The Equinist: Articles and Commentary by Susan Kauffmann

I recently got my hands on a helmet visor called Da Brim, and I believe this product is a must-have for anyone wanting good sun protection while riding. This light-weight visor attaches easily and securely to just about any riding helmet (there are models for helmets with and without built-in visors), and it stays put. I found out just how well it stays on when I went out riding on a seriously blustery day -- the visor didn't budge, though it did feel like my head wanted to go for a little sail off my neck at times! I am impressed with the overall quality of this product, too:  it is tough,  well-made (in the USA -- yeah!), and easy to clean. Most importantly, it offers great protection from the sun, and as equestrians as a group show high rates of skin cancer, this is something to take very seriously. I actually feel cooler when I ride in it, as I have my own little portable "shade", and there is no glare getting into my eyes over the top of my sunglasses, either. ...

I am one of those people who absolutely MUST have serious quality footware. Why? Because my feet have "issues" that cause immediate agony if I put anything on them that doesn't have great support and good cushioning. That has made finding rubber boots for barn chores a real pain -- both literally and figuratively. I used to get Acton boots from Canada, but they are one of the many companies who simply don't make 'em like they used to: where my first pair lasted something like seven years of hard use, my second pair fell apart after one season -- and they were not cheap. What to do? Start hunting for a different brand. Little did I know what an international, epic journey this would be! I tried other boots from manufacturers in Canada, England, the U.S., etc.,  but all of them were either so lacking in support that even adding my custom orthotics wasn't enough, or they were shaped in weird ways that made my foot problems worse. I was getting desperate, to t...

This is what California Trace does for Obie, who is shown here in his unbathed, unbrushed, au naturel state! Many horse owners are overwhelmed when it comes to choosing a mineral supplement for their horses. Some wonder if their horses really need a supplement at all, while others buy several and throw them all into their horse's feed, figuring that if some is good, more must be better. What should a responsible owner really do? If you are feeding mainly forage (hay and/or pasture), which is truly best for the vast majority of horses, it is more than likely that you do need some kind of mineral supplement. This is because most hays and grass are deficient in several or more key minerals. Depending on your area, these may include copper, zinc, selenium, or calcium. The flip side of this is that many hays contain excessive amounts of other minerals -- most notably iron -- and these can potentially interfere with the body's ability to use the already short supply of copper...

Fly season is upon us, and it seems that the extended cool and wet we've had this Spring is just giving the wee nasties a helping hand. There are A LOT of flies out there, and midges too. I've already had to break out the "pink goo" I use to help my morgan's sweet itch (see the "Ask the Equinist" post for more on that topic), and it soon became apparent to me that I was going to have to bite the bullet and get some more fly masks. I have not generally been a fan of fly masks, as I have had bad experiences of them causing rubbing around the eyes, and also trapping dirt inside the mask, leading to eye infections. Plus, my horses would rub their faces on trees and such (irritated by the masks, I surmised), tearing holes in the material and letting more dirt and even bugs in. Add to that the fact that I seemed to spend more hours hunting for the dern things after they fell off than the horses spent wearing them, and I pretty much concluded that fly masks w...

I am a real stickler about saddle fit. I was forced to become knowledgeable in this area when my morgan, Gryphon, outgrew the lovely Rodrigo Pessoa Gen X jumping saddle I had. It fit him fine as a three year old, but as he filled out through the back and shoulders, he became quite wide and my beloved saddle just didn't work anymore. We went through several saddles over the years, as he kept changing shape and I kept changing disciplines (went from jumping to dressage to rugged trail riding). It was ALWAYS a nightmare trying to find a treed saddle that would work for him, and when something doesn't work for Gryphon, he tells you ALL about it by bucking, doing caprioles, etc. So, once I decided that trail riding was going to be my main activity, I sold my $5,000 custom made dressage saddle and decided to go treeless. What I have learned in the ensuing years is that not all treeless saddles are created equal -- not even close! Some are little more than glorified bareback pad...

A few years ago, I was researching an article on hoof boots for EQUUS magazine. This was great, as it allowed me to try a number of different boots on the market, and I often got "VIP" treatment from the companies, meaning they sent someone out to make sure the boots were fitted properly to my horse. My gelding, Gryphon, is a great horse to try boots on, as he is extremely expressive about how he feels about everything, and it is easy to tell if something is making him uncomfortable. So many horses are stoic about pain and discomfort -- not my precious morgan prince! I am an equally good test subject in some ways, as my bad back makes it difficult for me to bend over and fuss a whole lot with a hoof boot; I want easy on, easy off, but still a great fit. So, which boot came out the winner? No question about it, Gryphon and I both VASTLY preferred Renegade hoof boots (available at: renegadehoofboots.com), for many reasons: 1) First and most important, they are extremely c...

My husband Michael's first time riding Obie, then 4 yrs old. Obie responded beautifully to his Nurtural bridle. My horse Gryphon is what you would call "sensitive" -- really sensitive. This is a double-edged sword, as it makes him wonderfully responsive and light, but also rather reactive and potentially explosive. He tends to worry about life in general, but when it came to being ridden, he worried very specifically about the bit. Didn't matter how soft or kind the bit was, or how light and careful you were with your hands -- the bit was a cause of worry for him. I even had his jaw x-rayed to check for bone spurs -- something I know can be caused by a bit -- which can be a source of pain in the mouth. The x-rays were normal, but the worry remained in my beautiful little horse's mind. Enter my good friend Josh Nichol, who gave me a lovely, soft, leather sidepull . Gryphon loved it and was much more relaxed, and he was just as sensitive and responsive to ...