7 Items for Better Farm Housekeeping

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7 Items for Better Farm Housekeeping

Here are seven items I use toward the goal of creating a tidy oasis. Each one either prevents an invasion borne of the
Great Outdoors or aids me in the counterattack.

Country Chic Muck Shoes
Quality muck shoes are a worthwhile investment, especially when they’re stylish enough to wear around town.

Bogs Berkeley Women’s Waterproof Boots, $85. www.bogsfootwear.com

Moccasins
I finally grasped the benefits of removing my riding boots or muck shoes before coming into the house or driving home from the barn. Of course, that left me barefoot. Minnetonka moccasins are perfect as driving mocs and house shoes, and I like the funky, retro look.
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Minnetonka El Paso II Moc, $44.95. www.minnetonkamoccasin.com

Laminate Flooring
The non-horse person votes for carpet, I vote for tile. The compromise? Pergo XP. It’s embossed with a woodgrain pattern, so it provides the visual warmth of traditional hardwood flooring. Pergo XP laminate flooring, approximately $3/square foot.
na.pergo.com
Shedding Blade for Dogs
Just as a decent curry comb helps my horse shed his winter coat, the FURminator removes the loose hair that my dog was about to deposit in my living room.
FURminator Dog DeShedding Tool, $37.99-$72.99. www.furminator.com
The Wonder Broom
The Evriholder FURemover Broom features rows of natural rubber “fingers” that grab every strand of animal hair and every evasive dust bunny. Telescoping handle and attached squeegee to access every nook and cranny.
Available from most major retailers, under $20.

Handy Hair Brush
A few quick swipes of the Lilly Brush removes pet hair, lint and dust from fabric and upholstery. It’s also great for pulling dog hair up from throw rugs.
Lilly Forever Furless Brush, $19.95.
www.lillybrush.com
Animal House Vacuum
I actually enjoy using my Dyson. Though lightweight, it’s a workhorse, and each time I empty the canister it’s like an episode of CSI: Housework.
Dyson Ball Animal, $499.99. www.dyson.com

Read more about keeping barn messes out of your home in Keep the Outdoors from Coming In.

Cindy Hale currently serves as a judge at local and regional open horse shows.

This article originally appeared in the September 2016 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

8 years ago

Cindy Hale

Cindy Hale’s life with horses has been filled with variety. As a child she rode western and learned to barrel race. Then she worked as a groom for a show barn, and was taught to harness and drive Welsh ponies. But once she’d taken her first lessons aboard American Saddlebreds she was hooked on English riding. Hunters and hunt seat equitation came next, and she spent decades competing in those divisions on the West Coast. Always seeking to improve her horsemanship, she rode in clinics conducted by world-class riders like George Morris, Kathy Kusner and Anne Kursinski. During that time, her family began raising Thoroughbred and warmblood sport horses, and Cindy experienced the thrills and challenges of training and showing the homebred greenies. Now retired from active competition, she’s a popular judge at local and county-rated open and hunter/jumper shows. She rides recreationally both English and western. Her Paint gelding, Wally, lives at home with her and her non-horsey husband, Ron.