The Pony And The Pea

Here at Two Horse, we provide a wide range of sizes so that we’ll have just the right fit for your horse, regardless of breed or age (and believe us, we’ve seen every variety of hard-to-fit that your horse can dish out…even some real ‘pony and the pea’ situations).

Every now and then though, we have people who are unsure which of two sizes would fit their horse best. Unfortunately, everyone tends to measure their horse slightly differently and a small shift in the position of the measuring tape can make a big difference in the numbers, leading to confusion for everyone. Although we do offer the option for customers to send an Order Note with their horse’s age, weight, height, and breed to help our shop make the expert call, there is another option. 

We’ve stablished a Demo Program, which lets you audition a couple of sizes in the item you’re interested in. Send them back when you’re done or keep them and accept a charge on your credit card. The best part? The whole process is free! It’s like a changing room for your horse.

Give it a try.

Baby, it’s hot out there…

Humidity has reached us in central Kentucky, and like you, we’re noticing that our horses are less than thrilled with the change. That’s why we love these ten hot weather horse care tips, courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center. Check it out: 

• Choose cooler turnout times, ideally during the overnight hours. If that’s not possible, turn out your horse as early as possible during the day.
• Provide shade if your horse lives outside. A run-in shed is best, but trees can also provide relief from the heat.
• Move the air with fans, making sure all cords are out of reach of curious noses.
• Use a mist system on your horse if available. Frequent mistings are far more effective than a single dousing with a hose.
• Provide fresh, cool water and change the water frequently. Old, warm water is not as tasty to your horse as cool water to drink on a hot day.
• Slow down. If you must work your horse in the heat of the day, lighten the work load to make sure he’s safe. This is especially important when the humidity is high, contributing to the poor quality of the air your horse is breathing.
• Stick to a schedule. Within the parameters of keeping your horse cool, try to stay as close as possible to a normal schedule.
• Avoid sunburn. Horses, especially white horses, can suffer from sunburn. Even those with white socks and blazes, pink noses, or hairless patches from scarring can be susceptible. Using a fly scrim can help, as can the application of sunblock to particularly vulnerable areas.
• Clip horses with longer hair coats. While some coat can provide protection from the sun, a long, thick coat tends to hold heat and makes it difficult for the horse to cool down. Be careful not to clip the hair too close, as it provides some protection from damaging rays.
• Know your horse and signs of heat stroke. Heat stroke can happen anytime your horse is exposed to excessive heat and its body cannot handle it. Know your horse’s normal temperature, heart and respiratory rates.

Personally, we love a good splash in our nearby swimming hole as you can see. Stay safe out there, folks!

It’s time for a new giveaway!

All right, free tack fiends–we’ve got another one for you. If you haven’t already seen it, our June tack giveaway is for a traditional halter bridle with bit hangers, a very popular item this time of year.

The traditional style halter bridle is made from 3/4-inch beta biothane, and our two-color option comes with 1/2-inch biothane overlay. All you have to do to make the switch from a halter by the trailer or in the barn is snap the bit hangers onto the cheekpieces of the halter and (if you so desire) snap on the browband. That’s it! You’re ready to explore.

Each of our bridles comes in a variety of sizes to fit your horse’s needs, and can be customized for special breeds or unusual fits.

All you have to do to enter is fill out the contact form here and you’ll be in the pool to win. Even if you don’t win, we’ll send you a $10 coupon, good for any item on the site, just for entering. There’s really no way to lose here.

Watch our Facebook page to find out if you’re the winner! Happy trails!

Congratulations to Tango!

Congratulations to Tango, the winner of our most recent tack giveaway! Tango has won a Color Combo Convert-a-Bridle from our online shop. This ¾-inch beta biothane bridle is perfect for pleasure or trail riding in style, and can even convert into a Western bridle with the removal of the one-piece noseband, which threads through the browband. It’s a great option for trail or distance riders, especially since it just needs a bath in soapy water to clean.

Tango and Melissa at No Frills

Tango is an 18-year-old off-track Thoroughbred who has already had several professions since leaving the track–he has had some dressage and eventing experience, and his person Melissa has made the rounds at U.S. Dressage Federation, U.S. Pony Club, and U.S. Eventing shows. Both of them recently discovered however, that they’re happiest when they hit the trails for endurance rides.

Tango and Melissa completed their first Limited Distance ride at No Frills this past April, and are proud members of the American Endurance Ride Conference. They’ve already found a community among endurance riders.

“I have already hit some bumps– the dressage saddle that fit his high withers stopped working in February [and several AERC folks who barely know me came to the rescue with saddles and pad on loan]” said Melissa.

Melissa is an avid reader of the Endurance Granny/Green Bean Endurance blog that we promote here from time to time. Jacke, the Endurance Granny herself, works with us to do exclusive product giveaways from time to time, and we love reading up on her most recent adventures in the endurance world.

Melissa said she’s looking forward to switching from her old leather bridle to a new purple and silver beta biothane bridle from Two Horse Tack. We are pretty sure they biothane, which washes clear with soap and water, will be a lot less fuss than the leather she’s been dealing with on those long, sweaty rides.

Love the sound of Melissa’s bridle? Pick up your own here.