Spring is just about here, and many of us are looking forward to enjoying some time off work, school or university over Easter time. For the majority of equestrians, more time off means only one thing; more time spent at the stables! Why not take the opportunity as well as riding to get grooming your horse, and get him spruced up for spring by completing those extra jobs that are always hanging over you, whilst time is on your side?
Scientific Nutritional Product's Spring Grooming Guide - Five Top Tips
1.) Always pick your horse's feet out daily; but during the Easter break give your equine's feet a thorough scrub with a hard brush and warm water. Why not apply a topical moisturiser to the hooves, to nourish them too?
2.) Invest in a good quality set of brushes to give the coat on the legs a thorough brush removing any mud, dirt and debris. After washing the mane and tail, use a detangling spray and a soft brush or wide toothed comb to gently remove any knots or mats. If you are feeling particularly diligent you could give your equine’s mane and tail a trim or tidy up too!
3.) To really get to the bottom of the grime, providing the weather is warm enough, you could bath your horse or pony. If you are going to get the soap suds flowing, remember it is always best to use an equine specific shampoo when bathing. Using equine specific shampoo is kinder to our horses’ skin, and prevents problems such as itchiness or dry skin whilst protecting the pH. Post bathing, make sure you wrap your horse up in a warm, absorbent rug until he dries off - it’s not summer yet, unfortunately!
4.) If you are working on building up your horse’s fitness during Springtime, begin your fitness schedule with walk work. Start by walking your equine for 20 minutes and build it up for over an hour. Use extended periods of canter work when your horse or pony's fitness increases, in order to improve and build your horse’s cardiac endurance - but make sure you give your horse plenty of walks in between, to break up the work! Walking up and down hills is particularly good for balance, conditioning and muscle development. Including MSM supplement from Scientific Nutritional Products can help to encourage blood circulation, promote an efficient immune system and improve lung function, in turn soothing muscles and optimizing natural recovery time after exercise.
5.) Alongside regular grooming with top quality products and achieving optimum fitness, remember it is essential to provide a balanced diet containing high levels of fibre and the required levels of carbohydrate, protein, fat and vitamins and minerals, including Omega-3 fatty acid, to provide optimum skin and coat health! The skin and the coat can be a great indicator of health, and as health comes from the inside out, supplying a supplement in the diet and therefore coat condition. Horse and Pony Multivitamin Supplement includes over 25 beneficial horse vitamins and nutrients and is available to purchase direct from our website!
For more information about Scientific Nutritional Products and the wide range of equine supplements available visit the website www.horsesupplementsdirect.co.uk or contact the team on Tel: 01377 245900 or FREE PHONE 0800 032 7774. To keep up to date with our weekly educational, informative blog visit our website and Facebook page!
For articles and info on equestrian matters please visit www.pegasus-magazine.co.uk . This is the website of the UK’s Pegasus Magazine. Visit http://pegasus-magazine.co.uk/magazine to find out how to access the printed version, of which 25,000 copies per month are read. The site also features articles.
