Spoil your Horse this Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day gift ideas at TicTac Equestrian

Valentine's Day is nearly upon us, so now's the perfect time to show your loved ones how much you care - and that goes double for horses!!

Luckily, to help you with Valentine's Day gifts for your horsey buddies - from sweet-smelling toiletries and grooming gear to delicious treat packs - TicTac Equestrian has got you covered.

There are also plenty of fun and stylish accessories too, if you want to spoil a fellow horse lover.

For more information and a for a fantastic selection of great quality gift ideas, go to the official TicTac Equestrian store. 

We hope you have a lovely day!

Horseshoes/Information on Shoeing your horse

The horseshoe is one of the most recognisable objects when anyone thinks of horses. For centuries the horseshoe has been a symbol of good luck and is still used in many cultures today as a talisman offering protection against evil forces. Traditionally, horseshoes are even given as wedding gifts as a good luck charm for the years ahead!

Perhaps more commonly in horse care, however, horseshoes are used primarily as their name might suggest - to provide protection against hoof damage for working horses.

Many changes brought about by domestication of the horse have led to a need for shoes for number of reasons, mostly linked to horses' hooves hardening less and being more vulnerable to injury. 

In the wild, a horse may travel up to 50 miles per day to obtain adequate forage. While horses in the wild would traditionally cover large areas of hard,  dry terrain, this was usually achieved at relatively slow speeds, unless being chased by a predator, so there were little fluctuations in activity or pace that would affect horses' hooves enough to require shoes. 

The result of slow but non-stop travel in a dry climate is that horses' feet are naturally worn to a small, smooth, even and hard state - the continual stimulation of the sole of the foot keeps it thick and hard. However, modern day domesticated horses are used in very different ways, which can alter the state and condition of their hooves.  

Domesticated horses, were brought to colder and wetter areas than their ancestral habitat. These softer and heavier soils soften the hooves and have made them prone to splitting, making hoof protection necessary. Consequently, it was in northern Europe that the nailed horseshoe arose in its modern form.

Most domesticated horses in the present day are subject to inconsistent movement between stabling and work, where they must carry or pull additional weight, and are often kept and worked on very soft footing, such as irrigated land, arena footing, or stall bedding. In some cases, management of horses and their hooves is also inadequate, causing, or perhaps overlooking problems that can pose a threat of disease and discomfort. 

The hooves of horses that are kept in stalls or small turnouts, even when cleaned adequately, are also exposed to more moisture than would be encountered in the wild, as well as to ammonia from urine. As a result, the hoof capsule, which is mostly made from the protein, keratin, is weakened by this exposure, becoming even more fragile and soft. 

Shoes do not prevent or reduce damage from moisture and ammonia exposure. Rather, they protect already weakened hooves. Further, without the natural conditioning factors present in the wild, the feet of horses grow overly large and long unless trimmed regularly. Hence, protection from rocks, pebbles, and hard, uneven surfaces is lacking. 

A balanced diet with proper nutrition also is a factor. Without these precautions, cracks in overgrown and overly brittle hoof walls are a danger, as is bruising of the soft tissues within the foot because of inadequately thick and hard sole material.

For more information on horse care products to help you properly look after your horses and ponies, got to the official TicTac Equestrian site.

Foaling Around - New year, new life, new foals

Foaling season is arriving soon!

A new year means new beginnings and for us here at TicTic Equestrian, we know that can mean much more than a change in career or kicking your smoking habit. For many horse owners/breeders, this is a particularly special time of the year as we approach a new spring, and in turn, a new Foaling Season.

Commonly, foaling season takes place in the spring months, from around February to April, although this can obviously change a month or so either way, but generally horses are bred early in the year to sync with show seasons.

Typically, a mare will undergo an 11-month gestation period before giving birth. The miracle of birth is something incredibly special to behold, whether you've got two legs or four, and there's nothing quite like the magic of watching a beautiful new foal take its first careful steps into a new life. 

Horses are typically prey animals so their births are designed to allow new offspring to be capable of running alongside their parents in the event of a predatory threat. This is why healthy newborn foals will be able to run around on their own accord, merely a few hours after birth. 

There is a rough timetable of common events that take place after a foal is born, which give you a good idea of what to expect, as well as what to look out for in case any problems occur.

Here's how soon after birth certain vital milestones are typically reached:

• 30 seconds to three minutes: lifts and shakes head

• One to 10 minutes: foal shifts up to its chest in sternal recumbency

• Two to 10 minutes: suckles reflexively on a finger placed in front of its mouth

• 10 to 40 minutes: moves ears and head to follow sound

• 15 minutes to three hours: stands

After the foal stands, it's important to note how soon after a second set of milestones is reached. Typically they run as follows:

• 15 minutes to three hours: walks well

• 30 minutes to 1.5 hours: nurses

• 30 minutes to 1.5 hours: passes meconium, the waste matter accumulated in the foetal digestive tract

• One to 15 hours: urinates

• Two to four hours: stretches, trots, gallops

For more information be sure to keep in regular contact with your local vet. For more information on horse care products to help you properly look after your wonderful new addition to the family, go to the official TicTac Equestrian site.

 

Tic Tac Equestrian now on Amazon

TicTac Equestrian now have a brand new Amazon store!

Tic Tac Equestrian have been straight out the gates this year with the help of marketplace management experts Seller Dynamics. TicTac owner Jenny Arnold-Francis and business partner Lauren Henderson have set up a new Amazon store for their bright new equestrian supplies business allowing them to jump the many hurdles that lie on the track for small business and now look to delve nose-first into the world's largest online marketplace. 

The set up of this new store has already had a tremendous effect on the livelihood of horse-loving folk at TicTac Equestrian, with online sales witnessing a sharp increase right from the very beginning.

As proven even from these early stages, TicTac have adopted a fresh, new approach to online sales and distribution which not only makes it easy for horse fanatics, stable owners and horse care/competition professionals to find exactly what they need from the comfort of their own keyboard, but it's an approach that the professionals think is a thoroughbred winner.

For example, Steve Boland of Seller Dynamics has praised TicTac Equestrian and their approach to e-commerce: “We are delighted to be powering TicTac Equestrian, and their success on the Amazon marketplace comes as no surprise. Jenny and Lauren have been operating a great online business for years, and moving to Amazon gave them the opportunity to go from great to greater. It also gives them the chance to sell on other marketplaces and even abroad.”

Anyone who has been brave enough to weather the storm during well-publicised and unavoidably bleak global economic conditions will already be aware of difficult it is to stand out from the crowd, but with a little elbow grease and prize ingenuity, TicTac are proving that it is far from impossible to  survive as a small business.

Selling to a wider audience via a set up such as the personalized online Amazon store will not only increase sales but will go some length to establishing the TicTac Equestrian brand as a prominent global player in the field of quality equestrian supplies. The added bonus of Jenny and Lauren's lifelong experience in the stables as well as being horse owners with competition experience makes Tic Tac Equestrian a prime choice for all your horse care and show wear needs. Their friendly, comprehensive service is now looking to reach further than their native Scotland.

The recent winter weather has seen a steep rise in the sale of essential items such as riding gloves and horse blankets, however, while they help their customers stay nice and warm, Jenny and Lauren are keeping a collectively cool head at the reins of Tic Tac as they continue to steer the business towards the finishing line.

But if you want the word right from the horse's mouth so to speak, here's what TicTac had to say about their plans for an exciting new year ahead: “We ended 2012 having listed on Amazon through Seller Dynamics and despite selling a limited amount of stock we instantly saw the benefits of selling on such a marketplace. We are steadily listing an increasing amount of products onto our Amazon store and it’s great that horse lovers like ourselves are now able to purchase our products on the UK’s biggest online marketplace.”

So, to see for yourself what TicTac has to offer, why not explore the official TicTac Equestrian Amazon Store? Or better yet, head over to the Official website.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2013!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

For horse lovers like ourselves, it feels like every year is 'year of the horse'! 

2013 is no different and its arrival brings hope and excitement for the future. With each new day comes a new opportunity and new places to explore with your favourite four-legged friends!

Over the coming months we will be bringing you a huge range of exciting and informative articles, from fun activities, news and events to stable tips and the finer points of equine care and all the ins and outs of horse ownership!

So, we'd like to wish you and your stablemates all the best for 2013 and we hope you have a very horsey new year!

http://www.tictacequestrian.com

Help Mountains Animal Sanctuary - Scotland's largest Horse rescue and adoption centre

Any horse owner will know the importance of looking after and caring for animals in need, which is why charities like Mountains Animal Sanctuary, Scotland's biggest re-homing and adoption centre for horses and ponies. 

For over 30 years, Mountains Animal Sanctuary in Forfar, Angus, has been dedicated to caring for vulnerable horses in need of some TLC and a safe and suitable home. In order to keep themselves out on the frontline, bringing in and re-homing horses, ponies and donkeys in order give them a shot at a better life, Mountains relies on charitable donations and volunteers. However, sadly, they now need your help more than ever after suffering a break-in last week, less than two weeks before Christmas. 

A statement from the Mountains Sactuary website reads:

On Sunday night/Monday morning (9th/10th Dec) at about 3.30am Mountains Animal Sanctuary, was broken into. All our donations from the previous day at our Nativity Concert were taken as was stock from our Visitors Centre and our unique much loved carved horse, Milton, we used for our Armistice Service. Plugs were put in sinks and taps left running so the visitors centre was also flooded, the office was completely wrecked. We are all devastated that anyone would target us especially at this time of year.

Any help would be much appreciated, if you live close by and can help with the big clean up please contact the office on 01356 650308.

You can donate by following the links on this page, any amount however small would be appreciated.

If you have any information that might help the police contact the office on the above number.

  

Make your own horse treats and cakes

It's Christmas time and here at Tic Tac Equestrian, we know that horse owners aren't the only ones who enjoy indulging in a bit of festive indulgence. Earlier, we gave you recipes for basic Christmas cakes for Horses. This time, we've scoured the web for a handful of great little treats and cookies to help you horses get into the spirit and reward them for being great companions over the past year!

Oat 'n' Apple Chewies

Treat your horse or pony to these simple squares made of wholesome ingredients. Keep them fresh in the fridge. Remember not to feed too many of any treat too often.

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups unsweetened apple sauce
1 cup oat bran cereal or ground oatmeal/porridge oats
½ cup all purpose flour (approx.)

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 180C/350F
Oil a 9inch x 9inch square cake pan
Spread the batter evenly in the cake pan and bake for 20-30 minutes. The batter will start to shrink away from the sides and it will be firm to the touch.

Slice into squares while still warm. Keep chewies in the refrigerator in an air-tight container or bag.


Molasses Cookies Horse Treats

Your horse will love the sweet crunchiness of these cookies. They keep well in an air-tight container. Never feed too many treats too often.

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cup all purpose flour
1 cup bran
1 cup molasses
1 cup grated carrot or apple

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 190C/375F
Oil two cookie sheets
Put aside a small bowl of white sugar and a drinking glass with a flat bottom.
In a large bowl mix all the ingredients thoroughly. The mixture shouldn’t be too wet, and should stick together.


Add more flour to make the mixture firmer and hold together if necessary. Drop by teaspoonfuls, about 1 ½ inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Grease the bottom of the glass, dip it in the sugar, and stamp the cookies to flatten them slightly. Bake for about 10 minutes. This makes about 25 cookies, depending on the size. Store in an air-tight container or bag.



Baked Carrot Crispies

2 carrots,shredded
1 apple,shredded
1/3 cup molasses
3/4 cup flower
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup bran
3/4 cup porridge oats/oatmeal

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat over to 200C/400F. Generously grease a muffin tin. Mix carrots and apples into a bowl with molasses.,bran,brown sugar,water,flour and oatmeal. Mixture should have a thick and doughy consistency. Add more bran if needed. Scoop dough into a muffin tin,sprinkle each muffin with brown sugar and bake in the over for 30-50 minutes until well cooked