July 2009 Spotlight on the News

Crusader™ Fly Mask Voted #1 Fly Mask Again

One of the Horse Journal’s Top 2008 Products

Fly season is here, and once again Cashel's Crusader Fly Mask is the favorite. The Cashel Crusader Fly Mask has specific details in design and fit that not only offer the best in fly protection and comfort, but also a safe alternative to toxic sprays and pesticides.

Soft vinyl-coated polyester mesh blocks 70% of the sun’s damaging UV rays and protects the sensitive soft tissues of the eyes and face. The patented long nose panel protects sensitive white noses from sunburn and biting flies. Your horse will appreciate the freedom from biting flies and the comforting fit. Visit www.cashelcompany.com for more information and to see the complete line of Cashel fly protection products.

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Try New Total Control® and New Total Control Plus® for Free!

New! All-in-one supplement TOTAL CONTROL® is a combination of five of Finish Line’s best selling products: FEET FIRST™, FLUID ACTION® HA, IRON POWER®, U-7™ and APPLE-A-DAY™.

TOTAL CONTROL® supports six systems in your horse: joints, feet, coat, digestive, blood and hydration. TOTAL CONTROL® PLUS is a combination of six of Finish Line’s top sellers: the above product list plus XBL™. PLUS also supports capillary health.

Free two-month supply! $177 value; pay only $30 S&H in the U.S. for 9.3 lb size. Call 1-800-762-4242 and say you saw this in The Northwest Horse Source [limited time offer]. Visit www.finishlinehorse.com for product details.

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Top Crop Weed Wiper

Smucker Manufacturing is introducing a new weed wiper this season that can adapt to your current sprayer boom. Our “Top Crop” kits utilize the spray pump on your sprayer to feed our unique sponges that apply herbicide to taller growing weeds. Our sponges are an effective and very economical method for controlling weeds.

Kits range from 2 1/2 ft. to 90 ft. and start as low as $69. They also have mounting brackets available that can be bolted to your existing boom. Whether you are cleaning up rye in wheat or thistles or Johnson grass in pastures, we have a great low-cost solution to wipe out your weeds.

Please visit www.smucker.net or call us at 800-333-4503 to find a dealer or request a free catalog.

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Washington State Horse Owners Have Spoken

Thanks in part to your calls and letters, House Bill 1733, broadening the definition of agriculture activities in the Open Space Taxation Act, was signed into law by Governor Chris Gregoire on April 28, 2009. This law will now permit current use taxation for horse boarding, training, and racing facilities.

The fundamental purpose of current use taxation for farm and agricultural lands is to preserve from development land that is used for commercial agricultural purposes. Horse farms will now be counted as legitimate farming businesses and will benefit from current use taxation.

The continuing economic viability of horse farms depends on their ability to qualify as farm and agricultural use land, and this law now ensures the agricultural use classification for horse farms.

For more information visit www.leg.wa.gov/legislature.

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FurBuster™ De-Shedding Tool: The Right Tool for the Right Job

Product review by NWHS staff

By now, you've probably seen many a shedding tool and perhaps even tried out a few on your own. So what makes the FurBuster different from any of the others? For one, the interchangeable blade means you can buy one tool for your horse, then swap out smaller blades for your dogs and cats rather than purchasing three separate tools. It also means that a damaged blade doesn't mean replacing the entire tool.

As with any shedding blade, the texture of your horse's coat and the sensitivity of his skin should be the biggest deciding factor on whether the FurBuster is for you. Fortunately, the FurBuster folks are as concerned about your animal's well-being as you are; they offer detailed instructions on their website regarding when and how to use the FurBuster without being too rough on your animal's coat.

Rest assured that when used correctly, this tool does its job and does it well. You'll be amazed by how much healthier your horse's coat looks after use. The ergonomic handle and balanced weight are definitely an improvement over some of the other top-heavy tools out there, allowing your touch on the tool to remain light for the greater comfort of your animals.

Learn more at www.bamboopet.com.