I recently discovered these tight gloved curry (https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/handson-gloves-for-grooming-13595). Oh my stars, these things are glorious. Why hadn’t we thought of this earlier? It is so much more precise and easier to get into the hard-to-reach spots.
I feel as though sun shirts had a large phenomenon as well (no more awkward farmer’s tans and sun protection!).
What have been your favorite products that have elevated your barn trips?
Oh, my horse loves those gloves!
How are those gloves different from a curry mitt or jelly scrubber? Are they easier to use, scrubbier…? I had 6 curries at one time and just downsized my brush box. Do I need to expand again? 
Helmets with built in sun visors like the First Lady and Miss Shield- no more helmet harness tan line!
I bought the Epona Tiger Tongue ( off of suggestions on this board) and it has pretty much replaced my curry brush. For really nasty mud i still have to get a more heavy-duty rubber curry or i use a Slick N Easy Grooming block, but my OTTB hates the hard plastic type curry brushes… he would probably kill me if i came at him with that glove thing. He really seems to love the Tiger Tongue. I also like it because it doesn’t seem to get the dust and dirt all over the place. A wonderful added bonus as I am allergic to horses and dust. So WIN-WIN!
Not really riding related… but I bought a dollar store toilet brush to scrub horse buckets with… it really gets the bottom so much better than the big heavy duty bucket brushes. makes cleaning buckets a breeze.
Cowboy Magic Green Spot Remover, it was a must have when i showed a flea bitten gray for those poop stains, but now i use it for everything from muddy low rider dog bellies, to cleaning up sweat marks after winter rides. I swear my guys sweat marks dry faster if i spray a little on after a ride. Especially since in SE Michigan a full bath is not always and option.
They’re a lot more glove-like than a curry mitt, so your hand doesn’t slide around inside them while the curry just sits there on the same spot. You also don’t have to actively try to hang onto them as they won’t slide off your hand the way a mitt will (at least does on my hands). You can get a finger tip into small places like the little nooks behind the pasterns, even delicately pick off little crusty goobers near the eyes.
Healthy Hair Care Moisturizer. It makes it easy to get knots and burdocks out of the mane/tail/forelock, and if you spray it on after grooming it removes the dust that sits on top of the coat. Plus it doesn’t make the saddle slide around like Show Sheen does.
Equiderma Skin Lotion. I use it whenever one of my horses has a skin issue like rain rot or scratches. It’s the only thing that really works for me, and quickly. https://www.equiderma.com/products/skin-lotion-for-horses?gclid=CjwKCAiAgrfhBRA3EiwAnfF4tvSabDX6yibPtWPm4eaBnahj3zx9vt26Y1K2dvp_9ETi7EWmuUgeiBoCdPMQAvD_BwE
Two things for me:
ShowSheen + Alcohol trick = best spot remover EVER and you don’t need to buy a third product to carry around in your groom kit
Magic Cushion - OH MY LORD was this a game changer at horse shoes!! When we had 10 horses worth of hooves to pack, no more cutting duck tape for an hour and using a gazillion rolls of VetWrap. Just clean out the hoof, pack this in, cover with shavings, and you’re done!
Tomorrow - it is the kindest, most effective thrush eliminator I have ever used
Electro Groom - I have been at our barn for three years and only started using this in the spring - how did I ever live without it? It’s perfect for those cold winter months when you can’t bathe.
Bemer blanket - makes my horse fall asleep and relax every time. He loves it. Not sure what it’s actually doing but it definitely seems to be having some soft of relaxing impact on him if nothing else.
Equine Elixer Ulcereraser - this stuff is pure magic!! We noticed a major coat improvement in a month.
Easy Boot cloud boots - I used to use SoftRide boots for those emergency hoof issues, but they always spun around, are not available in an emergency (you have to order and overnight them) and they rubbed my gelding’s heel bulbs. In a pinch I needed a new boot so I tried the Easy Boot Cloud since it was at my local Dover. What a difference that made! These fit my horses so much better, hold up better, and are lighter. They don’t shuffle like the heavier SoftRide boots and are a lot easier to find and size.
Premier Rehydrant Spray by EQyss…living in a dry climate, this spray re-hydrates the coat, gives a shine, and isn’t slippery, so you can use it over the whole horse without creating a slippage issue. And it smells AMAZING (I’ve been known it spray it in my hair too…)
Having a vacuum has been great. I don’t have hot water in the barn, so baths are out until summer. I love being able to get at least some of the winter dirt out.
Gastro Plus Pro by Equine Science Solutions is the most effective ulcer treatment I’ve ever seen. I use that for shows or traveling or if there’s an acute issue, but keep my mare on the Sweet Mare Plus formula, which is a maintenance formula that helps balance the hormones and keeps ulcers at bay. Great product.
@ParadoxFarm I’ll have to try that…my mare has a stubborn, crusty fungus-y type situation on her hind pastern that I cannot get rid of. I’ve tried tons of things, but haven’t tried that one yet.
I think my favorite two things I bought/ used regularly last year were leather bits from Sweet Billys Bits and a mixture of water, listerine, and ACV. The leather bit was a big change for my mare and she loves it - we really started progressing quickly after using it. The water, ACV, mouthwash mixture is great. I use it on my horse’s fungus prone spots on her legs, spray all over and towel to get dirt off (especially in winter), use it as a spot remover at shows, use a little bit to clean her udders, and spray on her hooves (in the hopes it prevents/ kills off some bacteria). It’s so cheap and easy and has so many uses I love it.
I second Epona Tiger Tongue and I LOVE their April Showers sponge. The April Showers sponge is the best sponge I have ever used. It soaks up a ton of water and super easy to wring out. It’s soft yet very durable.
My HAAS brushes are a godsend! Keeps my grey horse sparkling white without a bath.
Great thread! I am taking notes.
I love this stuff too. I spritz all my clipping clients after I’m finished and use it 3 times a week on my own horse. At the recommendation of a fellow COTHer I also add a little bit to my fly spray in the summer.
Courtesy of COTH:
BOSS - black oil sunflower seeds
I feed about 2 tbsp daily - heaping for the TWH, level for the pony & slightly less for the mini.
Cheapest coat conditioner EVER :encouragement:
Even in dead Winter coats are soft, shiny & with a hint of dapples.
And, trust me, this is not due to my grooming expertise. Or regularity :rolleyes:
If they’re lucky, each gets a quick daily brush, less often with rubber curry first.
Cowboy Magic detangler rubbed into the mini’s trollmane before brushing through it makes him look civilized.
And helps keep mudclots out of the TWH’s floor-dragging tail.
Now this, I have not heard of! Does the bit not get… gunky?
Agreed, love everyone’s insight thus far!
I have to say, I really, really recommend you try! They are space-efficient!
If you dunk the bit in a water bucket or wipe off (like you would with a regular bit) they do not get gunky at all! They do change shape and mold to the horse’s mouth a bit which I like.
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