Not ready to go out to pasture just yet, Rosemary Smithyman and her husband Dennis retired in body to Kennebunk, Maine, but their entrepreneurial spirit is in full swing with their business True Blue Thrush Solution, aptly named for its color and its purpose.
Rosemary has a background in science and Dennis is a chemical engineer. What better pair than these two to create an organic product for horses to combat that pesky problem of thrush and help keep it away with regular use?
After spending years traversing the U.S. working with dairy farmers, Rosemary and Dennis decided to put down their hooves in the cold haven of Maine and settle into a life of relaxation; however, still active in the equine arena, Rosemary decided to create what she said is a safer, organic product to help horse owners, like herself, treat thrush more naturally.
“True Blue doesn’t stain, stink, or sting,” said Rosemary.
These three very important attributes are its crowning accomplishments.
After working with bovine foot bath products for years, Rosemary turned her astute science eye to horse hooves and began to formulate True Blue, which unlike other thrush products, does not contain formaldehyde and is antimicrobial.
“Our product comes at thrush from a different, organic angel,” explained Rosemary. “We use citric acid and copper sulfate as our two main ingredients so it is safe to use and work with.”
She added, “It works very well and very quickly.”
The product has gone through an independent lab study in Oregon and Rosemary said that farriers, veterinarians, and horse owners in her region have been using it for a while and they all love it.
“We have gotten no complaints,” she said. “We created this product to help people and horses. The old saying, ‘No foot no horse,’ holds true, and thrush is a nasty problem that is very painful. We are very proud to have created something that is safe and works very well,” said Rosemary with pride.
The business is growing and expanding beyond the Northeast as more riders and horse lovers hear more about it. As it grows, the Smithymans are happily enjoying their Maine retreat, and Rosemary is content riding her 23-year-old Paint horse, Nelson, through all four of the beautiful seasons of New England, like the ones she remembered from her youth growing up in Connecticut.
By Karena Garrity