My Favorite Horse Products
Some of these products have been around for as long as I have had horses (30+ years) and some came on the marker more recently. Having worked in a tack shop for about eight years I had the opportunity to try out a lot of health and grooming aids, but only a few have really been anything I bought twice. These are the products I repeatedly purchase for my horses.
Manna Pro Concentrate- I have tried the all-ready-mixed Pro Manna and got average results. This year I decided to try the concentrate, mainly because it was less expensive. I mixed it at the strongest recommended ratio. It does NOT last up to four weeks as advertised. They must have tested that somewhere that had few bugs. In NC where I live I spray my horses daily and it is doing a very good job. I have one horse that breaks out in welt from mosquito bites and when I turn her out at night she gets a good spraying. No welts the next morning. A 32 oz bottle of concentrate costs about $13.00.
Gnatural Cream - This is one of the few, if not only, product that repels gnats and deer flies. It used to be named Gnats Away. One summer the gnats were so bad I could hardly teach lesson. Clouds of the tiny bugs swarmed around my horses faces as my students had to deal with head shaking horses. One day when new stock came into the show there was a box of Gnats Away. I bought a tube and it worked like magic. I used it when trail riding and was not plagued by deer flies. It was made in Germany and I don't know why the name changed, but the product works just as good as it did before. They also make a spray on fly repellent and several other products. I have not tried them. I put Gnatural on my horse's face and do not need a fly mask. The cream comes in an 8 oz tube or 16 oz jar. It sells for about $8.
Quic Silver Shampoo - If you have a gray horse or one with white spots, mane and/or tail this works great. I have used it for most of the 30 years I have worked in the horse industry. I especially like how it takes the yellow out of my gray horse's tail. When we were showing we used it all the time. You suds them up, let it stay on 10 minutes and rinse out. Don't leave it on to long or you horse will be lavender instead of sparkling white.
Swat - I use this on my horse's face and under the belly where it repels and kills flies, ticks, fleas (you can use it on dogs, too) and other bothersome bugs. Also has healing properties for minor cuts, scratches and rubs. This is perfect for that raw spot horses can get down the ventral line for the belly from those tiny black flies. It helps heal the raw spot and repels the flies. I apply it daily in the summer to my old mare.
Cowboy Magic Detangler 4 oz tube or 16 oz bottle. I prefer this over any spray on detangler. Fits in the groom box, works well. Wash your hands good after you use it, before you ride. Your hands will be slippery if you don't.
Dawn Dish Washing Liquid - When you want to get rid of deep grim, like the dirt horses accumulate over winter this soap gets it out. Buy at your nearest grocery store.
Nitrofurazone Dressing- a good, all-purpose topical antibacterial ointment. Some topical medications can actually do more harm than good because they are so strong they damage tissue. Examples are iodine and blue lotion. But, now I am seeing in the catalog descriptions to use gloves when you apply it because it is carcinogenic to humans!
An alternative is Corona, another old-time topical. It is recommended as a skin healing ointment and can also be used as a hoof dressing.
Red Cell - a blood-building supplement that has iron, vitamins and trace minerals. Its been around for years. Anytime I have a horse that has been under stress from illness or is underweight or anemic I put them on Red Cell for a couple of months.
What are your favorite products? Leave a comment and tell me what and why.
