CANCELLATION NOTICE

The Herbs for Horses Seminar Series scheduled for July 27th and August 10th have been cancelled.  A new series will be offered in the Fall.

Herbs for Horses Seminar

Mark July 27th and August 10th at 6:30 pm for up coming seminars presented by Dr. Wendy Pearson of Herb for Horses.

July 27th we will be discussing “Managing Chronic Joint Problems in Horses”…Do nutraceuticals like glucosamine really work?

August 10th we will be discussing Colic, ulcers and parasites… more than just tummy troubles.

Space is limited, register today by email to richvalesaddlery@bellnet.ca or call us at 905-939-1076

Fly Management 101

Many people are saying this summer has been one of the worst for flies. Stable management is first key to reducing fly populations, but what about those of us who board and can’t develop our own first line of defense? Or barn owners who want reinforcements in the battle of the flies? What can we do to provide our horses relief from flies?

Physical Protection

Fly masks and fly sheets provide a physical barrier preventing flies from landing on and biting the horse’s skin. They require minimal maintenance; just the occasional cleaning or repairs (we can do that!).

Putting a fly mask on your horse is one of the easiest ways to provide relief from flies. Flies tend to congregate around a horse’s eyes because they drink the moisture from the eyeball and feed on the mucus – Gross! Fly masks do not reduce the horse’s vision (unless caked in mud) despite their opaque appearance and as a bonus they sort of act like sunglasses.

The most basic fly masks protect the horse’s eyes, other fly masks also offer ear and or nose protection. The fit should allow for room around the eyes, no gaps for flies to get in through and for the Velcro to close securely.

Here at Richvale Saddlery we carry Mighty Masks, Equestar Fly Masks, Bucas Fly Masks and Cashel Fly Masks and a size range from Mini to Draft.

Have trouble keeping fly masks on? We can add a custom double Velcro closure on most styles.

Fly sheets offer almost full body protection against flies. Styles range from classic mesh sheets to high neck, belly banded, UV protection super sheets. Bucas even makes a full body sheet that you can ride in, perfect for hacking through dense forest.

Chemical Protection

Chemical protection comes in two forms: repellents and insecticides. Repellents mask the smell of horse with a fragrance that is unappealing to flies. Insecticides kill flies when they come in contact with the spray. Most insecticide sprays have a repellent fragrance component. Your choice of fly spray depends on your choice of ingredients and your application method.

There are 3 basic application methods: Spray, roll-on and wipe-on. Sprays are the easiest solution to cover the majority of the body and are versatile enough that they can be wiped on around the face. Roll-on and wipe-on products are similar and are best for direct point applications like the face or around wounds. Swat is a medicated wipe-on product designed directly for wounds.

Insecticide sprays are typically based on Pyrethrin, Piperonyl Butoxide Technical and Permethrin. There is a wider range of ingredients in repellents including citronella, tea tree oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil and lanolin.

When shopping for fly spray take some time to compare labels in terms of concentrations and the volume of the container to get the best value.

Richvale Saddlery carries a wide range of fly sprays including Absorbine, Golden Horseshoe, Flicks and Farnam.

Welcome to Richvale Online

Firstly a little history for those who wish to know more about our company.

Richvale Saddlery was founded, in Richvale, Ontario (now known as Richmond Hill) ; near sixty years ago in 1952. The founder, Mr. Michael Delaat, a master saddlery from Holland operated the saddlery service and retail the store and served the community for twenty years before he closed shop in 1972; it was during this time that Ian Coxworthy completed his apprenticeship under Mr. Delaat.

After the original store closed, Ian remained in the saddlery business for the following twenty five years, ; Ian opened a saddlery repair shop under his own name whilst teaching saddlery at Humber College. Ian, noted for his expertise, became the official saddler to the International Jumping team in 1976 at the summer Olympics, held in the fair city of Montreal. Ian continued in the saddlery industry until 1986, when Mr. Coxworthy decided to take a three year hiatus. At the end of the three years, Ian, along with his loving wife Jennifer decided to open a full retail storefront in 1989. With the permission and blessing of Mr. Delaat’s widow, the original Richvale Saddlery name was used once again. The store was re-opened just five miles from its former location, on Edward Avenue in Richmond Hill. With the development of the Town of Richmond Hill, the store was moved north to the hamlet of Schomberg, where it is today located.

The original Richvale products that are worthy of bearing the Richvale name, include halters, bridles, girths, dog collars, coats and leashes and belts, are still handmade in the store today. Approximately ten years ago, in the continued pursuit of the providing finest tack available for it’s customers; the Richvale Saddlery noted the need for a saddle that lacked nothing, a saddle with the best design and features attainable; the saddle would be unique to the company whilst giving Richvale brand recognition. With these aspirations in mind, Richvale approached a saddle company to fabricate the perfect, now known as the Richvale saddle.

Richvale products are thoroughly known throughout the Ontario Hunter/Jumper market, with this being the saddlery’s primary key market. Richvale’s market for both their saddles and leather goods have accumulated through an assortment of horse and trade shows, with particular emphasis at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Palgrave, Trillium and “A” circuit shows. Amongst Richvale’s valiant conquests, one of which that should be noted is the saddlery’s prevalence in various markets, supremely the custom chap market; a market the saddlery’s expertise and skills are unparalleled in Ontario. Mr. Coxworthy has tailored custom chaps for a plethora of people, including Princess Anne of the British Royal Family in 1976, also his career Ian has done a variety of work for nearly every international team along with the Canadian, American and British show jumping teams.