Equine Travel

The summer months bring plenty of fun activities, with lots to do with your horses and ponies. So whether you are competing or taking part in Pony Club Camp or Riding Club activities it normally means that your equine will have to travel. Travelling in a trailer or lorry can sometimes induce stress which can lead to weight loss, tiredness and a bad, upset temperament. However simple management techniques can help make travelling easier and more enjoyable for your horse or pony and so you can enjoy your event or competition. Top Tips From The Saddlery Shop for Stress-free Travel 1. ) Loading can provide a challenge for some equines so when loading your horse remember to provide a calm, positive environment for your horse to load into his trailer or transport in a quiet, stress free setting. 2.) Always ensure that sufficient forage is supplied on board so your horse does not become hungry, restless and frustrated whilst travelling. The Saddlery Shop offers a range of hay nets, including an extra large smalled holed haynet; perfect for travelling. 3.) Where necessary incorporate a calming supplement into the diet to help keep your equine relaxed. Supplements including magnesium and B vitamins can be beneficial such as Equus Mag-Need and Feedmark Steady Up available from The Saddlery Shop. 4.) Keep your horse protected whilst travelling to negate the risk of accidents and injuries. Boots, bandages, rugs and a poll guard can keep your horse safe, and stop you worrying too! Check out The Saddlery Shop for everything you need for your equine to travel safely. 5.) Always ensure your horse is sufficiently hydrated during and after travelling, on a long journey make several stops to offer your horse water and make sure you remember to give your horse a drink as soon as you arrive at your destination to maintain optimum health and wellbeing, not to mention performance! Following these tips and advice can help to minimise the stress associated with travelling so your horse can arrive at the show fit to perform at his best!

The new Radius Rasp for Barefoot Equines Hits The Saddlery Shop's Shelves!

The Saddlery Shop adds a new, innovative product to their leading range of products for barefoot horses; the Radius Rasp! The evolutionary rasp is a brand new, pioneering product which allows horse owners to maintain their equine's hooves between traditional, professional trims. The Radius Rasp is designed for barefoot or unshod horses but can also be used on those horses that have lost a shoe. The handy tool can be used safely by horse owners in order to control flare of the hoof and to round or roll the edge of the hoof, known as the mustang roll. Regular rasping of the feet between professional trims allows our equines to maintain correct hoof shape, keep the hoof in balance and maintain a correct break-over; the process of the heel leaving the ground and rotating the toe. The Radius Rasp is compact and lightweight yet a solid, durable design which allows one-handed efficient rasping. The blade is curved in its design ideal for creating the "mustang roll" (bevelling the hoof wall) with a finger friendly, fast and easy cheese grater like action. There is even a conveniently hidden magnet in the handle for attaching the Radius Rasp to your hoof stand! The Radius Rasp offered by The Saddlery Shop is the ideal hoof wall maintenance tool and when used in conjunction with the Radius Rasp Pro and the Hoof Buffer, provide the perfect kit to prevent chips or splits, promoting perfect hoof condition all year round alongside professional trimming. For more information about the Radius Rasp or the wide range products available for barefoot horses visit the website: www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk

The Perfect Autumn Jacket!

The Horseware Corrib Sport Riding and Casual Jacket is the perfect jacket for autumn weather when the rain showers begin to set in but the weather remains fairly mild. The classic Corrib jacket has had a stylish update to become the new "sports" model. The Horseware Corrib Sport Riding Jacket boasts a waterproof, yet breathable outer with an elasticated hem and warm polyester quilted lining, and a rib collar with jacquards. Alongside this the inner rear zip allows easy access for customisation embroidery suitable for all teams and clubs and you can keep your phone and other items secure in an inner, zipped pocket. The Horseware Corrib Sport offers the classic look with great performance and fashionable blouson style. 100% Nylon. Machine washable. Available from The Saddlery Shop in Navy XXS-XXL For more information or to see the wide range of clothing and riding jackets available visit the website www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk

Keep Your Horse Fly Free!

During the late summer months our fields and pastures are often riddled with pesky flies, midges and bugs. We regularly see our equines tossing and flicking their heads and tails and twitching their skin to rid themselves of these pests but what can we do as dedicated horse owners to assist our equines in keeping the flies at bay? There are many forms of fly repellent that you can use, such as sprays, lotions, washes and gels. The Saddlery Shop stock a huge range of brands including Dermoline, Superplus, Defleqt, Lincoln and Mark Todd, to name just a few! These products are effective and help to give your horse or pony welcome relief and fly free. Here are some useful tips for Keeping your Horse Fly Free from The Saddlery Shop 1.) If your horse is regularly turned out purchase a fly rug and fly mask available from The Saddlery Shop to keep flies away from your horse’s sensitive eyes and ears and body. Make sure the fly mask is properly fitted and wash the item regularly to prevent dirt from building up and affecting your horse’s vision. Also don’t forget to remove it regularly, even if you are not riding to check your horse’s eyes are healthy. 2.)Never spray fly spray directly onto your horse’s face, use a soft towel or cloth to wipe it under his eyes and on his ears paying special attention not to get the product in his eyes. 3.) If you are still struggling to keep your horse fly free why not consider turning him out overnight to avoid the worst of the midges? Remember peak times are first thing in the morning and early evening so if you are going to try this make sure it has cooled down before you turn out your equine. For a huge range of equestrian products including fly rugs, fly masks and fly repellents visit www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk or Tel: 0844 880 6900

Vitamins and Minerals for the Grass Kept Equine

Is your horse enjoying 24/7 turnout during the summer months? That is great because the most important aspect of the equine diet it forage, including such as grass, hay and haylage. This forage helps to maintain a healthy, mobile gut keeping your equine’s digestive system mobile and functioning correctly and efficiently. However recent hot weather has left much of the grazing bleached, dry and lacking in nutrients which can cause problems if our horses and ponies become deficient in vitamins and minerals.When this is paired with many of us expecting to ride and regularly exercise our equines they sometimes require something a little bit extra in their diet. For those equines based predominately on a grass diet may require vital vitamins and minerals to be incorporated in the diet sought through an equine supplement. This addition is important because vitamins and minerals play many roles within the body including supporting the immune system, bone and teeth structure, benefitting eyesight and assisting nerve and muscle functioning. The Saddlery Shop offer a range of equine supplements in order to help you, help your horse maintain optimum health. The huge supplement range from The Saddlery Shop includes general health vitamin and mineral supplements; perfect for those horses on a grass diet, alongside specific supplements for hoof condition, the immune system, digestive problems and much, much more! For more information visit the website www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk

Get Prepared for Pony Club Camp with The Saddlery Shop

With schools out for the summer it is almost time for Pony Club Camp! So if you have got a little one preparing for Pony Club Camp here are our Five Top Tips exclusively from The Saddlery Shop to help you and them get organised and enjoy summer camp. 1.) We all know that preparation is the key to success so why not encourage your child to make an overall list of all the essential items they will require to take with them. This should include; clothing for riding and leisure, tack, grooming equipment and rugs and horse feed and yard equipment. 2.) Check the rule book. The Pony Club has many rules and regulations so make sure you are in the know and up to date with your knowledge! 3.) Make sure the horse or pony going to camp alongside your son or daughter is fit enough to cope with the workload. Pony Club Camp can be a busy, fun filled week for our equines but it generally involves horses and ponies working harder than they do at home. In order to maintain optimum health and performance make sure your equine is sufficiently fit before attending and that their diet compliments their workload. 4.) Before you set off check the stitching on all your leatherwork, including the stirrup leathers to ensure safety and your horse or pony's shoes. You can so easily miss out on training and riding if your horse or pony loses a shoe! 5.)Remember the aim of Pony Club Camp is to have fun! The week can bring lots of learning and new experiences but in addition new friends and an enjoyable experience for both your child and their equine! The Wickedly Wild Grooming Kit Bag is the perfect companion for your child to take to Pony Club Camp as it allows them to keep all their equine grooming equipment clean and organised. The Wickedly Wild Grooming Kit with Bag contains; sponge, curry Comb, mane comb, lead rope, hoof pick, body brush, dandy brush and in the blue a mini plastic curry comb. Helping your little equestrian keep their horses and ponies spic and span at Pony Club Camp the Wickedly Wild Grooming Kit Bag is available from The Saddlery Shop , visit the website www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk or Tel: 0844 880 6900

Fight the Flies with The Saddlery Shop!

We at The Saddlery Shop have plenty of sympathy for our horses during the summer months when the fields are riddled with pesky flies, midges and bugs. It is a regular site to see our equines tossing and flicking their heads and tails and twitching their skin to rid themselves of these pests but what can we do to help keep the flies at bay? At The Saddlery Shop we have a range of products to fight flies, including the The Gallop Combo Fly Rug which is currently on special offer! The Gallop Combo Fly Rug is a superb value for money fly rug and is currently available from The Saddlery Shop with a FREE fly mask! The breathable and washable mesh fly rug with a combined nylon lined neck cover helps to prevent rubs and the elasticated surcingles, fillet string and a large tail flap and comes in steel blue or dapple grey to help keep your horse cool on hot summer days. If the Gallop Combo Fly Rug is not your bag, fear not there are plenty to choose from at The Saddlery Shop including fly rug brands such as; Horseware, JHL, Mark Todd and Weatherbeea. In addition The Saddlery Shop offers a huge range of fly sprays, gels and roll on repellents so you can protect your horse from getting "bugged out" this summer!