There’s a lot to keep in mind when you own a horse. It’s even worse when you own more than one horse. There are so many things to remember – worming schedules, farrier visits to arrange, show entry forms to fill out and so much more. It’s way to forget about reordering horse supplies. They often run out when you least expect it. This is why it’s good to schedule some horse supplies to be shipped automatically.

Short History Lesson on Horse Supplies

The first evidence of horse domestication come from the Asian steppes and date from 3500 to 4000 years ago. It’s possible that horses were first kept as a reliable meat source and then were kept for their hauling powers. It was much later when people began riding horses. It used to be that the first horse-keepers wandered along with their herds to find enough food for their livestock. Now people are sedentary and need to bring horse supplies to their horsey friends.

Mail order companies first began in 1845. Now people did not even need to leave their home and horses in order to get horse supplies. They came to you through the trusty mail. The most famous mail order company used to be Sears and Roebuck, which had an extensive equine supply catalog – including carriages. With the rise of the Internet in the mid-1990s, mail order companies were quick to offer full catalogs online. It’s never been easier to order horse supplies.

Kinds of Horse Supplies Best for Automatic Restocking

The best kinds of horse supplies that are most economical for automatic restocking are supplies that are soon consumed and always needed. These include:

• Nutritional supplements and vitamins: Usually added to feed or water, they are consumed every day so it is always needed and often forgotten until the bucket turns up empty.
• Electrolytes: Good for horses that have to work in hot weather or horses under heavy work like cutting cattle, eventing, endurance training, show jumping or racing.
• Some medications: If a horse has a chronic condition and needs medications that are hard to get for your local veterinarian, see if the medication can be shipped directly to you. You may need your veterinarian to email or fax a prescription to the vet supply or pet medicine supply company.
• Leg bandages: These are often needed for horses in heavy work or do a lot of shipping. Bandages are often machine washable but constantly tear or fray.
• Tasty treats: It’s always fun to give a hard-working horse a new treat. The horses love it, too! Many treats are not just empty calories but contain vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements that may not be available at the local tack store.
• Horse toys: Also called stall toys, they help keep bored horses from destructive habits like wood chewing. Horses can burn through these toys quickly.
• Horse bedding: Usually mailed in bales or sent to nearby stores for the customer to pick up, this is a far more expensive option than going to a feed supply store or nursery. However, it is a good option to always have a supply of good quality horse bedding available in case you cannot get to a store due to illness, injury or if the car won’t start.
• Some grooming supplies: It is surprising how much shampoo a horse needs so you wind up going through a bottle before you know it. Conditioners, detangles, oil for electric clippers, fly sprays, hoof conditioners and stain removers are also good candidates for putting on an automatic restocking plan.

There are many different kinds of horse supplies you can choose to place on an automatic restocking plan suited to the unique needs of your horse or horses.

How Automatic Restocking Services Work

It’s easy to get on an automatic horse supply restocking plan, provided your favorite online tack and vet supply store offers the services. Most do because it’s quickly becoming the norm for online companies. You need a prescription from a veterinarian if you are ordering prescription medications. You will need a valid credit card to pay. You also need to keep up the minimum payments on your credit card to keep the automatic service going. Some services offer free shipping if you buy a certain amount of horse supplies per shipment.

Some large chain stores like Tru Value that have bricks-and-mortar shops in places where many people still own horses may offer a service that often helps knock a few dollars off of the overall price. Instead of getting the horse supplies in the mail, you go to your local store and pick up the supplies yourself. This is good for people with little time to shop.

Good plans will let you cancel at any time, whether through filling out an online form or calling the customer service department during office hours.

Providers

What About Amazon?

Amazon does offer restocking services for many items like food, cleaners and incontinence supplies but offers a limited selection of horse supplies with their Subscribe and Save service. Overall, you wind up spending less money for the things in the service than if you bought them separately. The big advantage is that it all gets mailed to you. You do not need to pick up anything to save a few dollars.

Amazon is a third-party seller so terms and conditions for one item you get placed on a Subscribe and Save plan may not be the same as another item. If a problem arises, Amazon usually tries to sort it out between you and the actual company doing the selling.

Image from depositphotos.com.

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