I bought Effol Mouth Butter on a whim on a recent trip to Western Saddlery (my favorite local supply shop). They had these lovely sample bottles for purchase at the counter and after one quick smell of the apple flavor, I put it in my cart. Here’s my review of the Effol Mouth Butter.
On the way home, I decided to try this out as a lip balm to see how it felt. I really like to test products going in Champ’s mouth (horse cookies included)…on my mouth before I make him a Guinea pig. First impression was this product is a little grainy, has a strong artificial apple smell and a very light flavor. It passed the test as OK to try on Champ, though I wasn’t super thrilled about it as a lip balm.
Our first few test rides with this product were fine, but I noticed no real difference. Champ wasn’t sure about the whole application process either and eyed me with duplicity. The one day I failed in my horsemanship and didn’t use my bit warmer and didn’t use the Effol Mouth Butter, the difference became clear. Champ was resistant and not with me. After a few more rides experimenting with the bit warmer and the mouth butter, I decided that riding without the Effol Mouth Butter should never happen again.
Champ has gotten to the point now where he perks up when I open up that apple green tube and I’ve quickly used up my sample bottle (and need to buy more). I did not notice any difference when using this product on the bit, I noticed the difference in putting it in the corners of his mouth before bridling. As you can see in the photo above, this product has led to increased salivation and a softer ride.
I recommend Effol Mouth Butter to add into your product arsenal to help your horse be a happier, more cooperative ride. Champ and I will never be able to ride without it again (at least with a bit). It is a little pricey, but it’s worth it.