Beccy Broughton on using Equr
When I was first loaned my International endurance horse Murmansk it was just approaching the winter of 1999. I moved him from the sandy Nottinghamshire land south to Essex where the clay is notorious during the winter months. Soon after the rains came and winter really set in Murmansk developed very severe mud related outbreak. It became very difficult to manage as he stayed out as much as possible. With the new endurance season approaching quickly I became concerned that the condition may cause loss of mobility.
I approached Cindy Russell in desperation and she gave me a tub full of a mixture, which bore a great resemblance to honey. Cindy had been given this on a tried and tested basis but so far that winter had not needed it. So off I went and gave it a try. Very scepitcal, I washed his legs and heels, dried them with a clean towel and scooped some Equr out of its tub. Plastering the mixture on his heels I could not believe the extent to which it stuck to his coat and skin, forming a complete barrier. That evening I repeated the process.
To my astonishment as I looked down at his heels and legs, the covering of Equr was still there. Also as I repeated the application, the dead skin and scabs that were under the original covering came away from the surface extremely easily causing no discomfort to him. Within days the condition had improved dramatically and within a few weeks it had completely gone.
Well, that's ok, its gone for now but surely it will return? I had been told that once the mixture had been used, then the condition would not return. Now you can see why I was so sceptical at the beginning. The following year Murmansk was once again spending winter in the Essex clay. However, the mud related condition did return but only where he had not had the application the previous year. Also because this was actually such a small area the application cleared the problem up in a matter of days with only a few coverings.
Equr has made such a difference to Murmansk and has made the winter months a lot easier. This year as yet I have had no problems and already he has been stood in the mud at home. During my time at college Murmansk was moved from home to Essex on several occasions but this made no difference to his condition. The only point at which there was a difference was when I began to apply Equr on the areas where he had the mud related problem.
Equr is not just an ungent for mud related conditions but is an excellent all round helper. It is very useful when used against small cuts and abrasions and for certain fungal conditions. I am very pleased with the results I have seen over the past two, nearly three winters, witnessing the original extent to which Murmansk suffered with mud related problems, the speed at which Equr cleared this up and no reoccurrence of the condition the following year in the areas previously applied with Equr.
I would recommend Equr to anyone who has a horse that is prone to mud related problems even in the most serious cases.
Email to The Editor, Your Horse magazine from Household Cavalry Veterinary Assistant
Dear Editor,Looking through this week's edition of " Your Horse " that someone had brought into work and reading the article on mud related problems, I'd like to point your readers in the direction of a product that we, here in the Veterinary Department of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, have found to work a treat against mud related problems.
Equr , produced by Taylors Hill is a safe, non-toxic sugary unguent/mixture that is smeared onto areas affected by bacterial conditions... and providing you follow the manufacturers instructions should clear up the condition in a week or so.
When I was initialy asked to buy in some Equr for our military horses at winter training in Melton Mowbray I was very cynical, as I've seen many cranky homeopathetic remedies come and go mainly because they're rubbish. Not wishing to waste the Tax Payers' money, I contacted Taylors Hill and asked them to put their money were their mouth was and if their product was any good, send me some freebies to prove it. Anyway, they did, we tried it, and although somewhat unattractive and messy to use, it worked a treat on some rather nasty outbreaks.
One of its good points, apart from actually working, is that it's not got any nasty chemicals in to screw up the rider/groom's skin due to prolonged use like the steroidal preparations often used against mud related outbreaks, and although the cost of the large tub of Equr seems expensive, compare it to the cost of a small tube of fucidic acid cream which is gone in one application.
We use Equr every year now against mud related outbreaks and related problems and the likes, plus another of Taylors Hill's products that proved it's worth against cracked heels, Heelit . So, I'd like to take this opportunity to recommend these products to your readers, as used by the horses of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.
Yours faithfully,Sgt 'Scruff' Tidy
Regimental Veterinary Assistant
The following is a small selection of the many genuine and unsolicited letters from Taylors Hill customers who have used Equr .
Mr Bishop - Market Rasen:
" I have found Equr very effective on my horses legs and would highly recommend it. I've tried everything else to no avail, including veterinary products "
Olive - Bridgwater:
&Quot I cannot begin to say how grateful I am to have discovered Equr and how much your advice has helped my horse to recover from this very painful condition &Quot
Eileen Gillen - Farm Manager, Belwade ILPH rehabilitation centre:
&Quot Equr is the only product that seems to work on Judy (17.2hh, 20 year old Clydesdale Mare), her enormous feathers have meant that she has always been susceptible to mud related conditions. It keeps her scabs soft, and appears to prevent further damage to the skin over the heels which often leads to subsequent infection &Quot
Deanna Moreau - Chobham:
&Quot I think Equr is marvellous, and shall certainly buy some more in the near future. My Arab's legs cleared up within a week and the hair started to grow back... thanks for a wonderful product &Quot
Cara Kimber - Bucks:
&Quot I noticed an improvement after three days and we haven't looked back since. The best bit was that it softened the scabs off so well without causing her that extra trauma. Her case was particularly stubborn but nothing has had the impact of &Quot Equr &Quot .
Christine Cowell:
&Quot Hello. My name is Chris Cowell and you may recall I purchased a tub of Equr from you earlier this year, in a bid to help the poor condition of my horse's legs. He is a coloured cob with three white legs and lots of feather all round.
Last winter he suffered the worst bout of mud related conditions I'd seen in a long time, with inflamed skin right up the inside of his hind legs well beyond the hocks. I took the decision to move him to a livery yard which does not have winter turn out. The reasons are two-fold: it saves the fields from becoming poached masses, and there is not a horse on the yard with this awful ailment. It has cost me more in livery, but that's not the point. The point was to get him right once and for all.
As the winter progressed, the mud related conditions cleared up virtually of its own accord, but two persistent areas remained: one area of constantly broken skin behind his near fore knee, which, when it wasn't crusting over, was bleeding; the other was a similar area on the inside of his off hind hock, which never healed properly. Out came the clippers and off came the feather all round, and once the Equr arrived, on it went, carefully following the instructions that came with it. Progress was slow at first, and by this time the warm weather was on its way, along with the flies that accompany it. Fly strike on his lower legs became a problem too but Equr was applied to these areas as well, and the effect was almost magical. In less than a month all areas were clean and dry, with just the odd lump on his white legs, which we attributed to fly strike. When this appeared, Equr was applied immediately, helping the natural healing process, and the wounds cleared within 2-3 days! The decision was taken by the yard owner earlier in the summer to do away with straw bedding and use rubber matting with shavings in all loose boxes. She's of the opinion that mites living in straw love horses with feather and this could only have added to his problems, and I can't help but agree with her. So far so good. His legs look better than they have for a long time, his itchy heels are also a thing of the past and he feels so much better in himself.
Thank you for this wonderful product. I know it was a bit messy to use, but everyone who saw it commented on its likeness to honey, and how delicious it looks! It has changed my horse's outlook on life and I've got my friend back doing the things he loves most - taking my friends on 'fantastic' hacks, and taking my husband, his dog and me out in his cart for some wonderful drives.
I simply can't thank you enough - you have a customer for life.
Best wishes to you all.Chris Cowell. &Quot
Source:- Taylors Hill Ltd (manufacturers of Beelzebug and Equr)
Important Note:
Please note that in order to comply with advertising regulations and the regulatory requirements relating to both medicinal products and medical conditions, we have been required to remove or change some words and phrases, which, although commonly used by owners and riders in everyday dealings with both horses and dogs, actually refer to medical conditions. Under current regulations, we are not permitted to reproduce these phrases, even in copies of correspondence received from members of the public. We have, therefore, altered the wording as best we can to retain the sense of the original. However, in order to retain the integrity of the testimonials, we have shown the changed wording in red italics. We trust that you will understand that this matter is outside our control.
