I think a huge part of being a good rider is knowing when to ask for help... and being able to make informed decisions without necessarily following the flock...

I've been riding for over 15 years. I wouldn't call myself a professional, there's been the odd time I've accepted money for lessons or for a training ride or two, but horses are not my main occupation by any means. That being said, I would say my knowledge on the topic is comparable to an individual with a level one…

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Henk writes:

I've been working in therapeutic riding lessons for the past couple of weeks because Sunny, the tiny Standardbred with the delicate physique has hurt himself again. His owner (who lends him to my human, Lil, for lessons), calls it Recurring Sunny Summer Lameness (RSSL), because he likes to maim himself each summer and spend at…

It seems every time I look in these days, I see things that make me sick and/or sad. 

Jockey stomps horse

Horse slaughter (which has to be discussed, but oy, there's no good solution)

Neglected horse

MORE neglected horses

Abused horses

Horses die in bee attack

Hendra virus

EHV-1

and other places:

Lost penguin in New Zealand

Owner hangs pit bull after it bites a kid

Tongues.... blue tongues, bleeding tongues,…

When looking at a horse you're considering buying, keep the following in mind in terms of the purpose/discipline for which you are purchasing it

• Soundness
• Any blemishes
• Movement
• Conformation
• Manners
• Health (history and current)
• Training and show history
• Size (and is it full grown?)
• Quality/flash - is the horse eye catching? will it stand out in the show ring?
• Pedigree (if considering…

I recently read an article explaining the concepts of Equine Facilitated Learning, a discovery/recovery program for people using horses as the teachers. The authors praised the program’s ability to enable self discovery and personal…

     Hi everyone, sorry it’s been so long since my last post. You see, I had some unwanted drama in my life this past month and I’ll share the details with you soon, but first I wanted to share this short video of Chance and I. We were filmed a few weeks ago for the “Story Tellers” segment on the AZ Central website. You can find the finished product here:…

An abscess is basically an infection of the lamina.  Bacteria gets in, causes an infection and then white blood cells attack the infection.  Normally this would cause swelling but because this is in the hoof and the hoof cannot expand, pressure builds and results in pretty severe pain.  The purulent fluid (pus) that is the source of the pressure (product of the body fighting the infection) needs to find a way out.  Generally it takes the easiest path which could either be a hole in the hoof…

I read something this week that totally mazed my mind.  Since I am unable to even think about anything else I guess I will write about it. 

On Barbara Ellin Fox's US Horsemanship blog she has a posting on the modern misuse of draw reins (the web address is at the end.)  As a general rule I do not like draw reins, I know that, in experienced well trained hands, they can be…

Given that it's mosquito season, what better than to post on Medical Monday about West Nile Disease.  (I imagine that if this was being narrated aloud, "West Nile Disease" would be all echo-y and have ominous tones playing in the background - da da daaaa.)



Symptoms (can include):

• listlessness, change in behaviour
• muscle twitches 
• lack of coordination
• limb weakness
• partial paralysis, inability to get…

I have been preparing for a clinic this weekend at Infinity Farm. It’s the my favorite clinic every year: Fundamentals of Dressage. One of my clients asked if it was going to be the same as last year. (Eye roll -is this a trick question?)

Nope, the fundamentals of dressage have not changed in the last year, or the last century for that matter. Dressage is the art of riding with balance…

The interest and use of diatomaceous earth among agriculturalists and naturalists continues to increase due the numerous benefits that this versatile product can provide, without the concern of harsh toxins and chemicals. But what exactly is diatomaceous earth and how does it work?

The name diatomaceous earth comes from the fact that this natural product is made from the fossilized remains of tiny single-celled, micro-organisms called diatoms. They can be found where large…

 This blog is in response to a question raised from one of my recent blogs concerning a comment made in my very first Saddle Fit Tip #1 on Saddle Balance. Geoffrey wanted to know more about the stress lines I mentioned right at the beginning of the video. While I can tell you what to look for, I went to my good friend Dr. Joanna Robson, DVM and author of “Recognizing the Horse in Pain and what to do about it” for the physiology behind this.

She said that “the stress line that…