While relationships can often lead to copious amounts of confusion, frustration, and elation, for most of us, defining the nature of them is actually quite challenging. For one thing, we are the relationship. That is to say that we ourselves, comprise what we are trying to understand. Therefore attempting to understand a relationship that you are a part of is much like trying to develop self awareness without any external input. Well, when it comes to understanding horse and human…

After much information gathering, speaking to organization leaders, questioning the roles and authorities of racing hierarchy, I’ve realized I need to clarify my position on my own thoughts and goals.

Within every state, province, country and region, there are so many organizations with concepts of helping to resolve the issue of horse slaughter.  Each has its own individual perspective, each seeks funding for their program and unique concept.  We have rescues, adoptions, horse show…

Kelly does morning feedings at the barn where her horse is boarded. Most of the horses just get a "scoop" or two of "pellets", plus a bit of beet pulp. The ponies get less, the school horses and hard keepers get more.

Until recently, Kelly had never thought about anything other than maintaining her horse's weight and energy level. She hadn't considered whether his vitamin and mineral requirements were being met. Actually, she didn't even know the "pellets" they feed…

Question: I see a lot of the same types of supplements available in powders, pellets or pastes - what's the difference?

Answer: Supplements in paste form are generally intended for occasional use. For example, you

might use a calming paste when your horse is in a new situation and more nervous than usual. You might administer a digestive paste when your horse is being trailered and you’re worried about digestive upset from the…

For most riders, if you’re not riding, you’re thinking about riding. But when you’re counting the weeks until summer or the hours until 5 o’clock, you’re not dreaming about spooking horses or missing shoes. Fortunately, there are supplements that can help you make the most of your time in the barn.

PROBLEM: An anxious or spooky horse makes riding difficult

SUPPLEMENT SOLUTION: Calming Supplements

We’ve all been there —…

Balancing Act

When adding fats to your horse’s diet, it’s important to consider the source, because not all fats are created equal. All fats will help put a bloom on your horse’s coat, but some provide additional health benefits, while others may actually do more harm than good.

Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are important to many…

Gastric Health

The fact that 60% of performance horses suffer from gastric ulcers reinforces the idea that the life of a show horse isn’t easy. Prescription medication, like GastroGard®, is the only way to heal an active ulcer. However, gastric health supplements, like…

PROBLEM: Flies are bugging your horse and irritating his skin

SOLUTION: Insect Control Supplements

There are very few things that you can get a room full of riders to agree on, but hating flies is definitely one of them. Fly sprays are great, but a bottle-a-week habit can really put a dent in your budget. Fortunately, supplements can help!

There are two main types of insect control supplements. Some are only effective if fed to all of the…

One simple solution helps your horse avoid serious consequences of dehydration

PROBLEM: Your horse sweats heavily or doesn’t drink well

SOLUTION: Electrolytes

Dehydration can have serious consequences for any horse, any time of year. Inadequate water intake and mineral imbalances can cause fatigue, muscle stiffness and even colic. Whether your performance horse is sweating hard in the summer heat or your senior refuses to drink when winter buckets…

Don’t let breathing problems derail your training. Help your horse breathe easy.

PROBLEM: Cough and allergens are impacting your horse’s performance

SOLUTION: Respiratory Supplements

If your horse is constantly coughing or has trouble catching his breath, riding not only won’t be fun, it might not be possible. If you notice a breathing problem, it’s always best to have your horse checked by your veterinarian to determine…

When I got up this morning the rain clouds were on the other side of Charlotte and slowly moving toward us.  Hearing only the occasional drop on the roof I got ready to ride and made it out to Shannon's farm.  And my luck held, the rain decided to wait and I got to ride Cider.  Cider was happier with me than last week because this week I did the proper thing, dragged the heavy (for me) mounting block over and I MADE SURE the saddle and pad were in exactly the right place, centered…

Monday night Cooper didn't seem to be feeling good, kicking his stomach and his tail was tight. I walked him around in the indoor for about 1/2 hour  he had lots of gas and finally a very runny movement. I then did big circles with him at a trot for his stifle, had a hard time keeping him out on a big circle, he just kept trying to come in close to me. I am going to try to do trot circles for a few weeks, no riding for awhile until we strengthen his stifle and also have time to get him less…

Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung stressed the importance of becoming aware of the shadow self. According to Jung, the shadow is the unconscious complex characterized by the repressed, denied, or disowned parts of the self. It is, essentially those things that a person does not accept about himself or herself. Further, as this uncomfortable part of the self is often denied, it is also often projected onto others, which, according to Jung is why a person…

I had the arena to myself for my ride with Cole, last night.  He was in a particularly good mood—I think it was the chilly weather.  We started with just trotting around to warm up, but it didn’t take long before I started our latest project—leg yield at a trot.  He used to do it at a walk, but it turned into the most perfect side pass.  Cole now loves to side pass all the time.  About a month ago, we spent a week or so on turn on the haunches, and he loves that, too.  Consequently, he is…

Does anybody out there have any advice for me?  My family has given their horses the same de-wormer for 20 years and I have heard you need to change up the medication once in awhile to prevent the worms from becoming resistant.  I have also heard that if the horse isn't accustomed to a regular schedule for worming that the initial dose should be half the recommended and followed a short time later (half the usual time) with a full dose.  I have only been managing our horses health for a…

Request FEI to change any and all references to ‘on the bit’ to ‘in the hand’.

Request that Article 401 Part 5 be re-written to read as follows:

In all the work, even at the halt, the horse must be “in the hand”. A horse is said to be “in the hand” when the neck is more or less raised and arched according to the stage of training with the lowest point of the underside of the jaw to be in front of a vertical line downward from the poll at ‘all’ times and with the…

As a way of sharing a little more about myself, I thought I'd post the introduction to my book, ON THE BACK OF HORSE: Harnessing the Healing Power of the Equine-Human Bond, available on Amazon.  In upcoming blogs, I will be posting book chapters.

People have always been fascinated with horses. From mankind’s first experiences with them, either through the parochial methods made timeless by the Spaniards (and later the Spanish riding school), or through the…

As I got back into riding years ago I knew that my horses had started objecting to my hands years before as my undiagnosed Multiple Sclerosis got worse.  Once diagnosed I finally understood why, it was because my hands had gotten too bad to keep contact like I used to.  I decided then that the only way I would ever be able to ride with contact again was to listen to the horses, and to find areas where we both could agree that riding with contact could be pleasant for both of…