Jan 08, 2016

Tips and Tricks of the Trade: Blanket Rubs

Photo Courtesy of Shannon Kinsley.

Tips and Tricks of the Trade is a new article series being provided through a partnership between Athletux and the USEA.

At Lauren Kieffer Eventing (LKE) it seems like with our busy schedule and high number of horses, we are always clipping in the winter months, and once all the horses are clipped, I feel as though it is already time to clip some of them again. As a result of this, the horse's coats can become increasingly dry resulting in different funguses and at times blanket rubs from always having their coats on.

My tip for blanket rubs and this dry coat issue is to wipe the horses down with Witch Hazel, followed by a coat moisturizer. Witch Hazel can be easily found at the drugstore and applied to a towel to be used. For the coat moisturizer, my favorite is Ecolicious Glossy Gloss Coat Tonic which comes in a nifty, easy to use spray bottle.

Blanket rubs seem inevitable with certain horses, and I have had a great deal of success using olive oil cream anywhere I see them getting rubs, or to prevent rubs on the chronically rubbed areas such as the shoulders. Any olive oil cream will do for this use and it can be found very inexpensively at your local drug store.


Shannon Kinsley is the groom for CCI4* rider Lauren Kieffer. Shannon has many years of experience taking care of horses both at home and in International Competition. For more information about Lauren Kieffer and Shannon Kinsley, visit www.laurenkieffer.com or be sure to follow their adventures via social media at https://www.facebook.com/laurenkieffereventing. Kinsley pictured left. Photo via LKE's Facebook Page.

Dec 21, 2024 Education

3 Ways to Help Eventing Thrive in 2025

With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.

Dec 20, 2024 Sponsor

“Happy Horse Equals Happy Judge”: Ask An Expert with Dressage Judge Peter Gray, Brought to You by Ride iQ

Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.

Dec 19, 2024 Volunteers

The VIP Volunteer: Cathy Hale Has A Thirst for Adventure and a Love for Volunteering

With a total of 382 volunteer hours in 2024, Catherine “Cathy” Hale not only topped the USEA Area III VIP Volunteer leaderboard, but she also ranked fourth out of all eventing volunteers across the country. Hale (The Villages, Florida) has worked as a travel agent for over 30 years, a career that suits her love of travel nicely. At the time of being interviewed for this article, Hale was passing the equator on a cruise to Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia.

Dec 18, 2024 Association News

USEA Office Closed for Holidays

The USEA office will close at 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, and will reopen again on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. The USEA staff will return emails and phone calls when the office re-opens on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 or at their earliest convenience.

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