For a little holiday cheer, I’m reviewing (and giving away!) the Solo-Ride mounting aid, a Pink Pinecone Studio neck warmer, a subscription to Northwest Horse Source and a bag of barn-useful goodies. Before we get to the goods, a little legal stuff. I was not paid by any of the below businesses for my reviews. Where I received a free product, I will let you know that. It’s important to me that you know this isn’t just an advertisement parading as a heartfelt product review. So now you know!

Oh, and the winners of the Solo-Ride, the neck warmer, and the barn goodies, will also receive a custom Sass In Boots canvas bag featuring my original photography.

If you were around for last year’s review and giveaway, you know I love discovering new, useful products. And finding businesses built by women is even more invigorating. I love seeing all of the wonderful, amazing, inspiring things that you ladies do. And I say ‘you ladies’ because I know even though we’ve never met, you’re doing great things.

Solo-Ride Mounting Aid

Up first is the Solo-Ride Mounting Aid by Hairy Back Ranch. I stumbled on this tool by accident and was smitten by Randell’s story about how the mounting stirrup came to be. The quick version is that after finally having her own horse and living her dream of horse ownership, the dream hit a roadblock when she took a solo bareback trail ride, had to dismount, and couldn’t find a good stump or rock to help her get back on. There was a mossy log, and a resulting injury that still didn’t get her back on her horse. So she had to walk all the way back to the truck, sad and bruised.

Randell sent me the Solo-Ride free of charge to try and giveaway. I’ve had the Solo-Ride for about a month and it’s been making the rounds at my boarding barn getting tested out by different riders on different horses. The Solo-Ride is a well-made aluminum stirrup, on a nylon strap with padding under the stainless-steel hardware. To use it, you drape the nylon strap around the foreleg of your horse on the opposite side from where you’re mounting. The strap then drapes just in front of the withers, and you can adjust the stirrup height to wherever you need it. Once you’ve mounted, you unhook the strap and slip it in the included carrying case, which you can either wear (if you’re bareback) or tuck in a saddle bag.

This is such a great idea to help you get back on without a boost or hunting for a suitable rock or log. You can use it for getting back on a bareback horse or to help when you can’t quite reach the saddle stirrup from the ground. You can see the Solo-Ride in action with a saddle here.

Or you can watch a video of the mounting aide being used on a bareback horse below.

Pink Pinecone Studio Neck Warmer

Next up is a handmade neck warmer by the Pink Pinecone Studio. You may recall I talked about Sara Baker and her artistic skills when she did a memorial painting of our dog Connor. Why do I love this neck warmer so much I bought one to give away to one of you lovelies? First off, it’s like a hug for your neck, it’s so soft and warm. Second reason I love this thing? It has no tails! Whenever I wear a scarf and lean over to pick hooves, the ends of my scarf always get in my face. I find it annoying. So I love that no matter what, my neck is warm and the scarf isn’t shifting or getting in my face. Once you try this thing, you’re going to wonder how you ever lived without it. And it requires no special care and feeding. Just toss it in the wash when you need to get the horse slobber off.

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Northwest Horse Source Subscription

I’ve been writing for Northwest Horse Source for two years now and I am so excited at the chance to give one of you lucky readers a free one-year subscription. In the age of the internet and arm-chair experts, Northwest Horse Source gives you useful information you can depend on. Their contributors are veterinarians, trainers and experienced horsemen and women. If you’re a horse-related business you can order bundles of the magazine to stock in your retail space.  My local feed store is where I first discovered Northwest Horse Source and it was a column by Trainer Allison Trimble that kept me checking back for new issues.

Barn Hack Bag

Last up, a little gift from me to you. I call it the Barn Hack Bag. I’ve packed some ultra-useful items to make barn life a little easier. Also, if you’re struggling on what to get your favorite boarders, this makes a great gift and can be put together for as little as $15.

You can never have too many rags out at the barn so I’ve included two rags. During these winter months, I don’t care how puffy your jacket is or how well insulated your socks are, having hand and feet warmers can keep you going even on the coldest of days. I’ve included Softsoap antibacterial soap, which I use pretty much any time I need a good clean area on my horse, including cleaning wounds or washing rain rot patches. Along the same lines, triple antibiotic ointment is another barn necessity, so I’m throwing in a tube. Scissors. Where do they all go?? I’m giving you another pair. A toilet brush? Yes, a toilet brush. Toilet brushes are perfect for scrubbing out buckets. It’s brand new, I promise.

I’m also including a sample of Finish Line Herbal horse shampoo as well as a sample of Willowcin-X, a paste for when your horse has sore, stiff muscles due to a hard workout. Did you know you can save on your shampoo and conditioner when washing your horse’s tail? Once you’ve wet your horse’s tail, add shampoo or conditioner, and then add a bit of water to a plastic grocery bag and put the tail in the bag to work the suds/conditioner thoroughly into the hair. It will save you a lot of energy and product.

And the last thing in there is a strainer. Even if you don’t have a hay dunker (I’m not so lucky) having a strainer makes it easier to fish debris out of water troughs.

So about this giveaway… The Rules

There is no purchase necessary. The giveaway will take place on Facebook so you must have a Facebook account and you just need to like and comment on each post related to each giveaway item. Each item will be listed as a separate giveaway post so that way if you aren’t interested in a certain item, you’re not entered to win that item. For the Northwest Horse Source subscription, I will provide the winner’s information to the magazine. The neck warmer, Solo-Ride mounting aid and the barn hack back will be shipped by me personally and I will cover the shipping costs (it really is a free giveaway!). You can enter once a day for each item by adding a new comment to the giveaway post on Facebook. By participating in this giveaway you acknowledge that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by Facebook and that you hold Facebook harmless. One winner will randomly be drawn for each item (4 items: 1 Solo-Ride mounting aid, 1 subscription, 1 neck warmer, 1 barn hack bag) and announced on Friday December 1^st on the Sass In Boots Facebook page. The drawing will close at 5pm PST on Thursday November 30. I will PM you via Facebook to obtain your shipping address. The information you provide to me will not be used for any other purposes. Good luck and THANK YOU for participating and giving these businesses a look-see.

Did you read all the rules?? You little rebel you! Go on over to my Facebook page and comment and like the free item posts to get entered.