September update from Steph

September started off busy with a trip to the Nationals for Steph and Mr P. "We came 4th in the Grand Prix and then we had some very strange marking in the Music test - my scores ranged from 66% to 74% so it appeared that one of the judges didn't like us! It meant we dropped down to 6th which was a shame but what can you do?! It certainly caused uproar on the BD dressage forums where a lot of people were supporting us!"

"We have also been out with the five year old Clyde and he has jumped to medium now and is scoring 65% and above each time out - we seem to have a case of seconditis at the moment but he is dealing with life very well!"

Coming up this month Steph has been invited to HOYS to compete in a dressage to music competition with the aim of getting dressage more in to the public eye. After that the pair are off to Italy to compete at La Mondria CDI***. She has also bought a lovely 2 year old from Ian Smith, "We have called him Captain Mack after one of Annabel's favourite TV characters," she tells us!

Horses are definitely running in the family as daughter Annabel has got her first pony on loan. "Jessie is a Shetland and is absolutely amazing," says Steph. "Annabel has taken to it like a duck to water but I am being very strict with her and she knows if she doesn't muck out she doesn't get to ride!"

Keep an eye out for more Steph updates coming soon!

Nedz top bedding tips for the season

• Don’t be fooled by looking at the costs per bale – look at the cost of bedding your horse per week, or per month. What appears a cheap price per bale may not be as effective as a more expensive product and you may end up using twice as much!
• Buying in bulk should always get you a discount – don’t be afraid to ask your supplier. If you can’t afford to buy it all at once see if a friend wants to share the cost – in the long run you will save money.
• Look at the whole picture – how much does it cost to have your muck heap taken away as well as the cost of the bedding – if you choose a product which is highly biodegradable you will incur much lower costs – if any – and be able to use it as natural fertiliser!
• Choose products which don’t stick to muck as you won’t waste half of the clean bedding when you muck out.
• Use the correct tool for your bedding – you would be amazed at what difference this makes to the amount of wastage.
• Plan ahead – many people have been caught out this year and had to pay high amounts for bedding because they needed them at the last minute. Get organised and get your orders in way in advance to be sure you get the best deal.
• Don’t be afraid to try new products – when you have used a product for many years it can be unsettling to change – however you may be pleasantly surprised at how much easier and economical a new product may be.
• Think of your own health – you have to spend time in the stable too and dust and ammonia can equally cause damage to your own respiratory system.

Steph climbs up the world rankings and makes up for lost time with Mr P!

Steph and Mr President have certainly been making up for lost time! After giving birth to her son, within a week Steph was back riding and just three weeks later she was competing at Hartpury CDI3* where she came 4th in the Grand Prix and won the Grand Prix Special. Ten days later the pair went to the Hickstead CDI3* and managed to bring home 6th in the Grand Prix and 3rd in the Grand Prix Special. These fantastic results have meant she has climbed up the world rankings and is now 67th in the world!

Since then she has been a busy bee doing shoots for Your Horse magazine and competing her up and coming youngster, Mr Hyde (apparently he is true to his name!) and had him out doing his first Novice (scoring 71%!!!) and Elementary just a few weeks ago. "Competing with two children is a challenge," Steph says. "Simon is going greyer by the minute! Not only does he have the job of looking after the kids when I am competing but he also is my reader - last weekend Annabel was running around like a lunatic at B where he was reading and if she wasn't my own child I would have definitely made a comment!"

Steph and Mr P are on countdown to the Nationals in September and then have been asked to compete at HOYS in a trial dressage to music class along with a handful of other riders including Carl Hester, Richard Davison, Amy Stovold and Laura Bechtolsheimer, after that she is hoping to jet off to do the CDI3* at La Mandria in Italy. Watch this space for all the latest news!

8 months down and still riding Mr P!

Now our sponsored rider Steph Croxford is eight months pregnant her competing has understandably fallen slightly by the wayside! "I was still competing at six and a half months and gloating about how my jacket still fitted," she said. "However at that moment I bent over and off popped a button so I think that signalled the time to hang up the reins for a while!" Although not competing Steph is still schooling Mr P, "I was riding up to three days before Annabel was born and back competing internationally 5 weeks after so I hope that this one (a little boy) will be the same!"

In the mean time Steph has been keeping busy. You may have seen in Horse magazine (on sale May 27th) that she helped a reader develop a horse's balance and self-carriage in their latest Masterclass - the Nedz banner was working hard and caused a rather large spook - caught on camera of course! We even got the chance to go and see her at work and it was very inspirational!

As well as this Steph is trying to put her five year old mare in foal to the 2009 Dutch Harness Champion in the Netherlands, "She has just been AI'd so we are keeping our fingers crossed. There are no Dutch Harness stallions in the UK and we are hoping if she takes she will throw a colt!" We will be keeping our fingers crossed too - as in Steph's words, "Mr P is an old fashioned Dutch Harness horse and I think it is better the devil you know!" The thought of a little baby Mr P is a very exciting prospect!

Who knows, next time we speak to Steph there may be another mini Croxford on the planet!

Simple summer bedding

Summer months should be spent in the sun, having fun, riding and enjoying our horses – not mucking out in hot, stuffy stables! Nedz Advance provides a super quick, super absorbent and super hygienic method of bedding you horse, leaving you more time to enjoy the warmer weather!

The revolutionary Nedz Advance is manufactured using a unique process that steams top quality chopped straw to make it unpalatable and virtually dust free, before compressing it in to pellets. These pellets break down to form a soft, cushioned and extremely absorbent base for your horse or pony to be stabled on without the need for watering.

Offering a supportive, clean and hygienic bedding method ensures that horses and ponies in the stable – even those suffering from laminitis - can remain comfortable and supported even when stabled for long periods. The high absorbency of Nedz Advance dramatically reduces the levels of ammonia in the environment which in turn prevents insects and unpleasant odours, and because the bed needs little disturbing, dust is kept to a minimum making it perfect for those suffering from respiratory compromise.

Wet patches are kept to a minimum and droppings do not stick to Nedz Advance making it one of the quickest and easiest products to use on the market. The highly biodegradable product means muck heaps are kept small in size and what little muck that is there will rot down within one month, helping to reduce nasty odours that attract flies and are simply unpleasant when the warmer weather arrives.

During the warmer months when horses are stabled for reduced amounts of time it is not uncommon to only add one bag of Nedz Advance every ten days depending on usage – making the RRP of between £6 and £7.50 per bag an economical solution.

Be Pro-tected in the stable this summer!

Many horses are still stabled during the warmer months – even if it is for shorter periods of time – and providing a hygienic and dust-free environment is equally as important as during the winter.

Made from Oil Seed Rape Straw, Nedz Pro offers a super absorbent alternative to shavings whilst combining all the benefits of quick rotting, easy to muck out, cosy, chopped straw!

Due to its highly absorbent properties Nedz Pro only requires a full muck out once a week, creating a sturdy, comfortable base for your horse or pony to bed on. In addition, the unique Natural Nedz formula that is used in the bedding contains Manuka Oil and Aloe Vera to offer a safe, natural and organic environment for your horse that reduces ammonia levels and helps with horses suffering from respiratory and skin problems.

The entirely natural formula will help defend against harmful bacteria, particularly useful for travelling horses and those with weaker immune systems more susceptible to picking up viruses and infections. In addition Manuka has been used for hundreds of years to help repel insects making Nedz Pro the ideal solution for summer bedding. The rigorous dust extraction process keeps mould spores to an absolute minimum creating a safe environment for both you and your horse.

Quick and easy to muck out Nedz Pro is cost effective, with just 4-6 bales being needed for initial start up, and requires on average one bale per week to top up. Nedz Pro is highly biodegradable, rotting down within two to three months and can safely be spread as natural fertiliser – saving on muck heap removal!

How green is your bedding?

With all the constant talk of environmental issues, horse owners have a responsibility to use the ‘greenest’ products, which includes everything from chemical free fly sprays to the bedding their horses sleep on.

Chopped straw such as Nedz is one of the most environmentally friendly bedding types due to the methods in which it is grown, the natural formula it is treated with and the methods of disposal. Unlike wood based products, straw is a waste product left over from the harvest of wheat or rapeseed. By re-using it as a bedding product for horses we are able to utilise a by-product which would normally be ploughed back in to the ground or left to rot.

At Nedz we use a totally organic, natural formula on both Nedz Original and Nedz Pro, containing no chemicals or pesticides. Natural Nedz discourages bed eating and provides additional health benefits to provide a safe, environmentally friendly surrounding. At no point does the bedding let off damaging toxins in to the environment and the high absorbency means potent ammonia levels are kept to a minimum. This not only makes our horse’s stable a safer area for him, but also for owners.

Disposing of Nedz products is simple and easy, as well as being cost effective. The chopped straw product rots down within 2 – 3 months – as opposed to 2 – 3 years in the case of wood based products – and once this process has occurred this can be safely spread on fields as a totally natural fertiliser without running the risk of removing valuable nitrates from the soil.

At Nedz we believe that horse owners should really understand the products they use to bed their horses on. Not only can this aid the environment and make for a ‘greener’ lifestyle – but also helps maintain a healthy, happy environment for equines and their owners.