People are always asking us about products we use: especially the kind of feed or supplements, tack, and training products. The following are all products we have used, found beneficial, and can recommend to others.

I decided to remove sweat feed from our horses diet in order to cut the sugar content. Research has shown that as horses are living longer they are subject to Cushing Disease (like diabetes in humans) and also arthritis that may be inflamed by sugar and empty carbohydrates. I follow a low sugar diet myself and decided to follow a similar program for our horses.

Our horses that are over twelve years old are fed Kent Senior Pride Horse feed which is a pelleted feed designed for older horses. Our younger horses are fed Kent Dynasty which is 12% protein.

They all do very well on this plan with year around pasture and round bales of hay from November through April consisting of grass, timothy, and alphafa which last for five days before replacing.

Our horses are fond of Kent Rounders horse treats. I often soak the Rounders in hot water to make them break more easily to use as reinforcement rewards in training. The carrot flavor is a special favorite. For variety in training with reinforcements I add carrots sliced about as thick as a nickel, small slices of apples, seedless grapes cut in half or quarters, as well as a small handful of their pelleted feed.

When I first saw the Trail and Pleasure bridles and breast collars at the horse expo, I immediately ordered sets in red, white and blue to match our patriotic saddles. This colorful tack is made from BioThane, a urethane-coated nylon that is durable, easy to clean with a damp cloth and water, and it will not get stiff or crack when we do winter parades in the cold. I ordered the narrow ½ inch width so that it can fit and not show under our native costume halters when we do ethnic parades. I also ordered a white halter/bridle combo for Tarifa when he is ridden and then goes on to perform tricks for television cameras and presentations. The halter/bridle combo is very convenient--- just unsnap the cheek piece holding the bit, leaving the halter in tack. This model is a favorite of the trail riders too.

While SpookLess Sound Conditioning CDs are a recent introduction to the market place, I have used the principals of Habituation Training through Gradual Desensitization of scary sounds from the very beginning of my parade and imprint training. These great CDs are produced with the latest music producing technology from a Grammy winning company in Nashville, Tenn. I use these CDs in my training classes and clinics and will be demonstrating them whenever I am asked to talk about How Horses Learn and training procedures. A limited supply will be available where ever I am asked to make presentations. SpookLess is a very effective training tool.
Click here for more information on the CDs, including length and the sound effects on each CD.

I started using a joint supplement for my senior horses in 2005 when I noticed they were not running around as much in play and seemed to be the last ones in from pasture for grain.

In consultation with my equine vet, I started using a liquid compound in a mixture of Glucosamine, Chrondroitin, MSM, and Hyaluronic Acid which resulted in an improvement. I take a similar human form of these nutrients to maintain good joint health. The disadvantage of the liquid supplement was that it was messy to use as a top dressing for grain and to clean the residue from the pails and feed tubs, I had to separate the horses at feeding time which took time out of a busy schedule, and it cost nearly $100 a month per horse.

I met the folks at Majesty at the North American Horse Spectacular Horse Expo in 2006 where I was conducting clinics on Despooking and Trick Training. I immediately liked the idea of the supplement in the form of a neat horse treat. Majesty has all the benefits of what I had been using and then some such as Yucca. It also is much more reasonable in cost. My horses loved the samples we came home with. I can even break them into smaller pieces to use as a reward when I am practicing new tricks with Tarifa.

My horses have been ridden in more than 400 parades the past fifteen years. It is important to me to keep them in optimum health now that they have reached teens up to twenty years of age. Most people do not think that my trick horse Tarifa is now twenty years old. He can keep up with the other horses in play and maintains his alpha status in the herd. I think with good care and Majesty he will have many more good years to come doing tricks and riding in some of the largest parades in the country.