Every year around this time, I start hearing lots of questions about when to blanket horses. There are posts all over social media arguing one way or the other. Your friend at the barn insinuates you’re a bad horse mom or dad because your horse isn’t blanketed. Someone else tells you blankets aren’t natural and horses should never wear them. But if I’m cold my horse must be cold… right?
Read MoreI’m still hooked on hooves - so this week’s post is all about the biomechanics of the hoof!
When we walk, we land with our heels first. The soft fat pad under our calcaneus combined with the flattening of the arch helps to cushion the impact as the foot contacts the ground. As we roll over our toes, the arch raises and the soft tissue structures are stretched, which creates a more rigid foot to push off with. (This is called the windlass mechanism.)
Read MoreNo, I didn’t mean soul!
Today we’re talking about the horse’s sole. The extremely important material covering the bottoms of his feet.
The sole protects the sensitive internal structures of the hoof from the outside world. A horse with a thick sole will travel across rocky surfaces with ease, while a horse with a thin sole will often move comfortably on soft surfaces and then pick his way carefully across stony paths.
Read MoreWhen I tell people about hippotherapy, I get a lot of “smile and nods,” blank stares, and “what exactly are you doing with hippos?”
Luckily, there are no hippos involved.
“Hippo” is latin for “horse,” and hippotherapy is therapy using the movement of the horse as a treatment tool. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists can all utilize hippotherapy as a part of their treatment sessions.
Read MorePete Ramey is one of the leaders in the hoof care industry - and I was lucky enough to attend one of his clinics this weekend in beautiful Shelbyville, TN!
We talked anatomy, nutrition, trimming, boot fitting, and glue on shoe applications over the course of two days.
Read MoreI am a huge proponent of evidence-based practice. I hate gimmicks, and I want to be sure that the things I am recommending to my clients really do work.
THIS is why I love my EquiCore so much! Not just because I *feel* like it works and I *feel* like it improves horses’ posture and way of going (And I mean I REALLY feel like it’s working!!), but also because the science says it works! (cont.)
Read MoreThis excerpt gives a preview of your blog post. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum metus urna, semper eget ipsum eget, blandit malesuada diam. Duis eget tortor velit.
Read MoreThe truth is that many times with horses things that go "wrong" are our fault and not theirs! And this is one excellent example of that.
These photos show a beautiful comparison of how the rider's posture influences that of the horse. (cont.)
Read MoreIn order to have an independent seat, riders have to be able to keep their pelvis and trunk neural while moving their arms and legs independently. This video shows a great way to check yourself, and work on improving the independence of your seat while you’re off the horse!
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