John Dowdy:
Hello and welcome to this week's Equinety Podcast. We are swinging into the massive state of Texas, and we've got professional breakaway roper, Aspen Miller on the call this week, Aspen. Welcome to the Team Equinety Podcast.
Aspen Miller:
Hi, thank you. Thanks for having me.
John Dowdy:
Well, I've been trying to get you on for a while. I know you are so super busy, so I really appreciate you breaking away a few minutes here for us, so that's really appreciate it. And I know that people are really going to enjoy this podcast because you are actually, I believe the first breakaway roper that we've had on the podcast. So welcome.
Aspen Miller:
Thank you so much. It's an honor.
John Dowdy:
Yeah, that's great. So let's go back to the beginnings. How long have you been riding a horse and how did you start and what made you kind of go towards the breakaway event?
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. I've always been involved in rodeo. My family's done it for several years and when I was younger, I kind of did the all around stuff and I kind of took to break away a little bit more than the other events and just kind of stuck to it.
John Dowdy:
Yeah. Was it a little bit more action for you?
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. It's fast and it's fun and I think that's why I like it.
John Dowdy:
Yeah. So how long have you been breakaway roping specifically?
Aspen Miller:
I've probably been breakaway roping for the past eight years. I'd like to say.
John Dowdy:
Yeah.
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir.
John Dowdy:
That's awesome. I know you're tearing it up out there and you've got quite a bit of activity going and you're going to Vegas here coming up. Tell us about that. What's going on in Vegas?
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. I'm going out there to compete in the All In, the Mike and Sherrylynn Johnson, Vegas Tuffest and the World Resort Breakaway that they just added this year.
John Dowdy:
Nice and there's some big money possible?
Aspen Miller:
Yes sir. Lots of money to be given away the All In pays great. The Mike and Sherrylynn Johnson's has always paid great. Especially the World Resort. It's supposed to have 80,000 in the pot, so that's awesome.
John Dowdy:
Wow. Maybe I should take up breakaway. Is that possible?
Aspen Miller:
Yes sir. I think you should.
John Dowdy:
Yeah, might have a few other competitors. They better get on quick though, since it's coming up. That's awesome. So what are some of the other career highlights that you've had since you've been doing this?
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. Back in 2020, I was the Texas High School reserve state breakaway champion. I was the 2019 and 2020 Mike and Sherrylynn Johnson, Vegas Tuffest champion and the 2020 All In champion.
John Dowdy:
That's quite impressive. Now 2020 and you said high school. So you just recently graduated?
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. I'm a freshman in college. This is my first semester.
John Dowdy:
Holly kamolly and all ready in the pro levels. That's pretty awesome.
Aspen Miller:
Thank you.
John Dowdy:
Yeah. Now one of the things that I like to get into on the Equinety Podcast is obviously talking about the Equinety products and prior to you, let's talk about, I guess, prior to finding out about Equinety was there any specific recurring challenges that you were having with your horse and maybe trying different supplements or was everything just kind of going tickety, boo. And then you came across the Equinety product. What was that like?
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. I've always had issues with ulcers and I have a horse. We live down south kind of by the coast. So our ground stays wet.
John Dowdy:
Yeah.
Aspen Miller:
And I've always had issues with really soft feet, but we've tried several different things. Some stuff has helped a little, some stuff we haven't really noticed much difference, but since using Equinety, we've noticed a really big change in their feet. My shoer has said such, I've noticed that I think that they're ulcers in their guts are a lot better. They don't swish theirs much. Everything from their attitudes to theirs coat to their appearance has just increased greatly.
John Dowdy:
Yes. And I know when we were talking earlier and as much as your hauling, you've also noticed that they haul better, they kind of recover faster all around.
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. I feel they just feel better. They just act like they feel better. They don't look sore and stiff when they get off the trailer. They're moving around better, everything like that.
John Dowdy:
Sure. Yeah. Well, and for those of you who are tuning in, maybe this is the first time you're you hearing about Equinety or maybe you've been looking into it for a while and you might be asking yourself how in the world is this product? And we have two products. So we have the Equinety Horse XL, and we have the Equinety Ultimate OEC. So I'll talk about both of them, but the question might be how can this product or products help in so many ways and really unique about the Equinety Horse XL it's a hundred percent pure amino acids. There's no fillers, no sugars, no starches. And there's no loading dose. And what's really unique about it is it doesn't fit into a specific supplement category. In other words, it's not a quote horse supplement or joint supplement or recovery supplement or shiny coat supplement or any of these things.
John Dowdy:
What it's specifically designed to do is give the body what it needs to release its own repairing hormones. And once that happens, which is very quick within hours, then the body can send its own repairing hormones to its own problem areas. And so it's customizing to each horse's needs. Although, as you mentioned one of the challenges that you were having soft feet and did you say your horse wouldn't walk across gravel.
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir.
John Dowdy:
Yeah.
Aspen Miller:
She would always be a little off and you could tell it hurt her feet.
John Dowdy:
So then you of course had to boot her up and?
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir.
John Dowdy:
That takes a lot of time, just to walk across the road. No, just over here is all I need.
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. That's all I needed out of her.
John Dowdy:
Yeah. So do you recall how long it took because the firmer strong, thicker soles and all of that hoof quality is very typical in helping with the horse when they're using the Equinety Horse XL. Do you recall how long it took from the time you started till you noticed that, well now she's able to walk across with no problems.
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. I feel as if it was in the first two weeks of using the product, I mean, it was a very noticeable and fast change and I feel as if it doesn't take long to show signs of helping at all.
John Dowdy:
No, that's right. And I would say the upper 90% tile, I'm talking northern 98, 99% see changes in 30 days or less.
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir.
John Dowdy:
Yeah. And that's everywhere from, well typically within the first couple days, horses that have a lot of stress or anxiety are a bit spooky, we've noticed complete demeanor changes within two or three days. You notice that as well?
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. I would have one that would just kind of get a little hot during practice and I mean, it's just completely changed her attitude and her demeanor. I mean, her head drops now. She's not as worked up. She doesn't get as excited. I feel like that has a lot to do with it too.
John Dowdy:
Yep. That's right. And then going into the week to weeks, we've had a lot of feedback, we've been on the market now almost eight years, so very common feedback within a week to two weeks is the better focus, more stamina. They feel better under saddle. They're just kind of more balanced from the inside out. That's pretty common with what you found.
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. Absolutely.
John Dowdy:
Yeah and then we get into the 30 day mark softer, shinier coat, even filling out top line, hips area and then the thicker sole depth and better quality hoof is really starting to take in. That obviously takes a little bit longer maybe towards a six week mark. But as you noticed within a couple weeks, just walking across a gravel was a big thing.
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. For sure.
John Dowdy:
Yeah. So I know you started off using the Equinety Horse XL, which is the amino acids initially. And then you added the Ultimate OEC. What specifically did you notice when you added the Ultimate OEC?
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. I would notice, cause I've said I've had an issue with ulcers and stuff like that. I could run my hand down a horse of my stomach and she would just twitch and I mean, she'd pin her ears back. You could tell she was just very uncomfortable. And I started using the OEC and ever since, I mean, you can definitely tell, you can run your hand down her stomach and she doesn't tighten up or flinch or move. She stops pushing her tail as much, everything like that.
John Dowdy:
No, that's great. And that's one of the reasons why we brought the Ultimate OEC out. It serves two purposes, one to work in combination with the aminos, because the aminos are giving the body what it needs to help repair cells. And the Ultimate OEC gives those repaired cells some nutrition, but it also serves as a really powerful antioxidant, which helps reduce inflammation. And the Ultimate OEC is made up of a flaxy based omega three oil. It's got a thousand IUs of natural cold press vitamin E and colloidal silver all in one.
John Dowdy:
And just the combination, the colloidal silver, a lot of people use that for gut things. And we actually have veterinarians that just use the Equinety for heightened gut issues and things like that. But the combination we found is just really powerful.
Aspen Miller:
Right.
John Dowdy:
Yeah. So as we look forward to coming into the end of the year, you've got all the Vegas plans, which should be very exciting. What are your plans going into next year?
Aspen Miller:
My plans going into next year are just to keep at them and go hard. And I bought my card back in October. So I plan on going pretty hard and seeing how that goes.
John Dowdy:
Yeah. Well that's the only way to do it.
Aspen Miller:
Yes sir. Only way.
John Dowdy:
That's right. I know you're pretty active on social media. Can you give out your social media coordinates so people can follow you?
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. My Instagram is Aspen._sky and my Facebook is just AspenMiller.
John Dowdy:
That is awesome. Well Aspen Miller, breakaway roper out of the great state of Texas. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story here on the Equinety Podcast.
Aspen Miller:
Yes, sir. Thank you for having me.
John Dowdy:
All right. You bet. Bye, bye.
Aspen Miller:
Bye.