In more ?or less random order (as I download and process photos and videos), I will be bringing you over the next several posts a few of my favorite “horse stuff” finds at last weekend’s AmerEquine Festival of the Horse. Wandering the aisles looking for horse stuff that was both unusual AND useful, I ran across Trail & Pleasure Riding Supply, a booth ?featuring many of the special finds and brainchildren of?its owner, Jan Larvick. Now, I liked Jan immediately. Here’s a woman “of a certain age” who is committed to helping others find easier, safer, and more comfortable ways to enjoy their horses. She started her company with a sincere commitment to “finding and/or developing the little things that will make life ? and trail and pleasure riding ? easier for just about anyone.” She is also conscious of making these products as affordable as possible so more people can get to the serious business of having fun with their horses out in the great wide open. Ready to take a peek? In the photo above, we see a “picket line tightener,” genius gizmo that, once you see the video of what it does, will make you a true believer in this woman’s forward thinking trail riding inspirations. Here is a woman who loves to trail ride; she’s past all the need to compete and/or prove anything to anyone. She just likes to be out among nature with her?horse, especially on overnight camping trips, and she likes for it to be fun, easy and manageable ? even if she’s by herself or with a bunch of women. Sound familiar? It does to me. I remember trying to secure a picket line to a tree for the first time and thinking I would never get the thing tight enough ? and wondering if I was going to do permanent harm to the tree. (I won’t say how many times it slid to the ground or how many times we had to re-do it ? or who had to finally climb the tree to get the thing secure.) ?So among her many great products, I’m most excited about the tree saver (sorry about the out of focus photo; I guess I really was excited), which wraps around the tree and secures the end of the line to the tree with a ring and clip, and this “picket line tightener” (shown above) that tightens the picket line with very little effort or vertical reach, and her in-line swivel clips that attach feed and hay bags to the line and can move in any direction your horse wants to face for his al fresco dining experience. I can’t WAIT to go camping again! Other things that caught my eye in Jan’s booth were saddle carry straps, and a pocket halter, among many other assorted clips and ties and novelties sure to make life sweeter on the trail and especially, making camping more comfortable and safer for both you and your horse. To learn more about Jan’s company or to request a catalog, visit her online, email her at jlarv@sprintmail.com. Happy Trails, and thanks, Jan, from all of us!
