Product Review: The Saddle Box

It has been a long time since I’ve done a product review. The horse world is inundated with products for well-meaning horse parents. How do we decide what to buy and what to pass on? We all want the best for our horses on our budget no matter how big or small it may be.

Today I have decided to review a new product I recently received….The Saddle Box!

The Saddle Box was created for horse people to enjoy the excitement of new goodies each month at an affordable price. For less than $35, the Saddle Box comes bearing new products that are both useful and practical. Some of the goodies are for the horse and some for the human. The contents of the box change each month with new products and treats. Not knowing what’s inside allows us to be surprised and excited about what we are receiving. Part of the allure is the mystery, after all.

The Saddle Box works very simply. Sign up at www.saddlebox.net and you will receive a new box every month. The shipping is free within the United States and $10 for Canadian residents. Once your monthly Saddle Box has shipped (the 15th) your credit card will be billed. There is no obligation and you may cancel any time.

Bonus! Your first month is 15% when you use LOVEHORSES in the coupon code.

I am a big fan of opening something new and mysterious. I don’t spend a whole lot of money on myself so a box like this makes me feel like the new products are for me and not just my horses.

I received this box last week and had a lovely time opening it and finding the surprise gifts inside. Ready to look?

Upon opening my first Saddle Box I learned that I was helping a horse named Abby who resides at a rescue organization that SaddleBox supports. A percentage of the proceeds from Saddle Box is used to help these rescues and their residents.

The very first product I found waiting for me was a 1 pound bag of peppermint horse treats from Buckeye nutrition. I have bought and used these treats a number of times now and the horses LOVE them. The treats are small and make good training biscuits. The Buckeye treats also have no added sugar making them ideal for any horse, even those with Cushing’s.

On average these treats retail for $4.95.

The next item waiting to be found was a lovely hoof pick by Jack’s manufacturing. The plastic is very sturdy and dense…unlike some of the flimsy cheap ones I’ve had in the past. At one end is a combination head with pick and stiff bristles to get your horse’s hoof clean. The handle is sturdy and has a small hole that can be used to attach a string (or baling twine) for hanging.

I am very attentive to my horse’s hooves. “No hoof, no horse.” I find that I like to pick the hooves at mealtime once or even twice a day. I keep a hoof pick in the tack room, in the feed room, in the ATV, and in my grooming bag. You can never have too many!

On average this hoof pick retails for $1.95.

Next I picked up a grooming mitt made by Epona. The mitt slips over your hand and can be used wet or dry to remove sweat marks and stimulate your horse’s natural oils for a lovely shine.

On average this grooming mitt retails for $8.95.

Keeping with the theme of grooming I also found a Tough-1 brand plastic Genie Brush. The brush has stiff plastic bristles that can be used on the mane and tail (and body if your horse isn’t too sensitive). What’s unique about this brush is that it doubles as storage for braiding. The handle of the brush has a transparent plastic lid that can be removed. Inside is a comb and a slew of braiding bands ready to be used.

On average this grooming mitt retails for $5.48.

The grooming fun doesn’t end there!

The next item in the Saddle Box I received was a triple blade shedding blade by Tough-1. I like the look of this deshedder. The handle is sturdy and shaped for a comfortable and soft grip. The blades are staggered and shaped in a way that conforms to a horse’s natural curves more-so than the blades I’ve had in the past. The teeth of the blades are on BOTH sides of the metal so you can flip it upside-down and keep on going.

The shedding blade I owned before this was in the shape of a tear drop. The handle was uncomfortable to use and getting good contact with the horse without localizing the blade to a small spot required me to hold the tool at an odd angle. This new tool is going to be very handy in the springtime and Blade and Tiger shed out.

On average this shedding blade retails for $8.99.

So far I’ve received several brushes useful for removing mud and dirt from the body, mane, and tail. The next tool I found was a very high-quality face brush. The handle is made of wood and the synthetic bristles are ultra soft. Blade and Tiger LOVE having their faces brushed with something soft and I can already see them closing their eyes and enjoying their facials.

On average this face brush retails for $4.95.

There were also a couple nice things in the Saddle box just for me.

I found a cute sticker that says:

“Caution: If my horse doesn’t like you I probably won’t either.”

What a true statement that is! I always tell people that I trust my animals’ instincts. I once had a dog that hated smokers. He barked and got his hackles up at them, particularly if they smoked pot. That dog also defended me whenever he thought I was in danger. Animals often have a keen sense of who a person is so this sticker is very fitting. I just need to figure out a good spot for it!

On average this sticker retails for $2.99.

The other item for me will be finding a home on our bar as a beautiful decoration. The turquoise cross boot figurine is about 5.5″ tall and absolutely beautiful. I wish I had a pair of boots like it!

On average this western boot figurine retails for $9.64.

That’s it!

Buckeye Horse Treats
- $4.95
Jack’s Hoof Pick
- $1.95
Epona Grooming Mitt
- $8.95
Tough-1 Grooming Genie
- $5.48
Tough-1 Triple Blade Deshedder
- $8.99
Decker Face Brush
- $4.95
Horse Sticker
- $2.99
Boot Figurine
- $9.64

The total value of the contents in my first Saddle Box equals $47.90. Compare that to the $34.95 that a Saddle Box actually costs and I’d say you have a good deal.

Some of the products I received are out of MY ordinary. They will all be put to good use and appreciated but I never would have thought to buy a grooming mitt or grooming genie. My frugality wouldn’t have made room for a sticker or a boot figurine. Getting this box allows me to try new things without the guilt of spending an arm and a leg for it.

If there was a product I knew I would never use (there isn’t one here) I can always gift it or sell it on good old Facebook.

Will I get the Saddle Box again?

YES.

Do I recommend the Saddle Box for you to try?

YES

It’s hard to definitively say having had one box whether I prefer the Saddle Box to the Heart-to-Horse box. I loved receiving my Heart-to-Horse boxes and received some of my new favorite socks and gloves in those boxes. I’m hoping future installments of the Saddle Box subscription will help me find and receive my new favorite items.

Don’t forget to use LOVEHORSES at checkout to receive 15% off your first Saddle Box, available only at www.saddlebox.net.

Thank you SO MUCH to Phil from Saddle Box. Both Blade and Tiger are thrilled with their goodies and I’m so thrilled to spoil them!

As always, thank you for visiting and joining me every Wednesday and Thursday. Your support is so very much appreciated!

Our horse person’s version of retail therapy is buying things for our horses. Rambo, Ariat, Pessoa, and other name brands are what we dream of. We are hungry to find new things that help us become better horse people, better riders, make our horses happier, sounder, healthier.

Retailers feed on that and there is no shortage of new products promising some miracle. We often need reviews and the advice of other horsemen and women to guide our purchases so we can save our wallets and make the right decisions. For this reason, I have been considering bringing back a monthly/bimonthly review section. Before I launch myself into more work I’d love to hear from you. Please take a few extra seconds to tell me what you’d like to see and help shape The Green Horseman’s future!