Coco and Dash are improbable mascots for a company producing athletic socks for equines. But ask Socks for Horses president, Raymond Petterson, and he’ll tell you he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Donkey Dash wearing Whinny Warmers
Whinny Warmers® move with joints and helps socks stay put on the legs of equines for warmth to live more comfortably with arthritis, or circulation-impairing conditions such as laminitis, founder or IR Cushings.
© 2012 by Sox for Horses
Petterson took pity on a long-eared little jennet without an options and pregnant. It wasn’t the first time a cast-off had captured his heart: Evie, an aged Quarter Horse mare whose arthritis originally inspired the launch of his socks and company had also been a rescue. She also came carrying a foal that was born 9 months later. That colt, Tembrooks Yahoo, is the face of Summer Whinnys today. The jennet was the second ‘two-fer’ he’d brought to the Florida family farm.
In August 2012, the donkey jennet, dubbed Coco, foaled a long-eared chocolate-coated colt named Dash. Chronicling their progress on Facebook, mother and son have built a growing family of friends as Petterson has recounted their homeopathic care, Dash’s introduction to groundwork, and Coco’s slowly building trust.
“Take a survey of your riding friends and chances are their BFF (best friend forever) is their horse. Or donkey,” smiled Petterson. “It’s not hard to figure out why. They never aspire to be anything more than they are. They are honest. They don’t lie. They won’t cheat on you and they appreciate affection, by being openly affectionate in return or being a great trail companion on those days when you are sorting out your own life.
“A horse can accept all of your faults and listen to everything you have to tell them. They are there in the morning and evening with a whinny that makes your whole day. Such a friendship at times seems to go both ways. A ruined day can become a great one, spent on a great ride that is a partnership of give, take, and reward.”
Petterson listens daily to customers who call their equine their BFF, and want to make their four-legged friends more comfortable. Many thank him for designing socks that horses can wear. “I wondered why no one thought of this before. Maybe people did and did not take the next step."
Petterson says, "I had no choice but to pursue it.” Petterson’s oldest BFF, Evie, suffered greatly from arthritis. “ I couldn’t bear to see her standing there in the winter in pain. It made sense to find a way to warm her legs up.” And so he did.
Whinny Warmers® have come a long way since that original idea. They are made from a thick, warm, wool blend yarn and lined on the inside with the same antimicrobial yarn used for Summer Whinnys™, Petterson’s fly protection socks worn by horses all over the world.
Whinny Warmers® have shape and form that move with joints and helps socks stay put on the legs of horses that need warmth in order to live more comfortably with arthritis, or circulation-impairing conditions such as laminitis, founder or IR Cushings otherwise known as Equine Metabolic Syndrome.
Looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your BFF? Make it Whinny Warmers®. As snows fly and temperatures drop, the warmth of friendship – and Whinny Warmers Socks for Horses – will keep legs warm and cozy. Socks also come in Mini sizes, perfect for smaller equines (and young long ears like Dash), too.
For more information about Whinny Warmers® or Summer Whinnys™ or call Sox For Horses, Inc. for personalized attention, (850) 907-5724. They love to talk to people who love their best equine friends. Sox For Horses, Inc. actively supports equine and animal rescue missions and donates socks to help rescued equines live more comfortably.