Product Review: Shoo Tag

As springs comes, so do the bugs. We are careful about the fly sprays we use since some of the horses have been sensitive. Our favorites are Pryhana, Nature's Defense, Zonk it and one I love but can't afford Marigold. Sherman had an allergy to fly bites and we were always on the look out for ways to protect him. He probably started the fly sheet trend at our barn ;) The horses had fly sheets, masks and boots.
When Rosemary was close to giving birth, we only used natural sprays. After Roscoe was born she could not wear a fly sheet and was going crazy with the bugs. Peggy's farm is covered in trees which increases the amount of bugs. Around this time Peggy found a new kind of fly and mosquito prevention, Shoo Tag. She bought one package with two sets. We figured what the hell, it was worth a try. Addie and Rosemary were our guinea pigs.

The Shoo Tag is similar to a credit card, a little smaller but has a magnetic strip. The tag is braided into the mane and is activated by the bodies natural energy to create a field around the horse. Sounds crazy right? Many people have written bad reviews after seeing no results. I will say that the company says it can go on a halter. I really think for it to truly work it needs to be in constant contact with the body. If it works, the tag helps detract flies for up to four months.

The fly tag is the same size.

So, did we see a difference in Rosemary?
Oh yes. After the 36 hour activation time Rosemary and Addie would be happily eating away in the turnout while poor Roscoe fended off monster horse flies and black flies. You could see them buzz near the girls then bypass them for Roscoe. We did continue to lightly fly spray them during the time they wore the cards. The amount of fly spray used decreased significantly though.
We branched out and used them on the others horses and had the same good results. If the horse rubs a lot the card can be displaced, so you do have to keep an eye on them.

Different ways to attach the tag: string, rubber band or hair. Peggy even punched another hole to make it easier.

Shoo Tag ranges in price depending on the type you buy. I recently bought double pack (fly and mosquito tags for two horses) and one single pack for under $50 on Amazon. Most of the time the price is closer to $25+ range. Shoo Tag also has a tag for Midges, which starts at $20 for one. Peggy has bought those this year as well as the fly type. I am seriously considering it because my ponies get eaten alive by those darn bugs. When you compare the price to a gallon of fly spray, $20-$50, the price is actually reasonable.
For those who wonder about showing, I have shown the horses with the tags. I get a lot of "why do they have a credit card in their mane?" questions, but they are easily worked around for braiding.
In addition to equines, Shoo Tag also has products for dogs, cats and humans. We and Peggy have used the dog flea and tick tags with great success. Peggy's vet closely looked over Shadow and did not even find flea dander at all. She uses no top spot, only the tags. We use top spot just because we have it, but will soon try to use only the tags too. Just like the horses the tags work best if they are in constant contact with the body. Even though they advertise them hanging, I do not recommend placing them that way. It is a little hard, but we attach them to the collar so they lay flat against the body. Griffyns says they itch too much, but don't take his word for it because he thinks any collar is itchy;)

There are pluses: Saves money on fly spray, Non toxic, lasts for four months, easy to use, can be sent back to the company to be refreshed and donated to rescues or recycled.

And the minuses: Can come loose, using multiple tags for different bugs, some tags can be pricey, must have constant body contact.

Overall I think they are worth the expense. If you do a lot of showing and braiding, probably not the best thing for you, but if your horse is retired or not shown much this is a great product. I will say that we believe that the tags work best on healthy horses. A healthy horse will give off strong energy to create the field. A horse with issues may not get the same results. I really like this product for dogs.

Magic 8 or Joint Supplement?

Now for the rest of our busy Sunday.
Our ponies were so happy to see us, especially when we started stripping hair off them. Always a quick way to make up to the ponies. Peggy we could tell had done some already on the girls by the piles of hair in their stalls.

DaVinci's contribution, snow piles

 We changed out heated buckets for regular ones officially ending winter :) Of course that meant the boys had to remember where the summer location is for their water trough. We did not have time to ride any of ours, but made plans to ride Monday. It was enough to hug and scratch on them.

Before our barn and before Swayze, we went to Peggy's. I tacked up the fuzz ball and wondered how Comrade would be in the warmer temperatures. I got a surprise when we got to the arena, Peggy had gotten landscape timbers (a cheaper option than wood poles) while we were gone. Comrade knew right away that those were not PVC and would hurt if he hit them. After showing them to him and moving him over some, I hopped on. He was ready to go. Forget about walk warm ups, he wanted to trot. Okay I went along with it. Then he smoothly picked up canter. It was an awesome canter. I did not package him, just let him go on a loose rein and loosen up. What surprised me was that his right lead canter was just as smooth a transition and just as awesome a gait as the left. If you have read my blog you know that his right lead has been an issue.
So I had super go-go pony. Time for fun. I added a few of the jumps, which were much nicer since they were made with the wood poles. I changed directions and got flying changes that did not change the rhythm at all. Some changes were helped by Shadow, the German Shepherd, nipping at his heels. He also bucked at Shadow, but he kept moving forward. Now that he had burned some energy, Mom had me increase the challenge. In the corners where he likes to fall in, I added 15m circles. That was tough, but he stepped under and finished. He ended with some long trot work and a lovely soft neck.
Maybe turning 8 the day before magically made him feel wonderful. We can hope. Then I remembered Peggy had started Addie, her cob mare, on joint supplement. I asked her if she had put Comrade on it too. She had. Bingo, I think that made a difference. Ever since Barry's xrays came back looking 10yrs younger than his actual age, I truly believe in joint supplements. We even give Roscoe a small dose. Comrade felt the best he has ever felt in the almost 3yrs I have been riding him. I will be interested to see how his work will be once she gets the supplement refilled. She used Corta flex pellets and we use Corta flex liquid for our horses and our dogs.
Our animals work hard for us, so I try to provide the support they need. It is not cheap but longevity and peace of mind helps make the expenditure easier. Seeing results help too.

Reaching New Heights

Today was a full day so I am breaking it into a couple posts.
Some of you may remember Swayze, a friends horse I introduced last year. His owner asked Mom for a lesson today to work through some issues. She had already warmed him up when we arrived. For once I had my helmet in the car, so I offered to get on him and see what I felt.
It was a little of a pressure situation because his owner thinks I can ride anything well. I wish, but that is far from the truth. I mountain climbed onto his 17h+ back and then blessed the narrow TB fashion. He was almost as narrow as Roscoe :) My leg went much further then it does on Dottie. And we only had to wrap the leathers twice.
Swayze was a little stiff in the hind end, especially the right stifle. Plus he wanted to always bend left. Bring on bendy lines, bell curves and counter bends. His walk improved and he started to soften. I asked him to work corners and step under. He thought that was too hard and picked up a trot. I won't lie I tensed. Then I circled, breathed and realized he was not going anywhere. Shoulders back, half halt with outside rein, sit and walk. He gave me a few more moments like that and even picked up a canter. That boy was able to canter a very small circle. Nice canter, but he was not ready to carry it.
Then we put him on a circle to work on rhythm using a half halt. Now half halts are an awesome tool and are very adjustable. With Swayze, I had to pull out the HEAVY half halt to respond to the heaviness he gave me. If he gave me 12lbs, I used a 12lb half halt. The biggest thing I had to remember was to half halt and RELEASE. We counted to 4 and half halted on 1. Swayze started to need a smaller half halt as he began to maintain the rhythm. As we changed to his good side, I was even able to soften my inside rein.
I did not ride long so he would not be too tired for his owner. Mom worked with her on the same exercise. She had to focus on carrying her hands and the release portion, but when it all came together she found a great rhythm.
She videoed my ride and vice versus her ride. Watching the videos, helped Mom see where to take the next lesson. Here is a short clip of my ride, Swayze Ride. I have to say Comrade has helped me enormously with riding heavy, quick horses and my reactions.
Here is a picture of Swayze and his owner. They have come so far and are working hard to improve.

Raise the hands and move her leg back and it would be even better.

He was a fun ride and a challenging one. I forgot he was so tall while I was on him, but quickly remembered as I slipped off him. That was one long slide :)

There's No Place Like Home

We finally made it home from Florida. The drive was HELL. All the snow birds headed home at the same time and clogged the roads badly. After five years of making this trip I can say this one was the worst.
The good part was that the horses, for the most part, behaved for Peggy. One time Roscoe escaped his stall when Larry brought him inside and Cob trotted around the barn like the cocky boy he is. Peggy worked him in hand a bit to help establish some boundaries. She also worked to set limits for Jenna since it was her first time dealing with her. Jenna decided to claim Peggy and proceeded to charge the boys as they came in the barn. Thank goodness the boys took it all in stride. I will be interested to see how she reacts when we go to the barn tomorrow. We do have to repair Dottie's sheet. Somehow she has damaged the surcingle and the leg straps are acting up. She is naked and by now, filthy. The others will join her soon since the weather is finally warming up.

Two more things then I need to get some sleep:
One, I finished my first big cross stitch project. I started five years ago and worked on it every Florida trip since. My grandmother helped teach me french knots so I could finish. So here is "The Big Wave" ready to be framed.

 

And Second, Wish Comrade a Happy 8th Birthday!

"Be Good..."

The dogs are packed.

I am not even close to packed.

The horses are set for Peggy. Of course I constantly think of things I need to tell  her. We do so many things without thinking, that it is hard to put it into words.

As I put the horses out this morning, I talked to each of them. This is a practice we started with Barry and Sherman. They need to know the plan and that we will be back. We see our horses everyday, so I want them to know our absence is temporary. And I always tell them to be good and enact the company manners. Overall they seem to handle separations and the changes better when we talk to them.

Now that we have had Jenna in the herd for over 3 months now, the human/horse relationship is a proven necessity. A strong consistent relationship gives the horses confidence in their place. I did not realize how confident my horses are, until faced with the almost debilitating neediness of Jenna. When Gretchen pays even a minute amount of attention to her, she is a different horse. I will never let my horses question my commitment to them.

So don't forget your bond to your horse extends beyond the time in the saddle. Tell them about plans that affect them. They understand more than we know.

Ah well I am off to pack. I will only have limited Internet access, so if you don't hear from me I am searching for spring in Florida :)

Last Ride on Comrade

Not forever, just until I come back from Florida.

Saturday we had lovely 50F temperatures. I started Comrade out in the arena and had to work hard to gain his attention since he was more interested in what Peggy was doing. Leg yield, straight, turn on the forehand, straight, circle, counter bend, and some bell curve. Finally I had a thinking pony.
From there I started using the little jumps to get him using his lazy pushing apparatus, aka his butt. Comrade proved again how little respect he has for PVC poles as he tripped over. I asked for more with a canter approach. He did much better picking his feet up. Next up, a connected line at the canter. He took off at the right spot for the X and the baby vertical, but missed over the last vertical. Ah, it is a start.
I ended by taking him out on trail and putting him over the solid log jumps and the barrel jump. Funny boy actually remembered how to pick his feet up, to the point of over jumping. With him I will take it.
Today was much colder and I only had a short time to ride. Thank you bareback pad. After a walk warm up, I surprised Comrade by taking him onto the side road. Nothing better than a straight road for working lateral.  An added bonus was that Comrade was not thrilled with the harder surface and slowed down. Since mister man likes to rush lateral movements to avoid doing them correctly, this road was perfect. He stayed straight as we leg yielded left, then right. Shoulder in then corner to head back up the road. Not surprising, Comrade did not want to work haunches out. Too much work. I was able to get only a few steps at a time. The good part, he was not looking at the woods or the other horses running around. A few trips up and down the road gave him a nice floppy neck and a big walk. I told him not to get too fat while I am gone. These Cobs live on air, and he has some fine, fat spring air coming.

While we are on the subject of spring, where the heck is it? As I reread our care instructions for the horses last year at the same time, I laughed to see that Dottie and Winston were already in muzzles. We still have heated buckets, blankets and are giving hay outside. And right at this moment we have snow on the ground. Seriously, this winter needs to end. The horses are shedding, the daffodils are blooming and it is still light outside at 7pm. That means spring. Mother nature needs to get with the program.

The grey boys wonder where the green grass is suppose to be

The dogs don't mind the snow. The deck is their favorite spot to play.

Dottie in Art

Some of you may remember this picture my sister in law took one day at the barn.

Lily and I were leading Dottie to her stall. Of course I am only a leg an a foot in the picture. So many people saw this picture and saw it as a child leading a horse into the light (heaven). In fact on Facebook someone not connected to me or my sister in law posted the picture with the caption "A child shall lead them." A beautiful thought.
So today as I was chipping away at my to do list, my phone beeps a Facebook notice. My sister in law tagged my in a picture. Hmm, what could that be?

TA DA

I have to say we could only wish the view out that door looked like this :) I only wish that the artist had taken the loop of lead line that I am holding out of the picture, so there would just be the line to my niece.
When her time comes, way way into the future, I hope she walks off into a beautiful green field with easy access to a cool barn. The picture is great, but Dottie would not appreciate flowers so much.
Overall it is a great gift and a wonderful way to store a memory.