It looks like the change is official. I know we have heard rumors about the shift for a while now, but this is an interesting read on their choice to rebrand.
I just got the ad announcement email from the USEA, which caused me to 1) roll my eyes and 2) come here to see if anyone else had posted, as it leans heavily into Special Snowflake territory.
“We make one-of-a-kind solutions for one-of-a-kind horses”
“Because he’s not just any horse”
“Supplements as unique as your horse”
Seriously?
I mean… I think my mare is pretty great, but also, she’s a horse, and normal horse things work well for her! If she gets a bit skinny, I change her from a ration balancer to a grain. If she gets a bit fat, I do the opposite. I give her forage in appropriate amount and quality. I exercise her in a sensible program. If I have a specific problem, I add something to address that specific problem.
On the other hand, though, I’m also not a SmartPak supps customer. Maybe I have just identified why?
There are SO many supplement companies now, and what seems like an infinite number of supplements, that every company has to start figuring out what words attract enough customers
There’s a saying “around” with this sort of thing that “you don’t have to be better, you just have to be different”. “1000 songs in your pocket” made the iPod much more popular than the just-as-good Zune, for example
Supplements are NOT as unique as a horse. The vast majority of supplement companies don’t have one-of-a-kind solutions, and I’m pretty sure SP/SE doesn’t have any, unless they’ve added something new recently that nobody else has (yet)
So yes, it’s marketing for those who still haven’t caught on to the fact that the vast majority of horses don’t need the vast majority of supplements, and when they do, it’s usually the more simple things
Their new SmartGrey product had me when it came out, as it preys on people who (still) think that gray horse melanoma has everything to do with the sun and/or an unhealthy immune system.
They DO have some useful, or potentially useful products. But so do most companies, so they have to try to make themselves stand out so they SEEM better
I mean most of what I buy from them is clothing and tack so… I guess I’m not a customer anymore?
I’m really sad to see this “rebrand”. I have been a customer for years, but not for supplements. I honestly don’t feed my 3 horses supplements. The only “supplement” I give is electrolytes on stupid-hot days, and that’s something I get from my local feed store. Salt blocks I get from the feed store.
I loved Smartpak for their apparel & tack. It was my go-to. Now I just looked over the website (My in-laws always gave me a $100 gift card for my birthday & Christmas, which was so fun spending on tack & clothes I normally don’t get for myself). Now there is almost nothing, and final sales. Ugh, I guess they just lost a customer because I don’t buy into feeding a million supplements. So sad.
I guess they know their financials best, I just thought their piper/hadley lines and their matchy match pads/wraps/clothes made a ton. Potentially they undervalued how much people buy from them because they got free shipping with their smart pack too?
The best Winter turnout I ever got was a Smartpak lined with Thinsulate.
Lightweight & warm, the tech fabric lining meant no need to change blankets when temps changed.
It wore like iron on my pony & when he sadly outgrew it a couple years later, I passed it along to a friend for her large Shetland.
That was at least 10yrs ago & she’s still using it.
I checked every Smartpak catalog I got after & it looks like they only carried that blanket the year I ordered it - 2010.
Can I hope their new line revives it?
Did you get it in the Smart Pink Plaid?
I have that one. So cute.
I had the blue one and loved it
A well considered re-branding. With the unclear tariff picture and much of the horse and human clothing they sell being produced overseas both non-supplement sales and profit margins may be taking a hit. A return to their core business is a sound move. I think about barns where I have boarded where any supplements requested by boarders were required to be supplied in Smart Packs. That’s their real core business - selling monthly subscriptions.
From the other Smartpak thread:
No. I have owned it for what seems like forever. It was a huge splurge at the time.
It looks so cute on my horse that I admit that I save it and it only gets used minimally.
I never fed that many supplements nor do I get influenced by cultish marketing techniques and vocabulary but as a boarder for 50+ years found their original business-the Smart Pak- a godsend. For convenience, efficiency, economy and peace of mind.
Preferred Dover for other supplies and ended up buying odds and ends plus tack at the show vendors after my local tack shops shrank to nothing.
Hope SP/SE is able to continue with that original core business and it does not get smothered by the matchy matchy trendy high profit margin stuff.
They’re no longer producing/selling apparel, tack, etc. Going back to basics with supplements, blankets, fly care products, so there should be no matchy matchy trendy stuff.
I’m joining the group that’s disappointed in losing their “affordable” apparel and tack options!
While I do use one of their supplements for my mare, their branded clothes and tack were what I purchased the most. I have so many of their sun shirts, riding tights, and breeches (and way too many saddle pads ). Saw a comment on Facebook yesterday from someone who was disappointed because SP was really good about inclusive sizing for rider clothing which was something I hadn’t even thought about! Definitely disappointing even though I guess I can understand why they’re making this choice.
I have my horses at home and ordered supplements from them because it was easier at the time AND I got free shipping on all my other supplies so it was no big deal to reorder fly spray, salt blocks, tack, and apparel.
Now that there’s no reason for the free shipping I’m considering stopping smartpaks all together.
Anyone have any suggestions for a all in one joint and hoof supplement?
doesn’t Dover have white labeled clothing that is less expensive as well as tack? Could those missing Smartpak brands go there?
I think the issue is the Smartpak clothing was made specifically for them. It may be some sort of OEM line, where a factory in China makes say Romfh and then they just flip a label to Smartpak but usually you see the exact same lines and just different labels.
Think about Correct Connect, Espirit, Freeride, etc. Their breeches are made in the same factory with different pattern silicone and logos.
I haven’t seen that for Smartpak and the Piper name is likely exclusive to them so my best guess is buy what you can now if it’s still available. I wish there was more warning as by the time I realized it some of my favorite items were long gone.
IME most of the better hoof supplements also put a great coat on a horse, same stuff, maybe add a little flax if that.