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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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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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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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What we call “hoof mechanism” is the pumping function that restores hoof health to your horse; absorbing shock rather than delivering it; (The following video is an internal view of the hoof mechanism and may not be suitable for all viewers). Your solution is to simply pull off those metal shoes and use Cavallo Hoof…
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Bruising of the sole – what causes it and how can it be remedied? Below are some of the more common causes of sole bruising in horses: Stepping on a rock Laminitis Pedal bone rotation Excessive hoof trimming Badly fitting shoes or shoes left on too long (leading to bruising and/or corns) First of all,…
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Karen Province, Membership Coordinator for the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH), recently asked me to help in the selection process to choose a winner for the PATH Volunteer of the Year Award. PATH International Though PATH International began with a focus on horseback riding as a form of physical and mental therapy, the organization…
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Your First Ten Steps to Going Barefoot So, you want to get your horse barefoot but you are not sure where to start. Here are the top ten steps on getting you going the right way to a better life for you and your horse: 1. Read, Read, Read: get your hands on as many…
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