Frugal Friday: Save The Velcro!

When I started this blog a few weeks ago, I had a clear mission in mind: to help my fellow rider on a "shoestring" budget enjoy horses to the fullest. Now that all of the holiday hustle and bustle is done, I'm pleased to announce my weekly mini-series, "Frugal Friday." Each Friday, I'll bring you a money-saving tip to help you stretch your dollar a little further when it comes to buying feed, tack, and other equestrian supplies. Enjoy!

Maybe it's just me, but I'm driven completely bonkers by the grass, horse hair, and other random junk that gets stuck in the Velcro on my polo wraps, schooling boots, horse blankets, saddle pads... you get the point. What good is a hook and loop closure if it just won't stay closed?

I was doing a little internet window-shopping for tack I really don't need when I found the VelCleaner by N.E.W. I was really excited to see that someone had finally come up with a way to get all the debris out of my Velcro, until I saw the price. $19.95? Are you kidding me? Clean Velcro is great, but not at that price!


Needless to say, I had to find a cheaper alternative. The VelCleaner reminded me of a slicker brush used for dog grooming, right down to the angled metal teeth. I just so happened to have a slicker brush in my doggie care kit at home, so I decided to give it a go.

 After a few minutes of brushing, my fleece-lined dressage boots were finally free of the fleece that inevitably gets stuck on every time I throw them into the washing machine. Yay! Just like new!

The Grreat Choice Soft Slicker Brush for Cats is on sale at PetSmart right now for just $1.99, but I'm sure you can find a similarly priced slicker brush just about anywhere that carries pet supplies. Just remember to look for a brush with plain metal teeth, not the rubber tipped ones, and you're all set!