Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
I am sure I've shared this before, but I've been asked recently by a few different people which equine products I use. I am a pretty conservative person by nature. Even at home, my beauty and medical products are pretty limited. My daily routine doesn't include a lot of tubes and bottles, and my medical fixes are limited to soap and water, Neosporin, and band aids. For the horses, I follow a pretty simple routine that is not very product rich. Here is my entire repertoire of tubes, bottles, and jugs. For hair: For wounds that don't require a prescription: To be consumed: ![]() Electrolytes (and I'm picky about the brand - this is the same company that makes EnduraMax, the formula has been adapted for non-endurance work levels) and some kind of horse treats (whatever my feed store has at the time). Not pictured are free choice alfalfa hay, beet pulp, rice bran, and Himalayan salt rocks.
And that's it. There is nothing else that I put on or in my horses unless it is prescribed by the vet (dewormers are somewhat vet prescribed). Both of my boys are healthy and happy year round. They get an occasional scrape or cut, but their coats are soft and shiny, their hooves are hard and healthy, and their digestive systems hum along efficiently doing their jobs.
I've been considering feeding Platinum Performance for the better part of a year. I just have a hard time justifying the expense when my boys are doing great with no supplements at all. Until I make that decision, what you see pictured is all the "product" that my horses get.
10 Comments
lytha
11/2/2014 10:47:47 pm
You just use the quicsilver on his socks? Not his tail? Never the entire body? I guess it is rude to blind the judges.
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11/5/2014 09:47:07 am
It;s more that I am cautious about what i put on his whole body. the shampoo I use is very gentle and doesn't dry his skin out. I don't know how the Quicsilver would react with his skin. I should try it one time and see how bright he gets! :0)
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karen
11/2/2014 11:53:31 pm
Just as an FYI:
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jenj
11/3/2014 10:43:29 pm
I'm pretty minimal too, but I'm with you on the QuickColor. I need to buy stock in that stuff! I also have blueing - a few drops in a bucket of your soapy water, sponged on lightly or worked into a light-colored tail works great! And they do end up rather blindingly white, lol!
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11/5/2014 09:48:39 am
It definitely helps whiten socks, even on a gray horse! I've never done his whole body, but I am tempted to give it a try for this weekend's show. :0)
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I'm with you on the minimalism! My coat care is a bottle of apple cider vinegar and a bottle of high octane fly spray. At shows he might get a silicone spray. Maybe. He's one shiny horse, and often doesn't need it.
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11/5/2014 09:51:22 am
The Scarlex comes out bright red on Speedy so I can't use it right before a show. Surprisingly, the staining is always gone within 24 hours. Scarlex is about the only topical that my vet likes. It's a good product that doesn't over-dry or over-moisturize. It is my go-to product for any skin ailment. :0)
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11/6/2014 09:44:06 pm
People ask all the time how I keep him so clean, he's quite white, but I don't do much. Like you said, the stains just brush off. His knees can get a little yellowish green from where he wipes his mouth, but even that comes off with a bit of a scrub. Leave a Reply. |
About the Writer and RiderI am a lifelong rider.
I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010. Welcome to my dressage journey. About Speedy GSpeedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
About IzzyIzzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
National Rider AwardsState Rider Awards
State Horse Awards
Working Towards:
CDS Sapphire Rider Award Third Level: 63.514% Third Level: 62.105% Fourth Level: Fourth Level: 2023 Show Season
Show Rating (***) CDS/USDF/USEF (*) CDS (s) Schooling (c) Clinic (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic 2023 Show Schedule
TBD 2023 Completed … Pending 2023 Qualifying Scores
Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Training Level 3 Scores/2 Judges/60%: Score 1: Score 2: Score 3: Archives
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