Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Some of my favorite things

Like the song but a horse lovers version.

Name 10 things you couldn't live without in your live with horses. It can be clothing, saddles, tack brushes etc. Something that you would recommend to anyone who has a horse or may have a situation like yours. Add a picture when you can.

1.Well worn Blundstone boots.
They are ungodly comfortable. When mine started to fall apart on the soles I contacted Blundstone Canada. The lady replied to me "They are too old you just need to buy a new pair because the soles are melted on and you can't fix them" Screw that! So I guess the head guy in Australia got a hold of the customer service. He was unsatisfied with the letter so today I got my free pair in the mail!! SQUEE!! I can't wait to tromp around the barn and everyplace else in them. They aren't broken in yet but next to my old ones they are still the most comfy pair of boots a person could buy EVER.

I've had these boots for 8 years! They have been through mud and ice, rain and especially horseshit. They have carried me miles on the ground and in saddle. I absolutely love them. The leather is in wonderful condition other than the faded toe and the insoles are a little rubbed down. They aren't discipline specific and will NEVER hurt your feet especially if you have wide BIG feet like mine.

2. Slotted kitty litter scoop from the $ store

Not only are they good for scooping ice from frozen buckets (winter anyone?!) they stand up a lot better than metal strainers from the dollar store. We use them for ice, hay in buckets and the water trough which gets gobs of green algae that are really nasty to grab by hand. Done it, the scoop is worth the 1$

3. Leatherman multi purpose tool

I live by this thing. Leatherman makes the best multi tool ever. You can cut bales of hay open, cut wire on fencing, open feed bags and more. It folds all up into a convenient belt holster. I've had immitation multitools and none meet the quality and long years a leatherman does. When you got a multitool get leatherman or just go home. Nuff said.

4. Shedding blade

For four reasons.
1. Spring when they shed. It takes off more hair easier than any curry comb. Even the ever expensive furminator didn't work on my horses like this thing does.
2. Where there is mud there shall be mud covered horses. It's a known fact and this again, easier than any curry comb.
3. No need to buy a sweat scraper. Out of all the ones I have bought or used this one (the flat edge without the teeth) Just works better. You un attach it and scrape away. You can get more intricate with it than the other two ones.
4. They are like um...3-6$ thats cheap and you get 3 good tools out of it and save money too!

5.Jelly scubber



I like the soft small nubby side. I use it to do legs and all over the place even the face. I found they are more expensive to buy like on average $6 but I use it the most out of all mine. It's like a combination between a rubber curry and a stiff brush. It gets a lot of dirt off but has the softness to do dirt on legs. Plus I use mine to bath and scrub real deep.

6. Riding helmet


Kind of self explanatory but I found I hate the ones with a dial. Especially the cheap plastic helmet ones. However I got a nice International riding helmet, velvet and vented and it fits like a glove just like my old velvet international did (but it's cracked due to a riding fall bareback). I hate how troxels fit. International velvet ones are the way to go, western or english. They save your head.

7. Hamilton halters

Sure they may cost 40$ for a horse size but they come in a BAZILLON different sizes so you can forget about those hard to find halters for horses. And they last forever. The only thing I have had to replace was a snap that my farrier sewed on for 5$. Now they make them with better snaps. The hardware is really durable and I've had horses haul back on them and they don't break.

8. Santa fe coat conditioner

Won't make the saddle slide. Totally worth buying a bottle if you horse has a long mane/tail. Gorgeous hair but not slippery. Plus it smells SOOOO good. I use it on my hair once and a wile.

9. MTG

Does exactly like shapleys says. Smells bad but works. Grows manes, makes them silky and grows hair back in half the time. When you have a cut on a horse and it starts to scab over I use it. Scabs become soft and fall off and the skin is moistureized and hair grows back in record time.

10. Cowboy magic/any product by them

Particularly the green spot remover (waterless bath), detangle and shine and the yellowout shampoo. Green spot remover works better than any waterless bath. I had two white horses (now one very dirty), believe me! I live by this stuff at a horse show and winter. The detangle and shine is just like baby oil only it does not attract dust like baby oil and smell bad. Plus a little bit goes a long way but it IS very expensive but very worth it because you don't use a lot. I use it for manes and tails every other day. No knots here. The yellowout, well white horses but it brings out the shine and opaque hairs any horse has for that really deep down clean look.

So what are your top 10 favorite things?? Reply here or post in your blog and link me. I love to read your blogs.

4 comments:

The Wife said...

I don't know that I can come up with 10 things off the top of my head but I will agree with the Leatherman tool. Can't sustain life without it!

I need to try the MTG. Apparently, I have the most injury prone horses in the NATION! Still trying to heal a back leg that got majorly tangled in a barbwire fence back in Aug/Sept. It was all scabbed over and lookin' good. Then she busted it open! Geez.

Happy New Year!

Unknown said...

Join the club. Whatever point/non pointy thing is in the paddock Indigo will maim herself on it. It's even more horrifying when she bleeds cause shes white. Luckily shes the best at being doctored. She enjoys the attention and lots of cookies and pats she gets when she hurts herself (not to mention the non riding time, damn horse)

Seriously try the MTG. It is worth every penny but it does smell a bit like some sort of bacon grease. Bacon grease also works well on cuts that won't scab up right.

I'll do your scrap award when I get in from shovelin shit.

Pony Girl said...

I have always wanted to try the MTG, I am growing out my horse's mane and heard good things about it.
This was a good list of favorite things. I should do one sometime! :)

Unknown said...

Go ahead! I would love to see it if you do the list of 10. Tag some friends.

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