In The Barn

Oliver Townend, currently ranked fourth in the world of eventing. Where his lack of concern is only for the welfare of his horses...not the prize money.

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Many supplements make outrageous claims, only to find an ingredients list that doesn't match. For once we found and get to take a look at a supplement that appears to not only matches its claims, but has the research to back it up. That supplement is Vitamin E; more specifically Nano E. Are the claims about it being water-soluble true, should you be using this to treat EPM, and can you really see results as soon as in four days? 

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Pick up your latest equestrian magazine, without fail you will see multiple, full page advertisements about hock injections. Walk down the barn aisle at your next show and simply listen to how many other riders are considering hock injections, have had them recommended by their vet, or have already begun utilizing them. Hock injections are used across the board in just about every barn regardless if you're an eventer, show jumper, dressage rider, or barrel racer. Today we ask and answer the question on when hock injections should come into the picture and what is safe on the market to inject. It may surprise you to learn that some of the most highly recommended injections are not FDA approved for the hock and others are having their ingredients illegal smuggled into the U.S. to be sold alongside other harmful drugs.

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This week, we decided to take a detour and discuss some popular articles we spotted being shared across Facebook a few weeks ago. It can feel very frustrating and alienating when prominent trainers use various language to discredit you as a rider, a horse person, and call you a wimp. We take a look at what some of this language is, how it perpetuates such negative views in the horse world, and what we can do to change it. Of course, it wouldn't be an In The Barn episode without a dash of research on wether or not different training methods are valid...or if we should just stick to the same old ways, day after day. 

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With countless fecal test options on the market, WE the consumers want to know which is actually the best and perhaps which ones we should avoid. Between the Mcmaster, Modified Wisconsin, and Parasight, we got a good picture of what fecal tests on the market look like and what sort of complications you can expect. Not all Mcmaster tests came back the same, one company refused to disclose what type of test they run, and some tests took almost 3 weeks to get our results! Find out more in today's episode.

FARMVET!

They have been incredibly gracious in partnering with us for this episode and it's still a little surreal! If you want to buy the same fecal tests we used or purchase dewormer, check out their website and use our promo code to get a discount!

Deworming, is a topic that brings about a lot of questions and confusion. Should we still be deworming every 6-8 weeks? Why are our dewormers not nearly as effective? What happens if we go a year without deworming? We answer all these questions and more in todays episode all about the history of deworming and the practices that have lead us to where we are today! 

FARMVET!

They have been incredibly gracious in partnering with us for this episode and it's still a little surreal! If you want to buy the same fecal tests we used or purchase dewormer, check out their website and use our promo code to get a discount!

A truly unlucky race track, or did the "perfect" formula finally cause enough death and destruction to be noticed?

Picking up right where we left off; it quickly became apparent that this year at the Santa Anita Race Track is shaping up to be just as deadly as the previous years. Between poor footing, obscene number of starts, and pressure coming from management. It's clear those who own Santa Anita care only for gambling and couldn't care less as to which horse dies next. 

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Is it the perfect formula for money and death, or simply an unlucky race track?

In true In The Barn fashion we take it all the way back to the beginning of the Santa Anita Race Track to see what history has to tell us. It may not surprise you to find out that Santa Anita has had a turbulent history long before 2019 and the general public learned of its name. 

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With many five star events looming in the future, you know you'll soon be flooded with many ads for gear, top level riders are using. Some of the most popular items you will see popping up on cross country day are the FLAIR nasal strips, and the HorseWare ice-vibe boots. Which begs the question, do these products actually work? Can FLAIR nasal strips really help horses breath better? And do ice-vibe boots do everything their add claims it can?

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How much protein, fiber, and fat should your horse get in a day? It's a pretty simple question, that seems like it should have a readily available answer. The problem is that this answer and many more concerning our horses diets and the research about it, are kept behind a pay wall. Join us as we piece together what our horses grain should actually contain and if brands like Purina, Nutrena, Dumor, and Triple Crown are following through.

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Do you ever find yourself scrolling Facebook and spotting ad after ad of the same supplements like GutX, Biomane, or Equinity? Better yet, do you ever listen to top rider podcasts, only to hear them push the same supplement every episode? Today we tackled some of the most common supplements we see popping up all over facebook, hearing top riders recommend them, or see them all over on Instagram.

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The down fall of George H. Morris.

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This is the story of someone who was once thought of as the greatest horseman perhaps in the history of the horse. His blunt sayings and his tough to please demeanor made him a legend in almost every barn in America. This is the story of a man who was always a narcissist, a bully, an abuser of both animals and people and a reckless social climber. This is the story of George H. Morris.

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We're kicking the year off right with one of the most heavily debated topics out there; when should we be starting our young horses? Not only do we break down the infamous colored image of what ages a horses body stops growing, but we also tackled the heavily referenced thoroughbred studies that seem to pop-up in just about every Facebook argument. We address the most common topics people debate all across social media when starting young horse, all the way from; why does or doesn't bone density matter, are thoroughbreds meant to be started younger, and should horses be retired by 15yrs old...

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Mares and geldings, ovarian manipulation and gelding scar manipulation, myth or fact? Both of these seem to be two different sides of the same coin. On one hand we have our mares that find themselves in critical pain when their ovaries become unhealthy or twisted. On the other hand we have geldings that undergo a traumatic surgery that results in potentially harmful scar tissue developing. If you ask Facebook, everyone will yell from the roof tops, that some type of manipulation is necessary. But what does the research say? Do these conditions actually exist and are these viable solutions to help our horses?

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With many 5* events of the year firmly in the review mirror, we can all look back at the products we saw all over top riders Facebook pages and Instagram feeds. One of those products seen over and over again, was Bemer. The performance enhancing and new wave of therapy. And to be fair it sounds like a fun, simple, product upfront... until you discover that the company is an MLM, which sparks a heavy debate on whether Bemer is a good MLM or bad MLM? It begs the questions; Does the product work, is there research behind it, or do we have another LulaRoe on our hands?

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The lucrative world of fast horses, faster money, and custom drugs, runs rampant in the horse racing industry. With horse racing comes gambling, with gambling comes money. That desperate grab for monetary gain, gives way to an environment that breeds complete disregard for equine welfare and encourages egregious acts in hopes of a check. This is the story of the Juice Man, his race to glory and even faster fall of disgrace.  

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While we all wait in eager anticipation for the Tokyo Olympic 2020 kick off, let's take a brief look back over the years. Some years have come and gone relatively smoothly, while a few others have crashed and burned in a dramatic, and at times tragic way for our equine friends. Challenging weather, doping scandals, medals being stripped from riders, and cheating teams...are just a few of the reasons that make these Olympics so memorable in a shocking fashion.

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Many equestrians pride themselves on not being fair-weather riders, but when does the not-so-fair-weather become dangerous? Better yet, how do we cool and keep cool our horses? There is a lot of misinformation roaming the equine world when it comes to cooling our horses, and a number of myths we need to debunk and questions to answer such as; Does cold hosing cause health issues, will your horse over heat if you leave excess water on them, and does your horse even need to be hosed or is shade good enough? In todays episode we answer these questions and more, to help keep our four legged friends safe during these steamy summer months.

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We've talked about what the research says with bitless bridles, but what do our horses actually think of the different designs? Today we share our own trials and tribulations we went through, while toying around with quite a few different styles. We give some tips and tricks for how you should approach buying a bitless bridle with your own horse, such as key features to look out for and potentially what to avoid.  

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Has a little birdy ever chirped in your ear about the pasture being a dangerous place for a horse? Heck, maybe that same little bird has encouraged horses to be stall kept. We have certainly heard our fair share about show horses shouldn't be turned out...the risk is simply to great. The only problem is that the science doesn't agree with these views. For one the career ending injury we're all afraid of, is more likely to happen somewhere else. Where else you might ask? Well you'll just have to listen to find out. 

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Summit Joint Performance, the latest and greatest joint supplement or just another cash grab? When you look at their website, Facebook page, and merely google their names you will find dozens and dozens people standing on roof tops praising SummitJP for all to hear. Each person to step forward has their own miracle story of how this product managed to save their animals life...however, we had quite a few questions. For one, why is it that no one can get access to the positive research the company claims to have? Why when you begin to ask sales reps questions on how the product is manufactured you are given answers with no evidence? Why is the Better Business Bureau calling into question the testimonials? And the why's go on, but today we decided to do a little digging and put all the information in one place that way you don't have to spend days reading various forums and tracking down scientific studies that talk about this product.

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It came and it went, and if you blinked you may have missed it! Land Rover Kentucky 3 day event happened, we saw some record dressage scores, watched the leader board get shaken up during cross country, and tallied numerous poles tumbling to the ground in stadium. Between the 4* and 5* we have a lot to talk about, discuss, and break down with the rides we saw. This is our Kentucky recap and how we felt each rider performed, who we thought excelled, and who we thought may need to go home to do some homework.

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It's here BABY! The Kentucky 3-day event is on and one of the few 5* events that have manage happen this year. This of course comes with a heavy dose of anticipation and eagerness to watch these riders fly across the courses. The only question remains is how did this event actually get un-cancelled an what the deal was with the fundraising campaign that left the basic members and public to raise $750,000 basically over night?

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Rotational falls have always been an eventers worst nightmare. The question is, how do we avoid them and reduce the numbers. On more than one occasion we have all clicked on to Facebook, an online magazine, or heard by word of mouth that another eventer was killed in a tragic accident. Eventing had a staggering year in 1999, then again in 2001, 2007, and unfortunately the hits just keep on coming. As our organizations at the top try to make our sport safer, we can't help but ask if the new devices and tools they are implementing are actually working? And if they really are solving the problem multiple studies have revealed to be the cause of such devastation?

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The supplement industry is booming. New magical pellets are being rolled out every day, all claiming that they hold the answer and solution to whatever ailment your horse may have. Joint supplements are widely used by a majority of horse owners, which begs the question of what is in these various joint supplements? What is their active ingredients, where do they source these ingredients from, do they actually do anything? And maybe the most important question we have asked yet, is whether or not these studies that we rely so heavily on are being conducted in an ethical fashion...spoiler, many are not. We uncovered a number of unpleasant surprises that are used to continue to promote the enormous joint supplement industry. 

Disclaimer: We accidentally kept saying shark fin, when we meant to say they use the entire shark, fin and all.

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Marilyn Little...problem rider or just unlucky? From bloody mouths to court cases, we cover it all and then some.

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Want your horse to have healthy hooves? Don't worry there's a supplement for that. Do you think your horses hormone level are out of whack? Well, there are supplements for that. Is your horses hind gut health out of whack? Creaky joints? Any and every problem your horse may have or that you are trying to prevent, the supplement industry has your back...or does it? How many of these supplements can actually do what they claim, how many of these brands are making false claims, how many of these brands have no one monitoring them to ensure their products are safe? This weeks episode we took a peak into the supplement industry to answer all these questions and more.

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The bandwagon is loading and we've all jumped on, loaded-up with our Theraguns and Equi-tape ready to hit the road. The only question left is whether these products are just another trend, or are they sticking around as valid therapies with promising research? As it turns out the research behind Equi-tape shows that what is applicable to humans is not the same for horses, and hand-held massagers haven't even looked at horses yet!

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Anyone and everyone has come face to face with saddle fit issues at some point in their life with horses. There are many different factors to consider with saddles, one of those being is if a treeless saddle would be better? Lucky for you, we took a look at what is happening when you put a treeless saddle on your horse, what is different than a traditional saddle, and where does bareback fall into the mix!

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Horses are dangerous, but we have gear in place to lessen the risk. This week we take a look at the research behind helmets and air vests. Which are the best on the market, who has done the most studies and testing, and if they provide the level of protection we believe they do...or have we been lulled into a false sense of security. Unfortunately, both helmet and cross country vest research took a horrifying turn when we discovered both have involved cadavers. 

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We've talked about the impacts a bit has on the horses respiratory system, we've looked exclusively into Dr. Cooks research, now it's time for us to address PAIN. Today we looked into the research behind the pain and damage caused by both bitted and bitless options. Is one really better than the other?

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Do you know which bridle came before Dr. Cook's famous bitless bridle? Funny thing is that the "original" bitless bridle he produced was taken from someone else and at one time was known as the Spirit bridle. We explore the court cases surrounding the bitless bridles as well as find out what happened to the original designer Edward Allen Buck.

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Dr. Robert Cook is a well known name surrounding anything bitless. We have read many different studies, articles, and journals that reference Dr. Cook's research, as well as heard plenty of testimonials in favor of his bridle. We didn't think it would be right to proceed any further into the bit vs. bitless debate without addressing and discussing Dr. Cook's work. For part 2 of the bit debate we looked exclusively at Dr. Cook's work, taking a deep dive into his theories about the bit itself and what it's doing to our horses!

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Who has a longer attention span, a horse or a gold fish? In this weeks episode we take a peek at what science says about the 3 second rule we all learned growing up. Taking it a step farther we found out how long our horses can focus for a continuous time, the answer may surprise you! To top it off we start to explore some of the gray areas in regard to ethics ad research.

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New Year...same 'ole us, just a new training philosophy. This week we wanted to share how our opinions and training methods have shifted this year. We have both experienced a change in our mentality and approach to working with our horses while dealing with different behaviors ranging from following targets, to dealing with biting and kicking. As well as give a little update about what we have been doing with our own wild ponies.

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We finally decided to add our voices to the masses who have discussed the infamous topic of bit vs. bitless. Rather than looking at the same argument over and over, we decided to remove pain from our discussion today and look at the physiological effects as well as the learning curve that occurs with the two different methods. 

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Heartland, Flicka, Black beauty, and just about any other horse movie is going to sell little girls the dream of a"true bond" with theirs horse of choice. However the reality and scientific research don't tend to back up Hollywood movies. This week we looked into grooming and if it can help strengthen our bond with our horses. We take a look at several different studies that research horse to horse grooming, as well as the internal reactions our horses have to us grooming them. We find out their favorite places to be groomed and everything else the research has to say!

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Did Vicki Wilson cheat by using a Liquid Titanium hood during the Road To The Horse Competition? We take a look at different calming aides out on the market and what research is behind them to support their claims. We even discovered that POMMS horse earplugs were not invented to block sound, what they were really created for is very surprising...especially if the research says they work. The ultimate question though, is whether or not the research supports the various claims numerous products on the market are making!

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Many of us have heard that a horse with a relaxed jaw will have some foam around their mouths. Many of us have determined a good ride because our horses were producing foam. Products have been developed to create this effect if you cannot achieve it on your own. Kelsey and Robin answer the question of what does it actually mean when your horse is foaming. They dug into research articles, different horse forums, and vet blogs to figure out what is happening internally to cause the external results. The results were far from what all of us haven been lead to believe, and will certainly change how some of us view foam around the lips and bit in the future.

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Let's talk adjustable saddles! We realized that a lot of adjustable saddles seem to be purchased and advertised to fit a variety of horses. They are sold under the idea of being the last saddle you'll ever need to buy, because it can fit every horse! This week we decided to delve into the scientific research behind the designs. We discuss statements the designers themselves have made, the patents that were originally submitted and what their intentions were, as well as what lays behind the vague language certain companies are using. 

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Whether it was a fluffy little Shetland that left you in the dirt every day, a little Welsh that bolted every chance she got, or a fiery Morgan who was convinced he knew best, we all had our first ponies. Kelsey and Robin dig up stories all about their first ponies, as well as give much needed advice for finding the "perfect first pony". Whether you're wondering how to search for ads, what to do when you go see the pony, or what to consider when bringing the pony home, they have the answers!  Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or topics you'd like to suggest.

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Between Back on Track appearing in just about every barn, to wacky magnetic blankets, and Rambo's new ionic blanket, how are you supposed to know what works? Don't worry, Kelsey and Robin did their own researching and discovered interesting information about all these products. They discuss what these products should be doing, what the research says...if there is ANY research, ranking the products themselves, as well as giving the various prices from each brand on the market.

If you have questions or comments, don't hesitate to reach out!

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Between Back on Track appearing in just about every barn, to wacky magnetic blankets, and Rambo's new ionic blankets, how are you supposed to know what works? Don't worry, Kelsey and Robin did their own researching and discovered interesting information about all these products. They discuss what these products should be doing, what the research says...if there is ANY research, ranking the products, as well as giving the various prices from each brand selling. 

If you have questions or comments, don't hesitate to reach out!

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Buckle up we're in for a good one! With Halloween right around the corner, we are feeling the spooky vibes and so are our horses. Or are they? In today's episode we address the stigma surrounding this time of year that include poor supplement advertisements, is your horse actually more spooky, and our best methods for desensitizing our horses! 

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We have all seen the luxury barn tours, and drooled over those beautiful arenas and pastures. The problem is, all us average horse owners do not have those set-ups. Instead we are fighting mud, fixing fences, and trying to wrangle loose ponies! This week we dive into our own horse properties covering all the imperfections between weird tack-rooms and questionable arenas.

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Have you ever felt guilty for not riding often enough? Or felt as though you were wasting your horse by not going out to the barn everyday and riding? In today's episode we address this question with doing what is right for your horse. We take it a step further in addressing the different types of exercise for your horse, whether it's mental, physical, or both mental and physical. On top of this we start debunking myths about "hot horses" and this phenomenon that seems to crop up everywhere with all types of riders on how often to ride them.

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Raise your hand if you've ever been told "more leg", "sit up", "eyes up", "WAIT!". We have all been there, and sometimes we have no idea what our instructor is asking of us. Join Kelsey and Robin this week as they break down common trainer sayings, what they mean, how to fix it, and exercises to work on that make sure you aren't hearing the same thing over and over again!

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Let's talk longing! Why do you longe your horse in the first place and why it's not a good idea to longe a hot horse. We also discuss why or why not to use equipment! Being the sisters we are, we have opposing opinions on whether or not to use "gear". So let's talk about it in today's episode.

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With the changing of the stars and the creation of an entirely new level, we felt a bit lost and confused. What is a 1* now? What was CIC and where did that go? What is the modified level? Where does it come into play? We break down all these questions and explain the answers to questions that were confusing us. We break down the levels. We explain the changes that are happening, and we talk about what is motivating these changes. Perhaps we tackle the hardest part of it all, with WHO is pushing for these changes. 

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