Equipment and Tack
You may, or may not, need to help your horse stay cozy this winter
This is just a starting point
Help your horse stay comfortable in his grazing muzzle and halter by keeping rubs away.
Let’s look at the science and research we have about tight nosebands on a horse’s bridle. From bone changes to sores inside the mouth, there are plenty of reasons to use loose nosebands.
When you are battling a shedding horse, come prepared with the right grooming tools! These horse grooming tools and tricks will help your horse shed.
The easy task of re-waterproofing your horse’s blankets! Start with clean blankets, and then pick your spray or wash-in waterproofing product.
Let your horse get used to a grazing muzzle for best results!
Horses can get bored! Keep them occupied with slow feeders and toys to help keep them from destroying the barn.
Science and logic tell us the best ways to mount our horses, but using a mounting block. This keeps your horse’s back safe!
You can, if you like, use a washing machine to wash your horse’s blankets. A few thoughts about how to save your machine from damage, too.
Easy ways to wash your horse’s blankets without a washing machine!
The basics of oiling your horse’s tack. Saddles and bridles can benefit from a good oil with neatsfoot oil. Some oils will darken your leather tack.
Working on your horsemanship skills takes time, practice, and a few tools. Here are my favorite tools around the barn to up my horsemanship game.
You don’t always want to clean tack or do horse chores, but keep up with a few things to save some money at the barn.
Why not save some time and let your dishwasher do the dirty work of cleaning some tack and barn tools?
Horse sport boots come in dozens of designs and fabrics and materials – each with their own set of cleaning instructions.
An introduction into using earplugs for horses. They can be a training aid, and you can use balls, fuzzy balls, or fly bonnets to help muffle sounds.
Sometimes you need a little yoga in your life, and sometimes you need a yoga mat at the barn – not just for yoga. Lots of ways to reuse a yoga mat.
No horse person should be without duct tape, bailing twine, and zip ties.
How to battle flies and bugs when you and your horse are trailblazing!
Shopping tips for picking the right fly sheet for your horse.
Some things to think about when you are staring at the huge selection of horse grooming brushes.
Behold the many uses of the insanely durable cactus cloth for horse grooming!
There are many ways to reuse a lot of things at the barn – including your horse’s leg quilts!
Tips for securing your horse’s hay net in a tub, or by hanging.
Loads of reasons to love a stiff nylon grooming brush in your horse’s grooming kit! Even if your horse doesn’t appreciate it.
Some things to consider when you are picking a lead rope for your horse! Material and length of the lead rope matter most.
How to decipher the lingo that comes with shopping for a horse blanket – stable vs. turnout, denier, fill, you name it!
Sometimes you just feel like your brain is baking in your riding helmet! Some tips on how to cool off.
How and why to place your horse’s saddle pad into the gullet of the saddle!
A quick trip to the hardware store for a few tools can make your barn chores super easy!
The safest way to blanket your horse so no one gets spooked.
How to decide if your horse needs a grazing muzzle, and a few things to thing about when you use one!
Some ideas on how to remove that super sticky horse hair from all of your horse clothes, saddle pads, wool and fleece coolers, and horse blankets.
Why, on some occasions, I reach for horse sport boots instead of polo wraps while grooming and tacking up!
The pros and cons of using horse jammies, hoodies, or undies on your horse!
Ideas on how you can best choose a halter for your horse!
The many ways you can tie your horse, and how to make it safer!
Ideas on what you can do with diapers at the barn! No horse barn or first aid kit should be without them.
Forget blisters and limping around – easy ways to break in paddock and horse riding boots!
Instances in which you may want to reach for your horse’s polo wraps instead of your daily sport boots!
Guidelines for using blankets on your horse! What temperatures are best with what blanket for your horse, depending on your horse’s hair coat.
How you can pack supplements and grains for horse shows without bringing the whole feed room with you!
Best practices for long term storage of your horse tack and grooming supplies!
How to use stall chains and stall guards safely around horses!
Step by step ideas for getting your horse blankets ready for storage! Clean them, dry them, waterproof them, then store your horse’s blankets.
Buckets have almost as many uses as twine or duct tape at the barn. Here’s how to use buckets safely around horses.
A few ideas on the best way to dress your horse for turnout. Consider leg protection and fly protection!
The easy steps to cleaning your horse’s wool items, like coolers!
Some easy ways to make the bit more appealing for your horse when it’s cold by warming it up.
The best practices for using buckles and straps around the horses and the barn!
Horse coolers are versatile and inexpensive blankets that every horse owner should own. There are many uses for coolers, and come in all sorts of fabrics.
How Grooms and horse owners can make sure their fly sheets and horse blankets fit properly and safely. This includes all straps and buckles, and how to do some basic measurement for fly sheet and blanket fit.
How Grooms can clean the weird parts of tack – hook/loop closures and elastic!
How horse owners can clean those weird pieces of leather tack – suede, piping, and patent leathers!
Horse owners have many options when it comes to booting up their horses! Here’s an intro into some types of boots!
Horse owners need to be sure the tack they use is safe, clean, and supple. Here’s what to look for when safety checking your saddle and bridle.
When you are hacking or hitting the trail with your horse, don’t leave home without these items!
Lots of options for tack trunks to store your grooming supplies, helmet, necessities, and tack.
For most horse shows, you have a dedicated Grooming stall. Here are some ideas on how to set it up!
For the most part, I think we get most of our horse supplies from the tack shop or the feed store. Except a few!! Here’s my list of things poached from home and brought to the barn. Get more use there, anyway!
There are about a million types and colors of saddle pads. Here’s how to pick the best one for you and your horse.
A brief description of alternative treatments that you may be involved in to help your horse feel his best.
The classic, basic items to have in your handy horse grooming box. Grooming tools are what helps you get the job done, and each tool has it’s very specific purpose.
You are grooming or riding at a big show! What do you need to bring with you ringside? The obvious and not so obvious.
The best ways to polish brass and bits and buckles and spurs and stirrups on your horse’s tack.
Shipping and trailering your horse – should you use shipping boots or standing wraps?
How to care for your sheepskin equipment, like saddle pads, half pads, and girth covers.
How to care for and clean your leather boots. For people.
Blanketing 101 – buying and fitting a blanket for your horse, including denier and fill!
The best ways to clean your horse’s tack. With the right tack cleaners, and tending to saddle and bridle every day, tack cleaning is easy.
The best ways to clean your horse’s brushes and grooming tools.
