Hi friends, I have left you alone to long again..... I have all good intentions of sitting down to visit with you and then ten thousand things happen. It has been a very long and cold wet winter here in Kentucky. Matter of fact as I write you there is snow on the ground! Let's catch you up on things. Frank has enjoyed his time off this winter, with the footing being so crummy I think we have ridden three times since October. I saddled him last Saturday since it was a balmy 54 degrees and sunny. It was just as if I had been riding him all along.... he hadn't forgotten a thing. There is certainly something to be said for a horse that can have that much time off and still behave and perform beautifully. Love my boy! Pearl.....where to start? Pearl had been with trainer Jed Lawrence, who trained Frank for me. In January, Jed took a job with Craig Schmersal in Oklahoma. I shopped around and found what I thought was a good fit for a new trainer. I sent Pearl to West Virginia for the month Of February. There was a complete lack of communication from that trainer and my gut told me to run and fetch Pearl. I brought her home before her month was up. My good friend who trains in Ohio offered to take Pearl. I was hesitant not because of her abilities but felt funny about business and friendship mixes. Well, Terry has had Pearl about a month and it was the best thing I did for her. I plan to go up and ride her next week and make a decision on whether to put her up for sale or continue on with her. Here are a few pictures Will keep you posted on progress of both my beauties. Happy trails.....

Wordless Wednesday

It was a busy summer

Since I have been absent for almost a year, I figure we have lots of catching up to do. As I mentioned last post Frank and I had a busy summer of showing. We started out in Bowling Green, Ky in April and I am proud to tell you all that I finally got the nerve to do a reining pattern. It was super slow and I did not slide very well but we finished and were on pattern and even managed to place. May took us to Missouri and boy was that a long haul for us. June brought us to Michigan to show, It was smoking hot there for so early in the year. We had our best trail pattern of the season there and placed in all our classes. We also did an open show in Indiana that month and won our first money!

Don't I look mighty happy here? June also took us to Indiana and all my ranch horse friends finally got to see me show Frank. See for years I have been running show offices and not showing, a few people even said that they did not realize I even owned a horse! August we traveled to Tennessee for another show and despite my only riding twice that month Frank still placed in all classes, we even placed third out of 20 in our ranch reining class! I had the biggest smile on my face as I finally got the slide!

This picture is from a rail class, I didn't realize how much he blends into the wall! September we finished our show season in Kentucky again and I am so proud of all that we accomplished as a team. We really are clicking together and he is such a good boy. I am a little sad that we didn't get any trail riding in this past year but there will be lots of time for that in the future. Thanks for riding along... Happy trails...

Oh boy where do I start.....

Hello Friends, It has been way too long. I don't even really know where to start......but I am here again and still horsin around. I still have the ever amazing Frank and a new girl Pearl. Yes she is another Perlino and has some big shoes to follow in. So much has happened since I last blogged. I showed Frank a bunch this past year and had a ball. In August he moved to a new barn, same owner just new farm. This barn owner also gifted me Pearl....Zip N Pearlsonality is her registered name. She is a two year old filly that was completely wild when I got her. I did the ground work and got her handling well then I sent her on to my trainer Jed Lawrence at Lawrence Performance Horses. She has been there almost 90 days now and is riding well. She is out of Zip N Review a Perlino pleasure bred stud and her bottom side is reining/cowhorse backround. I am hoping she will be an all around contender.

This photo is when I first got her. She is such a sweet girl and has done everything asked of her with no resistance whatsoever. I hope to be blogging more often and keep you posted on our progress.

Busy.Busy. Busy

Hi Friends,

I call you all that because I feel you are my friends, you know the type of friend that doesn't hear from me in a while and when we do talk again it is like we never missed a beat.

I am again lamely apologizing for my absence from blogging I really am on my way back here regularly. I have been incredibly busy working at my new venture and lots of other stuff in between. Who knew I could cram so much stuff in to one day!

Take today for instance. This is how it has gone so far and keep in mind that it is 10:15am.

Wake at 5:45, make lunches for the wee ones, take out mountain of garbage to the curb, shower, make breakfast for wee ones, gobble bowl of oatmeal, drive wee ones to school, drop husband at airport in Lexington, stop by big lots and dollar tree to retrieve supplies for gift baskets, home to wrap gifts for family we adopted at the mission, assemble gift baskets for adults at mission, wrap presents that ups dropped off while I was wrapping others, sit down to print labels to ship eBay stuff i sold this week, blog quickly!


whew! yep that has been my morning. Now I am off to deliver presents to The Gathering Place mission here in my hometown and help sort donations that have come in this week. Then I will meet a friend for lunch, walk dogs and hopefully squish in time to go see frank for a bit.

I can't wait to share my new venture with you! I know I am keeping you in suspense but as you can see I am only able to work on it in the evenings after the boys go to sleep and most nights after an hour I am too pooped to do much.

I will tell you this, it is a website and it is about horses and it will be fun and great to read, search for info and comment on. Hoping to launch by first of the year at the latest.

Thanks for riding along......Happy Trails.

Plan B

Hello friends!

If you have been reading along for some time, Thank you, you will understand this latest blog. If you are a new reader, Welcome!, I hope we become friends and you stay for a long while.

I told you some posts ago that I was ready for big changes in my world and was feeling restless, bored, unappreciated, etc. etc. Well I am happy to tell you after my sporadic posts and sometimes long absences from my blog that the time has come.

Last post I told you I moved Frank to a new barn, it was just the tip of the changes to come. The end of September I quit my job at USEF. I know what you are thinking, WHY? in an economy like this would anyone quit a job? Honestly, I hated it! I was literally dragging myself into work each day and hating every second of the day I was stuck there. I found myself daydreaming out the window and avoiding contact with anyone else working there. The work was boring and certainly not appreciated in the least bit by any of my supervisors. So, off I go into self employment again. I LOVE IT!

My pet sitting service is going along fine, I have some clients that I walk dogs for on a weekly basis while they are at work and my weekends are usually full. I have several barns that use my services when they are off to a show so I am happy with the results so far.

I just finished my last show secretary job for the year and am re-evaluating if that is something I want to do next year as well.

I have opened some booths at a local peddlers mall and I am really enjoying being creative with florals and wood burning again. I also garage sale shop for resale items.

But the best part of all this new found freedom is the ability to see Frank daily and ride! I have been riding his hide off!(Not really) but we have been logging some great saddle time. We have been exploring the 300 acres surrounding the farm and found some great long trotting hills and flat fields to lope about. I am heading there now to go enjoy a crisp fall morning of riding. I am considering dusting him off and returning to the show ring next year.

I have so much more to share with you but must get a move on. Next post I will do a recap of a trip to Mammoth Cave horse camp and tell you of my next venture which is of course horse related. For now I leave you with a parting shot of dirty Frankie from yesterday. I am hoping to find him in better shape this morning......















Happy trails.....

Frank's new digs

Last post I told you that Frank was moving to a new place. I am happy to tell you that on the 1st we did indeed head on over to our new place. It is a much smaller barn and fewer horses on the property. Nothing fancy just a good, safe place where the owner truly cares about her clients and the horses. My new barn owner was very accommodating when I asked for a separate paddock for Frank because of his attachment issues. She even went so far as to move a horse around in the barn to give him the stall which sits off by itself so that he has no direct contact with a neighbor horse. I know this sounds kinda mean but the boy truly has issues with attaching to another horse and it makes my life really difficult. He has a direct view out of the barn and of course can see the horse across the aisle from him. His door even has an opening window which we do leave open so he can stick his precious head out for attention.

Here is a picture of his new place. I love the foliage surrounding the barn.






















Frank's stall would be the first one on the right as you enter the barn. It is 10x10 and has mats and bedded heavy with grass hay. That is a new concept to me and I thought he would eat it rather than use it for bedding but it seems to be working fine. Since Frank has now joined the pregnant gelding club he is sequestered during the day and is turned out at night. He seems very happy!

A picture of the boy having a snack.






















I had planned on a labor day ride but it was not meant to be. Frank pulled a shoe on Sunday evening and the rain from tropical storm Lee set in. It has rained every day since Sunday so far and been in the 60's for highs! I had the farrier out on Tuesday and we are all fixed up in the hoof department so anxiously awaiting a break in the weather so I can go ride. I am excited to check out the 300 acres available for me to go explore! Well friends as always thanks for riding along!

Happy Trails........

Moving on...

So last post I eluded to some changes in Frank's living conditions. I will now dish the scoop.

Let me begin by saying that for those of you who don't know I used to own/operate a boarding stable in South Florida. I have also had the privilege of having my horses in my own back yard on my hobby farms. Two years ago we relocated to Kentucky and decided not to purchase another farm for economic and personal reasons (mostly I was exhausted from taking care of the farm). We now rent a lovely farm house on a Thoroughbred stud farm. It has one acre fenced off from the actual farm, yet I have a clear view of the daily happenings there. Being that I have lived in these situations I think that I am the best boarder there could ever be. I know far too well what goes on when you own a boarding stable. Somehow your personal space is no longer your personal space, regardless of how many contracts, signs and amenities you provide. I won't go into the horror stories of boarding horses here, i just wanted to give you insight into my back round and as to why I believe I am justified to consider myself a great boarder. That being said, it is with some in trepidation that I am moving the Frank tomorrow. I do like the barn he is at but there are some issues. I think I posted about the lack of a heated bucket this winter and me having to bring one while paying a premium for full board. Then there was the severe weight loss Frank endured until I started buying my own feed, still paying the premium full board price. When spring came around and I became insanely busy I thought Frank would benefit by being turned out 24/7, still I pay the premium full board price although no stall,shavings or care is being administered. Lately I find myself subconsciously not wanting to go and visit Frank for fear I will run into the owner. That sounds crass I know but I view my Frank time as a luxury and I don't want to share it with anyone most days. I just want to relax and spend what precious little time I have alone with him. I don't want to engage in chitty chat or have someone watch me school or ride him. So to make a long story short as I can, (you know me I am wordy) I am moving the boy to a new place tomorrow.

The new place does not have an indoor but has over 300 acres to ride on which excites me greatly! I will post some pictures later and update you on his new digs soon.

Happy trails......

Have you ever?

Have you ever had so much to say but just did not know where to begin? Lately my mind is full of thoughts I want to share but I am always thinking of them at precisely the wrong time to write them down. I think it is the universe's way of telling me I am too busy. And busy I am! It has been a tough couple of month's but I know the end result will be worth the struggle I have gone through. Confused? Me too!

I started two new business's a few months ago. The pet sitting business and my antique booth business. I am the type of person who goes "All IN" when I do something so it sort of consumes me. I am happy to say that both business's are doing well and I was able to cut my hours at my "real" job. I will now be able to be home when my kiddo's step off the bus which makes me feel great about my number 1 job, MOM!

I think I mentioned a few posts ago that I have been doing some redecorating in my personal life as well. I have decided to rethink some of my personal relationships as of late. I am a giver and it seems some of my relationships are very one sided in that all I do is give and get taken advantage of. I am in a sense cleaning house within myself.

Big changes in the Frank world as well. Frank will soon be moving to a new location.
Now hold on, before you all think I am re-homing Frank it is simply not true. We are just going to move to another facility, and that is another blog entry in itself. So until then,


Happy trails......

The End of Summer....kinda

This weekend we celebrated the end of summer at our house. True it is not officially the end of summer but for my kids who started school today this past weekend was it for them. To celebrate we took a much needed "stay cation" to my best friend Susan's house. Well actually we went to her Mom and Dad's house, who were away on vacation. The house is one of the oldest in the small town they live in and sits on roughly 600 acres of planted fields. The family used to raise hogs but has moved onto strictly crops of corn and soybeans now.

Being from a nomadic family myself i always wished I had a home to go back to on rainy days. I feel blessed that Susan considers me family and invited me and my family to come and stay at the farm with her.









Picture of the front of the house












So on Friday evening after the open house at school we packed up the two kids, two Jack Russell's and various suitcases and took off on the 2 hour drive to the farm.
It had been many a year since I had been there and never in the dark so I was a little apprehensive. I need not have worried it all came back to me and we arrived safely at 9:30pm. The kids were mighty excited to see their good friend Eliza and my dogs were happy to join the dog party of 5 already there. We spent the weekend exploring the farm, swimming in the pool and riding Susan's horses. I dare say it was the best stay cation I ever had!

I leave you with this parting shot of the kids at the pool. Although blurry I love it. It reminds of all those lost summers as a child.
















Happy Trails.....

Hello Blogger Friends

Hi fellow bloggers

First I must say to those of you still following my blog, thanks. I know I have been missing and I promised to be a better blogger, but I just can't seem to find a spare moment most days. Rest assured me and the Frank are still alive and kicking. Frank and well er me too have packed on a few pounds and we aren't riding as much as I would like but I do occasionally saddle up for some much needed therapy.

I am still working full time, for now. I am building the pet sitting business steadily and I have started a booth in an antique mall as of a month ago. I still show secretary once a month as well. No wonder I am tired.... Pare this with being the most awesome, fabulous mom ever and well.... yeah my kids will argue that point.
They have however, learned all about estate sales, yard sales and craigslist this summer. They will grown up to be pickers like me!

I have managed a few trail rides close to home at the reservoir by my house and made a few new horsey friends to hit the trail with. Frank has been good as gold as usual and really doesn't mind being the pasture pet. Truthfully the heat has been keeping me off him more than anything. Last night I did brave it and saddled up for a spin around the farm. You know it is hot when your arms are dripping when you are riding in a tank top. I was happy to see that Frank has forgotten nothing when I took him into the arena and put him through the paces of the show pony. I rewarded him with the show pony deluxe bubble bath and spa treatment, he almost fell asleep being pampered.

I am gonna try to leg him up into shape and perhaps try a few competitive trail rides with ACTHA this year. I should know better than to vocalize it because sure as I do something else will pop up.

Hope you are enjoying your ponies and your summer!

Happy Trails......

Late again....

Cripes a month has gone by and I haven't blogged. So much for my good intentions....
Somehow I just don't have much to say these days.....
Really unlike me! I think I have figured it out. My horse is no longer in my backyard, I don't get to interact with him the way I used to. This makes for dull days around here, much of the same each day. Get up, make lunches, drag myself to work, do the same job, go home, do laundry, watch mindless, TV and go to bed. Repeat for the next four days. If I am lucky I can squish in a visit or two to see Frank.

Speaking of the little devil. Frank has had his share of troubles as of late. We as the rest of the country have been inundated with rain. Rain = soft feet and yes the dreaded abscess. Frank decided to get a particularly deep nasty abscess just a week before my scheduled annual cruise with the in laws. He was three legged for a week before the sucker popped the night before I was scheduled to leave. Luckily for me I have a darling barn owner who packed his foot and took care of him in my 10 day absence. I would love to tell you I had a lovely time in the tropics and in some ways I did, but I would have much rather spent a week in the woods with my boy.
I spend most of my days wishing for that lately. He is sound again so hoping to have a nice ride this weekend. It has been nearly a month since I have rode.

The pet sitting business has taken off and it won't be long before I can do that full time and be my own boss. I am sure that will help. I am entertaining the thought of letting a good friend lease Frank until the end of the year. We are working on some details and we shall see if it works. Not really wanting to sell him so maybe this will buy me some time until I figure out the finances once I am self employed.

Enjoy your weekend!

Happy trails.......

After the storm

I suppose I am not alone out here when I say that as of late I have been inundated with Spring storms. We have had a week of flooding and tornado's. Luckily my family was not impacted by any of that just the inconvenience of being able to be outside without being drenched. My heart goes out to all the people who lost homes, businesses and yes even loved ones. Today was the first day in a week that I have seen the sun and boy was it a welcomed sight not just for me but because Rolex starts today! The course is bound to be muddy in spots for cross country but they do have two days to hopefully dry out. I will of course be wandering the venues and snapping some photos to share with you. There will be shopping of course! The best part is the Kentucky Reining cup will be held on Friday and Saturday nights of Rolex. Yes of course I have tickets for both nights and I am super excited about the freestyle on Saturday night. I will try and post some pictures for you tomorrow of the Dressage portion of Rolex which starts today. Until then....

Happy Trails........

Wordless Wednesday

Check out more wordless wednesday picturesHERE

Wordless Wednesday

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New beginnings

I have decided 2011 is a year of new beginnings for me. I just passed another birthday and with my birthday always comes a review of the year that passed and what I would change about it. Oh last year the list was long. How does one get in that predicament? I must confess I spent way too much of last year unhappy. I did have some outside forces that caused some of it but a lot of it was internal.

So I decided to make some changes for 2011 starting with happiness. Yes, I will strive for happiness this year. I decided a good place to start is by blogging as much as I can again. Yes, it is a challenge some days when work is piling up, laundry needs folding and kids are pulling me six different directions. I do feel much better when I put to words the things happening in my daily life, it is a way to release some of the stress that builds on me. So what else would make me happy?
More time with Frank. Not easy when working full time, hubby that travels five days a week and two young men with busy social schedules. I am striving to see Frank at least three days a week. I am very fortunate that my BO is great and turns him out daily. Another way I am finding my happiness is by doing something more fulfilling with my working life. I have a decent job and I am thankful for it, but it lacks any real brain power and is monotonous most days. I have decided to open my own business! I am starting a Equine and domestic pet sitting service. It is something I can start while still working my regular job and we will see where it leads. I have constructed a website and have gotten some vacation jobs already! I am excited to see where it will lead. You can visit it HERE. I am hoping to transition to it full time and have more outside time and not spend my days wanting to be outside and feeling useful. I have more ideas to add to it but taking baby steps for now.

Last but not least I am writing children's books as well. The books are a series about life lessons and of course Frank is the main character. The books are a reflection of what is occurring in my oldest son's life currently and the lessons we are learning from it. I have written two so far and I currently have someone doing the illustrations for me. I haven't decided if I will self publish or shop the books out to a publisher. Do any of you have experience with this?

Well another beautiful day outside today and I am counting down the hours until I get to go see Frank. Planning an outside field ride tonight.

Happy trails.....

Wordless Wednesday

Scenes from the 4C



Check out more Wordless Wednesdays HERE

Weekend ride

The weather on Sunday was just to good to pass up. The weather man was calling for low 80's and sunshine with 10-15 mph winds, count me in I am going riding I thought.
I called up my newest horse buddy Shanon and asked if she would like to go trail riding to the reservoir property with me and Frank. Shanon eagerly accepted and said she would trailer over to my barn Sunday morning and we would drive over together. True to her word Shanon arrived at 9 am right on time. I had my trailer hooked up and ready to go. Shanon unloaded her mount Candy Man a 20 year old Sabino Tennessee walker. I went and fetched Frank and after a short introduction loaded Frank into the trailer first and Candy followed right after.

The reservoir property is an old farm the county bought with plans to build a reservoir for the water supply of Scott county, to date nothing has been planned and the county allows hiking, hunting and horseback riding on the property. The property consists of about 300 acres and is a wonderful place to go and ride. There are wooded sections and open pastureland as well with many creek crossings. You can choose to ride challenging hills or just meander through gentle slopes. Best of all you can ride your horse barefoot there as there are few rocks on the trails.

The property is less than 10 minutes from my house and around 20 from the barn where I keep Frank. When we arrived there was not a soul in sight. We quickly saddled and headed out on our adventure. Since Candy Man had not been out in the woods for a few years there was some apprehension on Shanon's part. She need not have worried he was very happy to be out in the woods and was a good sport all day.






















The boys saying hello to one another!



We did a short ride on the pasture land and then we headed back to the trailer for a lunch break. When we arrived at the trailer we found four more trailers had showed up and people were getting ready to ride. We took a short break and mounted up for part two of our day. We chose the opposite side of the road this time and did some hill climbing and found a beautiful path through the woods. I spotted a turkey hen running for cover off to my left, she was too quick for a picture I am afraid. We came upon an old road and followed it a bit and I snapped this picture of Shanon up ahead of me.





























You can see the trees are not yet leafed out, things are just starting to pop around here. This was my view for much of the day as Candy Man walked much faster than Frank. That was just fine it helped Frank work on his separation anxiety and he did remarkably well this day. We rode for a few hours and decided to call it good since none of us were particularly in great shape yet. All in all a wonderful afternoon spent with a new friend who although is young enough to be my daughter a wonderful companion.

He Loves Me!

The last post I mentioned that I brought a friend out to meet Frank. This young lady works in the same building as me and we have become quick friends. It is actually quite funny because her fiance was my vet tech for years before I knew her, small world. S as I will call her, had horse experience and owns her own horse, an aged Tennessee Walker. In college she rode western pleasure and some reining horses on the collegiate team. It has been a few years for her since she has done any serious riding and she confided to me that she may have softened and lost her edge. I definitely can relate. With age I have defiantly lost some of my edge and the fact that I had Harley the horse who put the fear of God back in me most days.

S has heard the stories of Frank on our frequent lunch dates and was very curious to meet him. Wednesday evening we headed out to the barn to do just that. He was a muddy mess when we arrived and her first comment was that he must need a good bath before I show him. S also commented that he was just the perfect size horse at 15 hands. After a good grooming I saddled him up and we headed to the indoor arena. The wind was still whipping pretty good outside and S commented on how quiet Frank seemed. I told her the story of the weekend wind ride and she laughed saying she could not imagine him getting worked up.

Once inside I mounted and explained to S the steps I do with Frank each ride. I always start with bending and softening. Not only does this help each of us stretch out it gives me time to see how Frank is responding and what we may need to work on that day. I did my schooling around the arena at the walk/jog/lope did some side passes and backing and then the spins. S was aglow with happiness, she said he was such a nice horse and that I was crazy if I did not show him. I explained to her my lack of interest in showing this year and that I really just enjoy my horse for all he can do and I am not feeling the pressure to show anymore.

I asked her if she would like to try riding him. She jumped with joy! Heck yes! So I dismounted adjusted the saddle stirrups for her longer legs and off she went. I stood in the center of the arena and gave her some tips on how to ride him. I could see it was all coming back to her and her nervousness faded with each lap of the arena. She asked me if Frank fell in and cheated with me. I said no and than I realized his eyes were on me the entire time, he was trying to come to me. We laughed and I went over and sat on the bench. Moving away from me he would speed up and coming toward me he would slow down. It really was comical the way he stared at me. There was only one conclusion, HE LOVES ME!


The feeling is mutual. I LOVE THIS HORSE!
Twice I have put people who were nervous and wanting to get their edge back and twice he has shown me that he is really a healing horse. S now wants to do lessons with her horse and get back into riding regularly.

Thank you Mike Craig for insisting that this horse was a perfect match for me when I doubted it. He truly was a diamond in the rough..

Happy trails......

Testing

I know two posts in a row.... don't anyone faint out there. It is all part of my new me for 2011, getting back to the things I love and need in my life. I realized with the help of a good friend (Kim) that blogging is a way for my to express my feelings and release some of the stress in my life by talking about my life. Thanks again for all of you following and if this is your first time reading one of my posts than WELCOME and I hope you join in and comment and follow along as well.

This week I have been blessed with hubby taking the boys on the road with him for spring break. That means Me, mommy gets a much needed spring break as well! Yes, I still have to work but that sleeping in an extra half hour and being able to go see Frank after work without time constraints is wonderful. I even managed a girl's night out for dinner with friends the other night!

Last night I went out to the barn to ride and was joined by a young lady that works with me. She has riding experience but was rusty and is wanting to get back into trail riding and perhaps showing again. She has heard lots of stories about Frank and seen his pictures that plaster my office walls but never met him. She met me at the barn and got to meet my boy in person. He was turned out and not in gleaming show condition the way he appears in most of my pictures, but she could tell it was him. Frank is quite happy that spring has arrived and that he gets to go out on grass now. However, along with spring comes the flys. Hence our testing begins.
I hate to openly admit this but I was supposed to do this testing last summer for the folks at Absorbine. They were nice enough to tell me that they had been following my blog and asked me to review some fly spray for them. Unfortunately with WEG here at work and my limited time with Frank being at the trainers barn I did not get to post the results. I am happy to give you my brutally honest opinion on their product. Please note that I am not compensated for providing my opinion on the product in any way form or fashion. Sean if you are reading along you should know by now I am nothing if not brutally honest.

THE PRODUCT:


















Absorbine's pitch:

New Ultra Shield® Green from Absorbine® proves that "going green" can be both highly effective and Eco-safe. Ultra Shield® Green is a natural fly repellent that repels and controls biting flies, mosquitoes and gnats for up to 8-hours as demonstrated in an independent university study. 100% guaranteed.


My review on the product:

I started using the product in the middle of summer last year when the fly's were in full force. My program is to turn Frank out after feeding in the morning and he stays out until evening feeding. This leaves Frank pretty vulnerable to the little bloodsuckers all day long. I found the Ultrashield bottle to be easy to grasp and definitely easy to spot in my tack trunk due to the bright green label. I put the spray nozzle to spray and my routine is to start at the neck and work my way back, covering all areas generously. The Ultrashield Green has a bit of a fru fru smell for me and my barn owner also commented on the feminine smell of it. It did apply well and evenly but I noticed an almost oily sheen to it, it made me wonder if it would collect dirt. My fears were unfounded, what I did find is that is held up remarkable well to Frank rolling around in the dirt/grass and it did a great job keeping the flys off of him. When I returned that evening there were flys on his face around his mask where I had NOT applied the spray as a test. The next day I put a small amount on the fuzz at the bottom of his fly mask (think over the nose area) to see if this would keep the flys at bay. The test was a success! When I returned in the evening NO FLYS!

My overall opinion on the product is that it is a great fly protection product. The spray lasted at least 12 hours outside and did not collect dirt/dust to the horse's coat. While I found the smell a bit strong, I will say I am pretty sensitive to perfumes and smells in general. I would rate this product a 8 out of 10 with my on complaint being the smell.


If you are looking for a fly spray that stays on is natural and not full of icky pesticides than this is one for you to try!



Thank you to Absorbine for sending me the sample and for allowing me to critique your product. Frank and I think it works great and if you did an unscented version we would love to try it!



Happy trails.......