What products have improved your/ your horse’s quality of life?

[wildlifer]

Gorilla tape. I will never buy messy duct tape again.

And I second technical fabrics – wicking in the summer, warmth without bulk in the winter (Thinsulate is amazingness), breathable always – life is so much better for me & horses both.

And the increased accessibility of solar powered products – I have an independent panel that powers my fence charger battery & all my lighting in horse areas runs on panels. That combined with improvements in battery technology means I don’t need to run wires for electricity or buy 87,000 heavy D-cell batteries just to have lights for a few hours at a time.

[mvp]

@Foxglove

In my nearly 60 years of horse ownership --I’d say fly masks and fly sheets --blankets existed (I think everyone had a NZ rug) but where I lived never saw a horse in a blanket like today. I would say fly spray, but “back in the day” there were some fly sprays for cows (don’t recall seeing horse specific fly spray as a kid) that worked better. Probably had some chemical that is banned these days --but remember spraying my long-suffering horse (I was a dumb kid) and watching flies land and die --just like that.

And basic nutrition --I fed clover hay because I thought the flowers were pretty in it (dumb kid again), and ear corn --because I liked ear corn (dumber and dumber).

There still is some cattle fly spray which is called, C M Die. That’s the actual name, just like you saw . I had an old school BO that used to mix that with some other ingredients to make her own home brew fly spray.

BTW, I remember those (horrible) New Zealand rugs. But what did horses wear in order to stay dry in a warmer rain? I can’t remember there being rain sheets. I guess that rain sheets with shoulder gussets would be one of my Great Improvement products for horse quality of life.

I do think warmer, lighter quilted blankets with waterproofing are a huge improvement over NZ canvas-and-wool or Baker blankets. Both rub shoulders badly. Also along these lines, I really like Bossy Bibs as the antidote to shoulder rubs for any blanket-wearing horse.

I’d also say that paste wormers have improved horses’ quality of life because it’s so much easier and cheaper to keep them de-wormed than it was when you had to have your vet tube worm them.

[RubyTuesday]

Paste wormers!

[ParadoxFarm]

Equiderma for rain rot is really good. And my DH is pretty good, too. Or is that considered a “big expensive” thing? (I think he’d argue that I’m the big expensive thing.)

[Lokinator]

Stall Skins!

[TheHorseMutterer]

Hay Chix nets for a round bale (or, honestly, any netted round bale). Not putting out squares (netted or otherwise) has been a game changer both for time saving and money saving.

[walktrot]

Epona Flexible Glossy Groomer. I found it by accident because it isn’t listed as a curry. I was trying to replace a size small jelly scrubber. This is way better that just about anything else on the planet. Totally flexible, including the little nubs. You can put some muscle behind it. Perfect on legs, follows the contours with no problems. Conquers the shedding summer coat. I bought an extra for the rider with an intellectual disability who rides my horse. Much easier for her because of the shape and strap to hold it on.

The Bitten Bit warmer. I think it was a flop because they showed up as a closeout on TOTD. It was way too expensive. I bought reusable HotSnapz warmers which need to be boiled to revive them. I was never very concerned about warming his bit until one outrageously cold morning when his saliva froze to it for a moment. How could I do that?!?!?!? The HotSnapz are great because they heat it up without getting too hot. You just have to come up with something that holds the bit and the warmer together.

One of those adjustable hiking sticks. When you get old you’ll know why. It’s a lot easier dealing with ice, mud, ice and mud. I’m happier when I don’t fall down.

Equine Affaire. I missed it this year for the fist time in 15 years so I didn’t have a chance to find stuff I didn’t know he needed.

Susan Harris. That’s why I missed Equine Affaire. A weekend clinic and private lesson. She recharged my riding with some adjustments to my position and tack to take care of his aging back. He’s a lot happier, and so am I. I’ll buy extra stuff next year.

[Simkie]

I know you’re looking for a single product or product class, but have you ever walked through the barn and looked for all the plastic? It’s AMAZING how many plastic things we use and depend on, and how those things have hugely improved horse keeping.

Dependence on plastic is such an environmental concern, but holy cow would things be different if all plastic goods disappeared tomorrow!

[Jackie_Cochran]

Titanium bits.

HandsOn grooming gloves.

Tiger Tongue.

[TMares]

These, so I don’t leave the water on for hours…
https://www.hayneedle.com/product/orbit-62034-mechanical-watering-timer.cfm?source=pla&kwid=HoseReels%20level05&tid=JEN6218-1&adtype=showcase_product&kw=&&g_acctid=933-667-2123&g_campaign=Showcase&g_campaignid=673010537&g_adgroupid=55643108102&g_adid=342941636301&g_keyword=&g_keywordid=pla-293946777986&g_adtype=showcase_product&g_merchantid=5643243&g_productchannel=online&g_productid=JEN6218-1&g_partition=293946777986&g_network=g&g_ifproduct=product&g_ifcreative=&gclid=CjwKCAiArJjvBRACEiwA-Wiqq4AvozwfWPjit_KVvbeyMXoeLVi6f-Wg4_yDVpEnr_GTHE4oH2H0ERoC1tQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[sophie]

For my horse:

• breathable, waterproof rain sheet and medium weight turnout blanket
• fly mask and fly spray
• insulated / heated water buckets
• winter shoes (pads + borium)
• brushing boots as she interferes in the back

For me:

• insulated / electric water buckets
• big tall mounting block so that I don’t even have to use stirrups (Mare is happy about that too)
• hair dryer to warm up the bit, my fingers, and dry a sweaty horse
• shedding blade as grooming tool in winter - gets the mud off quickly
• warm Mountain Horse winter gloves for barn chores
• warm yet thin SSG leather gloves for winter riding
• Featherlight, warm puffer jacket for winter riding
• Bog boots for both winter barn chores and riding

[Renn_aissance]

Magnetic hock boots, lightweight waterproof rugs, Hands On grooming gloves (thank you to the million people on COTH who recommended them, my horse wants to know what took me so long,) bucket and trough heaters, Previcox, leather full pads and aluminum shoes, and I would be remiss in not mentioning Stauffer’s Ginger Snaps, $2.99 for a month’s supply at Wegmans.

[kaya842]

I love all of the products and comments so far!! Lots I already use and some I will have to check out.

For my horse:
-Shoo Fly Leggings!!! This has been the best improvement to her quality of life maybe ever - the bugs just will not quit here.
-Equioxx - This is really for both of us. Not having to fight to syringe or get her to eat Bute powder is a life saver.
-Slow feed hay nets - hay 24/7 need I say more?

For me:
-Eddier Bauer Parka - 1000% better than coveralls since I can move more and not be slowed down by them and keep me just as warm.
-Ariat Coniston Pro Boots - this is the first winter I haven’t had to take breaks from being outside because my toes HURT from being cold

[HPFarmette]

@atr

Lightweight blankets, effective wormers and vaccines, better treatment options for arthritis, and better saddle fitting spring immediately to mind.

My lightweight, flat transparent no freeze hose has been a game changer for winter horsekeepinig at home.

May I get more info on that hose?

[HPFarmette]

Mud slabs.

[atr]

@HPFarmette

May I get more info on that hose?

I wish I could find the exact one again! I’ve had it for a number of years and think I purchased it from a recommendation on here.

I’ve been googling this evening as a couple of people have asked, the closest I can find is the “Big Boss Aquastream” hose, but it doesn’t look as robust as mine–though I do remember mine being rather expensive.

The best thing about it, apart from it’s inherent lightness and lack of kinking, is that it is self-draining, so I can just roll it up and shove it in the garage for most of the winter–though if it’s really bitter it ends up in the mudroom sink because the connectors freeze otherwise.

[CanteringCarrot]

Hmmm

• Slow feed hay net - not made out of think net material, but quite thick and sturdy - easier to fill too.

• Horseware blankets and blanket liners

• Flexineb (horse has occasional allergy flare ups).

• Wool quarter sheet. Good for warm ups and trail rides on my clipped horse.

• Fly sprays, fly masks and fly sheets

• Good quality low NSC feeds and vit/min for the easy keeper/horse that is of a breed prone to things such as laminitis or IR.

• Not living in a stall. Stalls with paddocks or fields attached are becoming more popular around here. This is a good thing for most horses. Not exactly a product per say, but worth a mention.

• Leovet Mane Liquid. He does not rub his braids at all with this! So I assume it makes him less itchy or bothered.

[Sleipnir]

For my horse and me - Ghost saddles. I was seriously considering quotting riding him altogether because how hard he is to fit and the lack of saddlers in my country who actually know what they’re doing… Luckily, he’s now very happy to be ridden in the Ghost, and it’s also comfortable for my bad hip.

Those “Magic brush” brushes - my beast lives 24/7 outside unclipped and it can get quite muddy around here in autumn/winter. Brushing his mammoth coat when he’s caked in mud is so much easier with those.

Thinsulate winterwear for me.

[Punkie]

EquiThrive and Previcoxxx, big time. I have a farm full of very active seniors and this combination along with routine joint maintenance keeps them at the top of their game.

Cattle fly spray. I dilute it to half, costs me 1/10th of anything marketed for horses and keeps the bugs away big time. Probably going to give us all cancer, but hey, no flies :lol:

Automatic waterers. Never having to lug a hose or fill a trough? Heaven!

Sun shirts. The ability to cover from head to toe in Florida in the middle of the summer and not die? Priceless.

Symbiont wound wash. Literally works for everything

[Marla_100]

Punkie, care to share the brand of cattle fly spray you use? That’s interesting!!