10. When schooling, wear T-shirts and socks made with organic cotton or bamboo and water-based inks. Cotton and bamboo are both naturally breathable fabrics, so it will keep you cool while you ride! Kerrits' g.r.a.s.s. and TuffRider's EcoGreen provide riding-friendly options.
9. Use plant-based, biodegradable, or all-natural truck and trailer washes. EQ Solutions is a good option.
8. Feed your horse all-natural horse treats: TudorBiscuits, Canterbury Cookies, Hilton Herballs, Beet Treats, Applezz…N'…Oats, Ginger Ridge Treats, and Uncle Jimmy's Licky Things are good options.
7. Choose all-natural supplements, wound care, and shampoos. Try using Equilite Products, Mare Magic, Himalayan Horse Products, products made with Tea Tree Oil, Herbal Solution Wound Spray, Wunder Hoof, Calm Coat, SuperShield Green Natural Gel, and/or Kirks Castile Soaps. Using all-natural products is a great option for horses with sensitive skin or allergies.
6. Replace your old fly spray with a natural insect repellent. Most companies that make fly sprays now offer a natural version of their formula. Some options include:
Toll Booth All-Natural Insect Repellent, Eqyss Premier Natural Botanical, Eqyss Premier Marigold Fly Spray, Ultra Shield Green Fly Spray, Supershield Green, Equisect, Nature's Defense Fly Spray, Calm Coat Fly Repellent, and Zero-Bite Fly Spray.
5. If you are not sold on "green" fly sprays, try St. Gabriel Organic Fly Swatter. It's a great product that helps you cut down on fly spray use (which means less chemicals and less waste from empty bottles). It is a dry product that you spread in stalls, or directly on manure that repels horn, stable, house, horse and deer flies, plus gnats, mosquitoes and ticks. A 10lb bag treats 1000 ft.
4. Conserve water by using Stock Tank Defense. Stock Tank Defense keeps your stock tanks cleaner longer which means less frequent washing, and therefore, less water used. It contains all natural beneficial bacteria, specially formulated for stock tanks, improving water quality for fresh, healthy drinking water for livestock, birds and wildlife.
3. Clean your tack with cloth towels or EZ Towels. This will reduce waste from paper towels.
2. Choose eco-friendly show clothes. Wear breeches made of bamboo or boots with bamboo footbeds. Bamboo is a renewable resource, is naturally breathable, and is just as comfortable as cotton. Companies like Kerrits' g.r.a.s.s. and TuffRider's EcoGreen provide both schooling and showing breeches and jods that are made with bamboo, and Ovation's Gold Circuit Naturals are made with bamboo footbeds.1. When shopping at your local tack shop, bring your own bag(s) or bucket, or if you are only picking up a few small items, tell the cashier that you do not need a bag. Not only will it reduce your waste, but it will save the tack shop money, which allows them to pass the savings along to you!
Have an eco-friendly tip of your own? We'd love to hear it! Post it as a comment to this blog.
Also, stay tuned for our Go Green campaign with Equestrian Clinics. Coming Soon!
