5 Top Spring Essentials for Horse Owners
Discover 5 top spring essentials for horse owners with Everything Horse …
What’s not to love about spring?! With the best of winter behind us, we are more than ready to welcome warmer air, new buds on the trees and lighter nights. Longer grazing periods improve the horse’s mood, which in turn helps lift ours and less time mucking out means more time spent in the saddle. It’s such a great time for the horse and owner!
With all this extra ‘horsing around’ planned, we often find ourselves heading off to the local tack store or our favourite online retailer to stock up on spring essentials. With this in mind here are 5 top products we’ve got in mind for spring 2022.
Article contains affiliate links.
Shedding tools
While there are a variety of tools available to help remove loose hair and debris from your horse’s coat, not all of them are seen as an enjoyable experience for our horses. Spending time grooming is an excellent way to help improve the bond between the horse owner and their horse, which should be pleasurable and relaxing. However, sharp edges can become uncomfortable and will have your horse turning away in displeasure should they be used too firmly. Their rubber counterparts, however, can be a popular alternative.
Betty’s Best StripHiar Gentle Groomer for Horses
Gently remove loose hair from your horse’s coat this spring with the Betty’s Best HairStripper. Easy to use and flexible, this is an essential tool for spring, summer and autumn. Not only does the StripHair remove shed hair, debri and dust, it adds shine to the coat and stimulates blood circulation. Can also be used when bathing to help lather and encourage a deep clean.
Priced at £40
Buy from Equus.co.uk
Footwear
After a long winter in muck boots, wellies or country boots, any horse owner will tell you they feel relieved to don a pair of lighter-weight yard shoes for spring. While trainers and sandals have a place at home and when out shopping, they are hardly useful, safe or practical when down the stables. So naturally, a lightweight boot that will help protect your feet while keeping them comfortable is an excellent excuse to pull out your wallet or purse this spring.
Ariat Heritage IV Steel Toe Zip Paddock Boot
Protect your toes with a pair of Ariat Heritage IV Steel Toe paddock boots this spring. The boot will offer your foot excellent protection with the steel toe cap, an all-day cushioning insole with rebound, and 4LR technology for support. Other features include front pull up zip, mesh lining and barnyard acid-resistant HRO Duratread.
Available in sizes UK 3 – 8.5 in medium width.
Priced at £135.00
Buy from Ariat
Sweet-Itch
If your horse suffers from sweet-itch you’ll have no do doubt tried various solutions to minimise and treat the condition. Treating this dreaded skin condition has proved difficult, however, new research suggests that preparing the horse’s skin prior to the seasonal occurrence can help prevent reactions to fly-bites.
While fly deterrents, ointments and creams are excellent measures for treating the condition, feeding an all year round supplement can keep your horse’s skin in peak condition by strengthening its foundations. This in turn can go a long way in helping prevent the condition from becoming a problem at the start of the season.
TOP TIP: Prevention is better than cure, be sure to prepare for sweet-itch season early by feeding supplements or treating skin a few months before the problems normally start to occur.
TurmerItch from The Golden Paste Company
Help prepare your horse for an itch-free summer by giving them a head start with TurmerItch™ from The Golden Paste Company. TurmerItch is a pelleted supplement specifically formulated to support healthy skin and coat. The active ingredients also support biting insect repulsion and help maintain reduced sensitivity.
Priced at £59.99 (2kg tub)
Buy from The Golden Paste Company
Waterproof fly rugs
Keeping the horse dry at the same time as free from fly bites without overheating is now a realistic expectation thanks to the evolution of waterproof fly rugs. When looking for a fly rug for your horse, there are several pointers to look out for, which include:
- Made of a lightweight yet durable material
- Belly bar to include a panel and three surcingles for all-over fly protection
- Long enough neck covering with up to three tapes to secure (for larger sizes)
- Shoulder gussets for comfort and to help the material move with the horse
- A nylon inner (at least on the shoulders) to help prevent rubbing
- Tail guard
- Waterproof and breathable top panels and mesh to the bottom
- UV Protection
- Elasticated leg straps or fillet string
Gallop Trojan Xtra Waterproof Combo Fly Rug
The Gallop Trojan Xtra Waterproof Combo Fly Rug will offer any horse owner many benefits this spring and summer. The rug is lightweight and made of 1200D durable material which offers a waterproof yet breathable top section with mesh panels to the side. The neckpiece comes with three adjustable straps and a huck and loop to keep it in position. Shoulder gussets and a nylon liner over the shoulder and wither will help prevent rubbing. Also includes a tail flap with a reflective strip and elasticated leg straps.
Available in sizes 5’5 – 7′
Priced at £60
Buy from Equus.co.uk
Skin Protection
There are many forms of skin protection for horses available to owners to help protect vulnerable exposed areas that are likely to burn. It can be difficult to know which one is best to purchase, several factors can come into play such as cost, brand and reputation.
Ideally, you will be looking for a product that blocks UVA and UVB rays that won’t cause any unnecessary build-up of lotion, is suitable for sensitive skin and is water resistant.
Lillidale Sunblock Powder 4 Horses
The Lillidale Sunblock Powder is an easy to apply, lightweight, non-irritant powder that blocks UVA and UVB rays making it a great spring essential for horse owners! Once applied, the product lasts for up to 24 hours and provides a water-resistant, non-sticky layer to help it stay effective.
Size 120g
Priced at £32.95
Buy from Amazon
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