Ever wish you could take a sneak peek inside our horses’ and dogs’ SmartPaks? Now you can! Check out the supplements we love, for the animals we adore.
This Month’s Pick
Staff Member: Jen B.
Department: SmartPak Store in Natick, MA
Horse: Taliafera (“Tally”), 8-year-old Thoroughbred mare
Discipline: Eventing
I’ve been riding for over 25 years. I started in 4-H, progressed through Hunters/Equitation, Jumpers, Dressage and finally settling in Eventing where I use all the skills I’ve learned along the way.
I recently acquired a young Thoroughbred mare named Taliafera. Tally is a green 8-year-old chestnut TB mare who has been living in a field for the past few years, so we’re learning all about hacking through the woods and what a half-halt is. She is a great mover and a talented jumper, so with some time and training we hope to try our hand at Beginner Novice eventing in the fall. Our first two schooling shows were very successful – we debuted at a dressage show with a 2nd place in the Intro B class, and just got 1st place last weekend at a schooling three-phase. I think we’ll be brave enough to canter at the next schooling show!
Tally’s SmartPaks
SmartVite Performance Grass Pellets, SmartGut Pellets, SmartHoof Pellets, SmartBug-Off, and SmartCalm Ultra Pellets.
Like many Thoroughbreds, Tally doesn’t need much fortified grain to keep her energy up 🙂 But I know that with a reduced serving of grain, she’s missing out on key vitamins and minerals. SmartVite Performance Grass Pellets ensures she has the right mix in her daily diet.
Moving to my barn and starting back in work has been a huge transition for Tally (I got her from the farm where she was born). I know that increased stress can increase a horse’s risk for gastric ulcers, so I added SmartGut Pellets for daily support.
Before coming to live with me, Tally had never worn shoes. A daily dose of SmartHoof Pellets has kept her feet in top-notch shape (keeping me and my farrier very happy).
Our barn has got some pretty ferocious bugs – Tally’s turnout buddy gets eaten alive! Luckily, SmartBug-Off really works for her, so she can actually enjoy her turnout time. (Don’t worry, her turnout buddy just started on SmartBug-Off too.)
Last but not least, SmartCalm Ultra Pellets has helped Tally to keep her focus during our training rides and to ease the stress of the transition from living in a field.
Why Jen Uses SmartPaks
I board at a small co-op, and we all share the chores including setting up grain and supplements. I switched to SmartPaks for several reasons. Peace of mind – I know Tally is getting all her supplements in the correct amount every feeding, rather than part of a scoop or a huge scoop put in the wrong bucket or half spilled on the floor. Like most barns, we have small fuzzy creatures that roam about and leave droppings, and with SmartPaks I don’t have to constantly remind everyone to close my supplement bucket lids tightly every time. As an added bonus, with SmartPaks I can budget ahead, since I have a consistent monthly charge. It’s a lot easier than the unexpected cost of a full bucket of supplements when I am least prepared!
Jen’s Other Four-Legged Friend
Chappy is a rescue dog from South Carolina, found for me by a friend who runs a non-profit. She is extremely friendly and smiles, which looks terrifying but is completely harmless. Long hikes in the woods and swimming in the lake are two of her favorite things, along with Everlasting Treats and dog cookies of all shapes and sizes. Chappy loves her LiveSmart Weight Management dog food, and take SmartCanine Digestion and SmartCanine Joint for supplements to keep her healthy and active.
Jen as a rider: Apparently I've been obsessed with horses since I was born, and I used to beg for pony rides on a regular basis. I started showing in 4-H, progressed to equitation and jumpers in high school and rode on the IHSA team in college where I also discovered the joys of eventing! After graduating I learned how to sit while working for a dressage trainer and now am a committed low-level eventer in the ever-elusive quest to put together three solid phases. Jen as a SmartPaker: As the Director of Web Merchandising, I get to work with a super talented bunch of designers, developers, buyers, and marketers to help you find just what you need (and a few things you didn't know you needed!) on our website. All about Intrinsic: Intrinsic, or "Trin," is a very sweet and snuggly dark bay 16.2 hand TB gelding born in 2013 who race trained but never raced. He loves hacking out with friends and is learning about dressage and eventing. He loves carrots but has no interest in apples, and makes very funny faces when he eats anything peppermint flavored!
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