Caring for your horse naturally…
Pro-Equine’s sponsored rider Louisa and her wonderful ‘unconventional dressage horse’ Arnie have only gone and won their very first Grand Prix test!! We are so delighted for this hard-working pair who have a fabulous partnership. And all the better that Arnie is “powered by Pro-Equine”!
We’re delighted that Pro-Equine products are now being stocked by HARBRO. Initially products are available at the Harbro stores in DALKEITH, HAWICK, INVERNESS, MINTLAW & TURRIFF. If your nearest Harbro store is not listed here, make sure you drop into your local Harbro and ask them to add Pro-Equine to their inventory!!
Now is the time to stock up on Alternative Fly Spray, Neem Oil and Wonder Gel especially if your horse is susceptible to sweet-itch. And watch out for the spring grass coming through and your horse being stressed by change of pasture, and have a bottle of Colikare to hand.
Arnie the Unconventional Dressage Horse and his rider Louisa had a bit of a break leading up to Christmas but, even with no electricity so only being able to lunge by torchlight(!), they were quickly back in training. Louisa and Arnie had an amazing 2017 and have progressed massively in the last six months. Now that they have achieved one-time tempi changes and piaffe, and with Arnie feeling great on Activgait, Louisa thought it was time to do their first competitive Inter2 and why not at a high profile show like Addington?!
Did someone say Christmas? I can’t believe Christmas is less than 2 weeks away. Where has the year gone? I swear every year goes past more quickly than the last, but maybe that’s just a sign of growing older! How’s your Christmas shopping going? Not sure what to get your horsey friends? Maybe your yard does a Secret Santa. Well, you can always resort to the usual go-to’s of smellies, boxes of chocolates or a bottle of Prosecco but how about something a little bit different which is also very handy and practical to have around the yard? Pro-Equine can help find that perfect gift.
We’re delighted that 2 of our sponsored riders have qualified for the BD Petplan Championships at Inter 1 level. Carmen and Leya and Louisa and Arnie both qualified in October at different competitions and will travel to Hartpury in April. Louisa tells the eventful story of her and Arnie’s qualification, which didn’t exactly go according to plan!
They say prevention is better than cure and now that we are heading into the depths of winter a big concern for horse owners is the dreaded mud fever. This can be a painful and sometimes debilitating problem for horses, but it can be prevented. At this time of year, the ground is wet and mud is often a big issue. If your horse is out 24/7 then it may not have a chance to escape it and even if it is stabled, getting the legs dry and clean can be easier said than done. To help prevent mud fever Pro-Equine recommend the use of Mud Bug Buster. There is no need to wash or scrub the legs. So long as they are dry just slap it on! Mud Bug Buster is antibacterial and creates a protective waterproof barrier, stopping the mud from breaking down the skin. The key ingredient is Neem which is well known for its healing properties.
It’s not just the owners coughing and sneezing and feeling rotten at this time of year! As we prepare to stable our horses more over this winter it is more common to hear that dreaded horse cough from our equine friends as they spend more time indoors.
The causes of winter coughs tend to be either environmental or an infection. Environmental causes include dust, mould or spores from hay or bedding, which get into the lungs and cause inflammation in the airways. Although herbs should never be used as an alternative to any veterinary medication a horse might need, they can certainly help in the treatment of many conditions and especially during the recovery process. Pro-Equine offers two supplements to help reduce the frequency and intensity of coughing. Airway and Pro-Breathe. Both FEI approved, herbal extracts soothe the airways and relax bronchial spasms. Selected herbs also fight viruses that cause respiratory illnesses.
What is neem oil you may ask and how do I use it for my horse? Read on to find out.
Apologies for not blogging recently but I’ve been away a lot over the past 2 months. During that time, I’ve been lucky to attend not one, not two, but three championships! The first was the Scottish Championships at Rockrose Equestrian in East Lothian. Thomas was stabled there for a couple of days and whilst I normally take Pro-Equine Colikare with me when travelling, this time I forgot it. Thomas seemed a little unsettled but thankfully Pro-Equine Director, Catherine Stott, was also there and was able to offer some Ulsa-soothe. This seemed to do the trick and he was much happier.
At the end of September I made the 9-1/2 hour trip down to Vale View in Leicester for the BD Native Breeds Championships. This time I remembered the Colikare and although Thomas was stabled for 5 days on haylage which he doesn’t normally get, he showed no signs of any stomach issues. I, on the other hand, needed to reach for my first aid kit which thankfully contained some Pro-Equine arnica gel as my friend’s horse not only stood on me whilst trying to load him but slid his shod foot right down the side of mine! The arnica limited the swelling and bruising which meant I was able to get my foot into my boot and compete. Whilst there, another competitor arrived and their horse had fallen in the lorry and scraped its side. I offered her some Wonder Gel to help aid the sore bits which she was grateful for. It was very mild down there and we sat outside most evenings eating and drinking and fighting off the midges until I took out my bottle of Midge-Los spray which everyone helped themselves to. Midges no more!
Arnie is a 12 year old Gelderlander and I am a 30 something dressage rider and full time Pharmacy...
Do you feed your horse a joint supplement? Is your supplement legal and will it be from 1st January 2018? You may not be aware but Dimethyl Sulphone, often referred to as MSM (methyl sulphonyl methane), is the active ingredient in many of the products available and is currently on the FEI proposed changes list to the Equine Prohibited Substances List which will become effective from 1st January 2018. Whilst we are aware that manufacturers are currently appealing this ban, there is no guarantee that the appeal will be successful. So, what is the alternative? Pro-Equine’s Activgait does not contain MSM but instead uses natural and powerful YUCCA, the properties of which have long been exploited by the North American Indians. The yucca is combined with ginger and celery seed (more about their properties is available on the website).
Hi, I’m Jane and I’m Pro-Equine’s new blogger! When I was first asked if I would like to blog for Pro-Equine, I immediately said Yes as I use so many of their products, and then realised I had no idea how to blog! Hopefully, with your help we can make this a success. My plan is to make this both informative and interactive, so I would like to hear from you about what you want to read about. Are you interested in specific products, how we develop them, how we choose the ingredients for their healing properties? Let me know and I’ll be happy to help!
To kick things off I will be speaking to each of Pro-Equine’s sponsored riders to find out what their favourite product is and why. I will also speak to the brains behind Pro-Equine to give you an insight into how the company started and what drives them to continue to deliver quality, 100% natural products for your four-legged friends, be they equine or canine. Did you know that the majority of the products can also be used on yourself?! Personally, I have used the arnica, tea tree and Itch-eze gels. But more on that at a later date!
