My quick Review of Equiflex Sleeves

Equiflex Sleeves

EquiflexSleeves.com

 At first glance, I thought these sleeves were something I just HAD to have. I spent a LONG time hemming and hawing over whether or not to spend the $45 on a pair. I had heard a couple of positive reviews of the product, a couple of people who were indifferent, and some who would call these glorified compression socks.

Around the holidays I won a free pair (Thanks Buckeye Nutrition!). Probably the only way I was ever going to put hands on these and use them, because I have a very hard time deciding what to spend money on and what not to. (have you picked up on  that yet??!) I got the size appropriate for Maxwell's hind legs, as his ankles are a bit larger in the back, and he tends to stock up back there more than up front. As you click through their site, they make a couple of really great points, things that really convince you that this product is a miracle for those who don't want to rely on anyone else to wrap their horse, or the inconvenience of unwrapping. I was really looking for these sleeves to give a bit of support to my horse's tired tendons, his slightly long pasterns, and his creaky ankles after a strenuous ride. A replacement for traditional standing wraps and no bows or quilts.

Applying the sleeves seemed like it would be a little bit tricky. You're supposed to apply the included plastic bag over the hoof, and pull the sleeve up over the hoof, and then slide it back down into place. In theory this sounds easy, and overall it was much easier to apply the sleeves than I thought it was going to be. My horse isn't a fan of plastic bags, but with a little bit of help the process was pretty straightforward and they were on in under 20 seconds.

Maxwell and his Auntie were twinsies 

They appeared to fit Maxwell's hind legs well and I placed him back in his stall. The next day it was time to remove the sleeves...

Removal was not the walk in the park that applying was. After a lot of fumbling around and loss of patience, I just pulled the suckers off without much regard. I got so fed up with them, that I balled them up and placed them in the envelop they were delivered in, where they happen to still remain. I can't comment on the durability, because well, I was rough on them and haven't looked at them since.

The results: I haven't the slightest clue what these actually did. His ankles were no smaller, and tendons no colder and tighter than when I do nothing for the legs after a ride. I was seriously disappointed with this product upon initial use. I can't comment on their effectiveness for stocking up, because Maxwell does not actively stock up after every ride. I suppose I'll keep them around for a while, to see if we get an episode of stocking up that I can test these out on, but overall, I'm SO thankful I received these as a prize and didn't waste $45 on them. I think compression therapy has it's place, but the claims of support for tired tendons after a ride leaves me baffled. I'm not sure they provided any relief, support, or anything of the matter to the tendons, fetlocks, or pasterns. I will give them a fair shot, when stocking up becomes an issue in Summer (heat, humidity, wet weather, staying stalled for a 24 hour period if it's really bad...etc tend to be when I see this problem), but in the mean time, I don't recommend these. I will come back and give an update, especially if they do some magic on a stocked up leg. I'm willing to dish these babies out to whomever has a horse Max's size that would like to try them and see if they make a difference for a severe case or chronic stocking up issue. It could be that these are more for treating symptoms rather than prevention, even though the website claims both. (go figure!)

Perhaps I should bring them home and unball them, wash them, and place them on the shelf for later.

It's confirmed that I do in fact think it better to invest in  2 pairs of Back on Track Quick wraps versus these things, that's for sure!

**also** please direct your attention to the right side of my blog! There should be an option to subscribe to my blog! You can either enter an email address and get an update any time I post a new post, or you can join bloglovin and follow me that way!! Alternately, you can follow me through Blogger's integrated system as well! Thanks!!!

Blogging for Apples

Personal Experience.

It comes second only to proven facts and studies in my list of things that matter the most when considering a new product or item.

I would rather read a first-hand account of a product from a real person, unpaid by any company, who ordered the product on their own free will, than spend an hour reading materials regarding the product on it's website.

This leads me to what I want to talk about today. I've pulled up 3 really interesting blogs, which I happen to follow, that contain reviews/overviews about products. It's my intention to break down what I like and dislike about each review, and to also give a little bit of insight into the products, if I have something to offer up on them. All three blog posts/reviews come from respectable places, and it's my intention to only build off of the work they've already done, or to give my thoughts on the work they have done.

>>Equine Nutrition: Actiflex 4000 Inside & Out<<


This blog in general is extremely helpful to people like myself, who obsess over horse nutrition and supplementation. Hannah does a remarkable job in ALL of her posts explaining the scientific facts in each part of a product she might be discussing. Her informational tables are WONDERFUL as well. I really recommend clicking around her blog. If she weren't busy in the Army right now, I'd be getting on her to update the blog, she has GREAT content!

This particular post convinced me to switch my horse to Actiflex 4000. At the time I had my gorgeous dappled buckskin pony Bella, and she was getting 10,000 mg MSM per day. Her work load was increasing, and I felt it necessary to up the support I offered her. One look at the presentation of ingredients and facts on this blog, and I was pretty much sold.

The blogger has a clean, streamlined approach to her blog. She almost always provides some sort of informational table to go along with her product review. This helps paint a better picture for those of us who are visual, with regards to the contents, amounts, and price. She takes all the hard work out of researching similar popular products. I am eternally grateful for the time she has spent making such tables. Her presentation of the ingredients and their purpose gets quite scientific, but for someone like me, who wants to know the why along with the what, it's a perfect balance. At the end of the post she goes on to give her first hand experience with her OTTB and this product. As if I weren't sold enough halfway through her post, the testimonial to the product is actually what convinced me to give it a try. I feel that personal accounts and opinions of things help me form a more balanced, realistic idea about each item I question. I applaud Hannah for the superb job she does presenting the facts and her own opinions.

I have successfully used this supplement for a year and a half, now on two different horses, with SUPERB results. LOVE this stuff.

>>Tofino Tack: Back on Track Royal Boots Review<<


I'm new to this blog, and I'm fairly certain that the blogger is somewhere in the UK. Thankfully, there are a handful of items which are also available in the United States that I am familiar with. The Back on Track Royal Boots have been a questionable item for me to try out for some time. (as have many other BOT products) I really like the details provided on this blog post regarding this item. The blogger does a wonderful job of providing the company's information about the product, and then quickly goes into their first impressions with the items. I was very happy to see that her review was NOT all rainbows and sunshine. She had valid cons to this product which helped me become a more informed reader, and actually backed me up a few steps in my thoughts to purchase. Her account of the durability of the internal structures of the boots was very honest, with photographic evidence of the durability or lack thereof. It's very important in making a decision on an item, particularly if you're like me, and like to remain as frugal as you can in this industry. She saved me a lot of money when I would have expected the boots to hold up as others typically do. Overall, she still loves them, and if you have the money to spend, recommends them because in her personal situation, the benefits and therapeutic qualities outweighed the lack of durability. Another nicely put together blog post, and overall a wonderful blog.

>>Savvy Horsewoman: 5 Best Selling Helmets Under $80<<


This blog is overwhelming, in a good way. Clearly the Savvy Horsewoman did something right, because her blog is jam packed full of content, advertisements, etc. This is probably what many bloggers strive to achieve. There is a lot of great information to be had here.

For this particular blog post, the blogger introduces the 5 best selling helmets under $80. The idea is grand. It's right in my niche of being frugal and functional. I actually owned one of the aforementioned helmets for my everyday schooler (The Tipperary Sportage in Matte Black). However I was disappointed. I LOVE the blog, please don't get me wrong, but this post is lacking so much. Where is the personal touch? I see a small blurb at the beginning about how helmets and budgets are important to the blogger, but no mention on anything relating to these helmets directly. Where is that personal touch that helps the reader make a decision? The blogger links off to amazon reviews and star ratings, but puts no personal effort into any of the items. I don't fault the writer, as you can tell, there is a LOT of content going on around the entire blog, but sometimes a reader is looking for a more intimate look at things. It's helpful to relate to your readers, wouldn't you all agree? I do have to put in a plug for the tipperary sportage, a GREAT economical schooling helmet that makes my head not look as big as my old IRH did!




I'm not here to criticize anyone's writing, but I am here to give praise where praise is due! Each one of these blogs provided information to us, the consumer, to do with what we will. Three very different ways to present useful information to us, the fellow consumer.

What do you look for in a blog review or even an opinion piece? What aspects draw you in, and what points help you make an informed decision about what the blogger is writing about?

Frugal Friday: One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do...

If you haven't caught onto my ridiculous pattern here lately, you're an idiot.

Let me try that again. If you haven't caught on to my ridiculous pattern here lately, you're still an appreciated reader of my blog, but my goodness, take a look back and try to figure it out.


(the pattern is naming posts after/mentioning music in each post)

It's a fun way for me to stay motivated. I ALWAYS have something playing in my brain, even when it's dead silent. When I think of what I want to talk about here, songs often pop into my head, and it's nice to have a song to jam out to while I write, that has some sort of substance pertaining to what I'm writing. Today is no exception, especially because it's the second installment of Frugal Friday!


One may be the loneliest number, but that is only to our benefit when we're talking about spending money. You know, that paper and coin that makes the world go round for most of us... Yeah. Spending $1 versus $5 is enough for many to break out in song, am I right? Today we're going to talk about the various horsey-related items you can pick up at the Dollar Tree. A long while back, I introduced you guys to some grooming products that could be purchased at the Dollar Tree (see HERE) and I intend to mention them again here, too, so sit tight if you can remember that far back and realize I've repeated an item or two.

Fake Flowers
I haven't yet gotten around to building flower boxes for our jumps at the farm, but it's always in the back of my head, that when the time comes, we'll go to the Dollar Tree to pick up fake flowers for them.

Storage Containers and Bins
These are a no-brainer. I use a variety of these for everything from bath buckets, tack trunk organizers, to feed room storage. There are no shortage of uses for these various containers as it pertains to horses (OR home!)

Over the Door Hooks
These are awesome. If you're looking for a cheap and easy way to add storage to your stall front, these are a great way to go without damaging the stall fronts or screwing anything in anywhere (great for shows, too!). They work for most stalls that have something to hook onto. I have one similar to this which houses my fly spray, spare lead rope and halter, and Maxwell's flymask. I have another similar idea to this, but instead of 4 hooks on the end, it's a basket. I'm going to be bringing that out to the farm to add to his stall front as well, so I can put things like a brush, hoof pick, and any other "close by essentials" I might want in it. It's important to note that I have not seen the basket version at the Dollar Tree, just this type, in both metal and plastic. But I wanted to throw that basket idea out there for anyone who has one laying around or has seen them elsewhere!  These are awesome.

 Lingerie Bags

These little babies are the bee's knees, and I've actually been on quite a hunt to find them lately. Like many of their hot ticket items, the Dollar Store runs out of these like hotcakes. Got to be quick. They're amazing for washing polo wraps and boots in the washer. Gone forever is the mess of untangling polos or pulling velcro boots apart. These little babies are worth every penny in that dollar.

Pharmaceuticals

There are MANY useful items found in the medications aisle of your local Dollar Tree. Ever hear of the magical Scratches cure? Triple Antibiotic Ointment, Athletes Foot Cream, and Diaper Rash Cream. All three can be bought here. It's important to pay attention to the amount you get, however. I've found that if you're just needing to mix up a small batch, or use some of these items sparingly, it's worth the cost. But if you find yourself needing to mix more than one batch up, larger tubes found at bigger stores like Walmart or Target will likely yield you a better price per oz. Other things you can find in this aisle that may be of use to you include: epsom salts, witch hazel, evergreen rubbing alcohol, blue muscle rub gel (cheap mild liniment rub in a pinch!), baby diapers (in a variety of sizes none the less!), antacids for a quick tummy buffer, gauze pads & rolls for would care, etc. I'm sure I'm forgetting something in these aisles. I spend a lot of time here, and can't even recall all the good purchases made here!

Hair Care
You name it, and they probably have some cheap version of it. I never ever ever buy "horse" specific conditioner. White Rain Hibiscus Coconut Moisture Conditioner is the bomb! Typically I do use a horse shampoo, but I'm known to break out the baby shampoo as well, especially for faces, manes and tails. It leaves everything SOFT, SHINY, and NOT crying from the burning suds, not to mention a bottle can be found at your Dollar Tree! Other helpful items include coconut hair product, olive oil detangler and sheen sprays, black (or clear) braiding size rubber bands, brushes easily used for manes and tails, and hair sprays/gels to tame fly-aways as needed. 

CleaningI'm going to lump a couple of aisles together in this section for the sake of the fact that they're scattered throughout the back corner of my local store. Car wash sponges (in the car aisle...) are GREAT bath sponges. I have actually never purchased a sponge marketed FOR horses. Only the car sponges. They're cheap, they last, and, well, they're cheap, enough said. Dawn dish soap! Well all know what magical blue stuff that really is. They usually have the concentrate and an average sized bottle. Obviously if you go through this stuff like crazy, a larger bottle from the big box stores is a better bet. Various cloths/rags always find their usefulness around the farm. Sponges and scrubby brushes, too! I've even seen oxyclean in the little tub. It's trial/sample size, only a couple 'loads' worth, however I don't believe a gray horse's tail or manure stains require an entire washer load's worth....but who knows. Vinegar can be found in the food aisles, usually. I don't purchase mine here, because I require a gallon, and they usually only have a liter bottle. Bleach! Don't forget bleach! Always needed! It usually goes quick at my local store because Walmart charges $2.78 for the same gallon. 

Bags, Containers, Etc

If you have a needy creature of a horse like mine, you've probably been in a situation where you basically need to craft a home made version of smartpaks. Dollar Tree carries many different sized tupperware containers as well as a great variety of disposable options. (please see the photo that accompanies this. I LOVE those containers) I also like to mention they carry a variety of sizes and styles of plastic baggies, good for anything from grain prep to soaking feet.

I feel like I'm barely skimming the surface here when it comes to useful items for horses at the Dollar Tree. What are your favorite finds at this, or any other local discount store for your barn or horses?

Good luck making 1 your lonely number at the register after spending an hour at the Dollar Tree with HORSES on the mind!!!

Thyme Sweetened Honey

There are stars in the Southern sky
Southward as you go
There is moonlight and moss in the trees
Down the Seven Bridges Road...

I'm an adult amateur. Am I perfectly capable of caring for, training, and showing my mount? Yes, probably, with a LOT of bumps. However, do I think I will ever move forward and progress to those actual shows all on my own? Nope. Even if I was a pro, I'd still answer no. I find it very important to often have eyes on the ground. Whether you want to call them your trainer, your friend, your confidence builder, or your jump crew, having someone on the ground while you ride is paramount in your quest for betterment. You can only see so much from atop your mount. Troubleshooting comes 50% from the cockpit (up there on your steed) and 50% from ground control. I'm extremely lucky to have a trusted friend to bounce ideas off of, or to get really solid, sound advice from in many facets of Maxwell's life.

Maxwell was ridden in a waterford last weekend. It allowed him to swallow and relax his mouth, something he'd been struggling with as the questions got harder during our rides. He had been going in a french link full cheek. There's nothing wrong with the bit, it's a great starter bit, but no bit is a one fits all. He had started to really grab it, chew it, and brace on it. It was time for a change. Summer put him in the waterford, and it was amazing how quiet his mouth was the entire ride. We didn't have foamy lipstick on his lips, drool, a tense jaw, none of that. It's rather astonishing what an equipment change can do for a horse. This past weekend, we took it a step in a totally different direction and completely removed the bit from the equation.

This past Saturday Summer showed up with an english hackamore. Some would have looked at her like she was insane. See, that's where the whole trust thing comes in. I had also successfully ridden Max in a halter and lead rope, so concern was far from my mind with him. He looks so put together in it. Very jumperish. And let me tell you, I would *almost* consider a career change to be able to legally show in this piece of equipment.

Equipment has it's place. For some, a hackamore might be a dangerously terrible idea. You have to take into consideration your horse's temperament and reactions to different stimuli. I knew he rode well in a halter, so we didn't really have a flight risk. However, for some horses, the pressure that a hackamore applies can be enough to send them over the edge pretty quickly. You've got to take it slow. It took almost our entire first ride in this thing to figure it out.

Now, I have loved you like a baby
Like some lonesome child
And I have loved you in a tame way
And I have loved you wild

This was the last time going down this gymnastic exercise. We asked for a LOT of firsts for Maxwell on Saturday. Last week we did a bounce. This week we added a 1 stride on the end of the bounce. It took the WHOLE ride for us to figure it out, this was his first time he had to actually pay attention to where his feet were at after each fence, and having to look ahead for the next question. This is quite alright, as you can tell, I'm far from a rushing person. Maxwell has been retired from racing for 11 months and we're JUST starting to get to more technical stuff. Slow and steady wins this type of race. First time doing a bounce to a one stride, and first day wearing a hackamore. I look like a bit of a hot mess, but it was a GREAT success this time through the line, when he got his distances and gave me a great effort. One of the many reasons I love this horse so much!! He comes first, I come second. As long as I have a supporting leg and forgiving hands, I don't care what I look like while my horse figures out all these 'firsts'. Mine will just be a refining of equitation once we get there.

Sometimes there’s a part of me
Has to turn from here and go
Running like a child from these warm stars
Down the Seven Bridges Road

Monday I had the luxury of a mostly full day off of work. I had my second ride with Maxwell in the hackamore, this time unassisted. AND we rode in the big 10 acre pasture, with a herd of cows laying in the sun watching us (Maxwell has a small issue with big cows, but took it all in stride). I can't even describe how amazing our ride was. I never realized just how heavy on his forehand he was, particularly at the canter. I didn't realize how much I was holding his weight. I had no idea he was leaning on the bit as much as he was. We had such a QUIET elevated canter. I actually did canter lines from one end of the field to the other, and felt like I was on a carousel. I just sat there and somehow we mystically floated back and forth. Away from the barn, to the barn, didn't matter the direction, he was so soft and quiet. He's never not quiet, but this ride was particularly special. He was having to carry himself instead of me doing it for him. Steering was amazing, as well. Prior to our saddle adjustments, I had a very leg sour horse. He would oblige, but not before he had a piece to say about it. After we adjusted the saddle it was a 100% improvement. No sour faces or attitudes any time leg was applied. Monday was another milestone with that, now calling it a 10000% improvement. Implementing a bit of neck reining, and the different sensations that a hackamore provides when asking for a directional change have applied power steering to my horse. He's so very responsive to my leg, that a simple look in the direction that we're about to travel in (ALWAYS LOOK AHEAD!) was just enough subtlety between my leg, body language, and pressure on the rein, to execute a beautiful turn. In the grand scheme of things, it sounds like a very small, unimportant thing, but having a responsive horse is actually rather important. The unresponsive, or sourpuss horse in my horse's case, makes for a frustrating ride, missed fences, and poor scores in the hack. If there's something my trusty helper has reminded me, it's that when I ask my horse to do something, he needs to do it NOW. No if's and's or but's about it. The responsiveness I got from him Monday proved that you  just need to be clear and direct in your requests. Overall I was blown away at how willing my horse has become, after two simple weeks of different thinking on the human end, and different questions/gear on the horse end. I can't wait to slowly introduce a bit back into his curriculum.

We all need to have fresh ideas to keep our green horses moving forward. It's so easy as an amateur without a true program, to get caught in the monotony of riding. I'm truly blessed to have the resources that I do, to make myself and Maxwell better partners. We're quickly coming up on his 1 year retirement anniversary, and soon after our 1 year of partnership/ownership together. He'll be ready to make his show ring debut much sooner than I anticipated a month ago, if all keeps going according to plan.

...There are stars in the Southern Sky
And if ever you decide you should go
There is a taste of thyme-sweetened honey
Down the Seven Bridges Road


A little homage to Glenn Frey. Eagles are one of the greats....Hotel California, Desperado, Take it Easy, Peaceful Easy Feeling....gah the list goes on and on...Another artist lost WAY TOO SOON. It'll be a blast by the time I get to where I'm goin', because all these amazing artists will already be there....I do realize Seven Bridges Road isn't an Eagles original, but they were the most popular cover, and it happens to be a cover they do that I like very very much. It's a beautiful, simple song that paints a familiar picture.

15 Important Items Every Horse Owner in Florida uses in January

Let me just preface this by saying it's been quite the interesting weekend here on the Gulf Coast of Florida for us horse owners....I can't believe how many days lately I have literally pulled medium weight blankets off horses to turn around and douse them in fly spray, and turn on their fans for the day. Seriously??? Don't even get me started about the tornadoes that tore through here Saturday night. IN THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY. 

Thanks El Nino.... without further ado, I present to you:

15 Important Items Every Horse Owner in Florida Uses in January

 as told by a cynical, cantankerous Floridian Horse Owner

1.  Fly spray
   
   
2. A stable sheet
   
   
3.  A waterproof no-fill turnout sheet
   
   
4.  Flymask
   
   (he just thinks it's hilarious, like, "LOL It's January, thanks for the fly mask!")
   
5.  A weather radio for the rogue winter tornado
   
   (yep, this is from Saturday...)
   
6.  Fly sheet for the sensitive
   
   
7.  Stall fans on full blast, by day
   
8.  A medium weight turnout blanket by night
   
   (or in my guy's case, he gets his stable sheet underneath his turnout)
   
9.  Bath items
   
   
10.  Sweat pants and sweat shirt to complete barn chores
    
    
11.  Shorts and a tank top to complete barn chores
    
    
12.  Gloves
    
    
13.  Sunglasses
    
    
14.  Sunscreen
    
    
15.  Air activated hand warmers
    

Don't forget your mud boots, your keratex hoof hardener, your rainmaker hoof oil, an arena drag and waterer (yeah, and in a week it'll be muddy out there again), and layers. Layers layers layers. We may not be frozen cold like up north, but going from 40 to 80 to 40 in the span of 5 hours can make for some uncomfortable days at the farm!

Frugal Friday-What's a Dollar?

Let's get real. If you're an average person with an average job, and you own a horse or two, being frugal matters. It matters a lot. It matters even more when your horse eats more than any other horse you've ever known, and you and you alone are financially responsible for providing it food. So needless to say, I'm a frugal freak.

Okay let me take that back. I'm not a frugal freak. I know when the cost of an item reflects it's quality. There's no questioning that. However, clearly there are places where corners can safely be cut. That's why I've decided to coin Friday "Frugal Friday" here on the blog. Every Friday I'll bring to you a new tip or idea to save some cash. Unless I run out of things to bring up, then we'll just have to rename Friday something else!

There's something to be said about the worth of a dollar. To some people, a dollar means nothing. To others, it can be the difference between dinner and a growling stomach. For the majority of us, a dollar is a dollar. Sometimes we fight tooth and nail to save a dollar, sometimes we mindlessly throw our dollars at things that really might not be worth it. One of the things that drives me nuts about myself is the amount of time I spend staring at labels. I'm terrible at math, and many companies are VERY smart in that they list the ingredient levels and total amount of a product in different units than their competitor's brand. This is sneaky, because to the untrained eye, or the average person who doesn't really care about a $2 difference, if it's not right there in front of them to easily distinguish, they choose what they know, or maybe what looks or sounds more convenient. If you're budget conscious like me, and a dollar matters to you, you've got to do a bit of investigating.

For my first installment of Frugal Friday, I just want to talk about the importance of doing your math when making an informed purchase. Sometimes the Dollar Tree really DOES have the best deal. But there are other times when the size has been reduced to make it worth $1. DO. YOUR. MATH. I hate math just as much as the next person....unless that person doesn't hate math, then just go down the line till you find someone else who does; but it's important if you want to save a dollar here and there.

My best example would be that of Alfalfa Pellets. I was going to go through and chronicle my venture in picking the best multivitamin for Maxwell, because there were a LOT of conversions and math involved. But for the sake of simplicity, I'll go alfalfa pellets, where we can assume all nutritional levels were equal.

When I decided to switch Max to an all forage based diet, his staple was to be alfalfa pellets. Easy to add supplements to, he still 'feels' like he's getting a grain meal, the price point is better than that of straight alfalfa hay, and not to mention he much more enjoys the pellets than straight hay (go figure!). I have two feed stores that I frequent for my horse's needs when I need to get something in town. Store A (Tractor Supply Company) and Store B (Come See Come Sav). Store A sells a quality alfalfa pellet in a 40lb bag for $13.99. Store B sells a quality alfalfa pellet in a 50lb bag for $18.99. Off the top of my head I couldn't tell you which is a better deal. Some folks can, because they can swiftly do the math. Me? No. I have to break out the calculator. That's okay, because it's saving me money. I'm only spending my TIME to save my MONEY. The absolute best way I've found to go about the math for many horse related products is to either break it down to a daily cost, or a cost per pound. In this case, we just want to know which product is the better deal, so we'll stick to cost per pound. Easy enough, store A's alfalfa breaks down to $.35 a pound (rounding up to $14 a bag), and store B's alfalfa breaks down to $.38 a pound (rounding up to $19 a bag). Shockingly enough, the bigger bag IS NOT the better deal in this case. For someone who picks up only 1 50lb bag a month for their horse, it's not a huge deal. 3 cents means nothing. That's fine--I get that. If I'm nowhere near the cheaper store, I've picked up this bag in a pinch. But when your horse eats around 14lbs of this stuff a day, you've got to think about the most cost effective way to do it. My horse requires 420lbs of alfalfa pellets every 30 days. If we did the 50lb bag, that would cost (about) $159. If we did the 40lb bag, which we do, it costs me (about) $147. That's a $12 savings per month. That's half the cost of his multivitamin. So now I only need to come up with $12 versus $25 to purchase that. See where I'm coming from? Saving that one or two dollars per bag really adds up when you put it all together.

This is what sparked Frugal Friday for me. I am always looking for a deal. A high quality, correct product, at an affordable rate. Check back next Friday for my first product introduction. Sometimes it's a product, sometimes it's a store, sometimes it's an idea, like today. In the mean time, PAY ATTENTION! Look at your labels. Marketing and production reps will hate me for pointing it out, but they do this sort of thing to pocket those dollars instead of leaving them in your wallet! Remember that! This isn't a new concept, but it's one that needs to be mentioned from time to time, since we get caught up in convenience rather than frugality when it matters the most.

Magnificent Magnesium

*I want to preface this post by stating I am not a licensed medical or veterinary expert. Any opinion or suggestion on this blog is one that I have formed of my own free will through real life experience and shouldn't be taken in place of sound medical advice from your veterinarian. *

Tight, sore muscles. Inability to relax. Cranky about blankets, brushing, or anything else dealing with touch. Difficulty focusing. Always Worried. Girthy. Hypersensitive. 

The list goes on and on and on. And almost always, when you google symptoms like this, you come up with Ulcers as a possible cause. But this isn't another blog post about ulcers and their treatments. Remember how I mentioned that I have a going list of complaints that Maxwell has? Well, some of the very symptoms I listed above happen to be apart of that list. But that list actually has nothing to do with Ulcers. Sure, they can also be symptoms of Ulcers, but in this case it's something different entirely. 

About a month ago, I had an enlightening day spent learning and researching all there was to know about Magnesium deficiency in horses. It made perfect sense given my horse's past, his present diet, and his current symptoms. I knew Ulcers couldn't be removed from the list of possible causes, but I chose to place Magnesium deficiency higher up on the list. Partly because of the diet he eats, and partly because Magnesium deficiency is rather easy and cheap to treat. If symptoms persist past the 10 day loading dose period, chances are it's not a deficiency at all. Simple enough for $25 to try it out and see what you get. Magnesium is safe in high rates. No harm no foul. 

I don't think it's fair for me to sit here and rattle off all this information about Magnesium. I spent several hours digging into it, and I only think it fair that anyone else looking for more information find it where I did--at the source--not here where words have been manipulated but somewhat still seem plagiarized.  I'll start out by saying Magnesium wasn't even on my radar until I dug deep into my research and started reading up on signs of Magnesium deficiency thanks to a suggestion on an internet board. I know it seems so contradicting, researching deficiency of a nutrient on a website whose sole purpose is to sell magnesium supplements. However, they did put a lot of time and research into their information, and without the facts and solid proof, they wouldn't have a magnesium supplement company anyway, right? Anyhow, if you don't much care to read my information sourced from a website that also sells the solution, just research a bit further on your own to find a completely unbiased opinion which will ultimately lead you back to THEIR website anyway.

About Magnesium: The Mineral Superhero

Magnesium 101: This is a great resource which introduces signs of deficiency in your equine as well as causes, therapeutic amounts needed, why we should feed it, and how magnesium is important to our equestrian athletes. 

Magnesium Research: Provided by the same company, this page offers outside sources with regards to magnesium and horses. A totally unbiased look on the matter.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let me explain what my personal consensus is. I started Maxwell on MagRestore (a link with great FAQ about MagRestore) 25 days ago. He got the loading dose for the first 10 days, and while no real change seemed to occur, I decided to finish off the bag just in case. At least in my horse's case, it seems his symptoms are derived from a different source (likely a combination of stress and ulcers, one causing the other). This doesn't change my opinion about Magnesium. It DOES have a place for horses that are deficient. It DOES allow miracles to occur. Just get online and start googling. There are many miraculous accounts of difficult horses becoming the mounts their owners once just dreamed of. Some will see no results. Like me. This doesn't mean that the product "doesn't work". It simply means that more likely than not, your horse is NOT deficient. You can't pump magnesium into the body and expect it to provide you a calm, quiet horse, if that's not what's causing the horse unrest. 

If anyone out there thinks they might have a horse suffering a Magnesium deficiency, do your research. Magnesium is available in MANY different forms and in MANY different price points. Some of your marketed calming supplements from big name stores are really just magnesium with a lot of hoopla. The reason I chose MagRestore had nothing to do with the amount of research and help they provide on their website. I actually turned elsewhere to get a better idea of the "best" magnesium supplement available. I came to the conclusion that Di-magnesium malate is the best form of mag to feed horses. There are cheaper alternatives like magnesium oxide which may or may not be helpful, but aren't nearly as bio-available as the alternative. I chose to go with MagRestore because if I was going to do a trial to see whether this stuff really helped, I wanted to use the most bio-available from the get-go, not the cheapest. I'll leave that research up to you.

But that's not where the story ends....

Performance Equine Nutrition was PROMPT with their MagRestore delivery. I ordered it on a Tuesday and received it two days later, all the way from California (I'm in Florida). I was pleasantly surprised to see a free sample for another of their products. Magnesium Oil. This is a whole 'nother animal. At first thought, I couldn't think of a time where I would actually consider using mag oil on my horse. This past weekend I found good use of this stuff, and I LIKE it! If you are keeping up and saw my last blog post, it touched on Maxwell working his tushie off last weekend. He was tired, his body was tired, and I had very little Bigeloil left. I rubbed down his hocks, knees, stifles, legs and ankles with my remaining bigeloil, but scratched my head at what I could use to help his wither, shoulder, back and sacrum. I decided to give the mag oil a try, and boy oh boy am I glad that I did. 

I applied several drops of magnesium oil to Maxwell's withers, shoulders, back, and sacrum areas. I rubbed it in and let it sit. The directions say you can either rinse/wipe away after 30 minutes, or leave it. I chose to leave it. The next day my horse had such a swing in his step that I was actually taken aback. I went into the ride fully expecting a tired, sore, stiff animal. Instead I got one willing and ready to work, and work HARD just as he did the day before. I fully contribute his loose back and shoulder to the magnesium oil. I applied it again after the ride we had that day. I think it's too soon to come out with these great claims that this is a magical oil for sore and tired muscles. But I think it's a good indication that it's likely a great thing to add to your arsenal. Magnesium oil works much the same way that an Epsom salt bath would for an athlete. It absorbs into the body through the skin, providing therapeutic levels of magnesium while reviving tired, sore muscles after strenuous physical exertion. The oil makes it a convenient form to work with while applying to specific body parts. 

Don't take my word for it, but please, please, research, make your own opinion, and maybe give magnesium a try! Whether you think your horse might require a supplement, or maybe would benefit from the therapeutic effects that applying oil after hard work would offer. I'm not here to endorse or support any one product, brand, or idea. I'm here to simply tell you all what is or isn't working for me. After two uses, I really like the mag oil, and will continue to use my free sample until it's gone. Then, and only then, will I draw a conclusion as to whether or not I should order another bottle.

When you're down and troubled and you need a helping hand...

I know what you're thinking...Carole King?  NO? Really? Okay good, so you've got James Taylor in mind too, then. My mom used to blast the Carole King version of this song on cassette tape while we waited in the car to pick my sister up from school. I've always been partial to the James Taylor way about it. Both versions are beautiful, which can be said about most songs done by more than one person. This song has a LOT of substance in my life. Like, more than anyone reading this could ever imagine.

Music is a powerful masterpiece. If you want to really shake me to my core as quickly as possible, send me a song name and artist. I'll get the message quicker than anything you could ever imagine saying directly to me. Music is amazing. This song is amazing. I used to sing it quite often growing up. Whether I was singing to my animals, my parents, or myself, I can honestly say that I've never sung it to or about a friend in the true definition of the term. 

Summer Thurber is the wonderful woman I've spoken about in past blog posts who I got Maxwell from, and who currently has Bella, the pony I owned prior to Max. I've talked in part about what an amazing individual she is, but I feel like I've never done true justice in explaining what this person is to our world. 

Summer is one of the most benevolent people I've had the pleasure of ever knowing. Her level of compassion for those in her life both human and animal is unimaginable. Her knowledge, passion, time, blood, sweat, and tears are all poured into these amazing creatures we call horses. Her biggest downfall is her big heart and her need to nurture those who require nurturing. Aside from her personal string of misfit animals and those who call her home their home, she spends whatever remaining time she has caring for her beautiful family and a herd of retired Thoroughbreds from Thoroughbred Retirement of Tampa Bay (TROT). Summer has always offered with each horse that she places in a home, a 24/7 365 day a year open line of support. She really wants to ensure that these horses, some her personal horses, some those of TROT's ownership, seek out the perfect fit and that the new owners are well equipped to handle everything. It's not often that someone sells you a horse, and regardless of if the horse was bought for $5 or $10,000 you are offered an unsurpassable amount of help whenever you request it. 

This brings me to my point, now. In obtaining Maxwell, I obtained a life long, great friend in Summer. We're forever connected by the bond of our horses. I've found a kindred spirit. They tend to come along at the right time for the right reason, just as was with this case. I'd been dealing with a growing laundry list of issues with  Maxwell. All were minor in the grand scheme of things, but a lot of little issues add up to big ones if you let them get out of hand. I recognized that my horse was speaking to me in such subtle ways, and I craved assistance. I hope I haven't driven the woman mad yet, but she made good on her offer to always be a system of support for me and Maxwell, and now here we go, through each issue as a TEAM. I'm forever in debt to her not only for the horse I have, but by the help she offers me on a daily basis.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of Summer coming over to work with myself and Maxwell. We covered all the basics from ground work to saddle fitting to riding. It was really nice to have another person who takes things as seriously as I out there, working for one common goal: to have a happy harmonious connection between owner and horse. The changes in Maxwell after just a few hours of work are fascinating. I learned a LOT about my little Thoroughbred in the short time we all worked together. 

This song has always had some form of a meaning to me. That meaning was renewed and grew when Summer mentioned one day that this was Maxwell's song. It makes perfect sense. He wasn't rescued from a dire situation. He was simply a grumpy racehorse who didn't want to race any longer. The song perfectly ties in what Summer is to Maxwell. It ties in what Summer is to me. A friend. Someone you can lean on when times are dark and you need help. In any respect, horse related or otherwise, I have no doubt that Summer would lend a helping hand. And now I can finally put a face other than my horse's to this song.

Summer snapped this picture of Maxwell and I after a very hard day of work

Ch Ch Ch Changes...

Okay, seriously. I had to with the post name. Yesterday David Bowie passed away, and if I didn't make some homage to him, what kind of music lover would I truly be? And yes I realize the photo provided is in fact Space Oddity not Changes. I like Space Oddity and recently heard it, and also came across this photo so I decided to add it. Don't judge.


The title of this post actually has some substance behind it, if  you didn't notice when you stopped by here today. I'm going to come right out and say it; that I've been challenged to have more accountability for my blog. I never really knew what direction I was going to go with this blog, but I knew my main subject was always going to revolve around the horses. It's the only thing I'm kind of good at, and this is one of the few outlets I have to totally geek out and not completely annoy my friends on various social media platforms. [okay, so I still do that too...]

I've taken it upon myself to start giving a better appearance to my blog. Gosh, am I ever lacking in that. Back in my hay-day....[yeah yeah shut up I know I'm young] in high school, I actually took several HTML CSS and Digital Editing classes. I knew my way around HTML like nobody's business and could build you a bangin' Myspace page in under 2 hours. However, times have changed, and what you don't practice, you lose. That's true. I've forgotten nearly 4 years of Spanish, learned in the same time frame as all this computer stuff. Neither were implemented much after graduation, therefore, beyond asking for food, shelter, and a place to relieve myself [not to mention all the silly, dirty things that stick with you], I can't speak a lick of Spanish. My HTML is seriously lacking as well. I can't get much past being able to display a photo, align text, change colors, and some other bare basic maneuvers with the HTML. It's also quickly becoming obsolete on it's own, as many developers have moved onto other coding types that I can't even get into...ANYWAYS...

I didn't want to  keep this blog exclusively for Maxwell. He's always going to have the biggest light shone on him, but I wanted to expand a bit. Talk about horse related things as I have done in the past. Products, opinions, ideology, etc. I really do need you, the readers, as help! What do you want to hear about? What do you want me to discuss? If you ever have any questions, concerns, opinions, or ideas, please share them! If you can't figure out how to comment here on the blog [I struggle with that myself sometimes. Blogger ins't exactly the most user friendly--logic goes out the door and you've just got to start clicking to figure it out], please, go back to whatever outlet lead you here [likely Facebook] and comment your thoughts/suggestions/what have you, there! I would LOVE some feedback and ideas! Otherwise I'll keep going on and on about Maxwell, stuff that works, stuff that sucks, etc etc etc. This is about building a community of people who share the same passions, interests, and ideas. I want to appeal to all of you, while staying true to myself and my personal experiences.

For today, that's all. But you better believe I'm working on a post for tomorrow already! I had a miraculous weekend with my horse and I can't wait to share all the details. I also have an exciting opinion on a product I was able to try for free! [Free samples rock!!!!!]

One Expensive thing at a time...

Wow! I really slacked on this blog towards the end of 2015.... There is SO much I should be catching up on here...whew where do I begin???


To make a long story short, three things have happened recently. Maxwell has yet another new farrier. He actually has his second appointment with this farrier on January 12th. His feet have held up very well since the last trim, and so far I'm impressed! The second thing, is following a minor gas colic episode, Maxwell has had all processed grains removed from his diet. Not including his supplements, my horse is on a 100% forage based diet. The third thing, is a quest to find hay that Maxwell approves of, following the gas colic episode. Here we go....


Not a whole lot to report on in terms of the farrier. My previous farrier, who I thought I liked okay, seemed to want to focus on different issues with my horse's feet, rather than the issues both I and my vet were concerned with. Knowing that it's hard to reason with someone who views something differently than you, I knew it was time to find another farrier. I'm hopeful for a bright future with sound feet. (not that Maxwell was actually ever unsound, but we were probably pretty close with some of the cracks that developed a mere 2 weeks following his last trim with old farrier)....

The gas colic thing was strange. I knew something was wrong. I'll spare all the details, but basically I figured out he was having a gas colic, which passed, and he was fine. However, we always knew he had the potential to be sensitive to fats in his diet. Processed grains, fats, preservatives, additives. You could feed him the best grain (I did! He was on Seminole Wellness Senior Mix, a very good senior feed) but the amount of 'junk' in it just didn't agree with his body. The fats were a little too much for his very delicate system. After discussing with a trusted friend, I decided to turn down the path of feeding a 100% forage based diet. I replaced his 6lb grain meal with 6lbs of alfalfa pellets, on top of the alfalfa pellets he was already receiving with the grain. That makes for a total of 12lbs of alfalfa pellets per day. He's also getting 2lbs of Cavalor Fiberforce. This gives him a bit more for calories as well as some nutrients which straight alfalfa can't provide. In addition to the alf and cavalor, he's also receiving a multi vitamin, magnesium supplement, Smart Digest Ultra, and U Gard. He's been blossoming on this diet, so far. Time will only tell.

The hay thing has by far been the most frustrating part of the last few months....Maxwell came to me eating coastal hay. When I brought him home, we swapped him to the barn's T/A/O. Maxwell was eating such a large quantity of hay, that I needed to try to save a bit of money. The T/A/O is $14 a bale and he was eating a bale a day from his hay net. We put him back on coastal and he did great for some time. However, lately, Maxwell hasn't been impressed with ANY hay. I gave up on coastal and started bringing in compressed bales of various types. He ate off a compressed bale of gorgeous straight orchard grass for 5 days before he decided he didn't like it any longer. Next he tried a beautiful orchard/alfalfa (pictured below) which he loved immensely, however at $16 a bale, it wasn't lasting long enough to be worth the cost. One bale lasted 1.5 days. So, yesterday we swapped him back to the barn's T/A/O hay....too soon to tell. He used to clean it right up, but lately he hasn't cleaned anything up, really.

Which leads me to my next thing:

Stress. Maxwell is a stoic soul. He doesn't really tell you what's bothering him, unless it's REALLY bothering him. A shuffle in barn mates has made it more stressful for Maxwell. He lost his paddock buddy, who moved, and he's been in a barn full of mares for the last month. He's gotten a bit more grumpier in his stall, which is heartbreaking. He just doesn't get along with the moody mares. He likes the dead head gelding friends he once knew. Anyways, we've always had our woes in riding. Once he warms up, he's like melted butter in my hands, but during the warm up, it's heartbreaking to see how much he objects at times. We're starting to really work into contact. He's started to stretch into the bit and lift his back up. However, with this huge milestone in his training, and all this added stress from his daily life, he's started to become quite a busy mouth under saddle. His teeth are fine, the bit fits him, he's ACCEPTING, taking, ASKING for contact, however he finds it necessary to grind and chew on his bit. I took his bridle home for cleaning this past weekend, and the indentations on his metal bit were rather interesting. The amount of stress on him, combined with ALWAYS trying to do what I ask of him, has left him feeling conflicted. I think he likes the bit, he enjoys seeking and finding the contact, and I ALWAYS have a blast riding him when he starts to ask and we have those beautiful moments of connection. Now I just need to alleviate his stress.
Two new geldings have arrived in his barn, and I'm hoping the dynamics change a little, and the mares lay off some. I'm searching for a new bit. There's nothing wrong with the full cheek french link he's gone in since I got him (well, he did some time in a loose ring with the same mouth), but I'd like to play around with different pieces in his mouth. We have brakes, he's fairly soft, but I'd like to keep encouraging him with the bit. Sometimes it's the piece in their mouth causing anxiety. I know part of this is from his daily life, but sometimes a change of mouth pieces means the world. Anyone have suggestions? Again, soft mouth, we have brakes in a french link, just looking for something different for him. Maybe a mullen? I dunno.

The last step in the journey I've been on lately, involves reducing stress as best as I can for this guy. I've tried to move his stall, which I was unable to do. I'm hoping the geldings even things out in his barn a little bit. My next step is treating for ulcers, working on saddle fit, and hopefully boosting his hay craving while reducing the stress/pain/tension in his life. We're going to start ulcer treatment in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully I can get someone out to help assist me with his saddle. We need to try and make this saddle work for another year, and then I can look into purchasing a new saddle that fits him perfectly. Between a bit change, ulcer treatment, and saddle fitting, I'm hoping to get over the few little humps standing between Maxwell & I and the sky as our limit. One thing at a time.

One expensive thing at a time.

Looking good on the forage only diet. This is that pretty 50/50 orchard alfalfa mix. YUM!