Vettec Products for Easyboot Glue On Hoof Boots

The Saddlery Shop has added the vettec products recommended for use with the Easyboot Glue On to our range! We will be stocking the Vettec adhere, which is the adhesive compound use to secure the boots to the hoof wall, the Equi-pak CS and the tools needed to use the products. We chose to stock only the Equi-Pak CS as our UK climate is so very wet (apart from as I write this post!) and thrush of some sort is almost inevitable. Equi-pak CS is also a fantastic tool for shod horses with bad thrush, or those prone to thrush. We felt it was best practice to always use a product that will inhibit (and even help to address the problem of) thrush so that when the boots were removed after the recommended 5 - 10 days there would always be a nice healthy looking frog to reveal! We are also offering a complete Vettec starter kit with everything you need to apply the Glue-on hoof boots including a handbook and instructional DVD.

An inspirational woman and a very worthy cause!

Susi Sadler is an amazingly strong woman, and her story is truly inspirational! Susi is going to take part in the Mongol Derby, a butt-searing 620 mile ride across the steppe on semi-wild Mongolian ponies! She will have just 5kg of kit, no back up crew and will be miles from civilisation, and is doing it in order to help a very worthy organisation, operation smile . By completing this ride along with only 34 other riders, Susi is hoping to raise enough money to give 33 children back their smile.
The drive behind this ride, is due to Susi herself suffering a horrific facial injury. Trelawne Equine (the UK distributer of the Easycare range of hoofboots who The Saddlery Shop work closely with) are donating a set of gloves for Susi's barefoot horse, Rudi to enable her to be able to put the miles and miles of training in she needs to prepare for this week long marathon.
Susi writes about her horrific accident on her website dedicated to this challenge and her cause www.600miles.org (you can also sponsor her directly via her site if you wish to).

H2go Bag - The Wheelbarrow Water Carrier!

The H2go bag is one of those products that you look at and think 'why didn't I think of that?'. Such a simple but effective way of transporting water where you want it, no more buckets slopping water everywhere in wheelbarrows, or stretched arms and damp legs! The H2go bag has won numerous awards including:
Winner of Innovation of the Year at BETA International 2010
Gold Winner for Industry Awards Gardening Equipment Product 2009
Winner of Garden Answers Magazine Best Innovation Award 2008
The H2go bag is a bag made to fit neatly inside your wheel barrow to make transportation of up to 80l of water quick and easy. The H2go bag has been designed with a fitted spout making it easy to pour, and a cap which is permanently attached. The H2go bag comes complete with a non slip mat to place in the wheel barrow.

New Breed of Fly Mask- Updated!

The About tack fly visor was introduced to our range just a couple of weeks ago, and has lept to being one of the most popular fly products we sell in such a short time! The About Tack Fly Visor is a product we discovered by accident, and just had to stock! It is a revolutionary fly mask for horses and ponies, that ensures the horse keeps cool and comfortable with no danger of the mask interfering with the horses eyes. Every detail has been carefully thought through, the colour has been chosen to ensure the horses head stays cool, but the black mesh allows maximum vision. The Fly Visor was designed in the US by a qualified engineer (who also happens to be an avid horse lover), and has been tested and refined over several years to get to where it is today. The fly visors innovative design ensures that even hard-to-fit horses get plenty of eye clearance. Soft stretch mesh encompasses the nose and underside of the jaw, ensuring a snug fit, whilst providing a little extra protection against biting insects. The medium will fit most horses from 14.2hh through 16.2hh, if your horse takes a cob or full size bridle medium is the size for him. They may look a little different, but this is the secret of their success as they will not touch the horses eyes or eyelashes, even if the horse has an unusual shaped head. This is an email we received today from a satisfied customer in Rutland:

"Just thought I would write a bit about the About Fly Tack Visor. I put it on my horse and thought it was brilliant - it didn't touch his eyes or his eye lashes and he didn't mind the 'contraption' at all. We all thought he looked like a bee keeper in it! When I turned him out in his field (he lives with 1 mare and 1 gelding) the gelding took to his hooves and wouldn't go near my horse. I haven't laughed so much for a long time. The mare didn't react at all, but the other gelding stayed a very save distance away from this being from Mars, who had just entered the field. So far the Fly Visor is ok (he has only had it on for 1/2 day so far) and I always take them off at night, so that they can see better. I bought a medium size and my horse nearly always take large and it fits just fine. It took my a while to work out how to put it together, but then I am blonde!"

Torn Gaiters on Easyboots

When using any kind of hoof boots, the most common thing The Saddlery Shop tell customers is that fit is paramount to the success of the boot. If the customer finds the gaiter on their Easyboot Epic, Bare, Grip, Edge or Easyboot Glove Hoof Boot rips or comes apart after use in the first month, this is almost certainly due to the boot not fitting the hoof correctly. If the boot is too long or wide, the hoof will move up and down in the boot which puts pressure on the gaiter causing it to fail. A hoof boot that is too long for the hoof will also slow the horses natural breakover which can lead to overreaching and damaging the boot with a hind foot. The boot below was not a snug fit, which caused the hoof to move up and down in the boot putting pressure on the gaiter which caused it to tear.

Easy ways to achieve a better fit with your Easyboots
If your Epic, Bare or Edge is a little too big in either the width or length a quick solution is to put a pair of of 12mm comfort pads in the bottom of the boots to help size it up. Another easy fix if your boot is a little too big in the length if it is a Bare or Epic is to change out the backstrap to a size smaller. With the Easyboot gloves, the addition of a power strap will often help keep a boot firm that is a fraction loose.

Laminitic Ponies and Grazing Muzzles

When you have a horse or pony diagnosed or predisposed with Laminitis, one of the first things the vet will tell you to do is restrict the intake of grass. Most grazing muzzles will allow your horse to drink but not graze at all. One of the best designed muzzles, that will allow your horse or pony to have some grass, is the Greenguard grazing muzzle . Unlike other grass muzzles, the green guard grazing muzzle will still allow small pieces of grass through its slotted base thus allowing you to keep the horse or pony in a large field or with companions. Exercise is paramount to laminitis too, so being able to keep the laminitic pony in a large field still is extremely beneficial both physically and mentally. A matching greenguard headcollar is also available to keep the grazing muzzle in the optimum position. The greenguard grass muzzle is made in two sizes, pony to fit most horses upto 13.2hh and cob/full for ponies and horses over 13.2hh.

Wintec Saddles from only £189!

The new style Wintec 250 is on a limited special offer of only £189.99! The NEW Wintec 250 all purpose saddle is an ideal GP saddle for those wanting Wintec quality and performance, at a lower price. The Wintec 250 combines the look of a traditional leather saddle with the durability of a synthetic saddle by using the latest synthetic leather look materials and synthetic equisuedes. Wintec 250 general purpose saddles are hard wearing, lightweight and easy to keep clean, the ideal saddle for everyday use in all weathers as they don't require the cleaning involved in a traditional leather saddle.