Valley Vet Supply

Equibrand Giveaway

Winner Announcement!

Train, Compete, Win. That slogan can be held true in almost any facet of life. Train hard, compete harder, end result, WIN. This is truly the mission statement of Equibrand. Located in Granbury, Texas, they are the umbrella company that represents Classic, Rattler, Classic Equine, Cashel and Martin Saddlery Products. From the top to the bottom, they have “horse people” working on their staff that participates in many different equine disciplines. From roping, to cutting, to barrels, and more, I truly am astonished at how many employees for Equibrand put their daily work efforts into their night and weekend recreation time. They know and believe in their products because they use their products. From support boots, to saddle pads, to ropes, bits, leather goods and more, the men and women at Equibrand, along with some well known Rodeo legends, have a say in how the product is built from start to finish. We all know in the equine world, a fraction of a second can mean the difference between first and second place. And that is also why you can rest assured that any product coming from Equibrand is that intended for a Champion.

To help you compete like a champion, we are giving away an Equibrand Package, sponsored by the makers themselves. All you have to do is click like or tweet about this blog and answer this question in the comment section: Where and how do you compete like a champion?

CLASSIC EQUINE PACKAGE GIVE-A-WAY!
TO ENTER:
1. Answer the question in the comments section this blog post:

Where and how do you compete like a champion?

and

2. Tweet or Like the post.

THE RULES
One entry per person, please. (Note: if you don't see your entry right away, please don't enter a second time. It will show up shortly!)

No entries after 8:00 am Central Time Friday November 18, 2011.

One winner will be selected at random and announced Friday. The winner can choose their color of #25376 Classic Legacy System Support Boot and #39232 Extra Sensory Protection Pad.

Personalize It!

It’s no secret by now how much I love pink, along with all of my horses. One of my favorite things to purchase, not only for myself, but also for the horses, is a personalized halter.

The best time to get these is for Christmas. I like to kill two birds with one stone; I use the halter not only as the gift for the horse, but also a gift for my husband, too. Here at Valley Vet Supply, we have 4 nylon halters that can be monogrammed. There are a lot of options to choose from to make the halter uniquely yours and your horse’s. First, choose the halter that you would like: 630 Neo Classic Halter by BMB, Personalized Graphite Halter by Weaver, Personalized Antique Dot Halter or the Brookside Personalized Halter.

Then it’s time to choose the color of the halter and size. After the color has been selected, pick an overlay color that will make the monogramming really pop and stand out.

It’s then time to select the thread color you want, along with what style of font. Decide where you want the monogramming to be on the halter: left cheek, right cheek, nose, or a combination of locations (keeping in mind that is is an extra $14.50 for more than one location).

The last decision you have to make is what you want the monogram to read. For example, and just in case my husband reads this :D, I have chosen a graphite halter by Weaver, Pink Fusion in small (as she’s still a little one yet, and it gives me a reason to get another one when she gets older and bigger), overlay color black, thread color pink fusion in block lettering, written on the nose it will say “Bella”. And there you have it, the makings of an amazing gift that is unique and thoughtful. I’ll let ya know if I actually get it!

I’m curious how you would personalize your halter? What combinations would you use to make it unique for your horse and you!? Rhonda

How to Measure for a Horse Blanket

How to measure Brookside Blankets: Start from the center of the horse’s chest and measure around the widest part of the shoulder, along the barrel and around the widest part of the hindquarter to the center of the tail, keeping your line horizontal to the ground. The blanket measurement is the same as the number of inches measured, however, if the measurement is an odd number, take the next highest even measurement.

A favorite of the Brookside line is the Medium Weight Turnout. You can embroider these, and this line also has matching Garment Bag, Boot Bag and a Western Saddle Carry Bag or All-Purpose Saddle Carry Bag.

How to measure Weatherbeeta Freestyle Blankets: With a soft measuring tape, measure from the center of the chest along the side of the barrel and belly to the point just before the tail (where horse’s rump curves back to the tail) to determine your horse’s length. Do not measure all the way to the edge of the tail or the center of the tail with the freestyle blankets as this will lead to a size too big. If your horse measures in between sizes, round down to the nearest size.*

*When fitting a blanket without freestyle or without a tail flap, your horse may require a larger size. When measuring, round up to the nearest size. The top of the tail flap (the binding or joint between blanket and tail flap) is designed to sit at the top of your horse’s tail. If the seam between the tail flap and the blanket falls below the top of the tail, the blanket is too big.

Most of the Weatherbeeta blankets are “European cut” (any blanket with a tail flap and sized in 3” increments.)

Brookside makes note if the blanket is “European cut,” for example the Medium Weight Turnout and the Lightweight Turnout Blanket. The most common size for a European cut is 75”.

An “American cut” blanket is typically any blanket that does not have a tail flap and is usually in 2” increments. The most common size in American cut is 78”

Finally, for that perfect fit, fasten and adjust the chest straps, leg straps and surcingles. Francie

Blanket Winner!!!

Once again I am totally blown away by the response to this giveaway. Thank you to each and every one of you for sharing your “horse(s)” with me. I just absolutely love hearing from all the great horse-people we have out there and so many wonderful stories from how you choose a blanket, to rescues, to breeding…….you all are just amazing people!

This morning we have drawn our winner.

Congratulations to: Mindy F.

I will personally be contacting you to find out the details of your choice this morning.

Everyone, please keep checking back on the blog. With Christmas so near, I have plans to do a Classic Equine Package giveaway, a men’s and ladies jean giveaway, and well----you’re just going to have to keep checking to find out!

Thanks again everyone!!
Happy Friday
Julie

Blanket Giveaway!!!

Winner Announcement!

In my last post I mentioned to watch for a blanket giveaway. True to my word, I want to give you a chance at winning a FREE blanket. The blanket I have chosen is the Professional’s Choice Equisential 600 Denier Turnout Blanket. I believe just about anyone could make good use of this blanket. It’s the perfect winter blanket for those of you folks in the warmer climates; it would work as a lighter fall blanket or early spring blanket for those of you in the colder climates…..and talk about fashion! You can choose which color and size is right for your horse. My personal favorite is the zebra striped. So, now all you have to do is comment and tell me “Why does your horse need a new blanket and/or what do you look for in a horse blanket?” and then tweet or like this post and you will be signed up to have your chance at winning this really awesome blanket. I have listed the official details below!

TO ENTER
1) Answer the following question in the comments section of this post:

Why does your horse need a new blanket and/or what do you look for in a horse blanket?

and

2) Tweet or Like the post

THE RULES
One entry per person, please. (Note: if you don't see your entry right away, please don't enter a second time. It will show up shortly!)

No entries after 8:00 am Central Time Friday October 21, 2011.

One winner will be selected at random and announced Friday October 21, 2011.

The winner can choose size and color of #12984 Equisential 600D Winter Turnout Blanket

Good luck! Julie

Choosing Your Winter Blanket

With all the different types and kinds of equine blankets out there, one can easily get confused as to what they really need for the winter season. Fashion plays a big part in the decision making for many people, however I must caution you to make your choice first and foremost on a few other factors.

First, decide where, when and how often your horse will be wearing a blanket. Are you turning your horse out to pasture or in a paddock, or are you going to be stabling or traveling with your blanket/sheet?

If you are using it as a turnout, you will want to look for a higher denier blanket. Most of our turnouts will be at least 1200 denier, which means it’s made of a heavier outer material that will not snag as easy. If you are looking more for a blanket for stabling purposes, we have several options in denier for you to choose, from 420 to 1200 denier. Remember; the lower the denier the easier the blanket could tear if you have something sticking out of your stall wall.

Another factor to consider is what type of climate do you live in? Are you in Montana where you have snow for a LONG time and it gets really cold…or are you in Florida where freezing normally doesn’t happen. Depending upon that answer, you’ll choose what polyfill gram weight is best suited for your situation. The higher the gram, the heavier the inner fill for the blanket, therefore the warmer the blanket. If you are in the lower part of Texas, California or Florida, you may consider 600 denier turnout with a 250 gram fill, for example Equisential 600D Winter Turnout Blanket. If for some reason you have a cooler than normal evening, you can always layer your lighter weight blanket by putting a fleece cooler underneath. Or another trick you may consider is if you have a lighter denier blanket or sheet, cover it with a Kensington Protective Fly Sheet for turnout.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email or call (800-419-9524). Our customer service department is quite knowledgeable on our blanket lines. Stay warm! Julie

PS. Give-a-way coming soon! Keep an eye on our blog, like us on facebook or follow us on twitter for details. Don't miss out!

Training Tools - Halters & Lead Ropes

Training tools such as lead ropes, lunge lines and halters, you always invest in several. Lead ropes vary in selection of material, thickness of the lead, length, and attachment snap. The lead length can range from 8’ to 12’. There are a variety of different snaps available on leads. Snaps can be available with a trigger (scissor type), bolt (thumb pulled), bull (pull on), harness snap (flat tin push) or turtle snap (push back).

One lead that I grew up with and was not fond of was a purchased braid thick twine (and did that hurt sliding on bare hands). I hope no one has one of them. The materials today range from cotton rope, poly rope, and leather, in about every color possible. Today, lead ropes are very soft in the hand. My favorite lead rope I use today is a poly lead rope with a bolt snap with three added knots placed in the rope about a foot apart for control and hand position.

Halters, also available on the market in a variety of materials and styles and sizes, can be a multi item purchase. We all have our share of rope, nylon, or leather halters. The rope halter is a good choice for that short catch, or putting on the bridle. You don’t get the perfect fit, but you have nice control. I use a nylon halter for trailering and unsaddling, cool down time, and farrier work. My choice of all halters would be a nylon. They fit great, and they last. They come in handy for other uses. The foal halter will fit on a bucket calf, to let graze. My medium halter has been used on our Bernese Mountain Dog as a harness. And finally, the durable leather halter requires more care with being oiled to maintain it softness. Happy Training!  Lori G

Pretty in Pink

I have always been a big supporter of the Susan G Komen for the Cure organization, along with a big supporter of all related breast cancer awareness organizations (and it helps my favorite color is pink). It wasn’t until we lost my mother-in-law to breast cancer a year and a half ago that I really stepped up my efforts for people to be aware of the scary disease affecting people all over the world and their families. Even though it was a traumatic event that our family went through losing a wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, we all came out of the experience with a newfound outlook on life and the way we live. A big love of my mine and my husband’s is riding horses. We love the peace you get when you are in the middle of a pasture riding down a hill with a warm summer breeze (taking care of those pesky bugs) with the sun setting in the forefront. No cell phone to ring, no email to answer, no responsibilities for those few hours; it’s so peaceful.

Thanks to many products available, I have been able to integrate my love for breast cancer awareness, and my love for the color pink, into my riding and tack. I currently have a hot pink saddle pad that my horse Tex (who by the way is a very proud male quarter horse) loves when I put it on him; almost as much as my husband does! Valley Vet offers breast cancer tack items perfect for anybody wanting to show their support for breast cancer awareness: Pretty In Pink Collection with pink foil ribbon stamp on the headstall, breast collar, and nose band and for the really committed a Twinkle Awareness Ribbon Stencil Kit (which I’ve been told I’ll never get to put on Tex).

My passion for breast cancer awareness goes beyond tack, as I know the true loss of a loved one by this horrible disease. Any way that I can promote an amazing cause is worth every penny, and it’s even better that I’m able to do it while riding my horse. Rhonda

Remember a loved one lost to breast cancer or a survivor by placing their name in comments and please tell us a little bit about them.

Saddles, Try Before You Buy

Valley Vet Supply, my name is Francie, how may I help you?  I am in need of a car. My old 1994 has over 327,000 miles! And I was thinking, I wish car and truck dealerships had the deal “try before you buy for 10 days”, like we do with some of our saddles. We have a demo program consisting of thirteen saddles. Four Circle Y saddles, seven Tucker saddles, and two English Collegiate saddles. Most of the demo saddles are for trail riders, but we sell all disciplines. Just check out our website to view all the saddles!

Like buying a car, what style are you looking for, what size, does it fit my horse and me? I would suggest you do some research before, there is a lot of information available. Tucker and Circle Y both have excellent websites. Familiarize yourself, then give us a call and we can talk saddles just like the guys talk about trucks and cars. Write your questions down and we will be ready to answer. You are investing your money and we want the saddle to be worth the expense.

Here are some details about the saddle demo program. Cost of shipping and new price of saddle will be charged to your card. Upon return of the saddle, the entire amount, plus your shipping cost and $50.00 demo fee will be credited toward your order of a new saddle. If you decide to not purchase a new saddle, you will just be charged the $50.00 + shipping. But you will have ridden in it for 10 days, and by then you and your horse should know if this is the saddle you like.
 
The saddle I have chosen to talk about is the Topeka Flex by Circle Y. We are from Kansas, you know, and that is our capital. All Flex Lite saddles are built for fit, weight and comfort. It has an impact foam seat, neoprene filler in skirt to absorb shock, and a Softee seat jockey. Fender leathers provide “a ready to ride” saddle to minimize the rider’s knee and ankle strain. Weighs about 28 lbs.

Hey! if you don’t believe me, believe Julie Goodnight..( a nationally known natural horsemanship trainer, speaker, and television personality-Horse Master on RFD- TV)  She states in the Circle Y catalog, “The Flex2 tree allows for plenty of rider support and weight distribution. I am close to the horse in just the right spot on his back for a balanced ride and good control.” So give me a call, let’s talk saddles. Francie

Paid To Shop!

Hello Valley Vet Bloggers!!  Hope your day is going well.

Today I thought I would tell you a little about what I do at Valley Vet. When someone asks me that question---with one of our owners nearby---I usually pop off with “as little as possible”. The first time or two, I wasn’t exactly sure how our owners were going to take that---but I think they’ve figured out by now---that this is just my, um, smart donkey come back!

Within my job detail, I choose the product offering we have at Valley Vet that fall under my categories. Which are: apparel, books and gifts, equine grooming, pet supply and equipment, stable equipment products and supplies for equine, and tack equipment and supply. In other words---I get paid to shop nearly 95.9% of the time! Pretty awesome job, huh, ladies??? Of course there are always those business dealings but we don’t like to talk about that, that’s the boring part of the job!! I also get the pleasure of meeting some incredible folks within our industries. Julie Goodnight, Stacey Westfall, Kirk Stierwalt…just to name a few—and WOW, they are all AWESOME!  Good ol’ country folk that if you did not know how famous they were….you’d really never know by just talking to them.

As of late, my counterpart that handles all the “healthy stuff” and I have been working on our fall catalogs. Our marketing department takes all of our quality ideas and then puts them together all nice and neat on the pages that eventually end up in your mail box and on-line. I don’t know—they think they have to refine my pages I turn in, something about them not liking the stick figures I draw in on my pages where I say “insert model here”. They’re kind of picky if you ask me. Something else that always bewildered me until I fully got the grasp here is how far in advance catalogs have to work ahead. For example, as I said, we are finishing the fall catalogs.  We are finishing them just as our summer issues are arriving to you. And the fall and winter product that you will be seeing, as in people winter coats and or winter horse blankets…I had to have that all picked out and ordered by last February. I am already starting to see products that will be available from some major manufacturers in January. Of course I can’t spill the beans just yet on what they are---but I’m pretty sure you’re gonna like them!!!

There is a product coming out in September that we will be offering. It’s the Venture Helmet from Troxel. They are just releasing some of the details about the helmet to the public now. It has a brand new closure/tightening system on the back of the helmet. It is specifically created for trail riders. Jump on our site and check it out…….click the button that says you want to know when we have it in stock to order and we’ll email you as soon as we get our first shipment in.

Thanks so much for now----and keep dancing!!! Julie