Written by guest Jenna Chasnov
On August 1st, 2015 I was laying on my couch, just scrolling through my Instagram feed, until I stopped on an ad. The ad wasn't the most descriptive, so I thought I'd send the owner a quick message asking for some more info. Not realizing the type of horse that I had stumbled upon, I watched the videos over and over again. I was practically sold on him. I jokingly asked my mom if she would talk to the owners about a trial, not thinking she would actually say yes. Never thinking in a million years that while I still lived with my parents, I would own a horse. Until she made the phone call, I did not realize that the horse was all the way in Virginia. With summer coming to an end, I never thought being able to try him was an option. He was the perfect horse, exactly what I needed to move me through the jumper levels, and what I wanted. Having always wanted a steel grey horse, finding a horse that was 10 years old and still extremely dark for his age, I was sold. After coordinating everything in a rush, I was able to convince my parents to let me fly to Virginia, and try what seemed to be my dream horse. The first day I arrived and saw him for the first time, I was shocked. He didn't look like the horse that was posted online. He was dirty from living in a field and a dull coat. I looked past it and rode him. Right when I got on him, and after we jumped the first jump, I knew he could be the one. I rode him a total of 3 times, having 2 lessons and falling in love with him. He was such a blast and was so kind & forgiving. Knowing all this, I went home and it didn't take long for me to decide I wanted to get him vet checked and then buy him. The days went by so slowly as I waited for the vet check to be done. Having the first vet check be delayed, I was a little discouraged thinking, "Oh maybe this is a sign. Maybe I shouldn't buy him." Having those thoughts, I was a bit on edge. When I finally got the news that he vetted clean, I was ecstatic, I even shed a few tears of joy. We sent off the check, signed the bill of sale, and he was officially mine. The final step was, arranging transport. His first trip got delayed, making me a bit disappointed and worried I made the wrong decision. Once he finally arrived, I knew, I hadn't. Watching him get off the trailer and officially owning a horse was probably the best day of my life. Every ride and time spent with him since then, has been so incredible. Since owning him, I am so thankful for the Moriarty family and everything that have done. Had I not been on Instagram then, I have no idea what I would be doing riding wise. I am forever grateful that I have the most amazing, talented, & kind horse I've met. If I could describe my horse, it would be that all my dreams and goals have been bundled up into a big, fat, grey horse. If you ever get discouraged about never owning a horse of your own, don't be. I know that, dreams do come true.
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Written by guest Pearl Bensimoun
Happy Hippie Horse Company is a NYC based small equine company that sells handmade customized nylon halters. The owner is very nice and professional, and the halters are truly one of a kind! I received a black halter with stars on the side from them. I'm usually more of a traditional leather halter type of a person, but this broke the cycle! The material that the halter made with is extremely durable but yet also comfortable for your horse or pony. At first it was a little bit on the tighter side, but then it stretched out to a close to perfect fit. The buckles are secure and the halter is quick to put on. All in all, I am definitely impressed with the quality of these halters from the Happy Hippie Horse Company! I will surely be getting another halter from them in the near future! Go check out Happy Hippie Horse Company on social media! Their Instagram is @happyhippiehorsecompany and their email is [email protected] .They have a wide selection of halters that will look great on any horse! Written by guest Sydney Flashman
Anyone who's ever had some type of young, living thing, whether it's a human baby, a puppy, a kitten, or any other young animal type, knows that training, teaching, and raising them is not easy. It takes a lot of time, dedication, and a LOT of patience. Add to these difficulties the stubborn, bratty, stereotypical pony attitude, and then you have the general concept of training a young pony. I have been showing in the pony hunters for about three years now, and before that I showed a pony jumper for a year who, while not young, certainly acted just as green as my hunter ponies, who were/are all young and varying degrees of "greenness". Snappy was 8, and while he did not lack show miles, having shown in the Child Pony division and then having his green status reinstated, but he did not know how to do lead changes at all. Bo, also 8, had never jumped a full course in his life, let alone been to a horse show or even jumped an oxer. Lanie is 10, an age not usually considered green, but she had almost no miles in the show ring and was still very green. I'm not sure how old Snoopy is, but his third show ever was Pony Finals, and he has very little show experience and a lot to learn. All of these ponies are green in one way or another, with different aspects of their greenness more prominent than others. Each pony required a lot of hard work and dedication. Hours, weeks, months, years have gone into training these ponies. Blood, sweat, tears, bruises, and anything else you can think of have occurred along the journey. Because these green ponies, they're like toddlers. You have to put them in time out multiple times for them to understand that what they're doing is wrong, and it could take months to get them to understand how to do things in the correct manner. My trainer has said from the very beginning that with the babies, for every one good day, there will be five bad days. One day, the baby pony slows down, listens, maybe even does a lead change or two. And then you get on the next day, and they start acting like they haven't been ridden in years. It's very, very frustrating. But then, after all of these months and years of work, you take them to a show. Maybe you don't win, maybe you don't even place. But there's always that one show where they go in, and do everything right. All the time you've put in to teaching them to slow down, do a lead change, and everything else is worth it, when they do everything you've spent all this time teaching them. And I think that anyone who trains baby animals of any breed will agree that seeing the babies mature is worth all of the work. Written by guest Perry Irons
Admit it, everyone wants to put in that round that gets a score over 90, but usually that doesn't happen. I have learned how to put in winning rounds from mistakes and I have been riding for nine years now, so I have made MANY mistakes. The first thing you should do is don't get distracted before you go in the ring. Knowing your course by heart and knowing your line and track is very important. Getting distracted is the worst thing you can do towards having a good round. The next step is getting your rhythm. Having that nice rhythm that's not to fast but not too slow and keeping it there is one of the best ways to find a distance. I like to think of it as a number between one and three. Are you at one (slow) two (perfect) or three (AH TO FAST.) Next you are approaching your first jump! The first jump is the first impression! Make sure to have a good turn to the jump, riding to the center will help you find the distance. Have a positive ride, to make sure there will be no surprises! After the jump make sure to go back to the perfect rhythm, so you're not lagging or speeding around the course! When you come to the first line, ride the first jump like a single, then (inside tip) count down from what ever the number is (example; if the line was a four you would say to your self 4-3-2-1.) This helps you get a sense of how much to move up or slow down. If you moved up in the line make sure to slow down after. Doing this will bring you back to the perfect rhythm. These simple tips can lead to perfect rounds. But always listen to your trainer! Written by guest Pearl Bensimoun I recently received an amazingly packaged pack of Pony Up Treats! These treats are truly one of a kind. The treats that I received were in the flavor "Sugarcane". With light blue and cream colored packaging, they were adorable! One thing that I definitely find interesting about these treats is that they come from the mountains of Colombia. Upon my first use of these treats, I found that they definitely had a sugar type of smell, but I almost immediately got used to it. The treats are of a larger size, which is what my pony prefers. After I gave my pony her first Pony Up Treat, she went crazy for them! I had to give her another, after she attempted to get more out of the bag! I am always a big fan of smaller, natural treat companies, as it makes it easier to have confidence that you aren't giving your pony something similar to McDonald's. These treats are very beneficial to your horse, being a great source of energy and providing several vitamins in them. They are also very sweet and tasty, which my pony of course loves! All in all, I would hands down recommend purchasing Pony Up Treats once their products are launched! To contact Pony Up Treats, you can email them at [email protected] . Also be sure to check out their Instagram @ponyuptreats, and their website ponyuptreats.com! Written by guest Pearl Bensimoun
SugarCube Central is a sugar cube business on Instagram that sells a variety of flavors and shapes to satisfy your horse. From watermelons to cubes with gummies, the vast mount of options make this a go-to business for many equestrians to get their trusty steeds some delicious treats! The owner of SugarCube Central sent me samples of her many treats, and they did not disappoint. The containers in which they come contained a small note regarding our partnership, and it was very kind. Notes like these are sure to make customers happy, as you probably know! The container is also reusable and the treats were separated very neatly. Prior to taking these out to the barn to give my horse, I couldn’t resist the temptation to try one for myself. The first thing I noticed was the amazing flavoring of the apple treats. Some flavored treats I have noticed fail to match the flavor they claim to have to the actual taste, but SugarCube Central has flavorings that taste exactly like what they are sold as. The apple treats definitely had an apple taste and it went great with the sweetness of the sugar. Before I even gave one to my horse I knew she had to love them as much as I did! The next day, I brought them to my barn and was extremely excited about giving them to my horse as well as others. My horse knows the sound of treats opening, no matter the packaging and was eager to try the cubes before I had even taken them out of the container. She ate the sugar cube extremely fast and couldn’t help but to want more. After about 4 cubes, she still wanted more but I decided I still wanted some for her the couple following days. Today, about 6 days later, the treats are all gone and I know my horse loved them, which is always a great feeling! Be sure to check out @sugarcube.central on Intagram and make sure to follow and order treats today! You and your horse will be more than happy, as they taste delicious to both human and horse! Written by guest Isabella Anderson
Recently I had the opportunity to review one of the most trusted brands in equine care, Elite Equine Evolution. This is a household name in the equestrian world, but if you haven’t heard of them, here is a bit of information. E3 is a company that uses Nano Technology to “shrink the size of particular molecules.” This technology also absorbs better into the horse’s coat and mane/tail, allowing quicker and better results. They have many products that help everything from coat dullness to bacterial and fungal conditions. The 4 products I was sent are phenomenal and truly represent the effectiveness of the well-trusted brand name. The first product I tested was the Waterless Argan Oil Shampoo and have been more than impressed with the results. This water-less shampoo is ideal when you don’t have time to give your horse a bath but need a quick clean up. You simply spray, lather, and wipe off. This shampoo restores moisture and shine in the horse's coat. The scent of this spray is also amazing; therefore it not only works, but also smells great! The next product was one I was very excited about. It was the Antibacterial/Antifungal shampoo. Here in southern Florida, the moisture causes a lot of fungal conditions. Several horses, including my own, had gotten small bits of fungus on their hind legs. My horse only had a minor condition, and was quickly gone, thanks to the Antifungal/Antibacterial Shampoo! After only two uses, my horse was back to normal with a clear coat, as well as some shine! This shampoo also worked on bacterial conditions and fungus on other horses, making this a phenomenal remedy. Third, I received the Detangles&Shine detangler. This has become a staple in my show grooming box, and for good reasons. This detangler gets knots out with ease, and is not oily. The spray keeps mane and tails soft and tangle-free longer than any other detangler I have used. In addition, like all of their products, the aroma and scent of it is amazing. The fourth product I received, again with exceptional results, was the Medicated Wound Care Cream. This cream is easy to apply and non-sticky, which is a relief since other creams take quite a while to wash off of human hands! The Wound Care Cream was used on minor cuts that my horse had gotten, and they were cleared up in no time! It also helped with rubs on other horses, and made their coat grow back in those small areas. To conclude, this cream helped so much and will be used and repurchased many times. I have gotten many compliments on the results of it, and have influenced quite a few people to buy their own at tack stores and online! For products that are guaranteed to work and improve the overall appearance of your horse, as well as how they feel, be sure to order/purchase your E3 products online and at tack stores! You can learn more about them and see their other products at www.elitehorseproducts.com! Also, many tack stores, from local to saddlery chains, carry E3. This trusted brand is highly recommended by trainers and grooms all over, so you know you are getting only the best in horse care products! Written by guest Isabella Anderson
I received the adorable blue heart charm and love it! The blue pendant is so cute and the glass adds such a nice shimmer to the charm and emphasizes the pattern of it as well. I have used this on my bridle and have received quite a few compliments! The weight of the charm is also perfect. It is not light but definitely not heavy, and the quality is phenomenal. For such a one of a kind charm and business, I will definitely be ordering more charms from them! Written by guest Pearl Benismoun
Ever since my beautiful "Pink Flower" bridle charm arrived from The Booze Babies, I have been in love! It came very quickly in the mail, and the owner of the company was very nice and professional. I rode in the bridle charm the day after I got it, and I absolutely loved it! It was super easy to put on my bridle, and it wasn't very distracting during our ride. The colors are very pretty and classy. I would definitely recommend purchasing a bridle charm or product from The Booze Babies! Another thing that I noticed that I really like about this equine company is that all of their products are handmade. All in all, I am very pleased with the quality and how cute my bridle charm is!! Be sure to check out their website. Written by guest Isabella Anderson
Its Sew Purdy is a monogram business run and managed by Taylor Purdy. They sell a variety of monograms and monogramed items for the equestrian and non-equestrians alike. She has both regular monograms and Lily Pulitzer monogram patterns, which seems to be the new craze! In addition to vinyl monograms, Its Sew Purdy also has embroidered items. I received three great items from ItsSewPurdy and I am obsessed! The first thing I received was a monogrammed hard body brush for horses. These come personalized with a monogram of your choice. I chose a burgundy body brush with a navy vine monogram on the top. This brush works well and is absolutely adorable. I have gotten several compliments! Another item I got was the personalized tumbler. I chose a clear cup with a blue vine monogram. The monogram has stayed on through dishwashing and has withstood conditions at the barn as well. I use this cup for almost everything, from school to the barn. Lastly I got a few small vinyl decals. These include an anchor, bow, and sailors wheel. I decided to put these on two binders and supply organizers to add a personalized touch! To conclude, ItsSewPurdy is a business definitely worth checking out. Packaging was cute, shipping was fast, and the note enclosed was very thoughtful, delighting all her customers! You can stop by Taylor Purdy’s Etsy and order your personalized items! www.etsy.com/shop/ItsSewPurdy. To keep up with this business as well, visit her Instagram handle @itssewpurdy. |
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