In this Team Absorbine Spotlight, we’re speaking with Casey Basta, our Brand Development Manager. Casey grew up loving horses from afar but didn’t actually get into the equestrian life until she attended college at the University of Vermont. While there, she first learned the ins and outs of horse care and horse stewardship thanks to their equine program. She learned how to ride on the program's herd of wonderful Morgans. That led to her first horse, Newt, who was a lovely (and exceptionally patient!) Morgan. As many other equestrians have experienced, there was no going back from there. Nowadays she owns 3 horses that live on her small farm in Massachusetts.

Absorbine: What do you do with your horse? Show? Pleasure? Companion Horse? Well-loved Pasture Ornament?

Casey: I “discovered” Natural Horsemanship very early on in my horsemanship journey and the whole philosophy just spoke to me. I feel very fortunate I had the opportunity to learn from and ride with fantastic natural horsemanship instructors and mentors and ended up achieving a Parelli Level 4 certification with my main horse, Bolero. “B” as we call him is a 17.2hh bay tobiano draft cross, and he is the love of my life (but don’t tell my husband). These days I’m really passionate about taking natural horsemanship philosophy and principles and applying it to english performance, particularly dressage and eventing. I’ve got performance and show aspirations with my youngest horse Whimsy, who I bought in utero and have known since she was 3 hours old. She’s ½ Hanoverian ½ Connemara and has a ton of athletic potential. I’m super excited about her future! My last horse is a retired kid’s pony named DeeDee. She’s 12.1hh and basically keeps Whimsy company when I ride Bolero or gives pony rides when my nieces and nephews visit.

Absorbine: Any fun horse care tips you’d like to share? Can include product tricks or “out of the box” uses.

Casey: Ooo, good question! I’m admittedly a huge equine health geek having studied pre-veterinary medicine and spent most of my career developing and managing equine health products. I think one of the best things we can do for our horses is try and mimic how they evolved to live and eat. It’s not always easy, but using things like small hole hay nets to keep forage in front of them as much as possible, providing as much turnout as we can, and even just placing hay as far away from water sources so it encourages them to walk and travel more are all things that are good for their body and mind.

Absorbine: What Absorbine products do you like, and why did you start using them?

Casey: Where to even begin! There are so many I love, but my favorite is probably Silver Honey. Owning 3 horses, it feels like I’m constantly dealing with cuts, scrapes and various wounds, and Silver Honey is my go-to. I love that the ingredients are natural and gentle, but also powerful and effective. I don’t think I could live without it!

Absorbine: What’s the funniest thing non-horse people ask you about horses?

Casey: Hand down the best question I ever got was if horses sleep. Not how horses sleep…IF they sleep 😂 We had a delightfully funny conversation explaining that they do, in fact, sleep, and that they can sleep both laying down AND standing up. Minds were blown.

Absorbine: What do you love most about your horses?

Casey: It’s hard to quantify and even harder to articulate all the ways I love and appreciate my horses, but one thing I’m always grateful for is how they remind me to live in the moment. That’s where they are – they don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future, they’re just in the moment. It’s a powerful reminder and I really value the harmony that tends to come with being in the moment with them. Also the smell of horse muzzles. Can’t beat it.