SmartPak Blanket and Sheet Review

Who doesn’t love SmartPak? Their outstanding customer service, knowledgeable and friendly staff, fast shipping, and convenient supplement system makes them extremely popular in the equestrian community. After all, who doesn’t love a company that takes care of their customers?

My journey with SmartPak began in 2011 when I purchased my first month of supplements for Diablo. Let’s just say that it was love at first sight. Ever since that day, I have been an avid SmartPak user. In fact, both of my horses receive SmartPak supplements every month like clockwork and a SmartPak box can be found at my front door almost every other week. However, this post isn’t going to be about their supplements or other products, even though I think they’re awesome. I’m here to write about their line of blankets and sheets. After all, I do have a slight addiction to blanket shopping.

SmartPak Deluxe High Neck Turnout Sheet

I took the plunge into SmartPak’s blanket and sheet line this past November when I purchased their high neck turnout sheet for Diablo to expand his wardrobe in preparation for clipping season. I wasn’t ready to break the bank on a sheet when I had to buy a full, new wardrobe for Diablo’s baby brother. The SmartPak Deluxe High Neck Turnout Sheet caught my eye while I was browsing the site and before I knew it, it was being shipped to my house.

D sporting his SmartPak Sheet in a size 78 and BOT Quick Wraps

Fit: The sheet itself looks absolutely stunning on the horse and fits true to size in my opinion. The shoulder of the blanket is just wide enough with the cut that it allows the horse to have a full range of motion while staying snug against the body to prevent frequent snagging. If you have a horse with wide shoulders, this sheet could be the one for you – I haven’t experienced any rubs or slippage even though Diablo has wider shoulders. The material that it is made of seems to be very durable as it is made of 1200D rip-stop material. It’s high neck design also keeps Diablo dry, even in the pouring rain, and does not rub his withers like other blankets tend to do. The waterproofing of the sheet is top-notch, and he always comes in dry and warm. The stitching also seems to be quite durable and sturdy, which as we know, is getting to be pretty rare nowadays. I ordered my sheet with a red monogram on the left flank, and it looks very nice on Diablo’s black sheet.

Hardware: It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of the closures on Amigo’s Wug blankets. However, I feel that the hardware on the entire blanket is sturdy enough to withstand wear and tear while also making putting the sheet on a breeze. The quick-clip closures on the front of the sheet are relatively easy to snap in cold weather, and I haven’t had any problem with any of the snaps sticking or the straps lengthening during use.

Warranty: The deluxe sheet is covered by SmatPak’s 100% Happiness Guarantee. Despite what many people think, only the ultimate blankets are covered under their 10-year warranty.

Price: $136.76 (includes 5% USEF discount and 10% SmartPerks discount)

Rating: 9/10 – If this sheet was also covered under the 10-year warranty, I would give it a 10/10! Overall, the sheet is absolutely amazing for the price and value. I will definitely be purchasing one for Dies.

D sporting his SmartPak sheet in a size 78 and BOT Quick Wraps

SmartPak Ultimate High Neck Turnout Blanket

I managed to snag this blanket on clearance for a whopping $90 during SmartPak’s end-of-the-year sale! How could I possibly pass up on such a great deal? It has quickly become Diesel’s main blanket since his Amigo Hero has taken quite a beating. It’s no secret that young, rambunctious horses can give their blankets a run for their money. Sadly, the Amigo Hero blanket that I bought him a month ago has been torn seven times in the last month and is currently being repaired in hopes that it may last the rest of the season. Let’s just say that 600D is not strong enough to withstand the tornado that is a baby horse – lesson learned.

Diesel modeling his SmartPak blanket in a size 78

Fit: Since I bought this blanket when it was on clearance, I was limited to purchasing a size 78. I originally thought that it would be too big on Diesel as he normally wears a 75 in Amigo blankets, so I was expecting it to just become a spare to switch between both of my boys. However, the 78 fit Diesel quite well. That leads me to believe that this style runs a little on the smaller side. However, the sizing doesn’t seem to affect the shoulder area of the blanket as the cut still allows the horse to move without causing shoulder rubs and seems to provide enough give to keep the horse’s movement from being hindered. Plus, the high neck is wonderful for keeping the horse dry while grazing in the rain – Diesel has come in dry after each wear. It also is a plus that the high neck relieves wither pressure. Like the sheet, the stitching and binding seem to be very sturdy and is done very neatly. I saw some reviews on the website where people have had problems with the stitching unraveling, but I haven’t had a problem with that so far. Also, the entire blanket is very well made and seems to be extremely durable with 1050D fabric. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will hold up to Diesel’s antics. Last but not least, the color I received, midnight blue, is absolutely stunning. However, it seems that they no longer have that color available, which is a huge bummer. 

Hardware: The hardware is the exact same as the sheet above with the quick-clip closures on the front. Like the sheet, I haven’t had any problems with any of the snaps sticking or becoming jammed or the surcingles lengthening over time. They seem to be holding up so far.

Warranty: All of SmartPak’s ultimate blankets are covered under their 10-year warranty unless you get embroidery on anywhere other than the surcingles, which is a complete bummer. I was extremely disappointed to find out that I couldn’t get it monogrammed without voiding the warranty. Despite that, the promise of a 10-year warranty on a blanket worn by a young, rambunctious horse is just too good to pass up. If you have a blanket destroyer or just a young horse, I definitely recommend you purchase it! Their customer service is awesome, so exchanging it is a breeze.

Price: $179.59 (includes 5% USEF discount and 10% SmartPerks discount)

Rating: 9/10 – Overall, I would say that the blanket is a definite competitor in the blanket market. Its quality is up there with Amigo blankets, but the 10-year warranty just puts it over the top! If you are looking for a nice, sturdy blanket, this is the one for you! I will definitely purchase it again in the future, and I will be buying several more ultimate sheets and blankets to complete Diesel’s wardrobe. I only docked a point because it doesn’t seem to fit true to size.

Diesel modeling his SmartPak blanket in a size 78 – too cute not to post!

The overall verdict: SmartPak knocks it out of the park again! Both the sheet and the blanket have exceeded my expectations so far, and they are both holding on strong. I definitely recommend that you give their blanket line a chance! After all, who could beat owning a blanket with a 10-year warranty? SmartPak, keep up the good work!

Saturday Fun

Since I am a full-time student and work part-time at a vet clinic, I haven’t been able to make the hour-long drive to see Diesel very often. However, when I do get to make the trip, it is always the absolute highlight of my week! Today was no exception!

I headed straight to the farm after I got off of work today to watch my trainer school baby Dies and swap out his blankets. His Amigo turnout took quite the beating this past month, so it is on its way to get repaired. He somehow managed to put several rips in it even though it is only two months old. Boys will be boys. Since he ripped his own blanket, he is currently outfitted in his brother’s SmartPak Ultimate High Neck Turnout that I managed to snag for $80 during their year-end sale. It’s about a size too big for Dies, but it’ll do for now. You just can’t beat SmartPak’s 10-year warranty – especially when you have a young rambunctious gelding! All of his blankets from here on out will be from SmartPak.

It was a busy day at the farm today with construction going on around the arena and the spreader trucks visiting. Not to mention, the cows that live beside the barn were extremely vocal! With all of this commotion going on, I was a bit anxious to see how Diesel was going to behave. After all, I couldn’t blame him if he was wild!

However, baby Dies was on his best behavior this afternoon! We tacked him up and took him up to the arena to take a look at the scary spreader trucks, and he stood like a rock the entire time they were there. That is a huge deal for him as he is such a scaredy cat by nature. After about ten minutes, he even lost interest in them and decided that checking my pockets for treats was a much better use of his time.

Speaking of treats, Diesel absolutely loves Stud Muffins – especially the peppermint ones! If you want to try them out, they are on sale on SmartPak right now!

Dies decided to show off for me – he was absolutely fabulous for my trainer today under saddle! He trotted and cantered around so much more relaxed than the last time I watched him school at home – even with all of the commotion going on. He is beginning to understand how to support himself and not rely on the rider’s hands to hold him up. He still has a lot of room for improvement, but I am just so pleased to see him actively learning. There is still a lot of work to do with his changes as we are still working on getting him to change every time when asked. He has great, easy changes, but he loves to be stubborn and act like he doesn’t know what you are talking about. Geldings, haha! He was also an absolute star over fences! His jumping is getting better each time I see him, and he is getting more comfortable with not-so-perfect distances. He looks so much more confident! I am just over the moon with how great he is coming along! I couldn’t ask him to be any more fabulous than he was today.

Watching him on days like today reminds me of how much I miss riding him! He is such a fun guy to ride. I have to keep reminding myself that I am not the only rider that is not confident 100% of the time, and it is ok to be afraid sometimes. While he is gaining confidence, I am gaining it too. I am hoping that I will be back in the saddle in the next few weeks – I can’t wait!

Adventures Of Baby Dies: Second Show

If you know me, you know that I am definitely NOT a morning person. There’s only one explanation as to why I was up before sunrise yesterday morning – it was horse show day for baby Dies!

We started off this new year by attending a small schooling show hosted by UGA’s IHSA team. It was super low key, which was great for building Dies’s confidence up. Like many young horses, he has a tendency to become a spooky mess when introduced to new situations. The nervousness has been improving over the last few months as we continue to expose him to new places, and it has been so rewarding to see how his confidence has improved with each new place he has visited.

In addition to improving his confidence with new experiences, I decided to try Diesel on SmartPak’s SmartCalm Ultra and U-Guard starting a month ago to see if that would help him to overcome his spookiness at home and away and make him more comfortable. He is a sensitive guy that tends to worry, so I was concerned that ulcers could become a problem – especially now that he is traveling more. I want to give him the best care that I possibly can. Yesterday was the real test to see if they were making any difference in his demeanor.

Dies made the journey here to Athens with two pony buddies in tow. It was quite a sight to see 16.1 hand Diesel beside his new tiny pony friends. He didn’t seem to mind the height difference haha! I hadn’t seen him in a couple of weeks since I have been back in school, so I was so happy to see his squishy little face!

Right after he walked off the trailer, I tacked him up and took him up to the ring to look around and explore. To my surprise, he was so calm and composed even with the “scary” new jump decor and loud shooting noises from next door. He was more concerned with begging for pets and all of my attention. He is such an attention hog. This was the calmest I have ever seen him both out and at home.

When you have seasoned show horses, you can sometimes take for granted the small things like being able to stand beside the arena without worrying about your horse every second. This was the first time since I have owned Dies that he stood quietly and relaxed. He is such a sensitive guy that he is always on high alert – even at home. However, yesterday he was relaxed enough to calmly graze by the arena – this was a first! I got pretty emotional as I was standing there with him because it was the first time that I was able to let my guard down at all with him and enjoy just being with my horse. I was so proud of him.

 

Warming up!

Warming up!

Warming up!

Warming up!

I’m sorry for the sub-par pictures, but they are all screenshots from videos. Hopefully, I will get some better pictures in the next few days. He was such a good boy for my trainer during the whole show! We entered him in the 2′ division again, and he didn’t blink an eye at any of the jumps and behaved so well. I honestly couldn’t have asked him to behave any better. There are many things that we have to work on in his training, but this show was all about building his confidence! If we can get him more comfortable in new situations, everything else will come. His biggest hurdle is his own anxiety.

He ended up winning both of his flat classes and came out with a second in his last over fences class. I was thrilled! There are definitely a lot of things to work on, but I couldn’t have asked him to be any more well behaved in a new place with a new rider. He was such a good nugget! If the weather cooperates, his next outing will be on February 10th. I can’t wait!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You Know It’s Winter When…

What’s that big hairy thing standing out in my pasture? A black and white mammoth? A rare Saskatchewan moose? Nope – it’s just my horse.

If you’re a horse owner, you are well aware of the winter woolies and all of the things that come with it. Winter coats are great for keeping your ponies nice and warm during the winter months, but, man, can it be a pain for us! Drying your horse’s sweat marks by hand after a ride in ten-degree weather is the perfect time for you to reflect on just how much you love horses – ask me how I know! To make it a little easier to keep them in work during the winter months, many riders, including myself, like to take a clipper to those winter woolies.

I took advantage of our single 60-degree day this past Thursday to give my Saskatchewan moose a much-needed bath and full clip. After five hours of clipping, a large pile of black and white hair the size of a medium dog was laying on the floor, and a “neighkid” pony was left standing in the wash rack. That was a long night!

Before the big clip…

After the big clip!

While clipping the pony, I had a great idea. I should share a few of the things that I use when body clipping my horse. I am by no means a professional body clipper, but I end up clipping my guy a few times during the winter. They are never aesthetically perfect, but they definitely do the job!

Clipping Essentials

1. Andis AGC Super 2 Speed Clipper

If you don’t have a good set of clippers, clipping your horse will be next to impossible, so naturally, this is my first thing on my list of clipping must-haves. These babies do a great job of body clipping my moose despite how thick his coat can get. Not only are they powerful enough to get through a winter coat, but they are also super lightweight and quiet. I can’t tell you how much easier these are to hold compared to the traditional Oster ClipMasters. They have been a lifesaver – no more constant hand cramps! It also doesn’t hurt that they stay cool twice as long! You can buy a pair from SmartPak, your local feed store, or Tractor Supply.

2. A CLEAN and DRY Horse

Clipping a dirty horse is definitely doable, but say goodbye to those sharp clipper blades! A dirty coat will absolutely murder your blades leaving you with a streaky, uneven clip. When clipper blades cost this much, you definitely don’t want to shorten their life-span. Make sure that your pony is washed thoroughly from head to toe. I usually use Wisk for my white pony to get that deep dirt and stains out from his coat. It works like a charm and leaves his coat gleaming – just make sure you wash it all out. If it is cold out, I like to cover his body in a warm cooler and start with the head and legs before moving on to his body. I know some people go crazy about clipping wet horses, but I personally choose to clip him when his coat is dry. My clippers work best that way.

3. SHARP Blades

Of course, this should be a no-brainer, but always make sure that you have sharp blades on hand. Clipping with dull blades can be a pain as they leave clipper marks – ask me how I know. 😬 I like to use the T-84 blades for the body and #10 blades for the head and legs. The wide T-84 blades make knocking out the large, vast plains of the horse easier to cover while the #10 blade let’s me get into those narrow and hard to reach places. Let’s not forget – always have another set of both blades is extremely helpful when your current ones start to get hot.

4. Showsheen

I have a love-hate relationship with showsheen, but man is it great for clipping! Spraying a generous amount to your horse will have your clippers cutting through their thick coat like warm butter! If your concerned about it drying out your horse’s skin, just apply some spray on conditioner after your clip job is complete.

5. Clipper Oil and Andis Cool Care Plus

It is absolutely essential that you frequently oil your clippers throughout the entire clip job. Not oiling your clippers can lead to a half clipped horse when your clippers finally decide to stop working. Save your clippers from a sudden death by taking care of them! Also, make sure to use a coolant such as Andis Cool Care Plus to keep your blades from running hot – your horse will thank you.

6. An After-Clip Bath or Hot Toweling

Last but not least, make sure to give your pony a soothing bath or toweling after the job is done. Doing so helps to remove all of the oil and coolant that could have been left on your horse’s skin. All of these products could cause your pony to have an allergic reaction. It’s better to be on the safe side and give your pony’s skin some love.

7. Managing a Clipped Horse

After the deed is done, your naked mole rat will need some extra help to keep him warm now that all of their hair is gone. Please make sure that you have all of the blankets you need to ensure that they are nice and cozy. My guys have a rain sheet, a lightweight blanket (100g), and a medium weight blanket (200g). Here in GA, my ponies usually don’t need a heavyweight blanket, but if it gets cold enough, I do layer their lightweight sheet and their medium weight blanket for additional warmth. Your pony is now relying on you to keep them warm. Here are my favorite sheets and blankets that I entrust with keeping my ponies warm!

Rain Sheets:

Smartpak Ultimate High Neck Turnout Sheet (0g fill)

Amigo 1200D Bravo 12 Sheet (0g fill)

Lightweight Sheet:

Amigo 1200D Bravo 12 Sheet (100g fill)

Medium Weight Blankets:

Rhino SmartPak Collection Wug Turnout Blanket (200g fill)

Amigo Hero 6 Plus Turnout Blanket (200g fill)

*All of these blankets and sheets can be purchased on SmartPak’s website! You can even get them monogrammed – eek!

 

I hope this post will help you get started on your horse clipping adventure! Stay warm and happy riding!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Journey With My Green Horse So Far

Owning a young, baby warmblood is not for the faint of heart. It can be full of setbacks, bad days, and frustration. However, watching them grow up and learn to use their bodies to their full potential is so rewarding! Not to mention, working with them is so humbling and can teach you a lot about yourself in the process.

I bought baby Diesel the six-year-old Hanoverian on a spur of the moment decision after seeing his ad on Facebook. Who knows how it happened, but within a week after seeing the ad, the bill of sale was signed and he was officially mine! His purchase was such an exciting time for me as I had always dreamed of owning a fancy prospect that had the potential to be something special. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought that I would own such a fantastic young horse.

However, owning this guy has not been all sunshine and rainbows – any horse owner can agree that horse ownership can be this way. It has had it’s ups and downs. I decided that today would be as good of a day as any to sit down and write about this special guy and chronicle his progress from over the last few months that I have owned him.

Purchasing Diesel was quite an experience for me as I had never purchased a horse out of state. We bought my first horse, Diablo, from a family down the road from me, so traveling six hours from home on a spur of the moment to go try Diesel was exciting and nerve-racking. Diesel was my first “big girl” purchase.

Diesel the day I went to try him!

It can be hard to try and picture how young, green horses will turn out down the road. You never really know a horse until you are personally working with them and get a real feel for who they are as an individual. Purchasing Diesel was scary in the aspect that I had never owned a young, green horse before – let alone a young, green warmblood. I have ridden for quite a while now (9 years to be exact), but working with green horses is not something I have a lot of experience in. That is where a good trainer and lessons come in!

My first few months in green horse land taught me so much about this industry and myself. Diesel has humbled me and shown me that patience is the key to good horsemanship. I spent the first two months that I owned him working on groundwork to develop a good relationship and set boundaries while my trainer got to work under saddle. Owning a green horse will definitely teach you that this sport is more than just riding and requires patience.

I’m going to be honest with you guys here. Horse ownership is not always sunshine and rainbows, so I’m not going to sit here and tell you guys that my experience so far has been a fairytale because it hasn’t. I want to be real with you guys because social media has a way of making a person’s life seem so perfect and pristine when in reality, it isn’t. Mine definitely isn’t – I’m an imperfect rider and person in general.

To get to the point already: when school started back again this past fall, I made the difficult choice to put Diesel on the market to be sold. At the time, I was convinced that I was not a good enough rider for him and that I never would be. I don’t usually talk about mental health, but my lifelong struggle with anxiety was taking a toll on me and my relationship with riding. Anxiety is my worst enemy – I’m a severely anxious person by nature. It stops me from doing the things that I am passionate about and fills my mind with worries, doubts, and fear. I’m not afraid to admit it – my anxiety was hurting my relationship with Diesel and my relationship with riding. Then, something great happened.

My parents convinced me that putting Diesel in a full-time training program would be the best way to give him the experience that he needs while I am busy with school without having to sell my dream horse. So, I decided to take him off the market, put him in full training, and become the rider that he needs me to be.

I know that some people are more about the “do-it-yourself” mentality, but it has been my top priority to give him only positive experiences so that when he is ready, the transition from being ridden by a professional to an amateur will be easier on both of us and will set us up for success. This has been one of the best decisions for both me and him so far. There is no shame in seeking help – especially with impressionable young warmbloods.

I also have a lot of work to do on myself in order to give him the best ride possible. I have to admit – I am overweight and need to get in better shape. I have made it a priority to start going to the gym so that I can become stronger. Putting him in training is giving me the time to get myself ready, focus on school, and give him the time that he needs to mature.

On November 3, 2017, Diesel went to his first show in Alpharetta, Georgia with my trainer in the irons. Despite the chilly weather, Diesel had a fantastic first show! We decided to enter him into the schooling hunter division for both days, and he behaved like a gentleman. I was so impressed with how well he handled himself and the busy atmosphere. He even ended the weekend winning his first blue ribbon. Yay Diesel!

Since November, I have moved Diesel to a new farm where he has continued to be in training and is making great progress. It is so exciting to see how much more confident he has become and how far his training has progressed. He is going to be a very special guy!

I can’t wait to see how this handsome guy turns out. Hopefully, in a couple of months, we will be ready to get to work and I will have more posts about our progress together. I am so excited to share my adventures with this guy with all of you!

Spring (?) Semester is Here!

Wake up in the morning feelin’ a little chilly. Grab my bookbag, I’m out the door, I’m gonna hit this city… Actually, nevermind. It’s too darn cold.

I’m not going to lie – I was not so thrilled about trekking to class all the way across campus in freezing temperatures. I was even less thrilled when I stepped outside and realized that not only was it cold but WINDY! Walking to my first class of the day felt like I was embarking on a trek across Antartica. I know what you northerners are thinking, and yes, as a southerner, I can conclude that I am in fact a wimp when it comes to cold weather. My animals can attest to that. Just check out the picture below! 😬 They all love their warm blankies on cold winter days like this!

Despite the subzero temps (ok, mid-thirties), the first day of spring semester gives me hope that this will be a great semester for me. After changing my major from neuroscience to animal science at the end of last semester, it was refreshing to sign up for classes that I actually wanted to take! I felt right at home in my first animal science class at UGA.

I decided at the end of last semester to stop doubting myself and pursue my dream of being a veterinarian. I decided to ignore all of the discouraging statistics surrounding vet school acceptances and follow my dream, which has been one of the best decisions I have made so far in my college career. If you are doubting your choice in major, take the leap and follow your heart!

After attending all of my classes for the day and surviving the brutal cold, I came back to my apartment to lay out my planner using the syllabus from each class to mark important dates, plan out which days I will ride and go to the gym, and organize my work schedule. Life just isn’t complete without my cute Lily Pulitzer planner! I feel so lost without it. Now it’s time to crack down and get to studying!

Happy studying everyone!

 

 

 

A New Beginning

College is so many things. It’s a whirlwind of stress, changes, successes, failures, and new adventures. It has definitely been the source of change in my life.

You see, ever since my horse and I packed our bags and left for college, my life as a competitor in the horse show world has come to a sudden halt. My life has been so consumed by hectic due dates and mountains of homework that my days of spending hours at the farm as a barn rat have come to an end.

Now, my days consist of trying to get to classes on time, juggling countless hours of studying and homework, and caring for my semi-retired horse, D. I no longer get to spend my days schooling horses at the farm or competing at horse shows on the weekend. That part of my life has been put on hold.

I can’t tell you how much I miss waking up to the smell of sweet feed and freshly cleaned tack on frosty winter show mornings, the sound of hoof beats in the air as competitors warm up their horses in the arenas before classes begin, the adrenaline as the buzzer sounds, signaling the start of the timer in the jumper ring, or the sound of horses peacefully nibbling on hay and competitors laughing in the evenings after a long day of horse showing. Those are the things that I miss the most.

Despite having to take a step back from that part of my life, I have come to college eager to learn with a work ethic bettered by the lessons taught to me by the horse world. After all, as riders, we are taught that in order to be successful, you must give it your all. It doesn’t matter if that applies to spending countless hours schooling your horse to win that class or hitting the books in the library to get that A – hard work pays off.

I can’t wait to see what this year has in store for me!

This is just the beginning.