Strafford Saddlery

Try a Change: Wintec and Bates Fit Solution Systems—Try them for yourself and be Entered into a raffle for $100 gift certificate. (No purchase necessary.)

I came to the Wintec dressage saddle perhaps unwillingly. Long I extolled the virtues, but I was a little resistant to a synthetic saddles. As a retailer, it had solved many a saddle-fitting dilemma for me. As a competitor, I preferred leather. Yet the more I learned and worked with the Bates and Wintec saddles, the more curious I became about how this saddle could help me. (Maybe magically improve my dressage scores!) I tried the Wintec contourbloc saddle on my horses and was so happy with how well my horses responded to the CAIR system with a greater range of motion and increased swing in their backs that I brought home a Bates Next Generation jump saddles also, and now I ride in it, eventing both my Preliminary and Training level horses in it.

Now I invite you to come into the shop and learn about the many features of this saddle.  Change the gullet and discover how it

Easy Change Fit Solution includes gullet change and riser system

easy it is and how useful it is to have a saddle with a range of fit for our horses that change musculature from indoor winter training to summer conditioning rides.  Discover how easy it is to insert the shims into the panels and customize the fit to your horses shape.

My horses are no easy fit. One has an extremely high wither, dip in his spine, and the twelfth rib is still near level to the wither.  The shims help with bridging and the air helps level the fit and alleviate muscle soreness.

My other horse is very thin (although tall at 17.2 hands) but very sensitive. After only twenty minutes and a few verticals, the change in my horse and myself was surprising.  I didn’t even realize how tight my horse was on landing until he relaxed under the CAIR system of this saddle.  As soon as he relaxed, I was a quieter and a more secure rider.  It was obvious that the tension eased as a result of the air panels on his back.  I found that the air provided some absorption for the rider as well, much the way the springs in the front frame of a mountain bike ease the tension on the shoulder by taking up shock, the CAIR panels assist the seat in reducing impact on the rider body as well.

Come into Strafford Saddlery and change a gullet and be entered in a raffle for $100 gift certificate to Strafford Saddlery. No purchase necessary. And see for yourself all these great qualities of both the Wintec and Bates saddles:

Annie & Captain Lightfoot competing at GMHA OP in Bates Next Generation Deep Seat Jump saddle

**CAIR system: The CAIR® Cushion System replaces traditional fillings in your saddle with air cushions. CAIR® air cushion technology provides significant performance advantages in the way it distributes the rider’s weight and cushions the horse’s back.

Distributes the rider’s weight: Under the rider’s weight the air cushions continually mould to mirror the horse’s individual conformation and working muscles. This ensures a close, even contact over a much larger weight bearing area and eliminates instances of pressure points.

Cushioning the horse’s back: The dynamic nature of air ensures it works in synergy with the horse’s muscles, rather than the horse’s muscles working against a static medium. Additionally, air provides the ultimate shock absorption, reducing instances of trauma to the horse’s muscles in work.

**The EASY-CHANGE™ Fit Solution is the first total saddle fitting solution that not only enables full adjustment to be made to the saddle, but empowers riders to custom fit their saddles in a matter of minutes.

Riders can select the optimal tree width for their horse’s current shape and muscling with the EASY-CHANGE™ Gullet System, or make adjustments within their saddle panel for optimal balance and clearance with the EASY-CHANGE™ Riser System. Together these systems offer unparalleled scope of adjustment for a total fitting solution that’s not only easy, but measurable, and completely reversible giving total confidence to be able to easily make changes to the saddle.  http://www.easychangefitsolution.com/easy-change_fit_solution/index.html

**PERFORMANCE PANEL

All Bates Saddles feature a generous panel designed to ensure a large ‘footprint’ on the horse’s back, maximizing the weight-bearing surface of the saddle and resulting in a reduction in pressure per sq cm/inch and increased comfort for the horse. Coupled with a wide and even chamber, the performance panels support the horse’s working muscles, and maximize movement in the shoulder area.
Impressed by Isabell Werth’s commitment to the Wintec saddles, I decided there were benefits to riding my own horses in the lightweight synthetic saddle. Weather in Vermont is temperamental and my tight schedule offers little latitude, so synthetic was an easy care choice for bad weather and poor tack cleaning routine.  I was happy to have such a light saddle to carry down to indoor in the winter and my horse’s responded well: shoulders opened, backs swung, strides adjusted quickly to my seat aid.  Why spend more when my performance would not be less?  And if the multi-medalled Isabell can ride at the World Equestrian Games in a Wintec, I think I can ride at my area dressage shows and horse trials in one.  For inspirational video of Isabel in action in her saddle: http://www.batessaddles.com/isabellsaddle/action.htm

Saddles have improved over time with innovations for better fit and a better ride.  Bates and Wintec saddles offer a range of options for a precise fit: CAIR panels that conform to the shape of your horse, shims to further tailor fit, a gullet system to adjust the head plate, and a girth point system.  Girth up your saddle and in twenty minutes, the air conforms to your horse.  Horses change depending on maturity, type of work, and fitness level.  I like how this saddle responds to those changes.  The consistent balance and the fluidity of the air will allow muscle development and keep me even to work on my position to be a more effective rider.

There are a range of saddles in the Wintec and Bates—all-purpose, close contact, and dressage. Come into Strafford Saddlery and see the selection and Try a Change.

Annie Penfield is the owner of Strafford Saddlery in South Strafford, VT. She competes two Irish Sport Horses and loves to hack out with her husband and children and large dog.

www.straffordsaddlery.com

Helix and Optimo Stable Sheets: Innovations from Horseware Ireland

Keeping your Horse Cool, Clean, and Comfortable

“But it’s not a stable sheet,” my rep laughed.

“But it’s great.” I said, “Stuff doesn’t stick to it and it’s warmer than an Irish knit but with the moisture management system, it wicks moisture.”

“If you like it that much, you might like it even more for what it was actually designed for: a cooler.” He replied.

I was speaking of my Helix Cooler by Horseware Ireland. Designed as a cooler, I had often reached for it over my fleece coolers, particularly when leaving a horse in a stall because the smooth surface prevented shavings from adhering to it. Because it seemed to function well as both a stable sheet and a cooler, I used it for traveling to shows as well.

Horseware Ireland’s Helix uses an advanced fabric construction to wick moisture and disperse it across a wide surface area. Unlike fleece coolers, there is no layer of moisture settling on the top of the sheet. Although fleece is an improvement over wool because it wicks the moisture away from the body, and like wool, keeps the body warm, but the fast drying fabric dries which seems to aid the drying of the horse’s coat as well.

I have put the Helix on cool but wringing wet with sweat horses and been happy at the drying properties of the blanket.  Because of these features, I have preferred to use this as a travel rug, because often four horses in a trailer can heat up the small quarters of the trailer. Then the sheet keeps off dust when travelling but also keeps wicks sweat and alleviates muscle tightness because the body stays warm while drying. And I have used it as a layer under the blanket.

Apparently others found this sheet versatile. Horseware Ireland now markets it as three in one: travel blanket, cooler and stable sheet. The sheet also conforms well to the body with Horseware’s patented design of leg arches.

There is a low budget alternative to the Helix from Horseware Ireland: it’s the  Amigo® Stable sheet. The Amigo version also uses an advanced fabric construction to wick moisture and disperse it across a wide surface area and stays in place due to cross surcingles.

This is the Optimo Turnout with center pivotal dart.

And I did get a stable blanket. I was leaving the sheet on every night and because my horses have big shoulders, I felt that it might be tight with the two traditional front closures and I wanted something with the v-closure that would allow for more freedom for the shoulder. Not that they are moving much in their stalls but I didn’t want t to rub.

What I chose was the Optimo Stable Sheet. The Optimo sports a whole new design: New innovative articulated pivotal dart system with split technology located in the center of the sheet. The horse’s body, front and back, are constructed differently and move differently. The only way to resolve the majority of fitting problems is to have two different garments combined as one. Using Split Technology, the front of the blanket is free to pivot, extend, turn and float with the shoulder while the back of the blanket will sit firmly in position. Designed as a stable sheet, the outer layer is more durable, and therefore probably a more suitable choice for overnight.

-Annie Penfield

Don’t Go Unnoticed: The Samshield Helmet—Safety and Style

Some time ago, my mother, my sisters and I all went mattress shopping. Needless to say, mattress shopping was not high on my list of things to do at that age (or any age for that matter). I would much rather have been spending my time shoveling manure in a barn…really, I would have. But sometimes mandatory family outings are not open for debate. Regardless, I was young and definitely not in the mood to watch my mother and my older sister (who was in the market for a new mattress) make a mental pro and con list after testing each and every mattress in the entire department store.

To avoid any serious confrontation, I decided to take a nap on some random mattress and dream about the next horse I would gallop, jump or own! Well, I RANDOMLY chose to lie on the best mattress in the store, and this particular mattress was the Tempur-Pedic Memory Foam Mattress. It was sensational! My mother always told me I had the most expensive taste of anyone she knew. I couldn’t help it-I knew which the best products in life were! Lying on this mattress was like sitting on a cloud made of pudding! You could simply sink into the material and have this amazing sense of security, yet unbelievable comfort simultaneously. We didn’t leave the store that day with a Tempur-Pedic, but I certainly left with a distinct sense of what real comfort revolved around–memory foam!

Fast forward about fifteen years later and I’ve found myself in my local tack shop-Strafford Saddlery, during a big sale. During the sale, I tried on a helmet that instantaneously brought me back to my youth in that mattress store, except this time the overwhelming sense of comfort and security was surrounding my head, not my entire body. I can honestly say I have never tried on a more flattering, or more soothing helmet than this new line of helmets made by Samshield!

As an event rider, and as someone who has been riding a lot of horses over the last 20 years, I have gone through my fair share of helmets. I am pretty sure I started riding horses with a bicycle helmet-which, in retrospect, was a lot better than not wearing a helmet at all. Helmets have gone through waves of variations and alterations. As time passed in my childhood, I became increasingly more involved with horses which led my family to invest in better head wear, and leave the bike helmets for actual bike rides. Helmets are fascinating pieces of equipment, cosmetic and yet essential, and the Samhield Helmet undoubtedly fascinates me.

Samshield got it when they designed this line of helmets. Samshield strategically combined high-style with high-tech functionality, making this helmet not only gorgeous to look but, but extremely easy to wear and incredibly safe. In fact, Samshield has become the number one helmet of choice for several top European riders. Now that Samshield has become ASTM/SEI approved, the line of helmets has become available for purchase in the US.  Samshield is proud to offer American professional and amateur riders the ultimate head gear in fit, safety and style.  (http://www.riders4helmets.com/2011/04/samshield%E2%80%99s-innovate-helmet-design-attracts-top-equestrians-at-home-and-abroad/). Samshield helmets are exquisite, highly functional, and extremely comfortable…what more could you ask for in a single helmet?

Several reasons why Samshield to put on your wishlist:

1) Ventilation. This helmet has a unique cutout design along with advanced air channels which allow increased airflow. One of the number one biggest complaints in the world of equestrians is that riders heads get overheated, which can obviously be extremely problematic. Overheating can lead to several problems such as headaches, nausea, dizziness and more. Samshield does not restrict airflow. This revolutionary helmet will you keep you cool on the warmest of days. Some helmets attempted to solve this overheating problem by placing vents on the top of the helmet, or on the sides of helmets. Samshield placed their air channels directly above the rim of the helmet which creates the most direct and efficient path for air to pass through. Not only is this helmet exceptionally designed, but is highly functional, and looks fantastic as well!

2) Safety. Samshield has designed a helmet that is ASTM/SEI approved and provides all the necessary safety features a helmet must have this day in age. Safety is the number one most important factor in the riding world. There are countless regulations in official rulebooks for eventing, dressage and hunter/jumpers, some of which cover proper and mandatory head gear. A huge benefit to owning a Samshield Helmet revolves around the memory foam liner, as mentioned previously. Furthermore, this liner can easily be removed and washed when it becomes dirty, or has a bad odor. Samshield actually recommends that the liner be cleaned from time to time because perspiration build up will ultimately clog the pours in the material, making the liner lose its original shape. Additionally, with the memory foam liner, along with a functional comfort leather harness, a correctly fitted and cared for Samshield helmet will never shift forward hindering a rider’s view. Nor will it slide back in case a fall occurs resulting in a potentially dangerous contact at the base of the skull. Therefore having a helmet that fits and provides safety is a must. Samshield covers all the before mentioned bases and looks fabulous on every shape head! “Samshield’s strong, light polycarbonate outer shell and EPS inner core keep riders safe…” The extremely important safety factor combined with Samshield’s distinctive design and ground-breaking air channels guarantee constant comfort.

3) Comfort. As mentioned previously, this helmet feels like a tempur-pedic mattress circumventing your head. A memory foam liner actually comes with any purchased Samshield helmet. The foam liner inside the helmet maintains shape while allowing the helmet to fit appropriately and securely. (An important side note-these liners can be purchased individually at any time).  A common problem with other helmets revolves around ill-fitting designs. As time passes, your helmet can became looser as the inside liner thins out, even after numerous cleanings, the helmet will not hold its original shape. But the memory foam liner of the Samshield helmet does exactly what memory foam was designed to do: mold around an object while maintaining shape. This innovative design and liner provide continual comfort, while flattering any shape head. Every time you put your Samshield helmet on, it’s almost as if the helmet comes to life and actually remembers the specific and intricate shape of your head.

4) Style. There’s simply no denying the beauty in the inventive design that Samshield has created. These helmets come in numerous varieties, colors, and bling! These helmets can be custom made to your specific taste. There are countless different choices, but whatever specific style you choose, you will not go unnoticed. This helmet cannot help but draw and allure the attention of those surrounding you and your horse. This helmet ups your game, whether you’re in the jump ring, or doing canter pirouettes in the dressage ring. In the words of Brianne Goutal, the winner of this years $100,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix at the 88^th Royal Horse Show in Toronto, her Samshield helmet “provides ventilation, which I love when we are in hot climates, and the color and texture options make it adaptable to any taste or style. I’m planning on wearing mine for a very long time! Samshield helmets are flattering on every shaped head. They look amazing straight on and from a profile perspective. They are an extremely slimming and incredibly flattering line of head gear. By offering numerous colors, texture options, and providing aesthetically pleasing appearances, this helmet ultimately appeals to a broad range of equestrians. Depending on your personal style and your discipline, this helmet can be custom designed to reflect your individual taste.

No matter what the design and no matter what the color, Samshield will not disappoint. This helmet truly has it all, from the strategic ventilation, to the innovative design, all the way to the overwhelming comfort.  Samshield has created a helmet that has jumped leaps and bounds past other helmet manufacturers. This helmet will reduce overheating, provide continual safety, and offer unparalleled comfort, while allowing riders to look their best at all times! What more can I possibly say…let the helmet speak for itself…Samshield!

written by Lila Gendal

All quotes:

(http://www.riders4helmets.com/2011/02/samshield%E2%80%99s-innovative-helmet-design-attracts-top-equestrians-at-home-and-abroad/)”

What Lies Beneath….Matrix ERG Half Pad!

I truly find it fascinating how times have changed. Human interaction and face to face conversations have been replaced by tweeting, Facebooking, and blogging. Old rotary phones have been replaced by iPhones and Blackberries. Cars actually back themselves and park on their own. People don’t mail letters anymore. What is a handwritten letter?

Like the times, horse sports are undergoing continual transformation. Whether you are a dressage rider, a jumper, a hunter, a western roper, or an event rider, the level of competiveness is greater and expectations are higher both inside the arena and out! Similarly, tack and horse gear has also evolved. Not very many people just throw on an old, misshapen and rock hard saddle onto their horses back anymore. Not only have our saddles changed immensely, so have what lies beneath our revolutionary saddles! Saddle pads and half pads are all the rage. An amazing piece of technology and design can be seen in the new Matrix ERG Half Pad, By Toklat!

Take the innovative Matrix ERG Half Pad By Toklat: This half pad has pockets distributed all over the pad in order to add cushioned inserts where you might need extra padding, depending on your horse. With this new product, people have the ability to construct the half pad that your horse requires by using an assortment of materials and inserts. These inserts not only offer orthopedic and therapeutic protection but also add to overall performance. This pad is strategically designed to relieve pressure on those sensitive areas on your horses back.

Padding and correct fitting can make or break your horse’s overall performance. Think about it. How would you feel lugging a child around on your back for hours and having a metal bar between you and the baby? Now, think about how you might feel carrying your little angel around with soft padding and extra cushioning between you and your child? This is a no-brainer. But, if you are a rider who uses half pads, understands how everything ought to fit on YOUR horse, and are looking for something to reduce pressure on your horses back and shoulders, without restricting movement—this is what Toklat’s Matrix ERG Half Pad offers!

This half pad looks fantastic too! The Matrix Half Pad also features 100% Australian Sheepskin. The sheepskin has been tanned (modifying the wool) in New Zealand and has been done in an environmentally friendly way, meaning the alteration process minimizes the use of toxic and threatening chemicals. Also this wool provides high breathability because air has the ability to pass through the hollow fur fibers. This pad also can easily be cleaned, washed, dried and even bleached to keep the pad sparkly white! If you would like a fantastic video that shows you how to use this pad, how it fits and more interesting details please visit the following site and scroll down about three quarters of the way down the page until you see “Matrix Saddle Pads By Toklat. http://tackculture.com/videos-2

The Matrix Half Pad has this amazing non-slip, anti-friction surface that maintains a secure and even saddle position. There is nothing worse than starting a ride, and having to stop and get off your horse to reconstruct all your padding, or single pad. With this new half pad that Toklat designed, you won’t need to get off your horse to reconfigure your padding anymore. This half pad keeps everything in place and extremely secure!

The half pad market has produced countless options. This really comes down to your specific horse and how your saddle fits. That being said, research has shown that, While gel pads provide shock absorption, the enclosed bladder can’t breathe and the fluidity of the gel moves to apply more pressure on sensitive points. Horses can get extremely hot and actually sweat more and back pain may not be alleviated but in fact increased Fleece Half Pads, Sheepskin, and Wool Products, such as the Matrix pad do not add extra sweat to your horse and the wool surface contours over trouble spots without applying more pressure. The Matrix Pad simply provides more saddle security, more shock absorption, breathability, and overall more comfort for your pride and joy!

Toklat got it! The Matrix ERG Half Pad seems to be the best half pad in the market. This pad really does have it all. The pad provides an amazing amount of comfort and cushioning for both the rider, and more importantly, the horse. As mentioned earlier, The Matrix Half Pad can be slightly reconstructed with the various insert options for corrective solutions. We spend an immense amount of time and money on these animals. We spend hours planning for them. We spend all day and night thinking about them. Since we spend all this time analyzing, debating and planning for our horses, why not buy a half pad that will only enhance your horse’s ability, performance and overall demeanor? Give it a try….Matrix ERG Half Pad, by Toklat!

written by Lila Gendal

Keep Calm and Kick on– But consider an Air Vest

Nervous and scared were the words of Tremaine Cooper in describing the goals of his design of the new Intermediate course at GMHA’s Festival of Eventing last August. I was closer to terrified after walking the Preliminary cross-country. Due to the new upgrade, aimed at elevating this historic venue to a higher standard now set by Area 2, it was big.  The beautiful new fences were landscaped and the terrain was graded and it promised an exciting ride.  Even though it was my fifth Prelim of the season, and I had jumped clean at the previous four, and I knew we were capable, it was still, to me, really, really big.

Nervous and Scared: It never occurred to me that this was in fact a normal occurrence. Perhaps these could be appropriate emotions for the situation.  As Tremaine stated, and Prelim course designer Janine McClain reiterated, to be nervous elicits better riding.

I had been nervous and scared at each preliminary event of the season—and at each of the four previous courses, I waited for this level to feel like the new normal.  I haven’t gone prelim since (I am pained to tell) the 80’s.  A lot has changed about the courses and to state the obvious: a lot has changed for me.  I am still a weekend warrior—an adult amateur—but also now the mother of three.  And at the prelim level the margin for error is less forgiving, hence the addition of the Air Vest to my gear.

Set off by a rip cord attached to your saddle, an Air Vest will inflate between .2 to.09 seconds depending on the model. Either way, it inflates before you hit the ground. It covers the lower kidneys, tail bone, hips, chest, and surrounds the neck thus reducing spinal cord, chest and internal injuries. Either model, the Point 2 or the Hit Air Vests, achieves coverage for neck, torso, and hips.

I first purchased an Air Vest when Preliminary was a dim hope on my horizon and the Area 1 Young Riders were doing a fundraiser.  Air Vests were new to the market and I was unsure about picking them up for Strafford Saddlery, mostly because they were an expensive item and I wasn’t sure I really had the market for them.  And I did question the relevance: if geared toward a rotational fall when crushing injuries are devastating to the rider, would the air vest help if the rider did not separate from the horse? So what was really gained with an air vest over a regular vest?  And if the rider was crushed and then the vest inflated, pressing on broken bones—how painful. Not to mention my fear that if I got jumped out of the tack (which happens more than I care to admit), I did fear it would blow and I would be riding like the Michelin Man.

Still I purchased one to try it out, and I hung in the trailer.

Then I received requests for air vests, mostly from the parents of young riders and then older recreational riders.  And I decided to pick up the Hit Air Vest—really a price point issue but feeling it offered a high level of safety.

Still my vest hung in the trailer.

Then when I was at an event last year, a friend fell off on cross-country. She did not have a rotational fall, and she did not even fall at a fence.  She fell when her horse stumbled galloping down hill.  I saw her walk across the finish line with a big smile and the unzipped, exploded Air Vest.  That was the moment.  She would not to be sore tomorrow and that was a big attraction.  And although it’s realistic to consider the worst case scenario when riding horses, there are more often the minor falls.

I do fear falling, but even more I fear the day after the fall. I fear the pain and I dread how it’s going to aggravate my regular life—that is if I’m lucky to sustain minor injuries. And the Air Vest was a promise to reduce the impact of the fall, not only reducing the level of injury but reducing the pain, and thus allowing me to continue the rigors of normal life.

So at my next XC schooling, I took the Air Vest off the hanger in my trailer. I attached it to saddle, clipped it in, and for a moment congratulated myself on my preparedness and in doing so patted my side to discover no air cartridge.  But in the very least I had learned how to attach it properly to both the saddle and to myself.

So I do what you never do: I put on a new piece of equipment at the competition itself. I clipped in at my first Preliminary Horse Trial and have been riding in it ever since.

It was probably the hottest summer season ever here in Vermont (Global Climate Change, future blog topic) and I wore a Charles Owen Protective Vest and Point 2 Air Vest all summer.  You get used to it.  Still, I am not sure I will get used to the preliminary fences.  But I did have the ride of my life over that August GMHA course and I rode over the finish line intact and smiling.

Hit Air Vest are available at Strafford Saddlery.

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Ice-Vibe, By Horseware

Reduce, Repair and Prepare–Cold pack and vibration boot for care of your horse’s leg

Owning a horse is anything but simple. Just when you think you are in the clear with a horse, they step on a sharp rock, or get kicked out in the pasture, or have an infection. Arguably, the odds are not in our (horse owners) favor, meaning there are more headaches, heartaches, tears, blood, sweat and money poured into these creatures than there are ‘easy’ times. And yet we want more horses (and more headaches) because we are so desperately enamored with these incredible animals, and for that reason we cope with these daily difficulties.  Thus, when a product comes along that makes our lives easier, and perhaps healthier, we automatically gravitate towards this item.

With such a promise of health, ease and longevity for my horse, I held the package of Horseware’s Ice-Vibe in my hands. Ice-Vibe has revolutionized icing horse’s legs. Whether you spent the day galloping, cross-country schooling, or working on canter pirouettes, Ice-Vibe will help cool down your horse’s legs. These boots are rechargeable, vibrating boots that help boost circulation in your horse’s legs.  Ice-Vibe can even be used before you work your horse, “Using the boots before you ride…increases bloodflow to the tendons and ligaments, making them more elastic, which can help reduce risk of injury.” (http://horseware.com/ice-vibe/)  As horse owners, we always look to eliminate swelling and any kind of soreness while maintaining blood flow for healing purposes and Ice-Vibe does exactly this.

How exactly does this Ice-Vibe work, you’re asking yourself? Well, it’s simple while being extremely effective! Each Ice-Vibe contains the following items: 2 ice-vibe boots, 2 ice packs, 2 vibrating panels, 2 batteries, 1 battery charger and 3 universal adapters. All you have to do is charge one or both rechargeable batteries, depending on whether you are cooling down one or both front legs. Once the battery is done charging, you simply slip the battery in the outside pocket in the ice-vibe boot. You also will have already refrigerated your ice packs for a couple hours and then you will wrap the ice pack around your horse’s leg, which is followed by wrapping the ice-vibe boot over the ice pack.  There are different settings depending on how much vibration you want on the leg-which helps with circulation. Ice-Vibe does not only have to be used as a cooling down remedy, meaning one could just use the vibrating boot, without the ice pack. The best way to truly become educated on Ice-Vibe is to visit http://horseware.com/ice-vibe/  and read the descriptions as well as watch the short video clip.

Eventing is hard on the horse, but harder still on the equipment. Former Vermonter Kylie Lyman, an Advanced level event

Kylie Lyman uses the Ice Vibe after the Horse Trials or after a conditioning workout

rider who now lives, rides and trains in Ireland, put Ice Vibe to the test and found it an effective therapy for the horse and a capable of withstanding the often punishing lifestyle of the eventer: “I first used Horseware’s Ice Vibe boots last winter in Florida with both the Nichols’ previous upper level event horses — Trading Aces and Garrison Flash. The boots are the rare combination of both simple to use and effective. With all of the gadgets out there, these are excellent value for the money, and I immediately bought additional gel inserts for icing multiple horses. Few purchases earn their keep so quickly, and the boots have held up to plenty abuse — after tough jump schools, after gallops, and at events. They were one of the first things in my suitcase when I moved to Ireland!”

Owning a horse requires work, dedication, patience, among many other things—perhaps a sense of humor. We would agree that dealing with these animals on a daily basis can drain us at times, but we keep at the various horse sports because we absolutely adore these animals, and so we will welcome products that not only protect our investment but prolong these relationships. Therefore when a product like Ice-Vibe comes along, we immediately gravitate towards its user-friendly model and its overall effectiveness.

Dazzle sports his Rhino Wug

This is Dazzle in his blanket. Note there is no snow on the ground and Dazzle would like to keep it that way.  He is a miniature Castilian donkey (according to the shady donkey dealer from whom I bought him twelve years ago). With his small hooves, I imagine him better suited to a rocky, dry climate and not the winters of Vermont.  This preference has been underscored by his own behaviors: making haste for the barn at the slightest whiff of moisture in the air.  He seems to handle the cold Vermont winters by producing a helmet of hair, but I worry about his other end, not shaggy at all and sporting a very skinny tail.  Along the way of acquiring small details with which to sell blankets at my tack shop, I stored a fact that horses (and therefore I imagine donkeys) lose a lot of heat from the tail end.  With such a meager tail he was clearly at a disadvantage. So, like I make my children wear hats for a similar fact, I thought my donkey needed a tail wrap.

He does grow a substantial winter coat. Due to perhaps his desert genes, he starts to grow his coat at the first hint of frost, about in August, and refuses to shed out until about July.  I exaggerate a little, but truly he is the last in the barn to shed out.  And except for the spindly tail, he does grow a hefty coat.  But I worried and I thought he might join the horses more out in the pasture with a blanket.  He does not wear it much in the winter, restricted more to the cold snaps, mixed weather of sleet and snow, and high winds.  And of course I am aware of theories that a blanket impedes the ability of the coat to properly warm. But blankets today are breathable, and I had plenty on hand, and I had a cold little donkey that really belonged in a sunny desert climate—I needed to take action.  So I wrapped him in the Rhino Pony Wug Lite made by Horseware Ireland, one of the blanket lines I carry at Strafford Saddlery.

Here is more of my blanket-selling pitch, and why it might matter to Dazzle:

OUTER LAYER:

The Rhino Wug has a 1200 denier outer layer in order to help withstand the teeth of the 17 hand horses he blithely winds his way through. Although he sees them as no threat, I figured a little extra armor was a good idea in a herd situation.  A good outer layer does hold up better when turned out in groups. I always ask my customer about the environment in which their horse is turned out in as a factor to find a suitable blanket. An important and at times overlooked factor about a suitable blanket is not just the warmth and fit but also be aware of the company he keeps—or maybe no company at all.

HIGH NECK WUG:

The Rhino Wug is a good choice for his strange anatomy. I recommend the high cut of Wugs for horses as well because I think it relieves the pressure on the withers (of the horse, donkey have no noticeable wither which allows the saddle to slide both off the back end as well as the front end) and doesn’t rub the mane as much as a traditional blanket (also better for a horse because Dazzle has very little mane). Blankets offer so many style features, like high neck and shoulder gussets, and so many options available in order to tailor a fit to your horse and allow freedom of movement so that there is no rubbing on the shoulders.

Vee FRONT CLOSURE:

And I like the big clips on the front that are easy to handle with thick gloves and the higher closure on the chest that better accommodates the shoulder. Again, better for the 17+H Irish Sport Horses and not so much a factor for Dazzle. I want hardware to be easy to handle, adjustable, and durable.   And of course I want the blanket to fit well and secure.

TAIL FLAP:

Here is the coverage that relieved my concern.  No longer is his tail clamped down in a vain effort at covering his rear end, or at least not that I could see beneath his well-covered hind end. A tail flap is a necessity and will reduce the heat loss.  And even better than the Rhino Wug tail flap is the Tail Wrap on the WeatherBeeta Orican blanket which really covers the hind end and when the horse points his rump to the wind in a bad winter storm, the Tail Wrap matters. And it’s at the tail when I can confirm that the blanket is the correct size for the horse: the seam of the tail flap should fall at the top of the dock of the tail.  If it falls much below that, the horse may step on the blanket when getting up, or the ill-fitting blanket will pull back and put additional pressure on the shoulders.

Dazzle’s blanket fits him well, however, I have noticed it has not enticed him out of the stall and into the weather. He still stands inside watching the flakes come down, but I have peace of mind. (And yes, that is my son with Dazzle in the photo.  Unlike Castilian donkeys, he is born and raised in Vermont and does like the snow.)

Note: for more information about blanket fit and features, see resources.

Tredstep -The New Direction Of Tall Boots

As an event rider, and as someone with a slightly obsessive personality, I have always found certain horse products that work for me. Once I like a specific brand, or company, I am locked in and forever faithful to that one brand. For instance, my very first pair of tall boots were Ariat boots. I have been an extremely loyal Ariat customer, wearing Ariat tall boots for the last 15 years of my life. Being a devoted customer seems like a decent quality to possess, although trying new things in life can often times be more beneficial, and certainly more interesting. While saying goodbye to Ariat boots will be trying, saying hello to an amazing new boot, like the Raphael Tall Dress Boot, by Tredstep could change my riding career completely.

I don’t actually own a pair of the Raphael Tredstep Boots , (but the day is coming soon.  I can feel it in my feet) I have walked around Strafford Saddlery Tack Shop, in South Strafford, Vt, and that’s when I knew these boots were made for me.

Anyone who has tried on new boots before has a mutual understanding of how uncomfortable new boots can be. Even worse than walking around a shop in new boots, is actually breaking in new boots. Jumping, or hacking in new boots can be quite a miserable experience. My feet usually hurt and right behind my knees usually rub. Breaking in tall boots does not revolve around a pleasurable experience, though once broke in, tall boots are supposed to be supple and molded to your foot, ankle and calf.

Guess what? Breaking in Tredstep Tall Boots does NOT require an agonizing experience. In fact, breaking in Tredstep Boots is quite the contrary experience. This happens because, “…Pro-Flex design allows immediate full flexion of the ankle without the need to break in the boot” (http://www.tredstep.com/prod_boots_raph.html).  This innovative technology that Tredstep has created has essentially revolutionized Tall Boots. The leather feels unbelievable supple and elastic, while maintaining that durable feel that a boot ought to allow.

There are several varieties of Tall Boots that Tredstep has designed: The Raphael, Da Vinci, and Donatello. Each style has slight variations making the three pairs of boots unique, and yet they all follow the same principal idea which revolves around the increased flexion design. The Raphael Tall Dress Boot has everything I have ever looked for in a Tall Boot. This boot gives off an illusion of looking like a field boot with its intricate profile, and yet it is a dress boot. And as an event rider this appeals to me because this boot has two faces; from a distance the boot has similarities with a field boot, and then when you take a closer glance the boot is in fact a dress boot. Since I don’t have money spilling out of my pockets and can’t have two pairs of boots, but I can have the two boots in one—an ingenious design. This boot combines the elegance and simplicity of a classic dress boot, with that of a more versatile field boot that so many of us (event riders) wear!

Stepping out of my comfort zone will be a challenge, and yet trying new products that will not only enhance my riding, but will be painless to break in seems like a win-win situation. The Raphael Tall Dress Boots By Tredstep are on the top of my list for new horse gear for 2013. I cannot wait to school and compete in such a high quality and beautiful boot. Until then, I will be walking around my local talk shop in “my” Raphael Tall boots envisioning my ride.

Written by Lila Gendal

Reins for Every Occasion

“Can I give you some advice?’ Asked former Olympian Bobby Costello.  I found this a strange request because he had been giving me instruction for an hour.

And why was he hesitant to suggest something? He had already told me to sing as I approached the Liverpool.  Advice I don’t think he expected me to follow and I did, with a loud la-la-la and an unchanging rhythm, we jumped my first Liverpool—and Bobby removing his hat and rubbing the side of his head with a little bewilderment. But now he falters.

“Of course,” I respond.  I mean that’s what I am here for, but why is he asking permission now? A range of possibilities surge through my adrenalin-addled post-lesson brain: Should I move down in divisions? Do a week of longe lessons without stirrups? Take more lessons?  Do yoga?

“Getter thicker reins,” he says.

“Reins?” I respond.

“They will give you more leverage.  This horse is strong.”

Reins.  It’s a Thursday and the next day we leave for Sporting Days Horse Trails in Aiken, SC for my first event of the season. This being March 2^nd and I being normally in an indoor in Vermont, reins seemed a minor consideration.  Last week I was in a small indoor riding over rails on the ground to establish rhythm, today I was working to sit back and slide my reins as I jumped into the water jump, and tomorrow I would be walking the cross-country course.

In my tack shop I have reins for all occasions: rubber-lined, braided, laced, web, rainbow, stops, pebble-grip, smooth rubber, small pimple, large pimple, smooth.  Reins for every taste. Soft reins or stiff reins.  Pony reins and extra long reins.  Reins with stops to be sure reins length is even. Reins long enough to knot for cross-country to easily retrieve. Reins for any event but my event was in two days.

The reins I have are ½” rubber web reins.  They are very flexible and grippy. I chose them because he does lean into my hand and pull and these help me keep a tight grip so he can’t strip the reins through my fingers. Last season I rode in canvas reins with stops, but I swapped them out during UNH downpour last fall.

I like grip. When my horse sees the fence, he often surges. He is why I took up pilates and learned it was not just strength of arm that stops a horse but a whole body movement to rebalance. If reins can help, I was going to go straight to the mobile unit upon arrival.

And I did. I bought the fattest rein possible.  One inch in width, they felt like asphalt shingles in my hands: wide and stiff and cumbersome. It felt different but with that first handle, but I could not say bad, just different.

First outing of the season, my horse ricochets around the course.  His eye takes in every jump, rock, and puddle, and his movement is unfocused.  There was a very large corner fence off a right hand turn, two coops in a broken line, and a bright red log two strides before the water; there was a lot to see and challenges requiring precision. I was nervous. It was pouring rain.

Once riding I was not thinking about giant reins in hand, I was thinking about the responsiveness of my horse.  Reins are a matter of feel: the connection to the mouth, the stability in hand, the grip to hold, the ability to slide and gather back up, and the leverage.  And it is personal choice and as with all pieces of tack, some items are better suited to the job than others.  The re-consideration of my reins allowed me to discover this nuance. And since that first fresh outing of the season, I have hung on to them through the heat-infused event at Hitching Post in May and then the downpour show jump round at GMHA in June. A rein for all weathers.

My horse handily jumped clean and fast around Sporting Days and I had a great time on course.  My biggest scare was that I lost my credit card. This discovered at the gas station on the drive home. When I called the credit card company they said the last charge was in Aiken. I checked the pocket of my raincoat still hanging in the trailer. There was my credit card.

Thicker reins: worth every penny.

Some Rein choices:

Nunn Finer 1” rubber large pimple reins

KL Select Pebble Grip

KL Select Rubber lined rein (my dressage rein)

Tory Reins (and they come in range of colors!)

Web reins (I still like the feel of the canvas rein)

Collegiate rubber-lined reins (an economical choice)

When the Horseware Ireland rep came through our shop and explained the logic behind the Micklem Bridle, it made sense. The leather straps are designed to rest on bone and avoid sensitive nerves and cartilage and the buckles are positioned to avoid pressure on joints. With its unique design and padded pieces, the bridle is more comfortable for the horse. Designer Bill Micklem (coach and author),purports this bridle is designed from “the inside out to fit the shape of the horse’s skull.” The unique mouth protection system for the tongue and bars which has proven effective for many horses. I nodded appreciatively at the features and decided to stock it in the shop.

Although its appearance more awkward in comparison to the classic bridle, I appreciated the simple lines. Additionally as one who prefers pull on paddock boots, I appreciated less straps. I am always looking for lazy or as I like to think greater efficiency so that I can do more with the less time I find each day. But really I was intrigued by the design. We have bits that curve and saddles that shape to the back: all this design is making for gentle but effective rides. It made sense.

When customer came into the store, they asked me about the Mickem bridle. I explained it’s ergonomic design and extolled the virtues.

“Have you ridden in it?” No, in fact, I had not.

I do have a sensitive horse. He curls behind his snaffle bit. I give more rein and hold onto a stirrup leather jump strap around his neck to ensure I would not get his mouth in any way, but still he backed away from the bit over fences which created a kind of propulsion that was hard to ride. I switched him to a rubber mullen mouth snaffle: no harsh metal, no nutcracker pinching, no thin bit, but also no real change. So perhaps the Micklem Bridle might make sense for him.

Springtime and in my standard bridle. My horse is curled behind the bit and I am not secure. (How it pains me to post this photo!)

So after fumbling my way through the assembly required instructions, I got the bridle together and on my horse. Paired with the rubber mullen mouth bit, I hoped to have a solution to our uneven balance and curling.

And because of the above mentioned laziness, I decided to ride my other horse (totally different way of going) in the same bridle, same bit.

My other horse is bold. He sees a fence and his whole body goes on alert and his stride stretches to about 18’. In our first year, I wanted to run him novice in a snaffle, but he was strong and I found it exhausting. So I switched to a mullen mouthed rubber Pelham, a bit I was familiar with from the hunt field.  And perhaps more importantly, I took up pilates that winter. The next spring on the cross country, I found I had the bit that allowed me to set the pace and better—as the approach came, I could release, maintain the rhythm, and allow the shoulder freedom and so have more range over the fence.

In his article “A Bit of Disaster,” Eric Smiley (coach, competitior and British Horse Society Fellow) writes “More bit seldom helps. Horses become insensitive of mind and body to the discomfort and pain.”

I did find that it was an unforgiving but I did develop a feel for that better stride and adjustability. I did realize, as Eric writes, that many of “our everyday problems are directly attributable to the bit.”

He continues: “Horses are now ‘blocked’ with the resultant diminished ability to jump. Their way of going changes: the jaw shows resistance, the head comes up, the neck goes hollow, the shoulders become blocked, the back becomes less through, the rider stops using release for fear of more speed, and the hind legs are less engaged.”

I had learned that it wasn’t just the bit that was effective, but it was a better understanding of my own body mechanics as understood through pilates.  Changing my center of balance changed his. With this new balance I was able to downgrade to a full cheek snaffle, but I still found that I was overly reliant on my hands. So I changed him to the Micklem bridle as well.

It was all unproven when I went Training at Groton house. When I considered the ditch at the bottom of the hill, I hoped I could slow my horse enough so that when we got to it, he didn’t spook at it. In warm up I muttered to a friend: I don’t think I have enough bit. At the top of the hill, using my core and my reins, I half-halted and went down the hill at a comfortable pace and easily over the ditch. I hit every line: no huge bulges in the road crossing, the exact spot on the up-jump to the in-and-out. Control meant precision and I was not standing in the irons pulling.

I began to find my balance on my sensitive horse and noticed how that contributed to the awkward fence. I also found that

Bold and Steady in the Micklem Bridle

when I was left behind, it did not upset him as much. The Micklem bridle and rubber bit allowed forgiveness and as a result I grew more at ease with his jump. As I grew more secure and confident, so did he so I was ready to move him up to Training. It is in my error on stadium that I can appreciate how far we have come together. In stadium, I got left behind as he over-jumped a fence. In the photo, I am behind his motion, reins a little long but hands forward and low. What is noticeable to me is that I have contact to his mouth and he is stretching into the bit. Flash back to six months earlier and the Southern Pines Horse Trials when he curled behind the bit over every fence no matter what my balance and I have a huge arc of change and improvement.

I would like to think it’s more than the bridle: that it’s a combination of practice, training, skill, and knowledge. Better knowledge of myself and my horses. Tack doesn’t simply solve problems, but support us as we solve them. Perhaps helps us to consider what is the nature of the problem and how can tack be part of the solution to assist my training. But the Micklem Bridle has helped me to be a better rider because it seems to give a margin of error for the sensitive horse and better leverage for the bold horse. But more than that: it matches my saddle.

Items mentioned in this article:

Micklem Bridle

Flexi-flavor bits

Korsteel Pelham