Product Review - Smart Grooming Lavender Splosh Wash

After exercise and work a lot of horses get very sweaty, it's a natural part of horses cooling themselves down but it can lead to tense and sore muscles after hard work, so the wonderful team over at Smart Grooming have come up with a great new wash down product called Lavender Splosh Wash!

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Smart Grooming say "Lavender Splosh Wash is gentle enough to be used everyday to leave the coat clean and glossy. It also has a soothing effect on tired muscles after exercise and can be used neat to disperse bruising"

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Georgie and I actually love using this splosh wash so much that we've used an entire bottle in just a couple of months. Although a little goes a long way we've just found it so useful our bottle is now empty! Must remember to order another one! But at only £6.95 a bottle it's hardly breaking the bank to replace it!

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We've used the splosh wash most often with washing Beanie's saddle patch, girth area and legs after exercise and also sometimes after traveling B get's full on sweaty when he anticipates arriving home in the trailer.

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The first time we used the Splosh Wash was on an occasion like that, when we'd been out competing and B got very hot in the trailer; we open the trailer ramp and see B sweating and frothing heavily so quickly we unload him and immediately washed him off with Splosh Wash, it was amazing to see him visibly relax with the lavender oils, warm water and massage. That was when we really did see the beneficial properties of this wash!

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It's not a difficult product to use and doesn't require many instructions on how to use it, simply -

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1) Fill a bucket up with water, preferably warm

2) Pour the wash into the bottle cap, either half a cap or a whole caps worth depending on how strong you want the solution to be; We use a whole cap for when he's very sweaty or half a cap for just when washing off legs and saddle patch.

3) Mix up the splosh wash so it's created lot's of bubbles and suds. 

4) Grab a sponge to the bucket and begin sploshing the sudsy water over your horse to wash them off and begin relaxing their muscles!

5) The slosh wash doesn't need to the washed off and the excess can simply be sweat scrapped off afterwards.

Off the Trailer Very Hot

During Wash Off 

Washed Off, Relaxed and Happy

Easy as that!

We absolutely love this product, it's such a great product to use and it's not overly complicated to use which is brilliant when you're down the yard by yourself and haven't got loads of time to faff about!

It comes in two sizes 500ml which is £6.95 or a huge 5 litre bottle for £39.95! 

Product Review - LeMieux Snug Boots

First impressions

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They’re made with the same 3D mesh air fabric as the numnah linked above so because of that they’re designed to fit (as the name suggests) snuggly around the fetlock as emphasis of the design of the product is breathability and flexibility during work. It also has a hard but flexible layer which protects the tendon which is ideal for both schooling and jumping.

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When I first received these through the post I was instantly really excited to try them. They’re so professional! As they’re long enough to wrap under the bottom of the fetlock I was pleased to think they’d do a good job supporting the fetlock too. They’re also light weight and aren’t going to weigh down your horses legs which is obviously important in jumping as it could mean the difference between knocking a pole or not and in schooling not being able to that that proper lift and extension.

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Don’t they look smart! I’m such a stickler for turning our horses out to the very best they can look and a lot of that is having good looking equipment that is practical also. We all want to look professional when schooling, riding or competing and there is no doubt of that with these Snug Boots.

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Use

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We’ve mainly used these boots for school and hacking and have been really impressed. My big great first thought upon using them in how much easier they are to do up than Velcro straps. They’re done up by a plastic 3 holed keeper which pops over a metal rivet. So good as they can be adjusted to accommodate various bone cannon bone and fetlock sizes! They’re also a lot less likely to break than Velcro straps. We’ve used a product made of a similar material but sadly after continued use one of the Velcro straps had the stitching break and it come off. Not ideal when you’re paying £40 for a set of boots and they break as the stitching rots and doesn’t show great workmanship.

They’re also very easy to clean, with sticky mud you can just dunk them in a bucket of water or under a tap and rub off the dirt, or in the case of sandy school you can easily remove it with a brush, like we did here!

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​For jumping the 3D mesh Air material is flexible enough to allow good movement of the fetlock to allow good tucking of the hoof so unlikely to cause flexion problems and thus poles on the ground, but as the flexible plastic around the tendon area so if a horse were to over reach they’d not cut into the tendon and if hitting a pole wouldn’t cause too much pain and bruising!

 

Verdict

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I think they speak for themselves when you look online and see they’re sold out online in medium, they’ve flown out like hot cakes! We found them to be absolutely fantastic, due to the 3D mesh air technology fabric they’re absolute to be washed and dry very quickly. They also don’t rub or take hair off of the legs so they’re a real plus point as no-one wants sore patches! They also keen the legs cool and not too hot which is important in tendon care. Studies have been down on tendons getting too hot and deteriorating so this is super important in health tendons and legs in a horse.

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They’re amazing value for money at £42.50 a pair and really stand up to wear and tear, but also have good longevity so you won’t have to be buying a replacement pair anytime soon!

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For me personally protecting the tendons is extremely important and these cover both areas in keeping the area cool and not upsetting the tendons but also protecting it from strike forces such as over reaches, bangs, knocks and such. Horses have been saved by wearing boots and these will be up there in extremely popular boots for that I’d say!

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Overall, a really good buy that’s amazing value for money and will do ‘exactly what it says on the tin’ as it were.

Product Review - LeMieux 3D MEsh Air Numnah

LeMieux 3D Mesh Air Numah 

First impressions - 

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When I first opened my parcel I was really excited to try this numnah. Georgie and I have used similar numnah's before that are on the same principle; breathable and allowing the air to flow over the horses skin while in use and thus keeping them sweat free, or at least less hot. 

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When opening and examining the numnah it was really noticeable that for a large dressage square numnah, it was really quite light. I then noticed that it has a built in memory foam saddle pad, so eliminating the need to buy an addition memory foam or gel pad which is really good, not having to fork out for two things (a numnah and a pad). And I'm sure we've all been there; that you go to a competition only to realise you've bought the numnah and forgotten the additional pad. No chance of that happening here!

Unlike other numnah's we've tried before the fabric had smaller holes in the mesh, and was lined on the inside with a soft velvety type cloth underlining which reading up on the product I realised is one of the new technological advances, bamboo soft lining. Why is that important to us and something we focused on you ask? Well previously these breathable type numnah's have had large breathable mesh holes, which did the job they were designed to do, which is let the air flow, but the downside was that Beanie's fur on his back got pulled and pinched by this mesh fabric and meant he was uncomfortable and put his back up. Not what you want when you're trying to exercise or compete your horse and they're not listening to you. So for the mesh to still be incorporated but lined with a breathable soft fabric was really exciting to us!

Another first impression was just how smart this numnah looks. It's seriously professional and the craftmanship put into these numnah's really sets it apart from other companies. The girth area where the buckles and elastic come in contact with the horse has a durable but hard wearing fabric covering that area so firstly the horses side doesn't get rubbed but the buckles and elastic won't get rubbed and worn through. For me, little bits like this really set the brand apart from their competitors.

Verdict - 

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A lot of thought has been put into the design and technology of the Le Mieux ProSport 3D Mesh Air numnah, that was noticeable from the onset but really putting the numnah through it's paces with various riding and schooling scenario's really helped. Beanie at no point got too hot and sweaty, his back a little damp but nowhere near as much as it usually would have. 

A lot of small, but very important details have been thought out through the design and for me that is it's something I regard highly when it comes to buying and using equipment in riding. I have a pet hate about numnah's bunching up and moving and this diddn't happen with this numnah. The look is also very important, we all want our horses to look their best when being ridden don't we? This numnah is super smart both during and after use.

It washes easily and dried in no time at all, which I'm sure is down to the Mesh Air technology allowing air to flow through it. And because it allows air flow, the horse doesn't get so hot when schooling it doesn't need washing every time after use. Ideal when you're riding daily and don't have time for it to dry. Win win!

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For the price of £47.50 it isn't breaking the bank and you would likely pay that much if not more for cotton numnah (that needs constant washing and causes your horse to get hot) and a gel pad which this is a numnah and pad all in one! Plus you can use it every day for all equine activities like schooling or hacking meaning one numnah does it all.

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I'd definitely highly recommend the Le Mieux ProSport 3D Mesh Air numnah and will continue to use it a lot! If you'd like to buy one yourself click on the button below. #LoveLeMieux

Product Review - Storm Chase wrist & Hand Warmers

Keeping the cold away with Storm Chase wrist & hand warmers

Sophie and I love supporting and finding out more about local businesses, especially those based where we live in and around the Newmarket area and with a recent ski trip and cold snap I have been able to put the Storm Chase wrist and hand warmers through their paces. This British made and designed product allows you to have complete use of your fingers whilst keeping them warm which is essential when out on the yard or while riding. They are cleverly designed with the cuffs being made of a thicker soft shell technical material which has a warm and soft feel against the skin, whilst around the hand is made of a more light weight and stretchy material. This fancy material is call Supplex and it has high water and wind resistant properties.

Anyone who works with horses during the winter months knows how cold your hands and fingers get from the elements and wearing normal gloves can be frustrating as you have to keep taking them off to do rug buckles, straps, tacking horses up and having to take them off to avoid getting them wet while filling water buckets etc; It’s a case of on off, on off. Not so with Storm Chase wrist and hand warmers and I think there is no better fingerless gloves than these. They are close fitting so you hardly know you’re wearing them and remain comfortable all day long. I had full use of my fingers all of the time, so I wasn’t wasting time taking gloves off and when it came to doing wet jobs I was able to simply role the black hand part back by slipping my thumb out and the wrist area is water repellent so any splashes just rolled off the material.

I can even report that my hands remained warm whist out hacking in less than ideal conditions, which for me is a must, as I find that my hands are the first thing to get cold and I didn't want to wear large thick gloves which would be bulky and make it hard to get a good feel on the reins (which is essential to make sure you are communicating correctly with your horse). I have also just come back from a skiing trip to France where I was the envy of all my friends with the Storm Chase warmers! I slipped them on in the morning before getting all my ski equipment on and since they are so slim line I was easily able to put by ski gloves over the top without having extra bulk in the palms. I love capturing my skiing adventures with a GoPro so I was removing my gloves to switch the camera on/off a lot but this was not a problem even in blizzard conditions as my hands remained toasty with the warmers acting as a barrier from the biting wind. Handling your phone is simple and quick as your finger tips are ready for action too straight away.

=I would highly recommend the Storm Chase Warmers if you spend lots if time outdoors working or doing outside pursuits. Having cold hands is unpleasant, sometimes even painful and wearing gloves is not always possible which is where this product can make a huge difference to you.  If you shoot, fish, ride, run, dog walk, ski, cycle to name but a few sports, I believe these would be an excellent investment to you.  Priced at £23.95 these are great value for money. They are well made and wash up like new again. Mother’s day is also round the corner and these would make a very practical and thoughtful alternative to the usual flowers or chocolates gift.

There is a horsiness promo code for readers which is SC16 which will give you 10% off! Buy them from here 

How To Guide - Polo Tail Knot

I learnt this quick and easy knot from a friend at my local polo club just outside of Newmarket and have found I've used it not just for getting the ponies ready for a match but also used it lot's this winter with keeping our horses tails clean and out of the mud when turning them out in the field and when taking them out on rides.

It's great due to the fact you don't need any bands or tape to keep it up and out the way, and it's super quick to take out. It can take a little time to master and therefore get it neat and tidy but once you've got it you've got it!

Have a watch of the video below to learn how to tie a polo tail knot and get tying!

1 - Brush the tail through to get ride of knots and tangles. Then take a small section of tail from the end of the dock. Keep that seperate and out of the way for now.

2- From the bottom of the dock start plaiting the rest of the tail like you would any normal plait. Do this until you get to about 15cm from the end. Combine all 3 plaiting strandes together and then resplit it back into 2 sections, 

3 - Fold the plaited tail up to the middle of the dock and take the 2 sections of hair on the left and right sides and cross them over on the underside of the dock and bring them back onto the topside of the dock.

4 - Now start twisting them together so they create one twisted strand and twist it until it curls up on itself greating a knob. 

5 - Get your strade of tail that you've kept seperate and take the very bottom of it and hold it in the same hand as the hair knob and with your other hand start wrapping that spare strand round and round. It will be wrapping the main part of the tail up like string.

6 - Once you've reached the end of the securing strand make sure it is tightly wrapped and tucked together, therefore securing and locking the whole thing in place.

It should look like this when you've finished