Product: Identification tags for horses in case they get lost when trail riding or during an emergency
Brand: I.C.E. Products USA (also known as Sierra View Ranch)
Horse Trail Chicks rating: 5 out of 5 carrots
You probably heard about the devastating fires in California in 2018. In some cases the fire moved so fast that people were caught off guard. California is horse country and hundreds (if not thousands) of horses were set loose from their barns or pastures in a desperate attempt to save their lives.
Many horses were eventually found and generously cared for at barns that had survived the fire. Some people had written their phone numbers in permanent marker on their horse’s hooves. But for many, it took days or weeks to identify the owner.
In these fires and other recent extreme weather events such as hurricanes and floods, some horses wore ID tags made by I.C.E Products USA. I.C.E. is an acronym for “In Case of Emergency,” recognized by emergency personnel everywhere.
On each tag there is room where you can write – with a permanent marker – several phone numbers as well as the veterinarian’s information, and a place to indicate if the horse is microchipped. They are brightly colored so as to be visible.
These tags are not just for use in emergencies. While trail riding, your horse could spook and run away, dropping you like a load of ballast. Even if he doesn’t go far, in the deep woods or other remote areas, you might not find him right away or if you are injured, over time he will wander farther afield. When camping with your horse, she could break free of the highline, tie stall, or temporary fence and wander all night long. Even at home, if your horse tends to escape the pasture, having an ID tag could reunite you quicker and with less hassle.
I.C.E. Products USA has several different ID tags that can be attached to your horse or tack. Each product has a specific use, so pay attention to the website when you are deciding which one(s) to purchase.
My favorite tag is the I.C.E. UltraLite, which you can braid into the mane (or tail). If you have advance warning that a fire or hurricane is coming your way, evacuation is the best strategy, but if can’t evacuate you can attach these tags to your horses in case they have to be released. The Ultralite is also great for camping trips or if you worry about your horse escaping the pasture.
The company suggests using the hair elastics that people use, or horse braiding elastics. Put one elastic in a chunk of hair, then braid the hair, place 2 elastics at the bottom, and clip the UltraLite into the braid near the top, below the top elastic. I did this and it stayed in for over a week without any signs of slipping or coming out. It seemed like it would stay in indefinitely, though they say to check the braid and tag daily if you can. I use mine on multi-day trips away from home.
The I.C.E. Clip-on tag can be clipped to your saddle or breast plate and can easily be moved to the halter or some other bit of tack as needed. I keep mine on my trail saddle all the time. While my horse could lose his saddle after a few days lost in the wilderness, most places I ride are not that remote and he’d likely be found within a few hours of being separated from me. The tag is very easy to attach and does not interfere with anything else.
The ManeStay is designed to be used in an emergency when you only have a few seconds to attach it to your horse.
The fire-resistant clip has a plunger that you depress, exposing a hook that grabs a piece of mane (or tail). When you let go of the plunger the hair is drawn into the base, cinching it tightly. Because it is yellow, it is very visible. I tried out the ManeStay by attaching it to my horse’s mane. I learned that how you apply it is very important.
The first time, I grabbed a pretty big chunk of mane, thinking the more the better. The next day it had slid down so I moved it back up, then it fell off the next day. I contacted the company and learned that with too much hair, the clip is not drawn fully into the base. If it does not look like this photo – with a bit of hair sticking up crazily, you’ve got too much hair in it.
When I tried again, putting only enough hair into achieve a good strong attachment that I verified with a good tug, the ManeStay stayed in for 3 days. I don’t know if it fell off or if my horse’s best friend – who tends to chew on things attached to my horse such as his halter, was playing with it and tugged it off. I.C.E Products USA says in their testing they stayed in for 10 days. Even if I thought it might fall out in 3 days, I would still want it in an emergency because it’s likely that someone would find my horse in that time period. And it might stay in much longer; certainly his buddy won’t be playing with the tag out of boredom when they are running for their lives.
Where should you keep your ManeStay so it’s close at hand? You could clip it to the stall door or hang them all in one place in the tack room. This is how the owner of I.C.E. Products USA owner keeps hers. If your horses are pastured, you can hang them on the gate or put up a mailbox near the gate to keep them in.
The I.C.E. Halter, with integrated ID tag, is also available in 3 different styles. I did not try the halter (my horse can’t wear one in the pasture because his friend chews it up) but it could be a good option for some uses. Personally, I prefer the UltraLite anyway because it’s attached to my horse rather than the halter, which could come off.
You can also get a simple label to attach to your horse’s halter or bridle. It’s called an “I.C.E. Collar ID” because it is designed for dogs, but can be used for horses. It wraps around part of the halter or bridle and is secured with velcro.
If your contact information ever changes you can order a weatherproof label to put over the old one where you can write your new information.
If you’ve been reading our blog for a while, you know that I worry a lot. So I love products that give me peace of mind. I really like the I.C.E. Products USA products. They were designed by a couple who are horse owners in California, so they really understand the need. Their products are made in the U.S.A. and, as a small company, they are very responsive to their customers. When I experienced confusion about how to use the ManeStay, they took action to make sure that future customers have the clearest information possible. I also think it’s great that they provide several options to meet different requirements.
Price: ManeStay $21, UltraLite $16, Clip-On $16, Halter $34 to $45, Halter/collar ID $8 (as of September 2019).
Available from: Directly from I.C.E Products USA or from one of their retailers.
