One of our goals is to help you make informed decisions regarding a purchase, based on how those products perform. Quality of workmanship, ease of use, durability, ingredients and dosages are important to help you figure out if a product is likely to work, or if it’s even something you need or want.
We aren’t influenced by flashy advertising, pretty packaging, endorsements or manufacturer’s claims as reasons to buy a product. We know advertising is necessary to get a product in front of the consumer, but we don’t make decisions based on it — and neither should you.
Endorsements and testimonials are tougher to weed through. Statements like, “Triple-Crown winner Space Shuttle eats You-Go-Boy energy supplement,” or “Twinkle Toes took home the Gold wearing Moon Walk hoof pads,” are attention getters. It may be safe to say those products didn’t hurt the performance, but it doesn’t mean they helped.
If an ad states, “25 out of 25 horses with rain rot were cured within 10 days by bathing them with Scab-Off,” would you think it’s helpful’ Or would you wonder were other treatments used, too’ Would 25 out of 25 also be cured by “Sane Choice,” which costs half as much as “Scab-Off”’ That’s what we help you sort through.
Objective evaluation and asking the tough questions should spill over into other areas, too. Let’s say you have a racehorse and are looking for a trainer. You have a chance to place your horse with the trainer who just won the Kentucky Derby. Do you do it’ Not necessarily. If you do your homework, you might find that this trainer has been training horses for 35 years and never even had a stakes horse. The Derby win could have been nothing more than sheer luck. Down the shedrow there might be a trainer who’s not a big name, but every horse that has gone through his hands has improved. Now who do you want to train your horse or you’
When you have a decision to make, think about who is telling you to buy a particular product. Would a Ford dealer tell you to go buy a Dodge’ All companies are the same way. Salespeople are trained to be helpful and answer your questions, but they’re also there to sell that company’s own products. There are a handful of exceptions who will lead you in the right direction, but they’re rare.
We present you with reliable information you can use to make wise purchasing decisions. Let our objective approach to evaluating products influence all your horse decisions.
-Eleanor Kellon, VMD
