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PRODUCT
REVIEWS
Each
month I will be adding new products I've liked or used, with comments
and links to places of purchase.
PLACIDE
MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENT
‘PLACIDE’
magnesium is an organic very bio-available form of an essential
mineral. Results are seen almost immediately on supplementation. Horses
with deficiencies return to their old amenable selves, they free up in
movement, they are calmer and therefore safer to ride. This in turn means
you feel more inclined to ride and the horse gets way more exercise and
daily movement.
Should
You Supplement MAGNESIUM?
Yes, if you want to reduce accidents, and have calmer, more relaxed, sounder,
healthier horses to ride and enjoy for many years to come.
Magnesium is vital for over 300 different functions in the body. The body
requires magnesium in relatively large amounts but does not store much.
If it does not get sufficient daily from the diet, then it is forced to
steal it from the nerves, the muscles, the brain and the heart. Then the
body simply cannot function properly.
This has significant, often dire, consequences including the following;
- the nerve endings becoming hypersensitive and cause over-reactiveness,
i.e. touchiness, spookiness, rushing off floats, etc, and therefore ACCIDENTS!!
- the muscles not properly relaxed, horse is tight and tense, can’t
bend, stepping short, you think there is something wrong with their back,
so you get therapists who find muscle spasms, you try new saddles, etc
and often eventually give up on the horse.
- impaired insulin response, contributing to obesity, insulin resistance,
cresty necks, extra pads of fat, puffiness, laminitis and eventually Cushings-like
syndrome.
- impaired peripheral circulation, especially in the hooves.
- upset hormone balance, PMT in mares, electrolyte imbalances etc.
Shouldn’t
we be careful with supplementing?
Yes, of course, but we should also be careful with not supplementing!!
The trouble is the word ‘supplement’. The average interpretation
is that if you ‘supplement’ then you are adding to, and therefore
may end up with too much in your system and upset balances of other minerals.
In this case we are talking about addressing a deficiency, a lack of.
We need to make sure we are topped up so that a lack of doesn’t
cause major mineral imbalances.
Not only that, but in most cases we are dealing with gross deficiencies,
the consequences of which can be very dangerous. Magnesium is impossible
to overdose by mouth, it is non- toxic in this organic form and the body
spits out what it does not need. This is minor compared to the effects
of being deficient.
Placide
is now available from the Natural Horse World
Shop.
 SPEEDI
BEET
Finally,
a horse firendly feed is now available in Tasmania and most parts of Australia.
Speedi-Beet is made from pure unmolassed sugar beet pulp which is a by-product
of the sugar beet industry. Sugar beet is grown in Europe and North America
as an alternative to sugar cane which is grown in tropical and sub-tropical
regions of the world. It is mainly grown as a source of table sugar for
human consumption.
After cleaning, the beet is sliced into cossettes by a machine that resembles
a kitchen grater and as much surface area is presented to maximise the
sugar extraction process as possible. The sliced sugar beet is mixed with
hot water and the sugar is extracted.
After
the water has been squeezed out, the pulp is dried and usually molasses
is added back where upon the pulp is either used in its shredded form
or it is pelleted. Speedi-Beet is manufactured from beet pulp which has
not had molasses added to it and is therefore around 95% sugar free. The
beet pulp then undergoes a further patented process and is then cooked
utilising our process, micronization. This involves heating the dried
beet pulp at relatively low temperatures for a short time using infra-red
heat and prevents the protein from denaturing allowing for quicker release
of nutrients into the horse’s digestive system. The micronizing
process also imparts flavour into the beet pulp so the product does not
require the use of added molasses i.e. sugar for palatability.
The
beet pulp is then flaked to increase surface area to aid rapid water absorption.
That’s why Speedi-Beet can be prepared in under 10 minutes instead
of the usual 24 hours for traditional sugar beet pulp.
Speedibeet is reccommended as an ideal feed for easy keepers (good doers)
and any horse or pony prone to laminitis as it's NSC content is quite
low - between grass/lucerne hay and grains.
It has a high level of calcium so is a good feed for older and young horses,
and at 10% protein is ideal to mix with other feeds without overinflating
protein levels if you're trying to put weight on a horse.
Due
to its low starch and high fibre content, Speedi-Beet is an ideal feed
for horses and ponies prone to insulin resistance and can help in its
prevention. The Laminitis Trust has awarded the prestigious official feed
seal of approval to Speedi-Beet.
For
more information please visit the website
where there is an excellent help & advice section with answers to
most frequently asked questions.
If
you are looking for suppliers of Speedibeet in Tasmania go to our Service
Directory Page.
Natural
Instinct Wool Co. Products
While
browsing the stalls at Agfest this year I found a very stylish hat. made
in Australia of pure wool. It has a very comfortable soft inner hat band
that moulds to my head and didn't give me a headache at all. It also has
a brim that returns to its original shape, even if you squash it up accidently
(or on purpose for travelling). Natural Instinct also have a lovely range
of woollen vests popular with riders for their length to cover the lower
back.
Their products can be embroidered for corporate use and also include jackets
and wraps. To see their full range, go to www.naturalinstinctwool.com
 www.easycareinc.com
have a new hoof boot called the Easyboot Grip - ideal for traction on
mud, snow and wet grass.
Horse
Trailer Design - Good and Bad points.
I
have yet to see a trailer that has no design faults from the horse's point
of view. That's not to say they are bad trailers - the construction is
often top quality, but as with most things to do with horses, the human's
needs are put first and the safety of the horse suffers. Click the title
link to see and read more.
Dr Cook’s The
Bitless Bridle TM
One
hundred or more behavioural problems in the horse are bit-induced. Bits
are a common cause of bone spurs on the bars of the mouth and headshaking
(facial neuralgia). The Bitless Bridle is the only non-bit design in the
world to be developed and physiologically validated through the research
of Dr W.R. Cook FRCVS PhD, Professor of Surgery Emeritus, Tufts University
School of Veterinary Medicine, USA.
The
Bitless Bridle cannot hurt a horse. All bits and the vast majority of
other bitless designs (mechanical hackamores, bosals, side pulls and rope
halters) depend on pain or the threat of pain. The Bitless Bridle provides
better steering than a bit or hackamore and more reliable brakes than
a bit or sidepull. Freedom from pain favours calmness and obedience. The
Bitless Bridle is wonderful for starting young horses.
The
Bitless Bridle is available in Australia through Ysabelle Dean, Dr Cook’s
Associate Clinician in Australia.
For
more information see
www.AusEquineArts.com
or see the Bitless Bridle Page.
Young
Horse Education DVD
This double DVD set packed with 2.5 hours of step by step instruction
was filmed at one of Cynthia Cooper's Young Horse Days. It covers all
aspects of training young horses from birth to two year olds, showing
you everything from the first approach and touch, to catching, haltering,
leading then hoof handling, worming, trailer loading and tying up.
Foals, weanlings and yearlings at various stages are used for the demos
which show the most gentle, natural approach to take with your training.
Although it wasn't filmed on a professional camera, the editing and production
is very good and enables you to find the chapter and information you want
on each subject.
This information is essential for you to give your young horse the best
possible start in life and comes from Cynthia's 30 years of experience
with training foals and starting young horses.
It is excellent value for $50 inlcuding postage within Australia.
To
purchase a Young Horse Education DVD go to the Natural Horse World Store
- Click Here.
The
Best Bareback Pad
For
a long time, I've been wanting to improve on various design aspects
of bareback pads now commonly available, and often expensive.
These new bareback pads are made locally by Mobile Saddler, Rick Allen,
here in Tasmania with top quality materials.
The new design features are:
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Shaped
back seam curved for a higher wither.
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Will
not tighten directly onto the backbone.
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Changeable
english or western girthing system (girth not incl.)
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D
rings front and back to tie on your coat, lead rope, water bottle
etc.
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Made
from quality 16mm felt covered with black or brown suede.
Best of
all, they retail for $245.
To purchase
The Best Bareback Pad go to the Natural Horse World Store - Click
Here.
New
Liberty Line
Have you
ever wanted to have your horse at liberty in open spaces but need to
have a 'safety net'?
This 10mm x 7 metre high quality yachting rope retains feel yet is light
enough for the horse to carry easily. (The usual 22' or 7m rope is 14mm
and much heavier).
It features a looped end so you can choose the type of clip or use a
ring.
These ropes are recommended for more advanced horses (above Parelli
level 1) and are available from Cynthia in black only for $59 plus postage.
"I
wanted to tell you how much I am using and enjoying your liberty
line! I'm playing and experimenting with it for some 'new' moves and
found it fantastic. I have a young arabian here for 'restarting and
trust and confidence
building' and I've been using it with him a lot with excellent results".
Jayne Glenn. Victoria.
To purchase
a Liberty Line go to the Natural Horse World Store - Click
Here.
Cynthia Cooper –
Natural Horse World
46 Wattle Lea Lane, Golden Valley. 7304
Ph. 03 87799810 or 0419 37227
MORE RESOURCES
ON THIS WEB SITE
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Products
Reviewed:
Horsemanship with Heart DVD's
100 Things to Do With Your Horse DVD
Best Bareback Pad
Liberty Line
Young Horse Training DVD
New G2 Old Mac Hoof Boots
The Dr Cook Bitless Bridle
Light Rider Bitless Bridle
Skodes Horse Treats
Natural Instinct Wool Co. Hats
Speedibeet
Barefoot Sculptor
Blocker Tie Ring
Cool Heat Blanket
Dry Seat Saddle Pad
Placide Magnesium Supplement
Cool
Heat Blanket
For the past six years I've not used a blanket on my horses unless
they have been ill or old and chilled to the bone by wet windy weather.
As
an advocate of a more natural life for horses, it seems strange
that I should be reviewing a horse blanket (rug as we say here),
but this one is different so worthy of consideration for the times
when you do need to use some extra cover for your horse.
Dave
MacDonald of Macs Equine invented the Old Mac Hoof Boots and is
always trying to think of new products to solve old problems. This
time I think he's come up with another winner for the horse and
the owner.
 This
revolutionary 'Cool Heat' blanket has an insulating system which
allows the horse to regulate it's own body temperature using its
natural thermo-regulation process. There is a good explanation of
this on the Macs
Equine web site so have a look if you're not sure how
'piloerection' works.
As you can see in the photo at left, the inside of the blanket is
covered in rows of raised rubber-like fingers that allow the majority
of the horse's hair to work as nature intended - standing up when
it's cold and laying flat when it's warm. The air can also freely
circulate under the blanket so it helps dry off a wet or damp horse
when blanketing after it rains or when the horse has been washed
or hosed down.
This
blanket also fits really nicely being shaped high around the neck
line so there is no pulling or pressure on the wither. The long
chest darts allow good freedom for the shoulders and even after
my horses rolled in the rug, it stayed evenly in place.
The fingers on the underside would help this as they keep the weight
even on both sides and run either side of the backbone. The blanket
is suprisingly light too - it's 600 denier ripstop waterproof material
is seamless and is breathable and, it looks great - just like other
top of the range rugs.
 The
Cool Heat Blanket also has a generous tail flap, soft nylon leg
straps and crossover surcingles. If your horse has to wear a blanket
and you are away when the day warms up, the horse will be far more
comfortable in a Cool Heat blanket than any other.
This product certainly gets my tick of approval so when you need
to replace your old rug or just want the best for your horse, consider
the Cool Heat first.
Cool
Heat Blankets are available from the Natural
Horse World Shop and other distributors around Australia
listed on the Macs Equine web site, and the RRP is $244. Until
May 30th the Natural Horse World Special Introductory offer includes
postage in the price, within Australia, saving you approx. $20.
The
Dry Seat Saddle Pad
Another
very practical Macs Equine Invention provides a cover to keep the
chills out and the rain off you, and your expensive saddle while
riding or when dismounted.
As
you can see in the picture here, the pad is a neat wool kersey material,
with the cordura bag attached at the front containing a waterproof
skirt (as shown in the photo below). The bag zips up and can also
be used to hold other items such as cold drinks/food in the summer,
when you don't need wet weather protection with you.
The
skirt quickly folds out when you need it and fastens around your
waist or over the saddle with velcro tabs. A velcro leg strap secures
the skirt to your leg and if you happen to part company with your
horse (deliberately or not!) then the velcro tabs all release  so
you are never trapped.
When
you are not on your horse, the skirt keeps your saddle dry or protects
it from dirt, dust and marks made by tree branches brushing past
on the trail.
When
you're finished using it, the skirt rolls back up easily into the
bag on the front of the pad in less than a minute.
The
Dry Seat Saddle Pad also offers good wind protection to keep you
warm while riding on chilly days and doesn't restrict your movement
in the saddle. The skirt material is also nice and 'quiet', so less
likely to spook nervous horses with the sound but it's always recommended
that you 'desensitise' your horse with it over the saddle by moving
actively online, before riding with it on.
This
wonderful product is suitable for all outdoor riders, especially
those who ride trails, endurance, mounted search & rescue and
at pony club.
It
is available in English and Western sizes in both navy and maroon,
and is a thin enough to go over another saddle pad such as the Theraflex
air pad or other theraputic pads. To see more photos go to the Macs
Equine web site.
Now
available from the Natural Horse World Store
for the RRP of $160 with a special introductory offer until the
30th May that includes postage & handling within Australia,
saving you approx. $20.
Blocker
Tie Ring
Often, when a horse realises he’s tied solid he feels trapped,
panics and pulls back – potentially breaking tack and hurting
himself. When tack breaks, there is a sudden release of pressure
and horses have to scramble to keep their balance and can easily
flip over backwards and/or seriously hurt themselves.
Unique,
the Blocker Tie Ring offers some resistance, but allows a horse
to pull some slack in the lead rope when he pulls back which releases
pressure and relieves the source of panic. This reduces the perceived
threat to the horse dramatically, as well as reduces the threat
to people who might try to release a distressed horse.
Often
times, a horse just needs to pull a foot or two of slack in the
lead to regain his confidence and quiet down.
A great tool for teaching horses to tie, re-schooling horses that
have a pull back problem or for any horse, the Blocker Tie Ring
offers varying degrees of resistance, from as little as a few pounds
to a few hundred pounds, depending on the tying option and lead
rope used. Versatile, the Blocker Tie Ring can be used anywhere
one would tie a horse: cross ties, single ties, grooming areas,
tack areas, wash racks, picket lines and inside and outside horse
trailers.
The
Blocker Tie Ring is perfect for use in trailers, should a horse
fall down while tied in a trailer, the Blocker Tie Ring allows a
horse to pull enough slack in the lead rope to get up on its own,
reducing the need to manually free a horse and the chances of horse
or handler getting hurt.
Blocker
Tue Rings are distributed in Australia by Zilco so should be available
from all good saddlery stores, and the RRP is $39.95.
For
extensive information and videos on tying up with the blocker tie
ring Click
Here .
BAREFOOT
SCULPTOR
Dave
McDonald of Mac's Equine is the inventor of Old Mac Boots and the
Pee Wee Bit, and has now come up with another helpful tool in the
form of a hoof rasp with a handle called the Barefoot Sculptor.
The handle on the rasp makes the job of trimming much safer, especially
for beginners or children. The rasp being slightly smaller and narrower
than most, enables the trimmer to 'sculpt' the hoof, particularly
in the quarters where a natural arch is required for healthy hoof
function. The smaller rasp makes this an ideal tool trimming for
ponies and foals.
Having
a handle also allows you to easily rasp with one hand. Simply hold
the hoof with one hand and rasp with the other.
The Barefoot
Sculptor kit includes one handle and two rasps. Replacement rasps
can also be purchased seperately. Find out more about the Barefoot
Sculptor and watch a video of it in use at www.macsequine.com
Skodes
Horse Treats
Chief
recipe maker Lori Yearwood has developed a truly healthy treat to
give your equine friends. About 3 months ago, Veterinarian Dr. Eleanor
Kellon and Lori developed some delicious, guaranteed low sugar and
low starch treats for sugar sensitive horses. The treats are made
out of organic herbs, flowers, nuts and seeds, as well as human
grade whole foods and specially selected low sugar hays. They are
already winning approval with many herds around the United States.
To view
this beautiful web site click
here . There are also many tips on how to give your horse a
more natural lifestyle and the ability to have a consultation through
the Well Connected Horse to find answers and help with your laminitic/foundered
horse.
Light
Rider Bitless Bridle
This
'bitless bridle' functions like a bridle and is suitable for horses
ready to go up into a bit and for riders who don't want to use one.
It's called the Light Rider Bitless Bridle because being
lightweight and quickly converted to a lead line and halter, it
will enable the endurance horse to be more comfortable, drink and
eat easily and be led or tailed up and down hills.
As
you can see in the photo, a chin strap helps the bridle stay in
place when pressure is applied to the reins - no noseband twisting
around. The swivel snaps on the reins enable you to quickly unclip
them and the chin strap serves as a tail for the lead rope you now
have. (see photo below).
The Light Rider Bitless Bridle sells for $90 complete with reins,
plus postage and can be ordered in all sizes and various coloured
headstalls with black reins and chinstrap only from Cynthia (contact
details below).
To
purchase a Light Rider Bitless Bridle go to the Natural Horse World
Store - Click Here.
New
G2 Old Mac Hoof Boots
As you can
see above, the new Generation of Old Mac Boot on the left is sleeker
than the original model on the right. Other improvements and changes
to the boots are:
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Streamlined
uppers are stiched,not riveted to the sole which also has a new tread
pattern.
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The
new sole material is more durable and lightweight.
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The
toe is scuff proof and has a rounded shape.
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There
are 2 more larger sizes - 9 & 10.
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The
boots are not as wide as the originals to suit horses with narrower
hooves.
The G2 Old
Macs will be available from your local saddlery store from February 2006.
The original style will continue to be sold for wider hoofed horses.
For more detailed information and comparison pictures click
here.
Wrangler
Jayne's Horsemanship With Heart Program
This set of four DVD's comes in 2 packs - Essentials One and Two
and is highly explanatory and detailed. Jayne shows you with several
different horses the foundations of trust, confidence and respect
- the cornerstones of a successful relationship with your horse.
It is an excellent demonstration of 'getting to know you' ground
skills, the single most important message you can give your horse.....that
you care.
Touching your horse with your heart is easy to watch and Jayne presents
the concepts with enthusiasm and professionalism. Get your copies
now from www.wranglerjayne.com
100
Things to Do With Your Horse
This DVD is produced by Quantum Savvy's Shane and Meredith Ransley
with the help of their students to give you lots of ideas when your
imagination is lacking.
The tasks are taken from their Level 1 program and cover ground
skills and riding. There are individual as well as group games to
play and a handy booklet helps you remember them while out in the
field.
Click
here to order your copy now.
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