Horse owners are being ripped off by big businesses

As a horse owner, have you ever gotten the feeling that horse supplies and feed are overpriced compared to other items at the store or even compared to other hobbies? That feeling is not just a feeling but fact, and I have the proof.

Just a few days ago I was at my local Walmart Super Store. Since most of the customers surrounding the store are farm owners or live on several acres, the store has a small livestock supplies section. They sell chicken feed, horse feed and some horse supplies right next to the pet food section. It was in the horse supplies section that I found this item:

It looks like a normal hair brush – for human hair or even a dog brush. I have one that looks just like it and I bought it at the dollar store just a few blocks away.

Imagine my shock when I looked at the price:

Just to make sure that the price was correct and that the right brush was on the hooks, I looked at the label on the brush –

Now after I got over the sticker price shock, I realized that Walmart was trying to sell a hair brush (for long hair mind you) as a finishing brush. This brush is suited for manes and tails and will probably have the teeth pull out after 5 or 6 uses or less. A finishing brush is a very soft bristled brush that is used after all the major grooming is done to remove the last of the surface dust. Here is a picture of a real finishing brush for grooming horses –

I think it is time us horse owners tell big corporations that we are getting sick of being ripped off. Don’t get me started on overpriced English riding pants or $100+ saddle pads. We all know that the manufacturers are not making the money on this stuff, since most of it is made in sweat shops overseas, it is the retail end that is making the money.  This horse poop has got to end.