Archive for November, 2010

Here is our final part of our “EcoLicious Red Carpet Ready Guide”. If you follow these steps, your horse will look like a glamorous movie star at the Oscars when you’re done with him. Guaranteed. Most importantly -  have fun with your horse and make sure to have some baby carrots handy.

Step 6:  Finishing Touches

Yes, here I am working on the mane and tail again!  What kind of anal-retentive, over achiever would I be if I didn’t work on the mane and tail just once more? 

When the mane is dry, I like to wrap things up by braiding using In Control Braiding & Mane Setting Cream.  I’ve tried other products, but as far as I’m concerned this is a lifesaver if you do any sport where you have to band or braid.  Not only are hairsprays and gels toxic, sticky and smelly but they also don’t provide the subtle hold In Control gives you (OR add lustre OR restore elasticity to the hair!)  You caught me – I’m not a fan of using hairsprays or sticky short-cuts to braid hair, but can you blame me? Who wants a crunchy, sticky mane and tail after you’ve just put all that effort into getting it silky, shiny and soft?!?  Even if you don’t braid, gently smooth the settling cream along the crest of the mane to eliminate those pesky fly-a-way’s.

As I move back to the tail, I once again reach for my trusty De-Stress Intensive Reconstructing & Detangling Treatment.  I like to put a small dollop in my hand and work it through the tail, doing one last gentle finger comb as I go.  Once I’m satisfied that absolutely no raking is required, I will brush the tail with a flexible, natural bristle brush. As I gently separate every last squeaky clean, glistening strand I build show-stopping volume (a must for horses who weren’t blessed with beautiful tails and a bonus for those who were!)

Step 7:  Pièce de résistance

You didn’t think I’d ignore the hooves did you?  I leave this step until just before I go to the warm-up ring – in fact it’s the last thing I do before I get changed into my show clothes and put my bridle on.  If you are slightly less accident-prone than a certain blogger with an unhealthy finger-combing obsession I might mention, then you can feel free to do this step at any time. Although Hoof Therapy Restorative & Protective Serum is already a must-have in my grooming tote year-round, it has also become the finishing touch on my red carpet makeover.  Much like a good pair of stilettos, naturally glossy and moisturized hooves really finish the look.  No toxic paints, tars or sparkles required!  You cant’ go wrong with this product – not only does it naturally nourish and moisturize your horses hooves but I’ve found it resists dust and dirt accumulation better than most products on the market.  Bonus!  

Well there you have it folks!  That’s my sure-fire (and ever-so-good-smelling) method to transform your horse into a head turning, jaw dropping and eco-friendly show horse!  Step back and admire your work for a moment, and then go brush the hay out of your hair,  get out your Tide stick (ketchup doesn’t get itself out of white breeches!) and give yourself a makeover.

Make sure to check out Part I. & Part II.of our EcoLicious “Red Carpet Ready” Guide as well.

Naturally yours until next time!
Megan 

Check out our full line of delicious, natural and green equine care & grooming products at www.ecoliciousequestrian.com

Big thanks to EcoLicious  for their fabulous line of products. I am head over heels with the Hoof Therapy Treatment. Considering this summer with its continuing rain then a few weeks of drought where ground got to rock hard, Hoof Therapy kept my horses’ feet in immaculate condition. I even used it on the fetlock area of one of my QH where he started developing scratches. Couple of applications and it all cleared out. 

Thanks again for great products.

Joyce Rivers
Trails End Ranch

Thank you Joyce for your support!

Ride Green!
The EcoLicious Equestrian

Check out our full line of delicious, natural and green equine care & grooming products at www.ecoliciousequestrian.com

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to share a kind letter of thanks we received from the Canadian Endurance Team that represented Canada at the WEG this September:

Dear EcoLicious Equestrian,

We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation of your generous contribution to the Canadian Endurance Team at the World Equestrian Games, held in Kentucky in September.  We are very proud of our 7^th place finish in the 100 mile endurance event; 21 Nations competed in the Team event, putting Canada in the top third – an excellent result.

The riders, horses, officials and crew all benefit from the support that organizations such as yours provide.  You may not be aware, but there is little financial assistance available from government or our National Sport Federation.  As you can imagine, the cost of participating in an event of this caliber is extremely high, making donations such as yours, which provide products that we would otherwise have to purchase, very much appreciated.

Photo courtesy of Wendy Webb

With Endurance being the fastest growing of the equestrian disciplines world-wide, we are doing our best to foster excellence and professionalism in the sport in Canada, to better prepare our athletes and our horses competing on the world stage, and these advanced products and technologies go a long way in assisting us in this regard.

We sincerely hope that we can continue to rely on your support for future international competitions.

Thank you very much.

The Canadian Endurance Team

Ride Green!
The EcoLicious Equestrian

Check out our full line of delicious, natural and green equine care & grooming products at www.ecoliciousequestrian.com

Our Squeaky Green & Clean EcoLicious Shampoo is featured in the Practical Horseman’s Eco Friendly Holiday Gift Guide. Squeaky is an earth friendly natural shampoo free of synthetic preservatives or artificial fragrances and it’s 100% biodegradable.  Made with silk, gentle yet deep cleansing coconut surfactants and  scented with the uplifting Essential Oil of Sweet Orange that both you and your horse will love. The best part – it’s made with human ingredients, so you can borrow it from your horse. Check it out here:

Ride Green!
The EcoLicious Equestrian

Check out our full line of delicious, natural and green equine care & grooming products at www.ecoliciousequestrian.com

We’ve got some thrilling news at EcoLicious Equestrian.  We’re honored and super excited to become a sponsor of a talented young three day eventer Lauren Kieffer from the O’Connor eventing team. Why Lauren? She understands the importance of making sustainable  & environmentally friendly choices and avoiding toxins and chemicals that conventional equine grooming products contain.

So who’s Lauren, where does she come from and what is she up to?

Lauren was born and raised in Mt. Carmel, Illinois. She fell in love with horses and began riding at the young age of six. She competed in several local hunter/jumper and 4-H shows before pursuing eventing at the age of 12, training at Susannah Lansdale’s barn in Evansville, Indiana. 

Lauren fell in love with eventing and started training with Karen and David O’Connor started in 2005 when her parents signed her up for the O’Connor Eventing Camp in Virginia. She then took up a working student position with them and then became their Resident Rider in 2008. For you who aren’t that familiar with the three day eventing scene Karen and David O’Connor are the IT and their numerable accomplishments include medals from Olympic Games in Atlanta and Sydney! Karen has been named US Female Equestrian Athlete of the Year ten times and, in 1993, was the number one ranked lady rider in the world. She received the Team Silver Medal at the Atlanta Olympics, riding Biko, and the Team Bronze Medal at the Sydney Olympics, aboard Prince Panache. David brought home the first eventing Gold Medal for the United States in more than a quarter of a century, when he clinched the individual eventing championship on Custom Made at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney with the best score in Olympic history. Alongside Karen, he and Giltedge helped the USET capture the Team Bronze Medal in Sydney, and the Team Silver in Atlanta.

And now back to Lauren. Here are some of her most notable achievements. Lauren has been named to the Developing Rider’s List every year since 2006 and was placed on the USEF B-List in 2009 after her top placing at the Jersey Fresh CCI***.  She also received the Markham Trophy the spring of 2007.  The trophy is given to the highest placed rider under the age of 21 at the USEF CCI*** Spring Championship.  She has many top placings in horse trials and FEI competitions, most recently completing the 2010 Rolex Kentucky CCI****.

Lauren is well known for her success with a variety of horses and for her natural approach in all her training techniques.

We asked Lauren to tell us a bit about her equine partners. She trains and competes about 15 horses, but according to her the two guys below are the most notable ones:

Snooze Alarm 12 year old chestnut Arabian gelding: North American Young Rider Championships team member 2005, 2006, and 2007; Named to Developing List 2007 and 2009; Named to USEF B- List 2009; 8^th at Jersey Fresh CCI*** 2009; 1^st Plantation Field Int 2009; 28^th at Rolex Kentucky CCI**** 2010; 1^st Richland Park Int 2010

 Ultra Tim 10 year old bay Thoroughbred gelding :Named to Developing List 2010; 2^nd Plantation Field CIC** 2009; Top 15 at Fairhill International CCI** 2009; Top 10 Millbrook HT Adv 2010.

We’ll be keeping you in the loop about Lauren and her accomplishments, so make sure to sign up for our blog!

Ride Green!
The EcoLicious Equestrian

Check out our full line of delicious, natural and green equine care & grooming products at www.ecoliciousequestrian.com