Snap up great gear and gadgets
Looking after a horse is a time consuming business and it’s often hours in the saddle that gets squeezed as we lurch from one job to another. Nothing can take the duties away (unless you give them to someone else, of course) but there are ways of trimming off five minutes here and there. It might not seem like much but if you can save just 15 minutes every day, then that’s more time for training. We’ve rounded up seven pieces of kit that’ll help you do just that and some that’ll improve your riding too.
1 Wheelbarrow booster by Greanbase Ltd. Ok, not an equine product but how useful! The booster increases your wheelbarrow capacity by 300%, so fewer trips to the muckheap! RRP is £12.99 from www.greanbase.co.uk 2 If you want a great value shampoo that’s low lather (means less rinsing) and full of natural goodness, get a bottle of Wildwash. From www.wildwash.co.uk, it costs £24.95 for a litre bottle. 3 A new range of rain proofing products (above) makes soggy saddles and rain-soaked jackets a thing of the past. Cuts time spent on pre-rain tack drying and oiling and can be used on exercise boots, bandages, breeches and exercise sheets. £5-£10 from www.equipel.co.uk 4 eZall Horse Bathing Kit. Perfect for saving time on bathing or washing dirty legs and tails. No need to pre-wet. Just spray the foam on your horse, let it soak in and rinse – no scrubbing required. £49.99, available at Amazon. Visit www.ezall.com for more details. 5 Every now and then we all run out of time for a full schooling session and on these occasions lungeing seems a good option. Make it count by using a training aid such as the Equiami. Used properly, it encourages your horse to work correctly and you’ll only need 20 minutes. £65 from www.equiami.com 6 The popular Visualise training gloves have been designed to help you maintain the correct hand position – thumbs on top. Go to www.visualisesportswear.com to buy a pair for £20. 7 Baby oil. Cheap and, when used on the mane and tail, will stop mud, straw and shavings from sticking and cuts down on grooming time.