Riding Hat Protection with The Saddlery Shop

When horse riding there is nothing more important than your safety. Riding hats are especially designed to protect your incredibly important head and their is no piece of equipment for equestrian pursuits more crucial! A horse riding hat or helmet with a hard shell and protective lining will protect the wearer’s head if they fall from a horse or if you are kicked. It’s crucial to always wear a riding hat, not only when you are riding a horse, but it certain circumstances when you are handling a horse from the ground. Not only is your hat vital to your safety when riding, second to your horse and your saddle, your riding hat is one of your most expensive pieces of equipment so it pays to look after it wisely. The padded Sherwood Forest Hat Bag from The Saddlery Shop is an ideal way to transport and store your riding hat. This riding hat bag looks good as well as being practical, with a large padded compartment for the hat and separate compartment for accessories accomodating any size of type of riding hat. The Saddlery Shop also offers a wide range of top brands of protective riding hats including such as Gatehouse, Champion, Dublin, so why not visit the website today www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk

Equine Hoofboots at The Saddlery Shop

The Saddlery Shop offers a huge range of equine hoof boots building up a trusted reputation over a number of years. The Saddlery Shop is recognised as the country’s leading equestrian barefoot retailer holding the largest stocks of hoof boots and accessories in the UK! In addition The Saddlery Shop is a respected authority on booting barefoot horses. The Saddlery Shop aim to have all the information you as a barefoot horse owner would need in order to choose the best hoof boot for their horse. Offering free specialist hoof boot advice by email or telephone from one of our booting experts, including Lucy Nicholas the author of 'The Barefoot Horse'. The Saddlery Shop is proud to provide optimum customer service to our barefoot horse owners so our hoof boot enquiries are treated as priority and usually answered within 4 working hours! To see the huge range of equine hoof boots, books, cushioning pads and inserts and equine barefoot maintenance tools such as rasps visit the website www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk.

Muddy Issues!

After extreme wet weather, countless yards are trying to cope with muddy conditions with a large amount of rain nationwide leaving us paddling in the mud at the yard and in fields. In this situation a decent pair of Wellington Boots is an absolute investments so why not check out the range The Saddlery Shop has available today? Sadly in addition to ruined grazing and squelching around many equine owners are also having to deal with skin conditions developed by our horses and ponies as a result of the boggy conditions. Skin Problems Mud related skin conditions known as pastern dermatitis, mud rash or mud fever occurs in horses and ponies alike and is often associated with equines standing in mud and wet conditions. Mud caused skin conditions can range from mild skin irritation to painful infected sores which can cause swelling in the limb and lameness. Treatment Treatment of mud induced conditions involves minimising exposure to mud, removing and cleaning any scabs or lesions and keeping the limbs as dry as possible. Stabling horses on clean, dry bedding and clipping around the lesions can help alongside using a medicated spray or cream and a health supplement. The Saddlery Shop offer NAF Mud Guard a specialist supplement for horses living in wet, muddy and challenging conditions offering nutritional support for skin. This supplement designed for horses prone to mud fever when used in conjunction with topical barrier creams can provide a high level of protection for your horse or pony against bacterial and fungal skin infections. Keratex Mud Shield Powder available from The Saddlery Shop is a very highly effective waterproofing & disinfecting powder for horse's legs.

Looking at Laminitis with The Saddlery Shop

The word laminitis often strikes fear into the heart of any horse owner as the all too common condition can lead to debilitating welfare problems and acute lameness in many horses and ponies. Frustratingly there is still much about the condition which is not fully understood but there are measures which can be put in place to help avoid and manage equine laminitis. What is Laminitis? The term Laminitis, describes the process of the laminae tissues becoming inflamed. This causes pain and lameness, can lead to tears of the internal bond between the dermal and epidermal laminae. In severe cases this tearing can be so acute that it can lead to the rotation or drop of the pedal bone. One of the factors we do know in relative certainty is that laminitis can result from improper nutrition, namely overfeeding. Many leading experts recommend that in order to try and prevent the condition the amount of sugars in the diet should be reduced such as reducing the level of concentrate feed provided, soaking hay offered and limiting turnout on rich pasture. Utilising correct body condition scoring can also help horse owners determine our horse’s weight, and whether they food consumption is correct for their type and their workload. Remember the problems general arise when the ingestion of pasture and feed is combined with a lack of exercise. This is simply because our equines do not burn off and use the sugary starches provided in their diet and it is a well documented link that increased risk of metabolic problems caused by obesity, can also lead to laminitis. Three Top Tips from The Saddlery Shop for Avoiding or Managing Laminitis 1.) Restrict your horse’s grain quantities and seek out a high fibre, low sugar, low starch alternative such as a forage rich hay. Always feed your horse in relation to their workload- remember they only need calories they are going to use! 2.) Limit your horse’s pasture time or if he is happier in the field restrict the area they have access to with temporary fencing or a grazing muzzle. 3.) Choose wisely about when you turn your horse out to graze. Studies have found that the risk of laminitis can be increased when horses are turned out on pasture which has been exposed to cold nights and sunny weather, especially if there has been a frost!

The Horseware Ada Hoody; Perfect for the Season

The cold, wet weather at this time of year causes us equestrians to want to be warm and cosy in a comfortable hoody. The Horseware Ada Hoody is a slender fit, warm, winter hoody with contrast colours and embroidered embellishments. The super-soft brushed cotton lining of the Horseware Ada Hoody and anti-pilling rib make this Hoody a winter must have. Why not layer it up with Horseware's Juliette Rugby Shirt and Babel Ladies Padded Jacket? or wear on its own? Available in stunning Red in sizes XS, S and L from The Saddlery Shop's website while stocks last! Visit www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk

Avoid Winter Equine Dehydration!

The summer months are typically more conducive to equine dehydration but actually the winter time can cause our equines to suffer from dehydration too. With freezing weather conditions, horses sweating as their clips grow out and their thirst mechanism in some cases not always functioning as efficiently can lead to equine dehydration in the winter time. What is Dehydration? Water is lost from the horse’s body daily, through their waste products, the moisture in their breath and more obviously from sweating if the equine is working hard or their thick winter coat has not been clipped. If this lost water is not replenished this can cause dehydration affecting the functioning of variety of different roles in the body and delivery mechanisms including transporting vitamins and nutrients to cells, flushing out toxins, regulating body temperature and metabolising and digesting food. What Do Our Horses Need to Avoid Dehydration Most horses require a minimum of 10-12 gallons of water per day to meet their physiological needs and horse owners should always ensure during winter time that equine’s have access to clean, fresh water and that in freezing conditions the ice on the water is broken and removed at least twice daily. How Does Dehydration Occur in Winter Horses may consume less water during winter for many reasons such as; consuming less food in general, reducing the amount of water required for digestion, disliking excessively cold water, the water buckets or tanks becoming frozen, and ingestion of less grazing. Grass is rich in water, containing up to 80% moisture, whereas hay can be as low as just 10%. What can you do? 1.) When our equine’s stabled time increases and hay becomes the main food source why not soak your hay that you provide to your equine friend? 2.) Monitor the amount of water your horse consumes by providing ample buckets of water in the stable and assess how much they consume on a regular basis. 3.) Studies have shown that warming the water provided to your horse in freezing temperatures can encourage equines to drink up to 40% more, so why not try adding warm water to your equine’s drinking water?

The Easyboot Transition Hoof Boot from The Saddlery Shop

Earlier this year the brand new, innovative hoofboot for barefoot horses – the Easyboot Transition was launched and is now available through The Saddlery Shop. This technologically advanced boot is suitable for those horses and ponies transitioning from a shod lifestyle to barefoot but the Transition boots are also actually ideal for any equines in general that have suitable size/ shape hooves to enjoy the benefits of these Hi-Tec hoof boots. The Easyboot Transition uses a similar sole production process to human running shoes. It takes the best attributes of the most popular hoof boots, plus new technology, producing a hoof boot that will fit many shapes and sizes of hoof, including round, slightly longer than wide, and even slightly wider than long. The Transition offers a combination of shock absorption and support which has never been seen before in a hoofboot. The sole of the Transition uses three layers of material to produce a resilient shock absorbing sole that gives support and stimulation to the hoof structures. A lightweight upper protects the hoof and pastern, while reversible, industrial strength Velcro straps at the front and back secure the boot, allowing for precise fit adjustments. At the boot’s core, a polyurethane ‘bumper’ offers pliability and resilience. The hoof stands on a supportive midsole; depressions within the outer sole structure are filled with the softer midsole material, to create an integrated cushion. Comfort pads may be used inside, for additional support in therapeutic applications, or transitioning after de-shoeing. This is the ideal hoofboot to provide shock absorption to the equine hoof structures and limbs. A huge range of equine hoof boots are available from The Saddlery Shop. Visit the website to find out more or to make an enquiry to receive bespoke advice about which hoof boot is suitable for your horse or pony.