RETAIL REVIEW

 

Our Views on Products On the Market - both old and new

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Products we are currently testing

 

SWN Multi-plex HA - joint supplement SWN Multi-worm - a completely natural worming product Equi-N-Ice Cooling Bandages from Equiplus Equi-N-Ice Cooler Rug from Equiplus Barnsby "Gummi" Reins Barnsby "Aurora" tendon boots * * * * *

 

 

EQUIPLUS brings you Equi-N-icE Horse Therapy

This company has developed a unique cooling system for horses in the shapes of bandages, travel boots and a rug which draws heat away from the body instead of driving in cold as is normally the case with "cooling products"..

The optimum reduction of the temperature of the body and the dissipation of heat in limbs (tendons and joints) has always been a challenge particulary for racehorse trainers, event and endurance riders but with the advent of much hotter summers the rest of the equestrian community is also finding heat a problem.

But now with some wonderful products from Equiplus keeping your horse cool or reducing heat in legs need no longer be a problem.  

"Equi-N-icE therapy - Cold therapy for horses, more effective and quicker to apply than traditional equine therapies".

EQUI-N-ICE COOLING BANDAGES

These innovative bandages not only reduce swellings and take out heat but also help to prevent injuries in the first place.   They are so easy to use and you do not have to remember to put them in the fridge first! After use, just pop them back in the airtight, resealable foil packet until next time. The bandages are re-charged simply by spraying with a special Coolant. The Coolant is completely safe to use as it is non-toxic and a non-irritant to both horse and human alike. Watch this space for our comments

EQUI-N-ICE RAPID COOLER RUG

A conventional cooler relies on air convection for cooling a horse but the Rapid Cooler Rug combines this with evaporation too thereby maximising the cooling of the horse as quickly as possible. As with the bandages the rug is treated with the Coolant to encourage evaporation all over the horse’s body.  It is made from a Coolmax® fabric which is known for its ‘cool’ properties in reducing skin temperature in human athletes.

There is more technical information available which we will add once we have assessed the product both for day-to-day use in the yard and on competition days.

SCIENCE WITH NATURE - PRODUCTS FOR OPTIMUM EQUINE HEALTH
 

Science with Nature use natural and organic raw materials in preference to chemicals and other nasties - and have a non-G.M. policy. All the raw materials incorporated into any product have been approved by the relevant bodies both in the UK and abroad so do not contravene any rules. The manufacturing process takes place in an environment which is licensed for the production of human grade medicines and health products.

 

We have just commenced trialing a range of herbal products which will help enhance your horse's health and wellbeing as well as help address specific issues.  All the products are Jockey Club, FEI and BJSA approved.  

8 horses in the yard of various ages, stages of training and devopment and with different issues we wish to address are involved in our trial. Some of our clients are also assisting in the trials so WATCH THIS SPACE for the results!

We are also trialling "Multi-worm" which is a liquid blend of herbal and botanical extracts from around the world.  Unlike many herbal worming products, just one monthly dose of "Multi-worm" is all that is needed to keep parasites at bay..

However we can already give you positive results regarding one product in particular - please see below.

BARNSBY GUMMI REINS

Superb quality leather reins which are are super-flexible and super-grippy, they have standard hook and billet fastening. Available in black or brown. These reins are indeed super soft and feel fabulous so we shall now experiment with different conditions and situations with different horses and see how we get on!

 

PRODUCTS WE HAVE RECENTLY TESTED

 

- Barnsby gummi Reins - SWN Fly Repellant - Itch Magic - Myler Combination Bit - Equissage Please follow the link at the bottom of this page to read previous reviews.

BARNSBY GUMMI REINS

Barnsby say: "Superb quality leather reins which are are super-flexible and super-grippy" We say: These reins are indeed super soft and feel fabulous. Being so flexible the initial thoughts were that the reins would feel as iff they were stretching when you needed to "take a pull" but not at all. And being so super grippy, we also thought that it might not be so easy to release the rein when needed; once again.

We have tried these reins out for dressage, jumping and general schooling with horses that are good with the contact, those which are heavy in the hand/lean or pull. Once you have decided just where you want your hands to be on the reins, unless you physically move them, then they stay firmly in place. They are especially good when riding those horses which gradually eke the rein out of your hand despite your best efforts not to let it happen!

SCIENCE WITH NATURE FLY-PEL

Looking for a fly repellant that really works - and complies with the new HSE regulations? There cannot possibly be one you say, but look no further because we have found it!

Fly-pel is an already a proven product but we confess to not ever having come across it before.  How remiss we have been!! Finding a good fly repellant has always been tricky but following the introduction of yet more EU legislation, it looked as if the equestrian world would be beseiged by flies and midges.

Whilst researching for another product we found Fly-pel and we haven't looked back since. Made entirely of nature products (no chemicals) that are safe - and legal.  It is a well-known fact that certain plant extracts have fly-repelling properties.  Exactly what to use and in what blend combination is the secret of success but Science With Nature certainly seem to have found just what it takes.  Fly-pel also contains ingredients that soothes the skin.

We have found Fly-pel to be the most effective repellant we have ever used both in and out of the stable.  Hacking out is just fantastic, no flies on the horses and no flies on us (yes, it works on humans too). No more head-tossing whilst schooling either.  It is not sticky or oily nor does it dull the coat.  It can also be safely sprayed on to rugs without leaving a residue or affecting the colour.

One absolutely brilliant fact about Fly-pel is its smell; it smells delightful.  There is an extremely pleasant aroma wafting around the yard.  And, Fly-pel also comes in a handy pack of wipes in a resealable pouch which are very handy for sensitive places around eyes, ears and noses.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information or of course contact Science with Nature directly on: 01377 259234 (www.swnh.co.uk) - they are a very friendly team who are only pleased to help.

ITCH MAGIC

We have been fortunate in that we have really ever had a problem with horses itching.  Ok, in the heat of the summer, most horses will have a bit of a rub - and it is usually the top of the tail that suffers!

However a little mare came to us and she effectively had no tail!   Her owners had not been able to show her fr two seasons because she had always rubbed her tail and they had not been able to resolve the issue.  No other part of her body was targetted.

We addressed dietary factors but these proved to be to no avail; and an consultation with an alternative therapy practitioner did not reveal any signifcant contributory factors as to why the mare tail rubbed.  However something had to be done as no tail detracted from her appearance.

Early in February we were introduced to "Itch Magic" a product manufactured by Equifeast which claims to sooth irritation and has anti-microbial properties which help to reduce the risk of complicating infections. We haven't looked back.

The mare stopped rubbing her tail immediately even though we did not actually follow the applications instructions to the letter in that we only applied the Itch Magic once instead of twice a day. Within 7 days of no rubbing the mare's tail was clearly improving.  We did not apply any Itch Magic for 5 days which is when the mare began to rub again, so there is clearly an ingredient that takes away the irritation as well as something that "feeds" to promote hari growth.  A further 7-day daily application course followed and then we once again stopped using the product until the mare began to rub again - absolute proof that Itch Magic stops a horse from rubbing.

Following a further 7-day course of daily application, we now apply Itch Magic every 3 days - and it is still working - no rubbing and plenty of new, healthy hair growth. We and the mare's owners are delighted. This photo was taken on 26th February after a period of 5 days without using Equifeast - she has started rubbing again. However there is already significant hair regrowth since use of the product began on 8th February.

This photo was taken on 7th March. Unfortuately we did not take any photos before starting to use Itch Magic but it is no exaggeration to say that the tail really was a mess.

So if you have an itchy horse then we suggest that you give Itch Magic a try. At just £10.95 a bottle you have absolutely nothing to lose but everything to gain. Itch Magic is easy to apply - just pour on a cloth and wipe on to the affected area. It is a colourless, water like liquid that doesn't stain nor does it have an unpleasant odour so often associated with similar products.

For more information on Itch Magic then please to not hesitate to contact us or contact Equifeast directly - www.equifeast.co.uk

MYLER COMBINATION BIT

For quite a while now we have been usingMyler Combination bits with great success.

These bits combine the action of a bit, noseband and headpiece into one, very well designed piece of equipment.

The combined action is quite unique as pressure is dispersed around four different areas - the mouth, nose, chinand poll - rather than being concentrated in just one area which usually results in a resistance if the horse is not happy.

The action of the "Combi" is much more subtle than with conventional, individual pieces of equipment and we have found that even with horses that have been difficult to bit (as the consequence of lack of basic training, inappropriate use of an unnecessarily harsh bit, extreme sensitivity, rough riding, lack of physical development, etc) this bit has been the answer. Whilst there is the school of thought that would say "resort to a hackamore", well yes, that is fine but not everyone has good enough hands to ride successfully in one, particularly a horse that pulls (or bolts!) and of course a hackamore is not allowed in dressage. At present there are restrictions on what mouthpieces are allowed in dressage competitions, but the "Comfort" mouthpiece is one that is. So if a "Combi" it used that has a comfort snaffle mouthpiece then at least the horse will be familiar with its action and feel when used on its own.

We have used the "Combi" (wide barrel comfort snaffle and low port comfort snaffle mouthpieces) on a wide range of horses at different stages of their training and on those with particular training difficulties (bolting, rushing fences, high head carriage, sensitive mouth, etc.) all with great success whether. It is wonderful for long-reining work as a young horse can be quietly introduced to the action of a bit, hard pulling horses find they have nothing to pull against and the poll pressure created is excellent for horses that need corrective training to lower their head carriage. So pleased are we with the performance of these bits that we now have several in the tack room.

An excellent plus factor is that the bit is available with different mouthpieces to ensure that a horsereally can be bitted as comfortably as possible allowing for his mouth design, tongue size and so on whilst maintaining the control and achieving theaim of a supple, polite horse.


There is just to much to say about the Myler Combination bit here, suffice to say they are the answer to many a horse's prayer!

EQUISSAGE PAD

The pad gives a deep cycloidal massage to the whole of the horse which improves circulation, tones and relaxes muscles, promotes effective lymphatic and venous drainage and increases joint mobility,as well astreating back problems and respiratory conditions. There isalso a HAND-HELD unit, which can be applied to specific areas of "trouble", and the BOOT , for targetting leg problems. Having seen the Equissage Pad on various 3-day Event horses, we decided that one was a must for us.

We purchased the complete package which obviously we would not have done ifwe had not been firmly convinced of the tremendous value this equipment would have - and we have not been disappointed.

We use the pad on a regular basis, either before or after exercise, on all of the horses in the yard and the results are apparent - no stiff muscles and no swellings, all of which are common occurrences in horses being broken as their bodies adjust to being introduced to work and weight.All of the recipients of the treatment evidently enjoy it and are so relaxed. Strictly, the hand held unit should be used in conjunction with the pad for localised treatments but we use it on its own for very nervous horses as a therapeutic massage to relax them, and as a prelim to clipping for the first time as the unit acclimatises young horsestovibration and movement without the involvement ofelectricty! We have found many other benefits for older horses especially those that come to us withinjuries, haematomas, muscle tnesion, etc.-the list is endless.

Thank you EQUISSAGE for providing us with a 24/7-365 physio.

If you would like further information about the EQUISSAGE system, please do not hesistate to contact us.

 

PREVIOUS REVIEWS

To read our verdict on other products we have reviewed, please follow this link.