The cosmetics world has brought us a neat solution to a small but annoying problem: how to keep water from running down your arms when you wash your horse. it’s a simple donut-shaped sponge that fits over the wrist.
The On The Cuff sponge was developed to keep arms dry while washing the face, but it’s also suggested for washing dishes and cars and, well, anything where the washer can end up as wet as the washee. Since we?ve killed several watchbands over decades of sloshing off our horses, not to mention the watches themselves, and don’t particularly appreciate sodden sleeves and soapy arms, we sent for a set. They work great.
The sponges come in pairs, one sponge for each wrist, plus a sturdy mesh bag. They fit tightly on the wrist of an average woman. For kids, a sponge can be slipped up the wrist a bit, but it won?t work for really small arms. We couldn?t get it over the hand of a man until we got it wet and stretched it.
The sponge doesn’t absorb water so much as it directs water away from the arm and back down the hose or neck of the horse. Even when the sponge got sodden, it still kept water flowing away from the arm. It also worked fairly well when we sloshed water from a bucket with a big sponge. We found the shape easy to fold onto bridle leather when cleaning tack, a bit easier than using a standard tack sponge. The donut was easy to rinse clean. It?ll dry inside its mesh bag or you can hang it up.
One negative we found, as we do with many of the smaller items we use around the barn, is that it can be easily misplaced, so You’ll want to designate a specific wash bucket or hanging spot as its home. The other negative is the price ? $7.99 per pair or $24.99 for four pairs in a bigger mesh bag, plus shipping, of course. It can be found at boutique bath shops in Texas but otherwise must be ordered online. www.onthecuff.netor call 512-300-0113.
We experimented with cheaper sponges of the same diameter that we purchased at the supermarket and dollar store, trying to cut a hole in the middle. We only succeeded in tearing the sponges. Larger sponges were easier to cut but too unwieldy; the smaller size is ideal for this specific job.
Margaret Freeman
Associate Editor
