Go ahead – live a little!  Take a break from your regular training routine and indulge you taste buds in this oh-so delicious recipe for Red Velvet Beet Cupcakes, perfect for sharing with your barn mates!

Fun Fact: Using beets in Red Velvet Cake is actually the original method for creating confections with both that infamous red hue and natural sweetness.  Using this recipe creates a cake that is WAY more mouth-watering in flavor and tantalizing in texture than recipes using dyes… and gives a healthful ode to the foods our horses love as well!

*Note: While some of you may want to tackle roasting, peeling, and pureeing beets yourself, you can usually find a packaged product that saves you at least one or two of those steps. Either way, you’re going to love the result!   Enjoy!

Red Velvet Beet Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes

What you’ll need:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
½ cup beet puree (from 2 medium beets, roasted, peeled and pureed)
¾ cup whole milk
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs

Frosting:
8 Tbsp butter (1 stick), softened
8 oz whipped cream cheese, softened
2½ cups of powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

How to make it:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a large measuring cup, stir together beets, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth.

3. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the eggs. Continuing on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture, one-third at a time, and the bet mixture, one-half at a time, until just combined.

4. Fill each cup of the lined cupcake pan three-fourths full, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.

5. Using a stand mixture fitted with a whisk attachment, combine all frosting ingredients until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
 (Recipe From WomensHealth Magazine)

Want to make a special birthday cake just for your horse??  Try our recipe for this horse tested, horse-mom approved treat!  Guaranteed to be a barn pleaser!

Get this recipe here!

Not only does it seem that they have it all (there are more leather, brass, silver whatcha-ma-call-its in their tack room than you have clothes in your closet!) but the horse world is a completely foreign and frankly frightening place, right?!

Well never fear, my friends.  We’d like to help you find something unique and thoughtful to show that special someone (and their horse!) that while you may not truly ever understand how they claim to love the smell of horse poop (really?!) you DO love them.

For the traditional equestrian with a flair for fashion, the Personalized leather ID Bracelet , $19.99:

Why we like this: You can personalize it with their name, their horse’s name, or barn/ranch name.  It’s simple, classic, and works for any riding discipline.  It’s an affordable, unique item, and it even looks great stacked if you can’t choose a favorite name!

For the Equestrian who wants something a little more formal, a Platinum Plated Halter Necklace, $19.95: 

Why we like this:This necklace is so pretty, and it says “horse lover” while not being too over the top or ridiculously cliche.  It shows just the right amount of classic and contemporary, by taking a quintessential piece of equipment and making it a quintessential fashion statement.

For the down-right practical, a Hand-Painted Boot Jack, $24.95:

Why we like this: The hand-painted design puts the “fun” in function!  Every barn, back door, mudroom, and car should have one.  If the equestrian in your life is hard to shop for, sticking to basic essentials and putting them together in a new feed bucket is always a good go-to.

For the sporty, sleek, and on the go, the ‘Inspire’ Equestrian Sports Bottle, $18.00:

Why we like this: Just because we love horses doesn’t mean we want everything we own to have rinestones and horseshoes on it!  4 Adorable sayings will let your horse lover show off pride for their sport, while lookin’ sleek and sporty.  Like your horse lover, these ergonomic bottles are built tough!  Perfect for bard life, the trail, and  everywhere in between!

For the horse lover who only gets gifts FOR their horse, Joker’s Treats Hand-Made, Natural Horse Cookies, $13.99:

Why we like this: These are so sweet-smelling and soft, we may or may not have tried them ourselves!  Good thing they are all natural!   Always a favorite with my herd, you can never go wrong with a jar of horse cookies.  ‘Nuf said!

More for ‘FOR their horse’ equestrians, Cowboy Magic Detangler-and-Shine, $8.09 or $17.99

Why we like this: Simply, this stuff is amazing!  It does wonders for a tangley mane and tail and should be an essential in every equestrians tack room if it’s not already.  Available in two sizes to meet every budget, I vote bigger is better!  A great addition to a stocking or gift basket.

For the junior rider or the ageless, Untamed Filly, Colorful Mane-and-Tail Extensions, $5.50-$20.00

Why we like this: What little girl didn’t wish for a  Pegasus pony with pink hair?!  Now the young one in your life – or the young at heart – can have just that!  While this isn’t for everybody, it’s just unique and unexpected enough to make a fun holiday gift! Great for use in play-day shows and parades too.

For the sporty, forgetful, or tough-on-stuff equestrian, SSG Pro Show Gloves, $21.95:

Why we like this: Mainly, these technical gloves by SSG look so stinkin’ cool! However, one can never have too many gloves.  You are bound to forget them, and they suffer lots of wear and tear.   These are tough for a light-weight glove, and what I personally ride in most of the time.  If the look isn’t for you, check out the link anyway for lots of other quality SSG gloves in the same price range.

Traditional, personal, and classy, consider a personalized Saddle Name Plate, $10.95:

Why we like this: It’s a nice, personal and classic detail.  This attaches to the back of the saddle, and is also available in a western style (although this link is only for the english style).  The equestrian in your life will surely be touched by your thoughtful creativity.  Most use their name, but consider a fun nick-name, or their horse’s name if he’s a life-long, or only horse.

For the I’m-also-a-dog-lover equestrian, a Horse Blanket-style Quilted Dog jacket, $15.99-$22.99:

Why we like this: Oh Com’on!  How cute is that?!  For the other love of their life, this makes a great gift.  They will know you thought of something just for them!  This jacket is tough, comfy, oh-so cute, and proudly worn by my boxer girl, Stella.  Yes, even big dogs get cold!

“Savory Sweet Potato Soup”

Click here to get our recipes for some festive fall favorites made with healthful ingredients your horse would not only love to eat, but can eat!  Yes, that’s right: we’ve even thrown in some seasonal treats for him!

We hope you, your horse, and loved ones -  “horsie” and “non” alike – all have a wonderful holiday season! Enjoy!

We are often asked for tips on how and where to massage your horses, as often as we are asked WHY you should massage your horses.

We decided to put together a series of pictures showing you some simple areas to focus on, why those areas are important, and the muscles that you will be targeting.

We hope you enjoy these, and we hope this helps you and your Equine Athlete Perform Better, Together!

Massage Zone- The Fore Quarters

Muscle Group – Neck and Shoulders

Massage Zone- The Barrel

Muscle Group- The Back

Massage Zone – The Hind Quarters

Muscle Group – The Rump, Hips, and Legs

For more information on the benefits of massage for your horse, please visit us here!

But whatever time of day you’re riding, it’s important to remember to hydrate!  So on this “Thirsty Thursday”, we are gonna talk about healthy horse hydration (say that five times fast!).

Don’t forget, we also post fun horse information and helpful tips for horse and rider on our Facebook page regularly, so go like us and join the fun!

We’ve all heard “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make ‘em drink” … but do you know just how much water your horse SHOULD be drinking daily?? 

A good rule of thumb is about 1 gallon per 100lbs of body weight. So, an average 1000lb horse would need about 10 GALLONS of water daily… give or take their individual needs and exercise routine.

Why is it so important for your horse to drink enough water, you ask?

Well, a horse’s body is about 2/3 water!  That means for an average sized horse (say 1000lbs) about 660lbs of his mass is water!!  That’s about 80 GALLONS!! Whoa Nelly, that’s a lot of water!!

Water is essential for proper bodily function.  It is responsible for:

• Keeping tissues moist
• Regulating temperature
• Lubricating joints and protecting organs
• flushing waste
• dissolving nutrients/minerals and
• Delivering nutrients/electrolytes to cells

What about Electrolytes?

When your horse becomes dehydrated, his electrolyte supply becomes depleted.  This means that his muscles and other bodily functions cannot work optimally.  Remember: Replenishing electrolytes DOES NOT hydrate your horse.  Water hydrates your horse!  Being properly hydrated allows for the distribution of essential electrolytes for proper function.

How do you know if your horse is starting to become dehydrated?

A horse’s skin loses its elasticity when its body fluid or electrolyte levels are depleted. An easy way to identify this is to pinch up a skin fold along the horse’s neck. A dehydrated horse’s skin will stay up in a ridge, while healthy skin should spring smoothly back into place. Other signs of dehydration include:

• Lethargy
• Depression
• Dullness in the eyes
• Dry skin and mouth
• Thick and sticky saliva

It is especially important for horses partaking in strenuous performance sports to stay hydrated.  During these extra hot summer days, however, do not underestimate how much activity you are doing.  Sometimes a simple lesson, afternoon hack, or short trail ride might be enough for you and your horse to become dehydrated.

So drink up!  Give your horse plenty of opportunity to drink, rest, and recover, and remember that pushing for perfection on hot days is simply not worth the risk of injury or illness to either of you.

As equestrians, if there’s one thing we love more than fun in the summer sun, it’s our horses!

Try these equine-inspired summer barbeque favorites the next time you corral your family  and friends together, and make it your most memorable hootenanny yet!

Click here to get recipes like our “Pinto Pony Chili”, and more!!

Friday, July 27th, will kick off the 2012 Olympic games in London with the ever anticipated opening ceremonies.

The Olympics are always such an exciting and inspiring time, evoking fierce national pride.

For equestrians, it’s a also a time when our sheltered sport gets a mainstream spotlight.

Equus Athletics is particularly excited about this, because our whole philosophy about riding is that it is more than a spiritual hobby between horse and human; it’s a muscle busting, nitty-gritty, sweat soaking, full-throttle sport!

We want to remind you that whether you are a trail blazing “weekend warrior”, or the next Olympic hopeful, you are an athlete!

To celebrate this, Equus Athletics wants to help you bring out the Olympian in  your horse!  We will be offering limited time special pricing on EquiStix for the duration of the games!  Hurray!

Click here to learn more about our special!

While I’ll be routing for every athlete on Team U.S.A., I will have my eye on three of my personal favorites:

The talented and deserving Steffen Peters, from my home town San Diego;

Olympic veteran and fellow sports fan Beezie Madden;

and the adorable and dedicated teen, Reed Kessler.

Click their names to get sneak peaks into these amazing athletes’ lives with personal interview video footage of each.

Let’s meet the rest of Team U.S.A. below:

Dressage

• Jan Ebeling (Moorpark, Calif.) and Rafalca, owned by Amy Ebeling, Beth Meyers, and Ann Romney
• Tina Konyot (Palm City, Fla.) and Calecto V , owned by Tina and John Byrialsen
• Steffen Peters (San Diego, Calif.) and Ravel, owned by Four Winds Farm
• Adrienne Lyle (Ketchum, Idaho) and Wizard, owned by Peggy Thomas (Individual)

Eventing

• Will Coleman (Gordonsville, Va.) and Twizzel, owned by Jim Wildasin
• Tiana Coudray (Ojai, Calif.) and Ringwood Magister, owned by Jatial, Inc.
• Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) and Mystery Whisper, owned by Jim and Arden Wildasin
• Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Otis Barbotiere, owned by the Otis Barbotiere Syndicate
• Karen O’Connor (Ocala, Fla.) and Mr. Medicott, owned by Mr. Medicott Syndicate

Jumping

• Rich Fellers (Sherwood, Ore.) and Flexible, owned by Mollie and Harry Chapman
• Reed Kessler (Lexington, Ky.) and her own Cylana
• Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, N.Y.) and Coral Reef Via Volo, owned by Coral Reef Ranch
• McLain Ward (Brewster N.Y.) and Antares F, owned by Grant Road Partners
• Charlie Jayne (Elgin, Ill.) and Chill R Z, owned by Pony Lane Farm  (Traveling Reserve)

Good luck to all the athletes, and let the games begin!

Are you an expecting equestrian with a sweet little baby (of the human variety) on the way?  And are you still trying to settle on the perfect name?  Well you’ve come to the right place!

We’ve researched and constructed this awesome list of baby names related to horses and horsemanship, so you can show the world just how much horses are truly a part of who you are. We’d love to hear of more names too, so if you know of any, please add them in the comments!

Let’s start with the boys’ names:

Philip - Let’s get as literal as possible here. Philip is a boy’s name derived from the Greek Name Phillipos, which means “friend of horses” or “horse lover” depending on who you ask. Philip is the 406th most popular name in the United States. Philip is one of the 12 apostles in the Bible and was the name of five kings of Macedonia, five kings of Spain, and six kings of France. Popular variant forms: Felipe, Felipo, Filippo, Phil, Philipp, Philippe, Philips, and Phillip.

Colt- Well, not much explanation needed here – a colt IS a baby boy horse!  A fun name with western flair and masculine presence, Colt and the popular variant Colton are both great choices for the horse lover!

Marshall – A boy’s name derived from a surname which denoted a person who was a marshal, shoe smith, or horse servant. Marshal derives originally from Germanic marah “horse” and scalc “servant.”  The name may be well known these days perhaps from the TV comedy “How I Met Your Mother” staring Jason Segel, who plays the loyal and loving Marshall Eriksen.

Roan – If you’re looking for a unique name, Roan fits the bill. Roan is a term to describe a horse’s coat color pattern characterized by an even mixture of colored and white hairs on the horse’s body. Roan has a strong, masculine sound to it and is someone I’d like to ride the trail with. It’s a variant of Rowan (Gaelic), and it means “little red-head.” Roan Barbary was the name of King Richard II’s favorite horse.

Ryder – This name’s meaning might be obvious, but we really like this name, none the less!  Personally, we also know a Ryder who is a kind, good guy, and that makes us love it even more! The name is of English origin and means “knight”, “mounted warrior”, or “one who rides.” Doesn’t get any better than that for a horse lover’s name, does it? 108th most popular boy name in the U.S.  Variation: Rider

Now on to the girls’ names for horse lovers:

Pippa- Made popular recently thanks to Pippa Middleton, Duchess Kate Middleton’s striking younger sister, Pippa is a girl’s name short for (or derived from) Philippa.  Philippa is – you guessed it – the female version of Philip, and has the same meaning.  This cute name is both horse savvy, and right on trend!

Rhiannon- She was the Welsh horse goddess, described as dressed in shining gold and riding a pale horse.  And what little girl wouldn’t want to be a goddess of horses astride her very own palomino mount?  “Rhiannon” was also made popular by the haunting song with the same name by Fleetwood Mac, sung by Stevie Nicks.  Consider the softer derivatives Rhianna, or Rhianne.

Rosalind - A girl’s name meaning “gentle horse,” derived from the Germanic elements hros “horse” and linde “soft, tender.” A timeless, classic name, other popular variant forms include Rosaline, Rosalin, Rosalyn, Rosalynne, Roselyn, Roslyn, Rose, and Rosie.

Elizabeth - The name Elizabeth is a worthy name for a future equestrian due to its historical significance. Three famous women that played a role in horse history are Elisabeth of Bavaria, Elizabeth Arden, and Queen Elizabeth II. (Learn more about these lovely Liz’s at BarnMice.com) Elizabeth is currently the 11th most popular female baby name in the U.S. Popular variant forms: (Elisabeth, Beth, Lisabeth, and 149 more).

Whatever name you chose – related to horses or not – congratulations on your little bundle!  We wish you lots of love, treasured memories, and hope that horses becomes a shared passion between you and your little one for a life time.

Have names you think we should add to the list? Please add them to the comments!

Trainers said he looked a little “off” yesterday, and after this morning’s workout, it was decided that it was best to pull him from tomorrow’s race – the Belmont Stakes.

This is a big disappointment for many who were looking forward to possibly witnessing history in the making as “I’ll Have Another” reached for the Triple Crown.  “I’ll Have Another” was potentially going to be the first horse in 34 years to win the Triple Crown, since “Affirmed” in 1978.

More importantly, however, this hard decision speaks volumes for the owners, trainers, and race industry as a whole, for choosing the horse’s long term well being and recovery over the chance at a title.

In this business, we are committed to the maintenance, well being, and extended performance of our horses, and so we at Equus Athletics are relieved to hear the decision, as much as we too were rooting for his big win.  We wish him a speedy recovery, and we hope to see him back again soon with a long and successful career ahead of him!

The injury is not said to be a career threatening one, and an official press release will be announced later this afternoon.

Click here to read more about the injury and the decision to scratch from the Belmont Stakes.

But let’s not forget about our hard working Equine Athletes who have also been feeling the daily grind!  Did you know that many trainers and breeders treat their horses to a refreshing brew after a hard days work??!  It’s true!

Specifically, Guinness is the frosty ferment of choice for many trainers, who swear by the health properties that this Irish stout has to offer.  Even famous Equine Athletes, like the “Queen of Racing”, Zenyatta, indulge!

Take a look at this little article written by a fellow blogger – Equine Progressive – about Equine Athletes who not only enjoy a little happy hour, but seemingly reap performance benefits as well!

Remember, enjoy responsibly… and bottoms up!