Trainer to the stars, the equine stars, that is!

It was our first time selling at a large multi-day event.  My mom and I were manning the booth, not knowing quite what to expect.  There's always some anxiety at the beginning of a show or event that you've never done before- you never know if you'll get good traffic, and if people will be interested in what you are selling.  You just nervously wait for those first few sales, those first few conversations with customers. 

The event opened promptly at 9am.  A few people came rushing by.  We fiddled with our merchandise, changing the orientation of a product here and there, moving something slightly to see if we could get it into a better, more attractive position.  We sat down in our chairs.  All of a sudden I looked up, and saw these boots.  Beautiful brown leather, perhaps custom, and shining like they had just been polished or conditioned.  My attention moved upward, a very stylish outfit accompanying the boots that I was drooling over, and a friendly face smiling at me.  "Tell me about these products.”

That smiling face was Cari Swanson.  That day, Cari, without knowing anything about The Simple Equine, patiently listened while I explained that I developed, tested and handmade all of our natural grooming products.  We discussed a few of her needs, and she bought a few things to try.  A few months later, she placed an order at our online store.  I'm always very happy when we get repeat orders; it means we are helping horses and riders to feel good and look great. 

A few months after that, I was flipping through an omnibus for equestrian-related businesses in our area.  There were a few articles throughout the publication, and I started reading one about this amazing woman named Cari Swanson  who works with horses and equines who take part in movies, TV and commercials. All of a sudden it clicked... I think she's my customer!  I searched my sales records, and sure enough it was her. 

Having done a few customer focus articles by this point, I thought it would be amazing to have an an interview with Cari.  I took a chance and emailed her.  She replied warmly, inviting me to come visit her farm and meet her horses.  In January of 2017, just after our first reasonably big snow of this year, I drove up to her farm, in the Milbrook area of New York.  

As we sat down to a cup of cinnamon tea, I couldn't help but start asking questions - how often do you meet someone whose horses are equine movie stars?  To Cari, I probably sounded like some star struck goofball, nevertheless, she took it in stride, her inviting smile making me feel comfortable to dive right in.  

Tell me a little bit about your background?  

"I grew up with horses, from 4H and Pony Club to competing in eventing, dressage and showjumping.  I am also a USDF silver medalist and judge for dressage.  I had a decade long  career in publishing, but my passion for horses brought me out of New York City to a full time riding and training career.  I  followed my heart, and horses are what ultimately make me the happiest.  I train all kinds of horses and riders across many disciplines - young horses, problem horses, beginner riders, beginner actors, people with addictions, experienced showjumpers, eventers and dressage folks, and liberty training.  My goal is to improve the relationship between the horse and the rider, for the rider to be able to read the horse and tune into their energy.  My passion is to teach both horses and people."

How did you start training horses for movies?  

"I had friends in the film industry who introduced me to Producers and Directors who needed horses.   Word of mouth quickly spread when they discovered I always delivered quality well trained horses who hit their mark  for every take. Be careful what you wish for! I envisioned myself with horses on set, and imagining myself there definitely helped to make it happen."  

What goes into training a horse for a movie? 

"They must have the right temperament.  Patience, kindness, timing and repetition trains horses. It takes about 9-12 weeks of liberty and under saddle training to prepare a horse for a complicated sequence in a film.  When they do something correctly, I reward them with a firm pat and a calm tone of approval.  I do not use treats.  Too many treats can shut the horse down when they are full and thus have no more incentive. Treats also encourage biting.  It would be detrimental if an actor or crew member was injured."  

How many horses do you have right now?  

"I currently have 6 horses.  They are all shapes and sizes, including a miniature, paint, thoroughbreds and warmbloods."

Cari working with RJ

What famous movie actors or actresses have you worked with, and what horses of yours would we have seen in a film?  

"To name a few - Kevin Spacey, Russell Brand, Russell Crow, Ethan Hawke, Haley Bennett, Jennifer Garner, Viggo Mortensen and Colin Farrell,"  My favorite Director is Steven Sodebergh.”  Cari says calmly.  "They're all just people like you and me. To be honest, I'm not star struck by them.  I am however, extremely star struck by amazing equines.  One of my favorite memories was meeting Secretariat.  As for my horses you may have seen, RJ was in the movie Hidalgo; he was one of 5 horses that played Hidalgo. I also discovered and train Listo, a beautiful white Andalusian stallion now owned by Ashley Waller, who stars in Winters Tale. You will see my FEI Dressage gelding, Bond, and Listo in Ralph Lauren's latest advertising campaign.

Bond and Listo at the Ralph Lauren Flagship Store 

Do you have advice for other horse people?  

"Never stop learning. Listen to your horse.  Leave your temper behind. I love to teach, and I am always learning from each horse and trainer I meet.  As my grandmother often said, "there are many roads to Rome". Every horse will teach you something if you listen.  Go out and learn from other instructors and trainers.  I always encourage my students to learn from others, not just me.  It can be such an enriching experience, especially if you travel out of your comfort zone - go visit another discipline and you'll be amazed at what knowledge you will gain.  My other piece of advice would be to teach from both sides of the horse.  What they learn on one side, they must learn to be able to do from the other." 

And your favorite Simple Equine product?  

"I'm a fan of the Nourishing Avocado Tail Treatment.  I used it on my horses, but also in my own hair.  I also use the Healing Calendula Salve on myself!"  

Though our time chatting was up, I spent part of the afternoon with Cari and some of her clients learning about how Cari uses essential oils on horses.  She had her 17 year old trick miniature horse, Mini Hop, join us in her living room as she performed a treatment on him.  (Mini was featured in a pilot TV show for Spike TV. ) You could tell he was ready for his close up on set as he stood very patiently for the duration of our time together.  Having him in such close quarters also afforded us the luxury of easily being able to observe him, see his reaction (becoming very relaxed) to his treatment, all while being cozy inside Cari's home.

Cari giving Mini Hop his treatment

I enjoyed spending time with you Cari and thank you again for letting me come visit and peek into your amazing life!  

Are you interested in learning from or training with Cari?  Her Website is:  cariswanson.com, Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cari.swanson and Instagram:  @cariswanson17

Basic horse grooming - A discussion and informational video

Just like humans, grooming and looking good starts from the inside.  If you feed a horse what they need to be happy and healthy, their coat and skin will hopefully be in reasonably good shape.  I am not a nutritionist, but it is worth looking into your horse's diet, to make sure they are getting proper food based on their breeding, performance level, their age, the environment they live in, and the climate(s) that they have to deal with.  It goes without saying to make sure that they get all the care they require from their vet and dentist, and that they are wormed regularly.  

I formulate, make and sell natural grooming products.  I believe that my products add a lovely finishing touch to robust nutrition, overall care and a thorough grooming routine of your horse. However, when it comes to taking a direct approach to making your horse shine, elbow grease is the first line of attack.  LOTS of elbow grease.  Additionally, taking the time to groom your horse can also be very therapeutic for them.  It helps increase their blood circulation, it feels good (unless you have a super sensitive horse of course), and it helps you strengthen your bond with them.  Thus hard work, in partnership with the right set of tools and products, can help make your equine show ring ready. 

When I say the right set of tools, I don’t just mean the right grooming instruments, but the ones that go a step further and actually fit the size of your hand, and help you get your job done faster and more easily.  When you are looking at brushes etc., take the time to hold them in your hand, analyze the types of bristles or teeth they have, and even imitate the motion of grooming.  Can I hold this tool easily, or is it too heavy for me?  Are the bristles stiff enough to get off the type of mud that gets caked on my horse when he rolls out in field?  Will the teeth on this curry comb irritate my horse who has sensitive skin?  Of course, the questions you ask will be very different depending on yourself, and your horses needs.  

I learned the basics of grooming when I was a child living in England.  Every horse had a grooming kit which contained a rubber curry comb, hard brush, soft brush, hoof pick and metal curry comb (for cleaning brushes, not the horse!).  These few instruments are tried and true and I use them all pretty much every time I groom a horse.  In addition to this I like to have a mane and tail brush, an instrument for shedding (shedding blade, furminator or something else similar), and a clean washcloth for the face.  There are also some items I have for bathing, but that’s another topic for another day.  

If you work hard grooming your horse, the results will show.  Their coat will be healthier and more shiny; their mane and tail more tangle-free.  The next step would be to consider grooming products.    Grooming products can help enhance the hard work you put in.  They can also help solve minor problems. 

I put grooming products into two categories.  Type one is the kind that gets to the root cause of a problem, type two being that which treat a symptom, but don’t really help solve the underlying issue.  Here is an example.  A horse has a dull, tangled tail. There are products out there that would really help to improve it’s condition over time (ha insert product plug here, The Simple Equine’s Nourishing Avocado Tail Treatment!), and there are others that would create some shine and help get the tangles out without really doing anything to improve the tail.  I myself, prefer the former type of product.  I want my horses tail to be healthy and beautiful all of the time.  The product I use should aid in helping my horse to have the longest and fullest tail possible, so that they can swat away the flies with ease.   The product should also help the strength and condition of each individual hair, which will in turn help to create a more tangle-free tail which is easier and quicker to care for.

So a quick recap - work from the inside out - feed well, provide proper care from the vet and dentist, groom with the right tools and lots of enthusiasm and use grooming products when needed to make your horse look and feel even better.  

The short video below will help a person become familiar with horse and equine grooming concepts. We show foundation grooming tools - curry comb, dandy (hard) brush, body (soft) brush, and hoof pick. Start learning now. 

This video is not an inclusive video of everything that goes into grooming a horse, it is intended to be an introduction. You may or may not agree with what is shown, but we hope that you will be left with information to consider, mull over, or even agree to disagree about.

Customer Focus - A Family Affaire

It is always a pleasure getting to know our customers a little better.  This week, I spoke with Midwesterner Lori Reglin about her multi-generational horse-loving family.  Lori, her grandparents, parents, and now her daughter have all been riders and involved with horses in one way or another throughout their lives.  That’s at least four generations of horse lovers, if not more!  



Some of Lori’s first memories were as a three year old when her parents got a pony which they kept in their suburban backyard.  At age ten, Lori and her family moved out into the countryside.  Lori, along with her younger brother and sister, became avid 4H participants.  There were many family outings; the entire family would load up their horses and head off for a weekend at a 4H horse show or all breed circuit show.  To Lori, these were some of the most memorable times of her childhood and teenage years.  


 
Once the days of 4H were over, the entire family shifted to showing registered paint horses, and then eventually in 1986 to registered quarter horses.  Lori said it was a special year because her Mother was the National Justin Amateur Reserve Rookie of the Year in her age division.  In 1987, Lori was awarded the National Justin Amateur Rookie of the Year her age group.  Lori says, “It was a year of really hard work to win the championship.  The last two weeks were particularly grueling, as we had to attend multiple shows in the South leading up to the final.  My grandparents often attended horse shows to support us, but it was unforgettable this time because my grandma joined me for those weeks in the South.”   


For Lori’s family however, horses weren’t only about riding and showing.  They of course enjoyed the horse shows and riding, but they were also passionate about breeding, and just genuinely loved being around all things horsey.  They had quite a few broodmares.  As Lori puts it, “It’s just what we did: breeding, raising and showing.”  
Fast forward in time to Lori’s daughter Amy.  Amy would often hop on Grandma and Grandpa’s ponies and older cutting horses when she was little.  Lori left the decision of whether to seriously get into riding up to Amy.  In sixth grade, Amy’s friend on the soccer team invited her to take a riding lesson at a hunter/jumper barn.  Lori believes it was Amy’s natural love of horses given to her by her family, plus the fact that there were many equally horse-crazy girls to hang out with, that really got her taking her riding seriously.  Lori says of Amy, “I think Amy really got into riding because she was able to pursue it in her own way.  There was a love of horses, and great friends to be made.  That combination made it really stick.”  



I asked Lori about Amy’s biggest riding accomplishments to date.  Lori spoke very wisely.  “When we talk about accomplishments, it’s more than just winning, it’s about the person we become.  Amy just dealt with a rather difficult horse for the past year, and seeing how she persevered is an accomplishment in itself.  There were some blue ribbons, but that’s not what it was all about.  Never giving up, learning from experiences, being proud of little improvements or a great lesson - these are the things that mattered.”

I asked Lori about the barn where she and Amy ride now.  “I grew up with a private barn and private trainer.  It was great, but it wasn’t very community orientated.  The opportunity to make friends was limited.  When we found Olympia Equine Ventures, there was always someone to talk to, laugh with, cheer you on, or learn from.  It’s a barn with no age barrier.  Amy, who is a junior in high school, has friends from ages 10 to 35, and it’s just part of the scene.  As a mom, I love it.  The parents all support each other's kids.  At horse shows, we move as a big herd, cheering each other on, and running from ring to ring.  It must be quite funny to watch us!  It helps having Brittany Harpool, our wonderful trainer, who fosters such a caring environment, where we are all encouraged to go beyond just riding but become great horse women too.”



Lori especially loves horse show weekends, because her Mom will often join in and come to cheer on Amy.  Three generations get to spend time together, and they are making many memories in the process.  “It is wonderful to have my Mom with us when Amy is showing.  It kicks up the horse show by a notch.  There is nothing like a Grandma’s love for her granddaughter.  It makes the horse show experience that much better for Amy.”  
Of course I had to ask what Lori’s favorite Simple Equine product is.  “Tail treatment!” Lori replied without hesitation.  “We have had a few horses over the last couple of years, and the tail treatment has been excellent for each and every horse.  The after effect, if used regularly, is of long lasting health and growth.  To me, it’s not at all sticky, which makes it nice to apply.”  



Thank you Lori for loving our Nourishing Avocado Tail Treatment and for letting us take the time to chat with you!  It’s a privilege to know you.  

This post is based on experience, learning and opinion.  You may or may not agree with what is written, but we hope that you will be left with information to consider, mull over, laugh at, or even agree to disagree about.  Thank you for reading.

Tips for grooming muddy ponies and horses

For those of us in the Northeast, it's that time of year, when we are bound to look more dirty than our equine friends by the time we leave the barn.  Everything has melted, spring showers have arrived, and our horses are shedding like bandits.  Shedding also means they feel itchier than normal, and that means they are rolling like mad.  The warmer temperatures also mean that sometimes they get to go out without a sheet.  The result: an almost daily grooming battle, with a crusty, mud-covered, shedding horse.



There are two ways to tackle the cleaning of your muddy friend:

1.  If it is warm enough, you can rinse your horse off with the hose when they come in from the field.  This is the simplest solution, but at this time of the year, it's often not warm enough to do this in New England.  If you are unsure about whether it's okay to hose them off or not on a particular day, ask someone with more experience, such as your barn manager or instructor for guidance. If it's just slightly too cool to do a total body hose off, but I am in a desperate situation, a bucket of warm water and a sponge can be useful to spot wash any areas that really need it.

2.  Brush off the mud.  The key here is timing.  Timing is important because mud must be brushed off when the horse is dry.  If your horse isn't dry, you'll pretty much grind the mud further into his coat, rather than removing it.

• Use a rubber curry comb or rubber mitt to loosen up the dry mud and hair.  Feel free to do this pretty much all over the body, except the face and any sensitive spots (know your horse!). 

• Then take a dandy brush, aka a hard brush, and use short, firm, flicking motions in the direction of the coat to remove the dirt and hair.  Every few strokes, remove dirt and hair from the dandy brush, by using a metal curry comb (never to be used on a horse), or the stall door, or whatever you have handy so that you aren't just moving the dirt around on your equine pal. 

• If your horse is shedding buckets, take the time to use a shedding blade, ferminator or some other product (there are many out there on the market) to continue to remove extra hair.  At this point it's also a good idea to check for injuries and skin issues.  Run your hands over your horses body and legs to make sure there are no bumps, hot spots or anything unusual going on with their skin.

• Then give them a brush with a body brush, aka a soft brush.  I consider this more of the polishing stage.  Use plenty of elbow grease to help bring the shine out of their coat.  Each hair follicle is tied to a sebaceous gland which secretes sebum.  Sebum is what we would consider the natural oil in the coat, and the action of the body brush will help to work the sebum through the coat to create shine. 

• For the face, try to very gently brush off any mud with a soft brush or face brush.  If that isn't working, a clean cloth wet with warm water normally will do the trick. 

• Be sure to take the time to pick out feet properly.  Mud can mean that picking out one foot can take a couple of minutes and the apparent strength of an ox, but it is very important to ensure no hoof conditions are developing and there are no rocks mixed in with the mud. 

If you run into the situation of having a horse covered in wet mud, but needing to ride, my best advice is to use a damp towel or sponge to try and remove the mud from anywhere that the tack will be - face, and saddle and girth area in particular.  You might have to rinse and repeat a few times.  Mud left in those areas can cause rubs and discomfort.  I would personally leave the remainder of the mud, and brush it off after my ride, once it's dry.  Still, before riding, be sure to give the horse a once over making sure there are no injuries or skin issues.  And never neglect hooves, even if you end up looking more muddy than your horse by the time you've picked them out!

The only upside to the "muddy pony" situation is that you usually end up spending more quality time with your horse.  Often times, especially in the spring, they enjoy getting groomed more than any other time of the year.  Here's a video of my pal Jake enjoying a good scratch.  He expresses his delight well, doesn't he :)

Photo/video credits: Andra Constantin

This post is based on experience, learning and opinion.  You may or may not agree with what is written, but we hope that you will be left with information to consider, mull over, laugh at, or even agree to disagree about.  Thank you for reading. 

The "Natural" Debate

As I embarked on The Simple Equine adventure over two years ago with the goal of creating a natural grooming products line, I spent a lot of time studying the competitive and comparative sets.  I looked at horse grooming products, human skincare products, and other pet products.  I looked at big sellers and smaller niche products.  And of course, since natural products were a priority for me, I studied many of the products claiming to be natural. 

Unlike “organic” products which are regulated, “natural” products are not.  In the skincare/petcare/grooming products industry, what I have discovered is a large sliding scale, or spectrum in terms of what people say is in fact, natural.  There are two big takeaways for me; one, you can pretty much say anything is natural, and two, that it’s up to you, as the consumer, to really decide whether you agree with the seller of the product as to what’s natural.  The future may put “natural”, in a regulated state like “organic.”  In fact, the lack of regulation has recently been brought to the FDA.  It will be interesting to follow developments and see the outcome.  For now however, “natural” is a free for all. 

The dictionary defines natural as, “existing in nature and not made or caused by people”, or, “not having any extra substances or chemicals added.”  Does this mean that a plant oil, that a human has had to extract from a plant is not natural?  I don’t think so but I suppose you could debate the point.  I do tend to agree with the latter definition, it just makes logical sense to me.  Some of you will be more lax in your definition of natural, others will be very specific in what their requirements are.  It really comes down to personal preference. 

“Natural” is a difficult area to navigate, and ultimately it is up to you to do your own research and decide which products meet your requirements.  When I look at a product, I like to understand what is in it.  If I don’t know or recognize the majority of ingredients, I tend to be wary.  I give a thumbs up to various oils, butters, essential oils, salts, waters, extracts and tinctures.  I also know the benefits of many of these ingredients so I can make a quick deduction about whether product claims make sense. 

In some types of products however, I am forgiving.  For example, any product that contains water really needs a broad spectrum preservative to avoid bacteria and mold growth.  There just isn’t a way to have a product containing water to be 100% natural in my eyes, but it can still be pretty close, and that satisfies me.  Some of you might be more picky, for example forgoing products that are water-based, only approving certain preservatives, or only using water based products that need to be used within a few days, before mold and bacteria start to thrive. 

With many equine products, here in the US, there are no ingredient statements.  I understand this, as there are always people trying to imitate something good.  If however, you call the manufacturer of a product about a specific question and they won’t answer or take time to give you the information you need, I would tend to steer away from that product.  Let’s say for example, you or your equine pal have an allergy to a specific ingredient, but you aren’t sure whether it might be contained in the product.  Give the company who makes it a call and ask them.  Hopefully they’ll be helpful! 

When making purchases, it seems that the best course of action is to educate yourself and come up with your own parameters.  The more you know, the more you can make decisions that you feel good about.  Feel confident that you are empowered to buy products that you think are natural, and will be effective for your needs.  

Photo credit: Andra Constantin

This post is based on experience, learning and opinion.  You may or may not agree with what is written, but we hope that you will be left with information to consider, mull over, laugh at, or even agree to disagree about.  Thank you for reading.