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Summertime is right around the corner, and that means that there are plenty of ways for you to enjoy some time with your horse. I’d like to offer up a summertime challenge for you: Explore new territory with your horse this summer. As riders or horse owners, we sometimes become set or settled in our…
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Trust: the belief that someone or something is reliable, good, honest and will not harm you. A trust is something committed or entrusted to one’s care for safekeeping. So, do you trust your horse? Does your horse trust you? I have seen my share of fine horses over the years and as I get a…
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Pathology is the medical term for the study of the way a disease works. Hoof pathologies are when something has gone wrong with the equine foot, like laminitis, thrush, abscesses, flares, navicular or negative palmar angle. These are diseases or non-conformational issues. What about club foot? Yes, there are instances whereby this is hereditary and…
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“Sometimes you have to get through your fear in order to see the beauty on the other side”. I blogged recently about ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’ and about how we should face our challenges, even though we are scared. To continue on this theme (I am feeling very philosophical lately!), it got me thinking about…
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Managing lameness and rehabilitating an injured horse is something we have all had to consider. Recently two articles appeared in the same national publication that tracked the stories of attempted re-hab of two different high profile performance horses. The stark variance in outcome is something that some would just accept as the luck-of-the-draw. There is…
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I am very pleased with Apache’s new Cavallo boots! She wore them on our Back Country Horsemen work project, for 4-5 hours today, on very rocky trails. The boots ended up being easy to slip on. I put them on the opposite feet. My mare never gimped over or avoided rocks on the trails and…
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I came across a very interesting article recently in the American Farriers Journal entitled ‘Where Does the Problem Originate?’ It caught my attention and turned into quite a fascinating read about a pony who not only had scoliosis, but also kyphosis. The piece describes how the farriers gave regular trims but nothing they did stopped…
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1. Get regular riding lessons, or better yet, learn the biomechanics of riding. Biomechanics study how the body moves and rider biomechanics look specifically at issues like your foot slipping out of the stirrup or your knee coming up. Check out www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk or ‘Equine Biomechanics for Riders: The Key to Balanced Riding’ by Karin Blignault….
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If you are struggling with your horse’s bare feet, don’t give up. It is a huge commitment but it is one of the most worthwhile things you can do – allowing your horse to be free of metal shoes. He may be a little tender in the beginning as he adjusts but stick to your…
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