There’s an old ranchers’ saying; “You have to have mud in the corrals if you want to have grass in the pastures.” True, but it would be nice to have as little of it as possible.

Cynthia Foley, the editor for Horse Journal since its inception in 1994 hates mud! She writes on myhorse.com:

With mud, I worry about my horses pulling tendons, slipping and twisting legs. I worry about ‘scratches’ on their heels. I hate grooming off clouds of mud dust. I breathe it in and cough, which makes me wonder how the horses stand it. Often when they come in at night, they are still wet which means either another late trip down to the barn to groom once they are dry or up earlier the next morning to groom. Not great options!

A quick-cleaning, gentle body wash has long been a horse owner’s dream is Mane ‘n Tail Spray-Away Horse Wash. Safe and gentle enough to use every day, it cleans thoroughly without scrubbing. This thorough cleaning maintains healthier skin, eliminating fungal and bacterial food sources and prevents many horse skin conditions.

It is available is various sizes depending on your equine needs. A convenient ready-to-use 32 oz spray container that attaches directly to a hose for easy application, a gallon refill size and in a 16 oz concentrate that makes 4 quarts of Spray-Away and may be used with one of our two sprayers: Equine Sprayer or Deluxe Sprayer (both sold separately).

Watch our videos online on how to use the product!

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Did you receive the Mane ‘n Tail Equine newsletter last week? If you did, you can stop reading and go back to enjoying time with your horse. (You’re welcome.)

For those of you that did not, sign up for our free newsletter! Here’s what you missed.

Your own horse grooming guide
Grooming your horse regularly will enable to you to keep his coat and hooves in good condition, as well as monitor his health. It’s easy, and should only take about 30 minutes.  Get the simple step-by-step guide here.

Expert Grooming Tips
Every time you groom your horse, you have the perfect opportunity to assess his health, check him over for injuries and use your grooming techniques to help ensure that he stays healthy. Read more.

In a lather over equine cleaning products?
Beyond basic bubbles, shampoos for horses offer many of the same cosmetic and health benefits that shampoos formulated for people do. How do you choose? Begin by sizing up your horse’s specific needs. Pick the right shampoo for your horse.

Wondering how best to bathe your horse?
First, gather what you’ll need: a hose with an adjustable nozzle, a big tub of water you’ve warmed if there’s no running hot water, two buckets, several big half-moon sponges, an equine shampoo, a rubber mitt, a wooden scraper (gentler than plastic or metal ones), a couple of big towels, and a stepstool or ladder. Make sure bathing time is a soothing time.

Sign up today to ensure you’ll receive the second in our horse grooming guide series this week.

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He was among 11 others in a barn when it caught fire in late May. He survived, but six others did not. The aftermath left his throat and lungs scorched from smoke inhalation, and other parts of his body were burned. It seemed he never felt as badly as he should have and in just seven month, he made a miraculous recovery. Three months later, he is on a short list of Summer Olympics contenders!

If only he could talk to tell us his secret of survival.

Meet Neville Bardos, the horse who defied the odds and managed a competitive comeback that most of his human athletic counterparts would envy. This past Friday evening, a well deserving Neville was named the International Horse of the Year for 2011 by the United States Equestrian Federation. “We’ve never seen anything like him,” Joanie Morris, a federation spokeswoman, said. (Photo Courtesy of USEA)

Neville, now 12, appears to have few remaining scars from the fire. Doctors have deemed him physically recovered, although sirens startle him, as does smoke.

“I guess we better be careful around that torch,” Boyd Martin, Neville’s rider, said about the Olympic flame.

Read more about how Neville cheated death.

Bonus tip:
This is a good time to remind equine owners to, at the very least, keep a basic first aid kit, not only in your barn, but also in your truck or travel trailer, and saddle bag. Mane ‘n Tail’s Pro-Tect products are safe, affordable and do an excellent job: Shampoo for rain rot; Skin and Wound Spray Treatment for abrasions; Skin and Wound Cream Treatment for tail itch; and Thrush Treatment. The Pro-Tect line is a ‘must-have’ for your equine first-aid kit.

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Are you going horseback riding more than you thought you would so far this winter? You are not alone. As of last week, only 19 percent of the nation was covered in snow, less than half the average snow cover over the past five years on the same date, according to the National Weather Service’s National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center in Minnesota.

One of the most relaxing rides I’ve had in a while was last week, although it was cold and windy. Even though the trail was free from snow and the footing hazards that come with it for horses, the ride can be even more enjoyable for you and your horse with these basic tips.

Warm the Bit
A frosty cold bit can be uncomfortable for your horse. Keep bridles in the house, warm the bit with your hands, or put a warm (not hot) gel pack around the bit before putting it in your horse’s mouth.

Layers
Your horse has a coat provided by nature, but you will need to dress for the elements. Dress yourself in layers that can be removed easily if you get warm while working your horse.

Don’t worry about style, stay warm! Clearly demonstrated in the photo to the left, courtesy of my riding partner, Ashley Pechacek.

Hydration
Water is very easily neglected in winter. However, the air is the driest this time of year. Is your horse’s winter water source cold? Try offering lukewarm water to encourage a little more drinking. Don’t forget to hydrate yourself too while he’s drinking.

Grooming
Use hot, damp towels to clean a muddy horse after riding. With static electricity being more prevalent in the winter due to the dry air, minimize this by using Mane ‘n Tail Shine-On after drying your horse thoroughly. Shine-on will also help repel dust and dirt which will help to clean your horse easier after your next ride. Remember, Mane ‘n Tail Shine-On can be used dry or wet, saving on grooming time.

Bonus tip:
Mane ‘n Tail Spray-Away cleans thoroughly without scrubbing! This is most useful for spot cleaning and washing your horse’s face. It’s also safe and gentle enough to use everyday. Just as our hair needs moisturizer in winter from the dry air, so does your horse! Essential oils and proteins in our Spray-Away will condition and replenish; enhancing the natural luster in your horse’s coat.

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Horses remain loyal to humans with which they have had past, positive encounter. They not only remember people who have treated them well, they also understand words better than expected, research shows. This could be why equines are among people’s favorite animals.

If you already love horses or if you just love inspiring movies about horses, see if you agree with our top ten great horse movies. Where would you rate the newly released movie, War Horse?

10. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
As a wild stallion travels across the frontiers of the Old West, he befriends a young human and finds true love with a mare.

9. Dreamer
Cale Crane (played by young Dakota Fanning) catalyzes the rescue and rehabilitation of Sonador, a race horse with a broken leg.

8. The Greening of Whitney Brown
Whitney, a spoiled pre-teen from Philadelphia, is forced to move to the country when her parents feel the squeeze of economic hard times. A fish out of water, far from her comfort zone, she befriends an amazing horse, and undertakes a misguided journey back to her old life, only to discover that her family is her home. Our Original Shampoo and Conditioner are featured in this movie!

7. Flicka
Starring country singing legend Tim McGraw, this is a story of how a young girl claims a wild horse as her own. Such gallantry proves to the girl’s father (McGraw) that she is capable of one day taking over the family ranch.

6. Secretariat
Penny Chenery Tweedy and colleagues guide her long-shot but precocious stallion to set, in 1973, the unbeaten record for winning the Triple Crown.

5. Seabiscuit
Based on the book by Laura Hillenbrand, this true story tells of the undersized Depression-era racehorse whose victories lifted not only the spirits of the team behind it but also those of the nation as well.

4. The Horse Whisperer
The mother of a severely traumatized daughter enlists the aid of a unique horse trainer to help the girl’s equally injured horse.

3. National Velvet
Liz Taylor, as Velvet Brown, lives the dream we all had as children—win a horse in a lottery and turn him into a champion. In this case, young Velvet disguises herself as a boy and wins England’s famous Grand National steeplechase on her beloved Pie.

2. Black Beauty
Several versions have been created based on Anna Sewell’s classic book. Beauty tells his own story about leaving his wonderful first home and being passed through indifferent and abusive owners before finally being reunited with the boy he loved.

1. The Black Stallion
Based on the Walter Farley children’s book of the same name, The Black Stallion is a film about a young boy who, after surviving a shipwreck, is stranded on an island with a mysterious black horse. The pair form a powerful bond that helps them, once rescued, to race against and beat the fastest horses in the country.

Is your horse camera-ready?
The Original Mane ‘n Tail Shampoo and Conditioner were both targeted for show horses with long flowing mane and tails. Our non-drying, moisturizing, beauty-enhancing cleansing and conditioning products continue do the job and keep horses looking and feeling their very best! The line has expanded to include multiple grooming, finishing, first aid, treatment and canine products. See our full product line!

Bonus Tip:
Have you tried our Detangler ‘n Shine yet? It’s solution for tangle and knot free manes and tails!

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Last week we asked if your horse wears a winter blanket. This week we ask, what do you do to prepare your horse’s hooves for winter? We do not ride as much in the winter, our horses do not get as much exercise and if they are out in the pasture, the cold weather means less movement. This does not mean that your horse’s hooves should be ignored!

It is true that a horse’s hoof grows slower in the winter than at other times of the year due to metabolism changes. According to Michael O’Brien, CF, a farrier serving horse owners in Maryland and Northern Virginia, this is due to the sum of many factors.

“Hoof growth is influenced by the horse’s overall health, his environment, the amount of exercise he gets (or lack thereof), the work he is asked to perform and the quality of his hoof care—these influences shift with the changing of the seasons. Typically, horses work less in the winter, graze less, spend more time in stalls eating hay, burn calories to keep warm and so on. And after autumn’s first few freezes, field grasses have significantly fewer sugars and other nutrients than they did during the spring. As a result of all of these factors, hoof growth typically slows in the winter and accelerates in the spring.”

Don’t forget that frozen ground, snow and ice calls for specialized equine footwear. If you ride in hard-winter conditions, you need to consider reducing footing risks by means of one or more of the methods detailed here, from The Practical Horseman.

Tip: The Original Mane ‘n Tail Hoofmaker is an exclusive protein enriched formula developed to maintain strong yet flexible hooves over the winter season.

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Linus is almost never without his blue blanket, which debuted in the June 1, 1954, in Charles M. Schulz’s comic strip Peanuts. He holds the blanket over his shoulder while sucking his thumb. It was in fact he who coined the term “security blanket.”  Is your horse reliant on his blanket during the wintertime?

Must you blanket your horse? No.

Should you blanket your horse? It depends.

Tip: Blankets cleaned regularly help prevent skin problems on your horses.

According to Equus, blanketing is necessary for competition horses and foxhunters who are routinely clipped during colder weather to maintain a sleek appearance, reduce sweating, shorten cooling-out time and speed drying after rigorous workouts. Aged horses whose appetites and digestion may not supply enough fuel to keep flesh on their bones and their internal “furnaces” stoked require shelter or blanketing during bad weather.

They came up with 10 common uncertainties facing horsekeepers about when, why and how to blanket. Here’s just one we pulled out. Read the rest here.

Q: My horse’s blanket seems to fit well, yet after a few months of wearing it, he has unsightly rub marks on his shoulders. Is there a way to prevent these bald patches or at least to encourage the hair to grow back quickly?

A. “Conformation makes some horses susceptible to rubs,” says Peters. “They are broader through the shoulders.” Fitting the horse with another style of blanket may relieve the rubs, but less expensive options can smooth over the few rough spots of an otherwise well-fitting blanket. Covering the horse’s neck and shoulders with a stretchy “undergarment”–almost like an equine sports bra–absorbs the friction created by the blanket.

If your horse is experiencing abrasions from the blanket, you may want to have some Mane ‘n Tail Pro-Tect Anti-Microbial Wound Cream in supply. Its deep penetrating cream base soothes cuts, scrapes and abrasions for faster healing. This is also a good item to have in your equine first aid kit, along with Pro-Tect Topical Skin & Wound Spray Treatment, to kill a wide range of microorganisms including bacteria, yeast, mold, fungi and viruses.

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Make your list, and after reading this, check it twice.

Horse trainer, Jessica Stemmler’s list includes her childhood riding instructor, Cheryl Ash, who reminds us that you have to have a passion for what you do in order to be in this equine industry. (In photo on right: Cheryl Ash and Valkyrie show at BCHP Credit: Jessica Stemmler)

In an article on Examiner.com, Jessica recalls what makes Cheryl an excellent instructor.

For a saucy teenager who knew everything about riding, she certainly put me in my place enough times to make me learn the way I should do things. And that way has proven to be to the horse’s best interest, and now that I’m a professional in the field myself, to my clients’ best interest.

It takes a passion to do what Cheryl does every day…to get up at 5am (or 4…on the busy days), deal with the human body’s limitations, listen to the clients’ concerns about things that may or may not have anything to do with horses, and then ride, whether that ride is good or bad, to finish with a smile and still love it all. She teaches her students that they too can achieve their goals, and works to develop that passion for horses she sees in each.

Read the rest.

So, check your gift giving list and be sure to add your teacher. Put together a gift basket of equine products and add some personal care products for your instructor as well!

We recommend Original Mane ‘n Tail Shampoo and Conditioner and Detangler for the horse and Herbal Gro Shampoo and Conditioner and Hoofmaker for the instructor.

Find a store near you!

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Mane ‘n Tail makes another Hollywood debut, out this month in theaters and via on-demand, our Original Shampoo and Conditioner are featured this time in Perfect Weekend’s film, THE GREENING OF WHITNEY BROWN. The family film, stars Aidan Quinn, Brooke Shields and Kris Kristofferson while introducing fourteen-year-old Sammi Hanratty in her first lead film role. Mane ‘n Tail products, made by Straight Arrow, are no stranger to the silver screen, having appeared in multiple feature films over the years. People know Mane ‘n Tail and love the products with their recognizable bottle, distinct logo, and formulas that perform!

THE GREENING OF WHITNEY BROWN follows the misadventures of ‘Whitney Brown’ (SAMMI HANRATTY), a privileged and popular Philadelphia teenager whose world is upended when her parents, ‘Henry’ (AIDAN QUINN) and ‘Joan’ (BROOKE SHEILDS), experience sudden economic problems that necessitate a family move to Whitney’s grandparents’ old farm in the country. Away from the dizzying world of typical ‘teenage girl angst’, she finds a new, more down-to-earth best pal, ‘Odd Job Bob’, a beautiful Gypsy Vanner horse owned by her new neighbor ‘Dusty’ (KRIS KRISTOFFERSON)—a crusty rancher who turns out to be her estranged grandfather. Through her new relationships with Odd Job Bob, Dusty and her parents, Whitney rediscovers what it means to respect, not only nature and her family, but also someone very special she had almost lost touch with: herself.

How did Mane ‘n Tail get involved?

‘Odd Job Bob’ will be played by his real life namesake, an Irish-bred Gypsy Vanner horse, along with a trio of other horses of the unique color and breed. The movie’s executive producers, Sue Rathbone and Ed Fitts introduced the film’s production staff to the wonders of Mane ‘n Tail shampoos and grooming products, and the rest is history. The producers happen to own El Brio Vanner, a home to Gypsy Vanner horses of all sizes, from magnificent stallions to frolicking colts and fillies and home to Odd Job Bob. Situated in the rolling hills of South Eastern Pennsylvania, El Brio Vanner was also one of the locations used in the film along with other parts of Pennsylvania and Georgia.

Speaking of Pennsylvania, Mane ‘n Tail’s maker, Straight Arrow, is a native PA company that produces the equine products chosen by the groomers at El Brio Vanner, tried and true products they have used for years. So they became the perfect horse shampoo and grooming products to “star” in THE GREENING OF WHITNEY BROWN. Odd Job Bob and his horse companions owe their gorgeous flowing manes and beautiful healthy tails to good breeding and the use of Mane ‘n Tail products to get them ready for their ‘close ups’.