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About

The Sterling Essentials Story


The story of Sterling Essentials starts with horses with founder Teal Shoop in the Pacific Northwest in 2015. When Teal's horse was injured one winter, she found herself worrying that the saddle and other leather tack would become moldy and mildew in our wet winter.  We looked around for a leather care product that would do the trick, but everything on the market contained irritating chemicals.  Horses have even more sensitive skin than people, and if the chemicals were irritating to us, they would certainly irritate our horses and this was an issue for Teal's Horse Pierre, who had incredibly sensitive skin.

 

Frustrated with her inability to find any natural leather care products, she decided to make her own!  Teal believed that effective, high quality leather care can be achieved without harsh and irritating chemicals.  She wanted something that would protect her leather from the soggy and damp Pacific Northwest winter, while also nourishing the leather during the dry summers. 

 

After months of experimentation Teal came up with a product that uses simple, natural ingredients, such as high grade beeswax, food grade natural oils, and top of the line therapeutic essential oils.  Not only does Sterling Essentials leather care products protect your leather, but they smell good too! 

 Teal decided she was ready to  focus on a new career path and reached out to Sara McCarville at MAVRIK equine; A trusted manufacturer of All-Natural essential oil based grooming products, also based in the Pacific NW.

MAVRIK was also created because the products on the market were too harsh for little hands and hooves and the all natural ones did not work. The synergies in mission and values and a commitment to create and produce high quality products that are backed by science and powered by nature made it a perfect pairing and in March of 2024, MAVRIK equine acquired Sterling Essentials.

We are excited and proud to carry on Teal's mission of safe and effective  leather cleaner and conditioner with you, and we hope you will love them as much as we do.

 

 

Teal and Ro


Meet the MAVRIK Family

 

Why do we call ourselves MAVRIK?
Because MAVRIKS do things differently and get even better than expected results.....

HOW WE GOT STARTED:

Back in 2020, when our  daughter's horse Nelson developed thrush, then scratches they progressed to the point he went lame. It was January, really wet and nothing was working. We were at the barn scrubbing his legs in freezing cold weather, everyone, especially Nelson was miserable, he was in pain and still nothing was working. We continued to try pretty much every product out there from Natural to Chemical and found the same issue: The “All-Natural” ones were expensive and didn’t work, and chemical ones hurt the horses and also didn’t work quickly enough.

We had all had it. Nelson was super kicky from being cold and scrubbed every day and I finally decided to go rogue and wrap his legs instead to hold the prescribed creams on, then wipe the scabs off then treat him. Which got me to thinking a bit about the overall approach. Once we got a handle on it, I asked our vet what we could use to prevent this from coming back in the first place, especially when both are so prevalent in the NW. He told me there wasn't anything on the market to prevent, only treat and I knew I had to and could do better. I had small children to think of also, so I wanted something that was safe to get on their little hands and still pack a punch.

I have a degree in Molecular Biology with a focus on Pathogenic Bacteria; So I got out my Molecular & Microbiology books, studied the bacteria and fungi that cause thrush, scratches and just about anything that can grow on and hurt our horses. I categorized them based on type and targets and then began to research exactly what was needed to attack them fast. I also dove deeply into the USEF and FEI banned substance lists including the consituents to ensure compliance after metabolization.

It took me about 2 years to get the formulas just right, but once I finally did the results where like NOTHING any of us had seen before.

 

we source products from around the world to create our exact blend that blasts the cell walls on contact and prevents regrowth, but it is also important to nourish the hooves and skin from the inside out, making them more resistant to infection.

The result is the creation of products that work quickly and effectively to treat AND prevent so you’re not always behind the 8 ball trying to manage illnesses.

All of our products are formulated solutions based on dose and concentrations, which means you can layer them and they will maintain strength vs. getting stronger and potentially hurting tissues.

 

All of our products are antibacterial, anti-fungal and quickly kill any bacteria and fungus and prevent reinfection and then we have layered in additional ingredients to support healthy hooves, skin and coats.

 

Our Good Stuff blend includes Manuka honey to soothe itchy dry skin and strengthen the follicles reducing breakage and our oil clears thrush typically inside of 2 days.

CUSTOMER FOCUS ALWAYS:

We are customer focused and always will be. We believe in doing well by doing good for others and our line of products has grown in response to the requests of our community. Although some products have different uses; they will always remain hand made, science based and All-Natural.

Our products are safe for humans and animals and intended to layer. They're formulated to be fast acting so you and your horse can get back out doing what you love!

Treat. Prevent. Enjoy the Ride.

XO~

Sara, Jeff, Delilah, Lorelei & Mimi