3 Horsey Tools I'm Loving

Thank goodness winter is over!!  It can be a really trying time as a horse (or any livestock, for that matter) owner.  Whether you’re fighting frozen water tanks, blowing and drifting snow, or the desire to stay curled up under a blanket inside… We can’t simply ignore the animals we have chosen to have in our lives!  Now that it seems that spring is here to stay, I’ve been thinking about a few things that I couldn’t do without as a horse owner... 

For years, I’ve used a plastic tote to hold my grooming supplies, but this Christmas I received the Noble Outfitters Equissential Tote and honestly LOVE it!  There’s tons of pockets for storage and because of it’s height, spray bottles go in the middle and don’t fall over like they did in my old one.  The best part though?  The mesh bottom that let’s hair and dirt fall tight through.  I can’t tell you how gross my old one used to get because it just accumulated at the bottom.  Eww.  Oh, and it comes in purple and black!

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As we transition from winter to spring, the days get longer and horses start shedding.  Horse hair is literally flying all over the place.  A good rule of thumb; don’t want to wear polar fleece or chapstick in the barn from February to mid-May!  To help expedite the process, I rotate between three different shedding tools… Shedding blade, a Furminator and a Sleekez.  

For the last several years, I’ve used a slow feed hay bag at the trailer or in the stall overnight at horse shows.  The slow feed hay bags are nice because they keep Louie busy, he wastes very little hay compared to a traditional hay bag, I haul less hay and it mimics his natural grazing habits.  All positives in my book.  This winter at the barn we experimented with using them on a daily basis and they worked out really well!  The stalls were easier to clean because there wasn’t hay being stirred into shavings and there wasn't the worry we'd run out of hay.  A common concern.  In the mornings there was less rowdy, “I’m starving” banging of doors because they eat all through the night.  I’ve been won over by the Hay Chix brand of hay bag simply because they’re the easiest to fill!

What are some of your 'Must Haves' in the barn?  Please share!