The flies are bad here - really bad. They're so bad that it was time to put a fly sheet on Whisper to help reduce the welts that she was so frequently coming in with. The Upland Basic Turnout Fly Sheet seemed like an affordable yet not too cheap option. So we gave it a try.

All in all, I've been very pleased with this fly sheet. It's now held up the entire season, which is a true testament to its durability. Sure, it will never again be the brilliant white that it was when I first removed it from the package (Whisper saw to that within about ten minutes of my having put it on her), but it still does the job.

The fly sheet features belly surcingles which fasten tightly and securely. They're also easily adjustable, and the surcingles themselves are soft. The front closure has two buckles so that you can adjust it for the best fit, and the metal hardware has held up well.

I particularly like the fleece padding up by the withers, since Whisper has been rubbed there by other blankets before. The fly sheet is cut in a way that it does put some pressure on the withers, but the padding helps to lift and shift that pressure, and Whisper wasn't ever rubbed by it.

I had a bit of difficulty with the neck closure - something about the cut just didn't fit Whisper right and the neck kept sliding down and back. Once I'd adjusted it to the smallest setting, the sliding was reduced, but I still needed to go shift the sheet around at least a few times a day. It's not a sheet I'd recommend to use if you can't be there to take it off or reposition it at least once a day, unless the sheet fits your horse better than it did Whisper.

Lightweight and soft, this sheet helped to lessen the amount of flies that bothered Whisper. It's an affordable option and is one that I'd consider buying again. You can order the Upland Basic Turnout Fly Sheet from Dover Saddlery.

The newly published book, Shine On! Shiny Bits of Wisdom, isn't like the other horse books out there. Yes, it's a book with horse photos and quotes, but what makes this book different is its background. The book originated as a Facebook page produced by Cathy Herbert and DandeLyon Vredenburg as an effort to share the lessons and wisdom they'd learned in working with horses, and in particular with the 1996 Quarter Horse palomino stallion, Twice As Shiney.

The idea was simple: post eye-catching equine photos and quotes to connect with other Facebook horse lovers. It became wildly successful (the page today has over 528,000 likes), and the idea to form a book from the essence of the page arose. Cathy had a writing background, having been a senior editor for Practical Horseman and Horse & Rider. DandeLyon owned Twice As Shiney for a number of years and had a breeding operation. The two turned their attention to producing Shine On.

Shine On! features color equine photographs juxtaposed with poetic quotes and inspirational musings on life. The quotes maintain a consistent voice throughout the whole book, which is gentle, loving, and uplifting. In reading the book you have the impression that the writers truly care for the reader and for life in general, and the quotes are all well matched to their corresponding photos. This book could be a good match for a horse or animal lover looking for a little inspiration.

I very much enjoyed the fact that the book's entire interior consists of full color photography. The book's overall color scheme is well chosen, as the photos and the quotes are framed by a light blue background that works well with the colors in the majority of the photos. This background doesn't detract from the book's content, and the text is clear and easy to read.

However, in reading this book I was disappointed to see that it was lacking in a number of standard elements. I would have enjoyed reading an About the Authors section. Given this book's fascinating background I felt that it was important for a reader to understand its history and origin, yet no mention of that was made. I also would have liked to have read even a bit of information on Twice As Shiney, the horse who was so influential.

While the majority of the photos are beautiful, the inclusion of a few particular photos surprised me, since they weren't of the greatest quality. I would have also appreciated captions for the photos, whether included on the pages themselves or referenced in the back of the book. The photos all included a "flipping the corner" graphic that I felt detracted from both the quality of the photos and from the professional layout of the book.

Shine On! is a book that will appeal to many horse and animal lovers. Inspirational and uplifting, many of the photographs are stunning. You can order Shine On! on Amazon and can visit the Facebook page that it originated from.