually, make that two pieces) of clothing that can easily be forgotten about. That one part of your outfit where you can show as much personality as you want; but can still remain looking polished and conservative enough, even for the dressage ring? Yup, you guessed it…I’m talking about socks!

JoJo Sox Tuff Cuff Boot Sox with chevron awesome-ness

Alas, though their fate is to be hidden underneath a pair of boots, socks can be sassy in their own right. I do have my fair share of funky socks for every day wear–everything from the more traditional floral and plaid prints, to slightly more eccentric prints including zebras, frogs, chickens, and beyond. While wacky patterns are great and all, when it comes to a riding sock, I also expect that it will perform well underneath my boot.

I was very excited when I had the chance to try my first pair of JoJo Sox last year. One of the things that really caught my interest after learning about the brand was the sheer number of patterns and colors that are offered. While many of the designs are equestrian inspired, JoJo Sox also offers many other patterns as well–ranging from geometric, artistic, and even nature themed.

Neon Colors? Check. Awesome Skull & Bones pattern? Check. Meet the 6″ Sox…

The day that I tried on my first pair of JoJo Sox, I remember thinking that that my feet looked like they were having their own fiesta. Seriously. Color. Explosion. Nice, right? Since that first pair, I’ve added a number of JoJo Sox to my sock collection. And while I’ve spent a lot of time riding in them, I also find myself wearing them during everyday life as well. Their tall pairs of boots socks definitely do look snazzy peeking out over the top of my Dubarry boots, that’s for sure!

For riding while wearing my paddock boots, I’ve enjoyed wearing both the Tuff Cuff Sox, as well as the 6″ Sox–both in the CoolMax Eco Made fabric. The height of both pairs of socks work very nicely when I decide to school in my paddock boots and half chaps. I like that they are comfortable when I wear them, and they don’t try to slide down while I’m riding like my regular “non-riding” socks do.

Aside from the awesome colors and comfort, the CoolMax Eco Made fabric functions nicely – even when schooling in warmer temperatures, I noticed that the Sox remained dry and my feel were not sweaty or icky after my ride. And a fun fact? The Eco Made fabric is made out of recycled water bottles, so you could say that their very existence could be helping the environment.

Who knew that bamboo could feel so incredibly smooth when worn on your feet?

Another type of Sox that I’ve enjoyed riding (and also not riding) in are Bambootz. These are a type of Sox that are true to their name, because they are actually made out of bamboo. The first thing that I noticed about Bambootz are just how absolutely soft and smooth they are to the touch. I like the fact that when I pull a pair on, they give me the feeling of being a second skin. And even though they are thin, my boots do not rub my feet through them.

The fabric does allow my feet to BREATHE, and it also does help to keep my feet dry during my ride. Because who likes sweaty feet anyway? I’ve tried Bambootz in both a short and tall height – short working great with paddock boots, and tall pairing well with my field boots.

And to round off the bunch are the Tall Sox – once again, the patterns available do not disappoint (isn’t the giraffe print totally awesome?). What I like about the Tall Sox is the way that they fit my legs; they are form fitting, and I get the feeling that they “hug” my legs, but they are not overly tight or constricting. And, the fabric does not feel like it has any extra bulk, which is a plus for me. As with the other pairs of JoJo Sox, the Tall Sox stay in place while I’m in the saddle, and they also do a nice job of wicking away moisture. Even on those extra warm days.

Who likes animal print Sox? This Gal.

One of the things that I like about JoJo Sox is that there are a lot of styles. You can pick a style to fit your activity level for the day–out of the number of sock heights and materials available. And depending on your mood, you can pick anything from an eye pleasing geometric design, to a skull and bones pattern in neon colors.

Ladies JoJo Sox retail in price for $14 to $20 – which means that both my inner fashionista and my budget are happy. I’ve found that I’m starting to become a collector of different designs and fabrics. Because, what can I say–I like the fusion of all of the fun patterns, with technical fabrics that are working for me underneath my riding boots.

Go Funky Patterns. Go JoJo Sox. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Equi-Tee Mfg Flex’n Fork

By Colleen Peachey on Jun 6, 2014 12:30 pm -

Label on the Equi-Tee Mfg Flex'n Fork, Photo by: Lorraine Peachey

If someone were to ask me what my favorite way to spend time around the barn, there are a few answers that immediately pop into my head. Riding one of my horses would be the most obvious. I’d also venture to say just hanging out with one of my geldings for a grooming session would rank in near the top of the list as well – and even socializing with other riders.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are those ominous tasks that no one wants to even think about. Personally, one of my least favorite tasks is cleaning out the tack room (where did all of the ~~crap~~ stuff come from that has accumulated in there anyway?). Pulling manes is also no picnic in the park either, but I’ll certainly take that over tack room duty.

Mucking out stalls is an activity that I would classify as falling somewhere in the middle of the road, between ‘I love it, I love it, can I do this ALL OF THE TIME?’ and ‘You want me to do what…are you serious? No, really?’.

I’ve had a sort of love/hate relationship with mucking over the years. Honestly, I don’t mind the activity itself so much–I mean, after a day at the office, shoving horse poo out of a stall is quite therapeutic. It’s a quiet time when talking to anyone isn’t really necessary, and you have time to reflect on the happenings of the day.

Sometimes, putting on a little music in the background is relaxing (especially if it’s some feel good country music). And, I can actually feel the stress of the day start to slip away when I pause to watch the horses out grazing and frolicking on their pasture. Everything seems to be going so well, right? Well, it really is…until I turn to shovel a pile of manure, and then hear the basket tines go SNAP. And that in a nutshell would be the hate part of my relationship with mucking.

The Flex'n Fork Standard Basket (left) and the Mini-Tine Basket (right)

The Flex’n Fork Mini-Tine Basket (left) and the Standard Basket (right), Photo by: Lorraine Peachey

Suffice to say that I’ve tried my fair share of pick forks during my tenure as chief stall cleaner at my own barn. What I’ve found is that all of them seem to have a limited lifespan with me. Sure, some kinds last a good bit longer than others…but inevitably, I always end up with tine breakage.

We’ve come up with some creative ways to keep the forks going, even after tine breakage – it’s really pretty amazing how they can be patched up, so they can stay in use longer. But fixing the forks is really just delaying running out to the tack store to buy another.

A while back, I started to hear rumblings about the Flex’n Fork made by Equi-Tee Mfg. Well, not just rumblings–really what I was hearing were a lot of folks flat out raving about both the Flex’n Fork, and it’s relative the Shake’N Fork. So when I recently had the chance to try out a couple of Flex’N Forks here at the farm, let’s just say that I was really excited. To go outside and shovel horse poo. With the new manure forks. Come on, you just know that this is something that could only happen to horse people, right?

I’m dead serious here when I say that I was anxiously awaiting the arrival for the Flex’n Forks, so that I could start trying them out. Not so excited that I’d go to the extreme of keeping my horses in their stalls longer, just so I’d have more manure to pick up or anything.

When the box arrived, I hurried up and got it inside so that I could tear into it – which wasn’t as easy as expected, as everything was packaged together safely and really securely. The first thing that I did with the Flex’n Fork after it arrived, and was assembled was to check out the flexible motion of the basket. I faked like I was going to scoop something up in the basket, and I watched the back of the basket flex – it looked really encouraging, that’s for sure!

Side view of the Flex’n Fork – in it’s “resting” state, Photo by: Lorraine Peachey

I also couldn’t believe just how darn light both of the Flex’N Forks were when I picked them up; I received both a Standard (5/8″ spacing) and Mini-Tine (5/16″ spacing) basket to try out, and see what really worked well for me.

The Flex’N Fork with the Standard basket mounted on it is slightly lighter then the Mini-Tine version, but both are quite lighter than my previous pick fork. The handle also has a very nice angled grip at the end of it, which appeared as though it would be helpful to use while mucking out stalls.

There are also sides to the basket – there aren’t overly tall, but they are there to assist with keeping manure from falling off the sides. And let’s not forget to focus in on one of my favorite features here – the COLORS! I really do like the bright yellow basket and handle, in combination with the blue pole. Important stuff here, folks.

Anyway, after getting the Flex’N Forks assembled, I was ready for a STALL CLEANING PARTY. This is the love part of my relationship with mucking. When I started in on my first stall, I immediately noticed the Flex’N Fork totally doing it’s thing…by flexing whenever I would go to pick up a pile of manure. And since I’m a cram-every-last-bit-of-manure-onto-a-single-scoop kinda gal, I think this is where part of my problem was with my old pick forks breaking. But that’s just a guess. Is it really so wrong to want every scoop to count?

One thing that I noticed was that I took a couple of days for me to adjust to the Flex’N Fork. My previous pick fork was one of the heavier duty ones, with tall sides to it–and so, I was used to being able to pick up a lot in the fork, and then shaking bedding out without losing too much else. I’m no longer to shake the manure forks, but I’ve adjusted to being able to ‘bounce’ them a little bit to remove excess bedding.

Side View of the Flex’n Fork – check out the flexion in the back of the basket as I’m picking up the manure, Photo by: Lorraine Peachey

By the way, I just wanted to mention that I used pelleted pine bedding, for reference. So back to what I was saying, it did take me a couple of days to get used to the Flex’n Fork, but now that I’ve switched, I am really happy with the results.

I think the single biggest benefit that I’ve noticed is a relief of back and wrist pain. Thanks to my ‘make every scoop count’ mantra, I see now that I was picking up loads that were too heavy. With the Flex’n Fork, I must pick up smaller scoops, so that everything fits in the basket…and after I get finished picking 3 stalls with the Flex’n Fork, I notice that I feel fine. Previously, after picking 3 stalls with my old pick fork, my back would be hurt a little, and my wrist would be tired. So feeling better after picking is a huge plus for me! I also feel like in my case, that my wrist is being helped by the angled grip on the end of the handle – it allows my wrist to remain in a more comfortable position, rather than having to stay in an awkward angle while mucking.

With using pelleted pine bedding, I suspected that I might prefer the Mini-Tine for stall mucking–though honestly, both forks work well in with that particular bedding. I do notice that sometimes the pelleted bedding sometimes will hang up a little in the Mini-Tine basket, but bouncing it a little will help to remove the excess bedding. The Standard basket does do a really nice job, and I don’t really experience any bedding really hanging up in it.

Close up view of the Flex’n Fork Mini-Tine basket (left) and the Standard Basket (right), Photo by: Lorraine Peachey

I’m happy to report that Flex’n Forks are also MADE IN THE USA – you may recall me mentioning in the past that I do love to see products that are made in the USA. And one other thing that I am excited to see is that the Flex’n Forks actually come with a warranty against tine breakage – yes, you read correctly (you can go back and re-read if you need to though). All Flex’n Forks come with a 13-month warranty against tine breakage – I’ve been using the heck out of mine here (even going as far to try to scoop up gigantic piles of manure–thanks Mark–and the Flex’n Fork did not give me any problems).

For me, the Flex’n Fork by Equi-Tee Mfg has helped to transform my love/hate relationship with mucking into a ‘this is a total party’ relationship. Seriously. My old pick forks have been sitting in the tack room since I started using the Flex’n Forks, because I haven’t felt the need to go back to using them. The Flex’n Fork is a small investment–the Standard basket model sells for $54.95, while the Mini-Tine model sells for $59.95 from Equi-Tee Mfg.

For me, when I compare the longevity of other pick forks with what I am seeing with the Flex’n Fork manure forks, I feel like it is worth the investment. In fact, I am seriously considering adding a Shake’n Fork to my line-up of manure fighting tools. I’m personally very happy that I tried the Flex’n Forks though – I’m most excited about the fact that I can keep on mucking with a super-duper lightweight manure fork, while not worrying about back pain or a weak feeling in my wrist.

Go Manure Forks that stand up to Tine Breakage. Go Equi-Tee Mfg. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Ovation Slim Secret and EuroWeave DX Breeches

By Colleen Peachey on Jun 5, 2014 1:30 pm -

Ovation logo on back waistband of the Slim Secret breeches

Something that I’ve started doing a lot more of recently is wearing breeches. Sure, I have absolutely been riding more, what with all of the beautiful weather that we’ve been having here in Pennsylvania. But the funny thing about it is, that I’ve been noticing that I’ve been wearing breeches for activities that extend beyond the saddle.

Not that I intentionally throw breeches on to go to the office, to the mall to shop, or out on the town (I’m not trying to imitate the faux-equestrian style that some designers have become so fond of). Although, you may see me sporting my breeches occasionally for a quick stop at the grocery store, or the gas station, or even for pizza. Anyway, I’ve found that I prefer to throw a pair of breeches on to go out to get my barn work done, rather than jeans.

Basically, any activity that involves hay goes better wearing breeches – when the material is a type that is super easy to brush the hay off. Because it. sticks. everywhere. Plus, breeches are more comfortable than jeans, and convenient…if I decide to sneak a quick ride in after my barn work is done.

Since I’m wearing breeches even more often now, I also like to have a variety of styles and colors in my wardrobe to pick from (what can I say…I like options!). After all, the same two colors get a little tired if you are alternating back and forth between them every other day. Just saying.

So for me, finding breeches that are different colors, or offer a unique take on style can be a lot of fun. And I absolutely LOVE it when I manage to find a pair that has a feature or aspect to their design that is brand new to me. Especially when that feature is something that helps the breeches to perform better in the saddle, or even look more flattering and stylish while I’m wearing them.

Ovation Slim Secret Breeches, from the front

Recently, I was very excited when I had the opportunity to try out Ovation breeches, from ERS-Eventing for the very first time. Over the past several months, I’ve become familiar with the Ovation brand when I had the chance to try out their Schooler Helmet, as well as their Flex Field Boots. After having very positive experiences with both, I was really looking forward to trying out two different pairs of breeches from Ovation. The first pair that I tried were the Slim Secret EuroWeave DX Breeches, which–let me tell you–have quite a fabulous feature.

Since I’ve been wearing breeches since a young age, I’m not super fussy about the fact that they are basically form-fitting, stretchy pants…for riding. On certain days though, sometimes I just feel a little self-conscious about wearing my breeches. I think that is a feeling that a number of female riders experience at one point or another – no matter what shape you are or what size you wear, everybody feels better when they pull on breeches that are stylish, and flattering to their form.

The great ‘secret’ of the Slim Secret breeches is that they have a hidden tummy panel, that helps to flatten and give a smooth appearance to your stomach and hip area. I loved the concept of the Slim Secret breeches when I heard about them. And after I tried them? They really did help to smooth out my mid-section! Not only did they look fabulous on, but they also gave me a little extra spark of confidence, because looking great makes me feel great.

Ovation Slim Secret Breeches, from the back

While I feel like the secret tummy panel of the Slim Secret breeches is an absolutely terrific feature, the other aspects of the breeches will not be ignored either! In addition to looking flattering, I really liked the way that the fabric of the breeches felt when I pulled them on – they feel very smooth to the touch.

The fabric is nice and stretchy–and it feels like it is a nice weight; durable, but not overly heavy. And, I also like the lightweight fabric that has been incorporated into the bottom of the legs, as a type of integrated sock. I am also a fan of how the breeches fit; while they do give a flattering appearance, they also fit me well. When wearing them, the waistband feels like it hugs me the whole way around my waist. And, I also like the two side pockets–they look sharp, with the extra flair of the piping that goes along the edges of the pockets.

The little details are also nice–including the embroidered Ovation logo on the back waistband. The Secret Slims were also very comfortable for me to ride in; even though temperatures have been on the warm side, I feel like the Secret Slim breeches help me to dry and comfortable, thanks to Ovation’s very own Dry-Tex technology. The Slim Secret breeches definitely stand apart for me because they are comfortable. They fit well. And they are flattering to boot. And for me, I totally dig the fact that the Slim Secret breeches help to make me feel better, and give me a little extra bounce of confidence.

Ovation EuroWeave DX Full Seat Breeches, from the front

As much as a liked the pair of Slim Secret breeches, I was ready to change things up and try out the Ovation EuroWeave DX breeches as well – a different color, and a different style? Let’s just say that I was up for the challenge! The EuroWeave breeches that I tried were also made of a nice and stretchy fabric, that feels like it has substance to it.

The fabric also includes the Ovation Dry-Tex technology, and I also like that that bottom of each leg has the traditional, adjustable velcro closure–which is getting harder to find in breeches these days. These particular breeches feature one front pocket that zips shut, and also has a tab on the front belt loop that says ‘Ovation’, as well as a shortened Ovation logo embroidered on the right hip–and, I also like the additional detail of the stamped Ovation logo on the suede full seat, near the knee, on both sides (because I always like those extra little details!).

The EuroWeave DX breeches were comfortable for me to wear–both while I was mucking stalls, and riding (and, I think that the charcoal gray color is very attractive as well). And, I might have thrown a bunch of hay into the pickup truck to move down to the barn while wearing these–but no worries, it brushed right off!

Ovation EuroWeave DX Breeches, from the back

Both the Ovation Slim Secret EuroWeave DX Breeches, as well as the Ovation EuroWeave DX breeches fit me well, are comfortable, and function well in the saddle. Each stand out to me in their own way; while I do like the flattering style of the Slim Secret breeches, I also like the traditional character of the EuroWeave DX breeches. And something else that I like is the price tag; the EuroWeave DX Full Seat breeches have a retail price of $104.95, while the Slim Secret breeches have a retail price of $109.95. In my opinion, both pairs work well for me, and are they are budget-friendly as well!

Go Stylish AND Flattering Breeches. Go Ovation. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Kentucky Performance Products Joint Armor

By Colleen Peachey on May 29, 2014 10:00 am -

Front Label on Kentucky Performance Products container of Joint Armor

Having the chance to share a partnership with your horse is, in my humble opinion, an honor. Getting the chance to work with them day in and day out really allows you to get to know their individual personality. What motivates them. What bores them. What scares them. And even what excites them. When you get a new horse, getting to know them is a process. Over time though, it is rewarding when you start to fall into sync with your horse, and develop the foundation of every important horse and rider relationship-trust. What’s more, I find that creating a partnership, and working to build your horse’s skills and developing their talent from the ground up is one of the most rewarding experiences that I can describe.

I’ve had the absolute privilege of owning my Quarter Horse gelding, Ripley, for over half of his 24 year-old life. Ripley came to belong to me when I lost the ride on a horse that I was leasing, and I think that we found each other. He had some serious abuse issues, and had only Western training when I first got him; it took a great deal of time for me to earn his trust, and then to progress with his dressage training on the flat, and his over-fence training. But the re-training experience is priceless to me; I know feel like Ripley and I know and trust each other completely.

With the freakish mind-reading bond that Ripley and I have, I’ve started to notice in recent years that he has slowed down. Sure, he still loves to gallop out across our back fields, and hurl himself over small jumps, but he has reached his mid-20s. Age happens. And I’ve noticed that Ripley would tend to come out of his stall a little on the stiff side; warm-ups started to take longer, and it would take us maybe a good ten to fifteen minutes of trot work before it would feel like he would loosen up enough to really step out and lengthen his stride. But when we would first start out warming up at the trot, I felt myself flashback to the days when Ripley used to ‘jig,’ because his stride was so short and choppy. He would even be a little grumpy and resistive when I would ask him to lift and carry himself. But for Ripley, I didn’t just notice his performance under saddle suffering; I also could tell when I went out for AM feedings that he seemed to be in a grumpy mood. He just seemed to be on the irritable side in the mornings, and I couldn’t put my finger on it.

For the majority of the time that I’ve owned Ripley, he has not been on any kind of supplements; it has only been in the past few years that I’ve found the benefits of using supplements to fill in nutritional gaps in my horse’s diets. With the signs of age that Ripley has shown, I definitely felt as though I needed to do something to try to help ease any discomfort that he might be experiencing, and to help maintain his joints. After all, what else does my long-term equine partner deserve? So I was very excited when I recently had the chance to try Joint Armor, from Kentucky Performance Products.

Measuring out the Joint Armor maintenance dose (one scoop) for Ripley’s grain

When I started Ripley on Joint Armor, the first thing that I noticed was how good the supplement smells when you open the lid–I’ve heard someone describe it as smelling like cake batter, and I don’t think that’s far off! The jar may not seem overly large at first glance, but a maintenance dose is only one scoop per day. The 1.16lb container of Joint Armor contains a 75 day supply of the supplement, when administering a maintenance dose (one scoop). For the first 28 days, I gave Ripley two scoops of Joint Armor (to get him through the “loading dose” period, to ensure that he was absorbing the ingredients properly). I found that Ripley ate his Joint Armor without any qualms whatsoever (although, who wouldn’t want to eat a supplement that smells like cake batter?).

Within the first two weeks of starting on Joint Armor, I could start to tell a difference in Ripley’s demeanor; he started to have his ears pricked, and look excited when I would come out for AM feedings–rather than have them back or to the sides, along with his grumpy face. I could also tell the difference when he would step out of his stall for daytime turnout–his stall is part of a shed-row barn, so he has a beam to step over on his way out. Stepping over the beam to come out of his stall started to look easier for him; and he just gave an air of being happier overall.

Ripley is more willing to move forward now that he is on Joint Armor

And under saddle? Let’s just say that I started to notice a difference pretty quickly! Again, within the first two weeks of starting on Joint Armor, I noticed a difference in Ripley. After tacking him up and mounting up, he had a little bit of an extra bounce in his step. And I certainly noticed that it didn’t take nearly as long for Ripley to warm up enough to be comfortable stepping out. After about a full month of Joint Armor, I would say that I observed even more of a difference than I did at the two week mark; the stiffness that always overshadowed Ripley’s warm-up was something that I was having trouble noticing at all. Ripley actually wanted to move forward for me. Right off the bat. He also was much more willing when I asked him to get on the bit and carry himself, which is something that he had really been starting to fight me on pre-Joint Armor. And I feel much better about asking Ripley to tackle small fences–he certainly gives me the impression that he feels good doing it, since he seems to hurl himself over them.

Now that Ripley is about through his very first container of Joint Armor from Kentucky Performance Products, I will absolutely continue to keep him on a maintenance dose of the supplement going forward. Ripley has been a great equine partner for me for many years, and has taken care of me while I’ve been in the saddle; and now he has reached the point in his life when I need to take care of him and look after any special needs that he has. Joint Armor has really seemed to help to ease Ripley’s stiffness–both coming out of his stall in the morning and during his warm-ups under saddle–and it also seems to help him move better. I like the results that I’ve seen with Ripley on Joint Armor so much, that I also want to start my two younger geldings in training on the supplement as well, as their activity level increases. Suffice to say though, that I’m extremely happy to see Ripley feeling much more like his old self again.

Go Joint Maintenance. Go Kentucky Performance Products. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Professional’s Choice Gina Miles Collection Bits

By Colleen Peachey on May 23, 2014 10:00 am -

Professional's Choice tag from Gina Miles Loose Ring Double Break Snaffle Bit

Of all of the pieces of tack and equipment that exist for riding, there has been one particular article that has confounded me for years–bits. There are honestly just too many varieties of bits for me to begin to count, or to even try to list them all. Snaffle. Kimberwicke. Pelham. French Link. Full Cheek. Eggbutt. Loose Ring. Ok, so I (started) to try to list them anyway (I just couldn’t help myself, really). With so many combinations of mouthpieces and cheekpieces available, selecting the right bit for your horse can be like trying to see underwater in the Atlantic ocean…up here in the murky waters of ye old Mid-Atlantic states, NOT in the lovely crystal blue waters of Florida.

Or should I say, that bits are something that used to confound me for many years. A short while ago, I had the opportunity to have a fascinating and very educational chat with Olympic silver-medalist Gina Miles, about her philosophy for bitting. In fact, Gina has her very own collection of bits, which are available from Professional’s Choice. While chatting with her, Gina told me that “I don’t just want to sell bits; I want to help to educate.” With that philosophy in mind, Gina has also released her Top 10 Guidelines for Bitting, which is a set of tips to help equestrians with selecting the right bit for their horse.

Gina Miles Loose Ring Double Break Snaffle (Top) and Loose Ring Waterford (Bottom)

Armed with the brand new knowledge and guidelines for bitting that I picked up from Gina, I was recently able to start to put my knowledge to good use. I was very excited to have the opportunity to try out a couple of bits from Gina’s collection, including the Loose Ring Double Break Snaffle, and the Loose Ring Waterford bits. Now, let me start out by saying that after I got my first horse, Ripley (with whom I believe you are familiar with if you have been following my series of reviews!), I started riding him in a basic, run-of-the-mill eggbutt snaffle bit. I used this same bit for years, and never really felt the need to change it; sometimes Ripley would get a little heavy headed, but in my mind, I never wanted to switch to a bit that was more severe than a snaffle, considering the abuse that lingered in Ripley’s past.

So after familiarizing myself with Gina’s Guidelines for Bitting, I considered all three of my horses. I thought about where each of them are in their training, and what bits might be good to try amongst the three of them, and I settled on starting with the Loose Ring Double Break Snaffle. I switched over to using a loose ring bit a few years back, when my “middle” gelding, Mark, started his training under saddle–I was told that it was ‘milder’ than a regular eggbutt at the time. The Loose Ring Double Break Snaffle is what I would call the foundation bit of Gina’s collection; it is a great basic bit, that I like to use with all three of my horses. Ripley is low maintenance for the most part; he is well schooled and well behaved for me, so I like using such a mild bit for him, because he really doesn’t need anything more. I also like using this particular bit for my young geldings–Mark is an extremely sensitive horse, and I like to use this basic and gentle bit with him. And as for Rufus–my youngest gelding has just started his training this year. Since he is just getting used to the bit, of course I wanted to start him in something very basic. Which, once again, made the Loose Ring Double Break Snaffle the perfect choice for him! I find that I get a good response to the mildness of this particular bit from my crew.

Rufus, modeling the Loose Ring Double Break Snaffle bit

As I’ve said, I have always been hesitant to try anything beyond a basic bit. However, after becoming familiar with Gina’s Guidelines for Bitting, I definitely can picture certain situations where a slightly stronger bit is needed for safety and/or efficacy. My personal experience of late has led me to also try the Loose Ring Waterford bit, specifically for Ripley. Recently, I’ve started to school Ripley over small fences again. He has been out of practice for several years now, but is super excited to be jumping again. I can tell. Especially since he has started to rush up to fences and try to rocket-launch himself over them. When using the regular Double Break Snaffle, I felt as though I had to drag on Ripley’s mouth to try to get him to slow and collect before each jump. And I really didn’t like the idea of feeling like I was just hanging on his mouth so very much–so, I decided to try the Waterford. =I found that I got some great results.

This Waterford bit is really quite mild–the pieces act in a similar fashion to the double break snaffle, unless you pull back on both reins at the same time; in which case this action causes the bit to lock into a type of solid bar. This action gives it a little bit extra of a ‘whoa’ factor. I was careful while riding Ripley in the Waterford, and was very mindful of the action of the bit; so unless I really wanted to slow him down, I didn’t pull back on both of the reins with much force. The Waterford bit really worked very well to slow Ripley’s approach to each jump though. Just a quick half-halt really slowed him down enough that I didn’t feel like we were rushing the fences. Major. Win.

Both the Loose Ring Double Break Snaffle and the Loose Ring Waterford bits seem like they are of very nice quality. I do like the fact that the Gina Miles bit collection from Professional’s Choice offers a comprehensive line up of bits – whatever you are trying to accomplish, there is a bit in the collection that can help. The entire collection is also very affordable, and the bits in it retail from $34.95 to $69.95 in price. With my new found philosophy of strategic bitting, or switching to particular bits for particular purposes, I plan to keep my own bench of bits to switch back and forth from–which makes using quality, affordable bits very important to me.

Go Bits…and Bitting Education. Go Professional’s Choice. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Tredstep Ireland Futura Sport Top

By Colleen Peachey on May 20, 2014 10:00 am -

Tredstep Logo on back of shoulders on Futura Sport Top

There’s looking good, and then there’s looking good. You know when you are out shopping, and can be browsing around looking for nothing in particular, and then you stop. Brought to a halt when you see something that just sort of speaks to you. It’s an elusive feeling that doesn’t happen all that often. So at that particular moment, I know that I’ve found the perfect top. Or the perfect dress. Or even the perfect pair of jeans. Basically, when something practically jumps off the rack at me, calling my name like that, I know that I’ve found that one item that I am destined to take home with me.

Finding the perfect new piece to add to your wardrobe–casual or riding–can be its own special kind of achievement, I suppose. I’ve mentioned before that I can be a bit of a clothes junkie. And I will admit that I do like to go shopping. So there is always the hazard of the unplanned purchase when you see that item that just pops out at you. Catalog or online browsing is a little bit safer, because you can’t exactly snatch something up and whisk into the fitting room to try it on. There is sort of a delayed gratification in shopping that way; you really have to mull over items before you click the ‘Add To Cart’ button. Regardless of the shopping venue though, sometimes, things just happen. I got that exact feeling when I was browsing through Tredstep Ireland‘s Symphony Collection before it launched–specifically, when I saw a photograph of their Futura Sport Top.

I love the feel of wearing the Tredstep Futura Sport top…

So, of course I leapt at the chance to try out the Futura Sport Top for myself. Let me preface what follows by saying that my ‘colors’ are red, white and blue. Or anything that incorporates an American flag. So I’m naturally drawn to any gear that comes in colors that are patriotic and/or represent the US of A. Now flashback to when I was scrolling down, and what should my eyes spy on the screen of my laptop, but a striking blue colored top with red accenting that just POPPED. I stopped scrolling. I saw. I was super (and I mean super) excited. And I wanted. The colors were perfectly suited to my taste, and I absolutely loved the contrast of the red piping on the blue top. It vaguely reminded me of the movie Tron…did anyone else see that a few years back? The original was totally before my time, but I saw the reboot….anyone? Anyone? Ok, maybe I was the only one who saw that. But anyway, I am totally into the red contrasting that runs along the body lines. Unfortunately for me, at the time that I first saw the Futura Sport Top, it was not yet available for purchase. (Drats). So suffice to say, the Futura top had a lot of build up in my mind, and my expectations for it were high before I received it.

Sporty, huh? How appropriately named then!

When I first pulled out the Futura Sport Top to try on for the first time, I was not disappointed upon initially seeing it. The colors looked fantastic in person, and I was still smitten with the contrasting red piping on the shirt. Not only is there red piping to accent the top, but the zipper and inside of the collar are also red to provide additional accenting. There is also a small & stylish red colored Tredstep logo on the left chest, one at the top of the back, as well as larger log & ‘Trestep Ireland’ spelled out down the left sleeve (which gives the top a sporty accent, if I do say so myself). The fabric of the top felt light, and smooth to the touch — it is actually made out of Tredstep’s own AirSilk four-way stretch fabric, which converts moisture into cooling energy for the rider. And I like the little details as well. The Tredstep logo on the zipper pull. The zipper ‘guard’ at the top. I couldn’t deny, the Futura top looked fab(ulous) in person.

After checking it all out, I pulled the top on to see how it looked — and, can I say, it looked just as good as how I pictured it in my mind. The fabric was fitted against me, without being too tight (because I don’t know many people that like tops that are overly clingy and reminiscent of spandex…at least, I don’t anyway). I liked how smooth it felt against my skin, and I just flipped over how great the contrasting red piping looked (in case I haven’t mentioned that yet). Plus, the Futura Sport top was extremely comfortable all the while when I wore it. While I groomed. While I mucked stalls. While I rode. And, the best part for me? Not only was the fabric comfortable and stretchy, but it also kept me feeling cool as well. When I did have some moisture (from working up a sweat…let’s not beat around the bush here, it’s just what happens when you work hard), it seemed to dry fairly quickly; which was what helped me to stay cool! Looks great. Check. Feels great. Check. Now that’s a major win for me.

…plus, gotta LOVE those colors!

Of course I love the fact that the Tredstep Ireland Futura Sport Top comes in my own personal colors, but my appreciation for it goes beyond the colors. Sure, I think that the contrasting piping looking fabulous, but I also like the sporty look of the Futura Sport top (so it must be appropriately name). Even better yet though, I enjoy how comfortable the top is wear and ride in; I’ve worn it both by itself, and also layered under my cross country vest–and it works well either way. Suffice to say that the Futura Sport top has earned a spot of favor in my riding wardrobe!

Go fashionable & comfortable tops. Go Tredstep Ireland. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Goode Rider Athletic Vest

By Colleen Peachey on May 16, 2014 10:00 am -

Goode Rider logo on left chest of the Athletic Vest

At any given time, I tend to have certain staple pieces in my wardrobe that show up more than others as part of my outfits. They are my favorite pieces; or my core pieces, if you will. This is not just true for my everyday attire, but also for my riding wardrobe as well. My staple pieces tend to be ones that look fabulous with anything that I wear, while ideally being comfortable at the same time. For Springtime riding, my most frequently worn items include pieces of outwear that I can layer over my tops. Since the temperatures are brisk, and then some wind or showers can get mixed in, throwing on an extra layer before going out for a ride is usually a good idea in my book.

When reaching for that extra layer to shrug on before heading out to the barn, I usually tend to gravitate towards one of my soft shell jackets–they are lightweight, and do nicely at repelling water (be it from a stray shower, from water sloshing out of buckets that I’m carrying, or even when my horse sneezes on me). It is nice also when the jacket is fleece-lined, to provide a little extra warmth on those brisk days. Another option that I also favor are vests: they look sharp, and I also feel like they give my arms more freedom of movement. And doing any work around the barn or spending time in the saddle is made easier with more freedom of movement. I mean, have you ever tried to ride in a huge puffer coat? Warm? Maybe. But no one likes feeling like a marshmallow in the saddle. No one. Like ever.

I’m always a fan of the details…the snaffle bit zipper pulls are quite lovely.

Recently, I had the opportunity to try out the Athletic Vest from Goode Rider. The vest itself is a lovely blend of style and function, and it feels as though it is made of nice, quality materials. It is lightweight (which is perfect for Springtime in my part of Pennsylvania), and the combination of fabrics gives it a really attractive ‘mixed media’ appearance. Both the front and the back of the vest are made of a quilted fabric, while the sides are constructed of a nice, smooth-feeling fleece fabric. The Athletic Vest also boasts a unique appearance, thanks to the bottom hemline that stays at my waist level around the sides, and cuts up to the zipper in front–and I really love the dropped hem in the back (because no one likes feeling like a vest or jacket is riding up in the back. At least I don’t.).

The Athletic Vest from the front.

The Athletic Vest also looks great on, given the slim cut of it, and I personally found it to be very form flattering in my case. But what really set it apart for me was the details. I’m the type of person who tends to focus on details, and I like what I see when I look at this particular vest. The logo on the left chest features the Goode Rider horse, and brings the vest a nice pop of shine. I also like that the pulls on both side pockets, as well as the front zipper are parts of a snaffle bit…which gives a nice little extra touch of equestrian flair. There is also reflective detailing on either side of the main zipper, which I think is a great feature for when I’m out in the dusk or dawn hours.

When I pulled the Athletic Vest on for the first time, and zipped it up, it felt like it fit comfortably. I definitely am a fan of the slim cut, as I tend to like my outerwear to be slightly fitted–I just say ‘no’ to the baggy grunge look, if you know what I mean. Anyway, I like both the look and the feel of the Athletic Vest; it comes in two colors–graphite (a gray color) and watermelon (a lovely shade of red). While I’m a huge fan of bright colors, I do like that I got to try the vest in graphite, because that makes it super easy to pair with most of the my shirts, as it is a nice neutral shade. Which just means that I have the opportunity to pair the Athletic Vest with a whole myriad of brightly colors shirts underneath. Challenge. Accepted.

…And from the back

I’ve found that the Athletic Vest from Goode Rider has fallen into my categorization of ‘staple outerwear’ for my Spring season (and probably Fall season as well…but we’re not talking about cooler weather returning yet; it’s not even Summer, for crying out loud!). And for me, it’s not just for some barn work or riding either; I’ve also found that I like pulling it on over some of my casual shirts to go out and run daytime errands with as well. The Athletic Vest is an investment piece, retailing at $109.00. In the neutral graphite shade, it coordinates nicely with a large portion of my riding and casual wardrobe; that means I can mix and match it when I go to the barn, or while I’m out running errands. Versatile. Stylish. Flattering. And I just love those little details. I foresee myself going many places in the Athletic Vest.

Go stylish & versatile outerwear. Go Goode Rider. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Ovation Flex Field Boot

By Colleen Peachey on May 14, 2014 10:00 am -

Button with abbreviated Ovation logo at top of Flex Field Boot

Shopping for new boots can be a daunting task–especially when you are shopping on a budget. Riding boots are one of those things that take time to mold exactly to your feet; and you’ve heard me talk before about how much I despair when it is time to get a new pair. Historically, I usually would drag out the process of acquiring a new pair of boots for as long as I possibly could; firstly, because it was always hard to say goodbye to my comfortable, well worn pair of old boots (even though the zipper maybe kept getting stuck). But also because buying a new pair of boots is an investment.

I still remember how big of a deal it was for me when I got my first ‘real’ pair of riding boots–it was a super exciting event for me. I wore those boots. And wore them. And wore them some more. Basically, I wore the heck out of those boots. But I also made sure to take really good care of them, and cleaned them after Every. Single. Ride. Partially because I always liked to have shiny and clean looking boots. And partially because those boots were an investment; I only had that one pair, and I wanted to make sure to try to do everything that I could to keep them in good working order.

Ovation Flex Field Boots–can you spot the stretch panel on the side?

As someone who loves trying out different riding gear and apparel, I’m always excited to be able to try out something new and different to me! And sometimes, I get a little too excited. Hazard of this type of gig, I suppose. Anyway, I recently had the chance to try out the Ovation Flex Field Boot from ERS-Eventing. When I first opened the box to pulled out the boots, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they both come in their own individual bags, which kept them from bumping into each other and getting marked up in the box. I then pulled each boot out of it’s own bag (taking a whiff of the nice smell of leather all the while–I say this time and time again, but I really do just love the smell of leather!), and took a good look at them.

The boots certainly have an attractive look to them. When I picked them up, I liked that the leather was mostly smooth to the touch, yet I could still feel the grain of the leather. And have I mentioned the nice leather smell yet? They have a zipper going up the rear, and have a button (with a shortened version of the Ovation logo on it) that crosses over the zipper at the top of the boot, and snaps shut. The leather itself is not overly stiff, and it has a flexible feel to it–but at the same time, the leather has enough substance to it, that the boots are still able to stand up on their own, without any additional support from boot trees. The ankle itself is also flexible, and it allowed me to wear the Ovation Flex Boots to ride in right out of the box (which is a huge plus for me; I always shy away from the uncomfortable break-in time of tall boots). The boots also feature spur rests, and they have an attractive looking stitching detail that goes across the toe.

When I pulled the boots on and zipped them up, they had a comfortable feel to them. The leather that lines the inside of the boots is very smooth, and actually soft to the touch. It’s kindof ashamed to wear breeches and tall boot socks when the lining feels so nice though! Right after pulling the zipper up, I also noticed the stretch panels that go down the boot, alongside of the zipper – they allow for an even stretch, so that the boot can fit nicely along the leg. It’s no surprise that at 5’9″, that I take my boots in ‘tall’ height; so this was certainly the case with the Ovation Flex boots as well! I did notice that even in the ‘tall’ height, the Ovation boots are just a smidgen shorter in height than some of the other tall boots that I have worn.

Ovation Flex Field Boot profile view – in the saddle

Of course, when trying out new riding gear, I can never wait to hop into the saddle so that it can really show me what it can do. In this case, the Ovation Flex boots lived up to their name for me. I couldn’t help but notice that while I rode, the entire boot felt comfortable–like it actually flexed and moved along with my leg. The ankle by itself offered me the flexibility to MOVE while I rode. But, the rest of the boot felt nice as well; the leather felt like it had some give and ability to move to it. So, I didn’t get the feeling that I needed to spend time riding in the boots, in order to get them to soften. Basically, the name just works; because from my perspective, I think that if I could only pick one word to describe these boots, I would have to pick ‘flexible’.

While the Ovation Flex Field Boots from ERS-Eventing may not be the fanciest, or the most expensive boots on the market, they provided me with both comfort and function in the saddle. The boots are humble, because they provided my feet with a good, quality feeling, while being able to boast a modest price tag. The Ovation Flex Field boots have a retail price of $249.95. So while there is no supremely lux leather, a high-end brand name, or even a shocking price tag to go along with the Ovation Flex Field Boots–from my perspective, they offered a comfortable ride, nice function, and a price tag that can fit into a budget!

Go Flexible & Affordable Boots. Go Ovation. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Omega Alpha Equine Respi-Free

By Colleen Peachey on May 10, 2014 12:00 pm -

Omega Alpha Equine Logo on Respi-Free bottle

Being a conscientious horse owner (or more accurately, I’d say I’m overly kinda-sort of obsessive with all things related to my horses’ health), I like to keep tabs on pretty much every little detail about my geldings. Since I am fortunate enough to be able to keep my horses at home on my small farm, I feel like I am pretty darn in tune with their routine and individual idiosyncrasies. I’ve learned a lot since I’ve stopped boarding–mainly that every horse is an individual, and they each have their own version of “normal” in terms of their habits and vitals. For example, one of my geldings, Mark, will spike a high fever every time he gets an abscess. The first time this happened, it was interesting for my vet to diagnose, since this does not really follow the typical pattern of a foot abscess. Normal for the average horse? Definitely not. Normal for Mark? Yup.

So over time, I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know what “normal” looks like for each of my horses. My youngest gelding in training is my boy Rufus. I was lucky enough to acquire him as a yearling, so that I’ve been able to watch him grow, and see his own individual personality develop. He is not without his own quirks though. Something that I’ve noticed is that he is an all-around sensitive horse. One of the ways that this manifests itself seems to be that he can develop a cough, depending on different environmental factors. There are two things that I’ve noticed that can be contributing factors: 1) His ‘wet spot’ area in his stall – Rufus keeps a very tidy stall; particularly he uses one corner for manure, and another corner for his urine – it smells extremely strong, and I have to strip it daily, and treat the are to try to eliminate the ammonia smell as much as possible, and 2) Dust in his alfalfa – I feed a majority of quality first cut grass hay, with some alfalfa to add variety and provide a treat for the boys; sometimes, a bale of alfalfa will be on the dusty side, and I wet it down to feed in this case.

Bottle of Respi-Free, awaiting use!

Even with the steps that I take to minimize the impact of the ‘wet spot’ in his stall and the occasionally dusty alfalfa, Rufus will still get coughing spells. I’ve always hated that, and want to make sure he stays in absolute top health; after all, I hope that he’s got a bright future ahead as an event horse, and I’d love nothing more for us to have many years together. So, when I had the chance to try Respi-Free from Omega Alpha Equine recently, I was definitely excited to see what the product could do for Rufus. I’ve already heard a lot of good things about Omega Alpha Equine products; particularly on the Horse Radio Network show ‘Horses in the Morning’ (I’m a big fan of the show!).

Before trying Respi-Free, I wasn’t really sure what else to do for Rufus, in terms of maintaining his respiratory health. I’ve felt uneasy with his coughing spells, but did not really know how else to try to help him. So again, when I had the chance to try Respi-Free came up, I thought that Rufus would make a good candidate to try the product on. I made sure to read through the instructions for use on the bottle of Respi-Free, and opened it up. When I did, I sniffed the bottle, and was pleasantly surprised; to my senses, I smelled what I thought was a combination of menthol and throat spray. The aroma was on the strong side, but pleasant, in my opinion. I went ahead and measured some out in a dosing syringe within the recommended range (this is meant to be administered orally). When it came out, the liquid was a darker brown in color.

Measuring out some Respi-Free for Rufus–notice the brown coloring

The couple of days prior to administering the first dose of Respi-Free, I did notice Rufus having some of his coughing spells (particularly after he started munching on some of his wetted down alfalfa). Rufus is always a pretty good patient, so he did allow me to administer the dose of Respi-Free orally. I could tell that he was not particularly fond of the taste of the Respi-Free (he made a bit of a funny face, and tried to spit some of it out). What I did notice though, was that after I started Rufus on Respi-Free, I did not observe him having a coughing spell. After the first day, I continued to give him a daily dose of Respi-Free for maintenance, and noticed the absence of coughing continued! As a test, I stopped Respi-Free for a couple of days; on the second day with no Respi-Free, I heard Rufus cough while he was eating his alfalfa in his stall. Since then, I’ve returned to using Respi-Free for Rufus, and the coughing has subsided again.

So let’s recap–me? I’m super into paying attention to each and every little detail about my horses. In the case of Rufus, one of his little quirks has been his tendency to have coughing spells. Since I’ve started Rufus on Respi-Free, I’ve personally been very pleased with the fact that he has stopped having said coughing spells. Even though Rufus isn’t a super fan of the taste of the Respi-Free, he still behaves well enough for me, and allows me to administer it to him; and it does seem to make a noticeable difference for him. I plan to continue to administer Respi-Free to Rufus, in order to address his coughing spells. Respi-Free from Omega Alpha Equine is available in both one-liter and one-gallon sizes.

Go Respiratory Health. Go Omega Alpha Equine. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Ariat Heritage & Olympia Collection Breeches

By Colleen Peachey on May 2, 2014 10:00 am -

Welcome to EN’s Product Review series! Who doesn’t love shopping… especially when the object of your search is new gear for yourself or your horse? While I get SUPER excited to browse tack shops in person (and online), sometimes even I’m slightly intimidated when I look through the seemingly endless number of options of equine-related products available. As an enthusiast of many types of equine products, I LOVE trying out new gear—for myself, or my horses. Which is why I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to try out products that companies have generously sent to me, so that I may share my personal experiences with all of you! Some of the products featured are from our totally awesome EN sponsors, while other products are unique, new, and/or interesting items. This column is meant only for me to narrate my personal journey, and share my own opinions and experiences with all of the products featured. Of course, every horse and rider is a unique individual, so each product may perform differently for you and your horse then it does for me—after all, different things work for different people (and horses!), and that is all part of the variety of life! While I will make no recommendations to you, I hope that you simply have fun and find entertainment while reading about my many adventures of trying new products, and that hearing about my personal experiences might help give you factors to consider when you are on your own quest for new gear!

Ariat embroidered logo detail on Olympia breeches

Ok, I’m just going to come right out and admit it–I’m a bit of a clothes junkie. It’s not like I’m a fashionista or anything like that, but I always appreciate a well put together outfit that lends to a polished appearance. This is a facet of myself that has developed over the years. Because let’s face it, when I was a horse-crazy girl, the last thing that I thought about was what I was wearing (I just threw on the first pair of breeches and top that I could find…even if it was out of the laundry pile, and slightly horse-slobbered up). Being on a budget, I started out with a single pair of breeches when I first began riding. I remember them clear-as-day – a pair of black, knee-patch, front-zip breeches, with those little adjustable Velcro closures at the bottoms of the legs. I wore those breeches. A lot. Eventually they had to be retired. At that age though, I was just SO excited to be riding, that it didn’t really matter what I was wearing.

These days, however, I definitely think a lot more about my riding apparel then I used to. Things like function in the saddle, fit, comfort, price and even style are all important factors to consider when I’m on the hunt for a new top or pair of breeches. As a person of height (I’m 5’9″…which pretty much works with my two gi-normous young horses that I have in training!), I often have difficulty shopping for pants. It’s pretty much a nightmare trying to find a pair of jeans or pants that are actually long enough–finding the elusive brands that carry tall sizes can be a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, it’s a bit easier to find long sizes in breeches than it is jeans. I also tend to look for breeches that have an integrated sock, as I do like it when they contour nicely to the bottom of my legs. A waistband that fits (and doesn’t gap) is also pretty high up on my list in terms of importance as well, since most times I ride without a belt. Breeches that would work well for me should also feel like they are made from material that is nice and smooth, and feel like it will hold up to frequent wearing and washing.

Ready for a ride in a pair of Heritage full-seat breeches

Recently, I had the opportunity to try out two pairs of breeches from Ariat‘s lineup–the Heritage and the Olympia. Ariat has an extensive line of breeches to offer, which includes multiple collections that feature options such as different fabrics, colors and styles. Their line-up is broken into three separate tiers: the Bronze, Silver and Gold levels, each with their own level of technical performance and stylish details. The Bronze is the entry-level tier, and it includes Ariat’s Heritage collection of breeches, which are designed to offer comfort at a great value. The mid-level Silver tier takes things up a notch to provide breeches that give the rider a little something extra in terms of performance and style; this tier includes both the Prix and the Performer collections. Rounding things out is the Gold tier, which includes both the Olympia and Triumph collections. Gold tier breeches have been developed to provide the highest level of performance out of all of Ariat’s collections, by focusing on the details–such as being made out of Schoeller prestige four-way stretch fabric. All styles of Ariat’s breeches include their own patented V3 Fit System. The V3 technology is a design that includes a small ‘V’ shaped panel at the rear center of the waistband, and is meant to provide a fit that works for riders of varying body shapes. Ariat also does offer denim breeches as well, for a more casual look.

Keeping in line with Ariat’s tiers, I decided to start out by trying the Heritage breeches. The pair of Heritage breeches that I have been fortunate to be able to try are black in color (which in itself is fantastic for camouflaging anything that your horse can rub on them!). The fabric of the breeches is nice, yet durable feeling. They are not as smooth or lightweight as some of the performance breeches that I have felt, but the cotton blend fabric that they are made out of feels soft to the touch. The Heritage breeches are also nice and stretchy feeling (and in fact, the fabric does offer a four-way stretch). When I pulled on the pair of Heritage full seat breeches for the first time, they felt nice. The only thing that I noticed was that the integrated sock was a little roomy on my calf and ankle – my ankles are on the thin side though. The integrated sock is definitely a feature that I like to see in breeches, and it is nice that this particular sock is roomy enough so that it would seem to be comfortable for a wider range of riders. I’ve worn the Heritage breeches for many rides at this point, and they have held up very well so far; they are terrific as a pair of schooling breeches, and I would say that they could probably cross over for some schooling shows just fine.

The details are what set the Olympia breeches apart from Ariat’s those in their other collections…

After the Heritage collection, I was really excited to jump up to the Gold tier to give the Olympia collection a try. While there were a number of differences between the Heritage and Olympia breeches (mainly fabric and the little details that up the ante on in the style department), some things stayed the same; for example, both featured Ariat’s V3 Fit and Calf Fit Systems. Those features aside though, the Olympia breeches do feel so nice and smooth both to the touch, and when I pulled them on to ride in. Along with the super smooth feel, they also include extra little stylish details, such as having piping along the pockets, and an embroidered Ariat logo above the pocket on the left side. The Euro Seat cut coupled with the knee-patch style allows the breeches to maintain a traditional looking appearance, while being comfortable at the same time. They are made out of Bluesign-certified Schoeller four-way stretch fabric, that feels great and looks very professional and flattering. I would definitely call them breeches for the show ring, that can also be used for schooling as well.

In the saddle, both the Heritage and the Olympia breeches from Ariat performed well for me. The fit felt like it worked for me, with the V3 Fit System doing what it was meant to. The breeches were both comfortable to ride in, but I found myself gravitate towards the Heritage for my every day schooling; I certainly like the feel of the Olympia breeches when I am wearing them, but they seemed a bit fancy for my every day work – though they really would be flashy even to wear to a lesson now every once in a while too. Again, one of the only things that I really noticed was that the integrated sock was a tad roomy on my more slender ankles. The integrated sock still felt good to me when I pulled my tall boots on over them though, so it worked in my case. The Heritage collection of breeches retails starting at $94.95, while the Olympia collection retails starting at $209.95.

Go Comfort & Style. Go Ariat. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Professional’s Choice VenTECH Elite Sports Medicine Boots & Ballistic Overreach Boots

By Colleen Peachey on Apr 30, 2014 10:00 am -

Professional's Choice Logo on the front of the VenTECH Elite Sports Medicine Boots

In my years of riding, I haven’t always thought about thought about things like leg support and protection for my horse. During my early years, it was enough to throw on a pair of stretchy pants, paddock boots, and a helmet for me…and then I’d tack up my horse, and hop up into the saddle to be on my way out for a ride. Since those days of old though, I’ve not only gained more experience in the saddle; I also feel like I’ve tried to educate myself more about equine management–everything from horse health, to what supplements can do, and also what benefits certain types of tack and equipment can offer. I’ve made it a goal of mine to continue to learn (because let’s face it–the learning process is something that never really ends) about ways that I can improve both my riding and the care and training of my own horses.

Historically, I’ve never used protective boots, or bell boots on my horses when riding. If you’ve been following along with my other posts, you will probably recognize my oldest gelding Ripley; although he is now in his 20s, he is still in work–and I’ve made it my goal to ensure that he stays comfortable with his workload. Since not long after I’ve owned Ripley, he has always been sensitive in his front feet; so much so, that he has worn front shoes, with a rolled toe for about as long as I’ve had him, upon the recommendation of my vet many (many) years ago. Other than his sensitive feet (which the shoes have been able to successfully manage), Ripley has not had any major soundness issues during his time with me. As part of my goal to keep Ripley happy, healthy, and comfortable, I decided to try out supportive boots and bell boots on him..

Ripley sure does look good all dressed up in Crimson Red, doesn’t he?

Recently, I had the opportunity to try out a set of VenTECH Elite Sports Medicine Boots, as well as a pair of Ballistic Overreach Boots–both from Professional’s Choice. I’ve used soft, open front neoprene boots on Ripley in the past, but I was excited to have the chance to try out a set of Sports Medicine Boots. While reading about the VenTECH Elite Sports Medicine Boots, I really liked the idea that the boots fully wrap around your horse’s legs, to provide 360 degrees of coverage and protection against the shock of impact. The limestone-based neoprene that the boots are made out of is also ventilated, so moisture and heat are able to escape, helping keep legs cool, even while they are protected. And as an aside–I’m absolutely crazy about colors (you know us eventers…we love bright colors, right?). I certainly like the number of colors and patterns offered in the VenTECH boots!

The Ballistic Overreach Boots are also offered in corresponding colors to the VenTECH Elite Boots – they are made out of a ballistic nylon, and also have a layer that protects areas of the hoof and by absorbing any energy caused your horse overreaching in their stride. These particular overreach boots also feature a knob that sits on the rear side of the foot (behind the heel), that is meant to keep the boot from spinning while being worn.

Both the VenTECH Elite Sports Medicine Boots, as well as the Ballistic Overreach Boots were quite lovely when I first pulled them out of the box that they arrived in. The VenTECH boots felt soft and flexible to the touch, and the Overreach Boots felt nice and sturdy. I tried both boots in the Crimson Red color, which looks lovely in person (but the color just seemed to pop once I put them on Ripley!). There is a slight color difference between the red of the VenTECH boots and the Overreach Boots – the two are made from different materials, and I think the set looks great together in my opinion, even with the slight variation in color. When I went to put both types of boots on Ripley for the first time, they went on easily, and were very nice to look at. Everything appeared to fit well, so I set off for my first ride with both sets of boots!

Since that first day, I’ve been wearing the boots on Ripley for most of our rides – for both flatwork, and for schooling over some small jumps. While I unfortunately can’t read Ripley’s mind to know just how much better his legs and feet feel to him when he wears his VenTECH Boots (wouldn’t that ability make diagnosing any health or training problems SO much easier though!), I can say that they fit nicely and I get the sense that they are ‘hugging’ his legs when I put them on. According to the labeling, the VenTECH boots are proven to absorb up to 26% of energy from hoof impact; with this knowledge, I certainly have more peace of mind, knowing that I’ve got Ripley’s legs wrapped up and protected–especially because even at his age, we are still galloping across our back field and schooling over small jumps. Ripley puts his heart into his work, though for him, it doesn’t really seem like work at all. Even so, I want him to feel great, and I feel like using boots to help absorb some of the energy from the impact on all four of his legs helps him; the fact that he looks great with them on also? That’s just a bonus, in my mind!

I’ve not had any issues with the VenTECH boots slipping or sliding during use. I’ve also checked out Ripley’s legs after removing the boots post-workout; even after sessions when he is warm and sweaty, I did not feel heat or moisture from where I removed the boots (just the hair that Ripley has been shedding like crazy, and the bit of mud he kicked up…definitely time to hand wash those boots!). Ripley certainly seems comfortable with wearing them; and because I want him to feel (and look) his best, I will continue to wear them on Ripley.

I also feel confident that the Overreach Boots are something that are working to help Ripley. If there’s one thing that I know for certain, it’s that my boy loves to run. Something that I’ve observed is that when I let him move into a canter (or gallop), while wearing the Overreach Boots, I heard a new sound; what I heard was a steady ‘thwack, thwack, thwack’, that seemed to be timed with Ripley’s gait. I was a bit surprised when I realized that what I was hearing was Ripley continuously hitting his front feet with his hind feet. Over and over again (like that Nelly and Tim McGraw song…you remember that one, don’t you?). In a steady rhythm. I guess I was a bit shocked that I never really realized this he does this, and I felt pretty bad that I haven’t been protecting his front feet and heel bulbs from impact all this time. But, I feel like the important thing is that now that I’ve realized this, that now I am going to use the Overreach Boots going forward. Chalk one up for protecting Ripley’s front feet from that impact!

The only challenge that I had with the Overreach Boots was with sizing; since Ripley was not really an ‘off the rack’ size (he measured smack dab in the middle of two sizes!), we tried both the size above and below what he measured. While the size above seemed to fit when I put them on, I ended up having difficulty with one of the boots wanting to spin around on him. When this happened more than once, I decided to try the smaller size. The smaller size also fit, and still looked good to me. And once I made the switch, I didn’t notice any tendency of the boot to want to twist or spin around!

So while I certainly like the way that both the VenTECH Elite Sports Medicine Boots, and the Ballistic Overreach Boots wear and look on Ripley—I also like the fact that Professional’s Choice offers a 30-day money back offering and warranty on both sets of boots as well! Those types of programs offered by Professional’s Choice gives me peace of mind that if I have difficulties with their products, that I can go to them and ask for help. The VenTECH Elite Sports Medicine Boots retail for $94.95 for a pair, or you can purchase a set of four in a value pack that retails for $169.95; the Ballistic Overreach Boots have a retail price of $30.95.

Go Leg & Hoof Protection. Go Professional’s Choice. Go Eventing.

Product Review: Fleeceworks Perfect Balance System in Therawool

By Colleen Peachey on Apr 25, 2014 10:00 am -

Welcome to EN’s Product Review series! Who doesn’t love shopping … especially when the object of your search is new gear for yourself or your horse? While browsing for gear is fun, sometimes it’s just overwhelming to search through all of the products that are available for you and your horse. Companies featured in my posts have very generously provided me with their products, so that I may try them out and share my own experiences with all of you! Of course, every horse and rider is a unique individual, so each product may perform differently for you and your horse then it does for me—after all, different things work for different people (and horses!), and that is all part of the variety of life! This column is meant only for me to recount my personal journey, and share my own and my horse’s experiences with all of the exciting products featured. While I will make no recommendations, I hope that you have fun and find entertainment while reading about my many adventures of trying new products, and that hearing about my personal experiences might help give you factors to consider when you are on your own quest for new gear!

Fleeceworks logo on Therawool Modifed Jumping Square Pad

I can’t even count the number of saddle pads that I’ve collected over the years. Seriously–in my early years of riding, I was a teenager who loved my colorful saddle pads. I’ll admit, that the ~~addiction~~ collection actually started before I even got Ripley, my very first horse. Some girls wanted handbags. Others wanted shoes. And heck, some even just wanted a caboodles case full of fifty different shades of nail polish. Me, on the other hand? I wanted a fun and colorful collection of saddle pads, but of course! I mean, why stop at a different saddle pad for every day of the week?

As time has passed, I’ve found that my priorities have shifted, and many things in my life have changed. Of course, my love of riding has not (and I now have 2 young horses, in addition to Ripley to prove it!). My fondness for saddle pads has also stuck, except that I’ve now come to want to see more out of a pad than pretty designs or colors. Even though Ripley is aging…or further maturing as I like to call it (he just recently turned 24 years old), he is managing the years extremely well, and is still in regular work. With a “senior” Ripley, and two youngsters that I am bringing up as well, I am now starting to look to the padding that I use to be able to provide things such as 1) better support and protection from impact, 2) help fit my saddle to three completely different shaped horses (and hopefully keep it from slipping), and 3) look great and still be easy to manage and care for.

Riding with the original (gray colored) memory foam inserts in the Fleeceworks Modified Jumping Square Pad

I’ve heard the name Fleeceworks for many years, and was totally psyched when I recently had the opportunity to try out some of their pads and shims. Now, the first thing that I associate when I hear someone mention the name “Fleeceworks” is a line of crisp and clean looking sheepskin pads. While I’ve always been a fan of the lovely appearance and luxurious feel of sheepskin pads, the time and effort required to keep the pads looking and functioning the way they should have honestly frightened me off of them for some time. I’m definitely a busy person with an ‘on the go’ lifestyle; so dedicating a chunk of my precious time to maintaining sheepskin wasn’t really something I was willing to commit to. Luckily for me, I was introduced to Fleeceworks‘s own line of Therawool pads.

The Therawool line of pads is the alternative that Fleeceworks offers for those of us who aren’t really looking to take the plunge, and make a commitment to up keeping a sheepskin pad. Therawool is actually Fleeceworks‘ very own creation, and it is made using the same wool fibers that are used to produce their line of sheepskin pads; but in this case, the wool is actually woven to a poly-acrylic backing. In this way, the Therawool line of pads are classified as being made of a ‘sustainable fiber’ because the sheep from which the wool comes from can be sheared multiple times over their lifetime. The line is also designed in a way so that the wool stays looking great even after it is washed. Seriously. After a pad is washed, just take a brush to it, and you can restore it it’s original appearance. That is a level of maintenance that I can handle. And, Therawool pads are priced more affordably than the traditional sheepskin. So Therawool technology not only makes me happy. It sounds like it makes sheep happy too.

Fleeceworks Modified Jumping Square Pad in Therawool, with original (gray) Memory Foam full inserts

Fleeceworks Modified Jumping Square Pad (part of Perfect Balance System) in Therawool, with original (gray) Memory Foam full inserts

I’ve been doing a lot of riding lately using the Therawool Modified Jumping Square Pad (or the Cross Country Square Pad). Not only does this pad incorporate all of the benefits of Therawool, but it is also part of Fleecework’s Perfect Balance System–so what does that mean, exactly? Well, the Perfect Balance System is available in a number of full and half pads, and the pads will actually work with a variety of inserts–and, there are different insert materials available! By using the system, you can invest in one pad, and then opt to purchase different inserts that you can change in and out. In my case, with my own three horses that are at different stages of their lives, have quite different confirmations, and have training schedules with various intensities; well, let’s just say that my pad needs to be able to meet the needs I have for each horse. That being said, I really like the idea of being able to swap different inserts into and out of a particular pad, so that it can work for each of my horses; and, I also have the ability to use the same inserts in any other pad that is a part of the Perfect Balance System. Mixing and matching at it’s finest!

So while I’ve been using the Therawool Modified Jumping Square Pad recently, I’ve been starting a journey to educate myself on what exactly all of the different types of shims and inserts can do for me, and more importantly, for my horses. I personally don’t believe that every insert will work for every rider or every horse, which is why I like that Fleeceworks offers a number of options, so that you can find what works for YOU and YOUR HORSE. To begin my own journey, I started out by trying out the memory foam lite inserts – these inserts are a light shade of yellow in color, and I actually doubled them up, as they are thin enough to do so, and they have enough give to stack if you need. What I found is that the memory foam lite inserts do have more “give” to them, when you press your finger into them, and wait for the memory foam material to rebound. I did notice a difference when I used the memory foam lite inserts; while they were not bulky enough to change the fit of the saddle, I could tell that there was a little extra padding there while I was riding. And another added benefit was the non-slip properties – I did not have a problem with the pad slipping on me when I used these particular inserts. So, in my case, I will definitely be swapping the memory foam lite inserts into the pad to use when I just want slight padding, that doesn’t change the balance of the saddle, but will help in a non-slip capacity.

Top: Two Memory Foam Lite Inserts (stackable), Bottom: Original (Gray) Memory Foam Full Insert

I have also been trying out (and have become a frequent user of) the original gray-colored memory foam full inserts. When I pulled out and examined the line up of inserts and shims that I have to try out, I noticed that these particular inserts feel like they are made of more dense memory foam, and they take longer to rebound when you press your finger into them. They are certainly more bulky feeling when I picked them up, and I could tell the difference in the pad when I put the original memory foam full inserts into the square pad, especially when I sat it on my horse Ripley’s back. After tacking up, and heading out to ride, I noticed the difference in how the pad felt…and I mean I really noticed. I do a lot of my trot work sitting, and as I rode, I could most certainly tell that this insert was doing a very nice job with shock absorption for me–even compared to the memory foam lite inserts. I actually felt like I was riding on a bit of a cushion; I know that I really liked it, and I have to believe that Ripley had to have experienced a difference as well.

The idea of an insert to take on the role of acting as a shock absorption layer makes me feel good, especially where Ripley is concerned. I intend to keep him in work for as long as he wants to, and is able to be, as I feel like the activity keeps him feeling younger, and makes him seem vibrant and happy – but I pay very close attention to how he feels, and try my best to keep him from over-doing it. Using the original memory foam full inserts, along with a Perfect Balance pad seems to be a good fit for Ripley – the pad and insert together add a bit more extra padding under the saddle, and it helps to bring comfort to me as the rider, and hopefully Ripley too.

While bright and colorful saddle pads will always have a special place in my heart (and have not completely gone by the way side…what can I say, old habits…), I am actually having a lot of fun with trying out the Fleeceworks Perfect Balance System with the different inserts that are available. It is definitely an educational process for me, and I’ve already found that the first two inserts that I’ve tried–the memory foam lites and the original (gray) memory foam full inserts–can work for me in two different capacities. And, I’ve still got more to try, and I hope that you join me on my journey, as I continue to learn about what each insert and shim is able to do for me and my horses!

Go inter-changeable pads and inserts. Go Fleeceworks. Go Eventing.

Eventing Nation

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