Natural Horse Therapies

For those who believe in the comfort and physical/psychological health of their horse, a bitless bridle is a natural choice.

My choice of Bitless Bridle is the LightRider which I use on my 16.2hh warmblood. I find he is soft, responsive and comfortable at both slow and fast speeds and he holds himself in light self carriage, responding gently and happily to my suggestions and directions. I would highly recommend this bridle to anyone who is wanting to promote natural, non-violent communication with their horse.

Benefits of LightRider Bitless Bridles

CLEAR COMMUNICATION
With the reins attached in a similar position to a bit, the Light Rider Bridle delivers a much clearer, more direct message to the nose.

Some horses get confused or resist ‘whole head’ pressure so they respond better to the simple but effective chinstrap of this unique bitless bridle.
It works by the horse receiving release from pressure as the chinstrap slides through each noseband ring.

“I just love it! It has a snug fit for direct and clear communication, it doesn’t close down on the horse when you are having a conversation about what you would like them to do.” Jenny Pearce (International Author and Clinician).

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From the Horse’s Mouth ….

Ever want to know what your horse is really thinking?

To get inside your horse’s mind and really hear their thoughts?

Anyone who is a horse owner will know how possible it is to read our horse’s body language and surmise what it is they could be thinking. But imagine not having to simply guess or predict, but to really know, to be able to have an intimate two-way conversation where you can really hear them, and they you.

Horses have a number of ways of communicating: facial expressions, the placement of different body parts, their individual behaviours and mannerisms, sound, their body structure, touch and importantly, their presence. It is possible to refine all of these means of communication, so that one can freely and deeply connect with your horse.

We can learn to heighten our knowledge of the different communication styles. And we may also find we are better at one style than another. If you are finding your relationship with your horse is not as good as it could be, you might want to experiment with growing your abilities to communicate visually, verbally, kinaesthetically (through touch) or auditorily (through sounds). By taking the time to watch and hear our horses, with an open and neutral mind, we are able to learn may things.

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Social behaviour

Horses are very social animals and in a natural setting will form harem groups or bachelor groups. Harem groups are typically one dominant male and a number of females and foals.

Living in a herd is what horses do best. As horse owners, we need to take this into consideration. To provide domestic horses with the best opportunity for happiness, both play and social stimulation is desirable. As a general rule, the best social environment for your horse is the company of one or more horses in a large open environment. However, this may not always be possible. As a horse owner of a solo horse, you will need to provide your horse with the company and stimuli they would otherwise get from horses. Regular riding, opportunities to socialise with other horses, companion animals and regular care and affection can help to ease the loneliness blues. There are of course some horses that seem to cope better on their own than others, though nearly all horses prefer an opportunity for some company and connection.

Where possible it is good to provide your horse with good visual stimulation of other horses and/or humans. Horses are naturally curious, playful animals and like people, they enjoy variety. An environment that minimises stress but maximises variety and allows for maximum socialisation with other horses is ideal. When considering the formation of a harmonious herd dynamic, you may need to Read the rest of this entry

One Horses fight for Survival

I am sorry, I don’t know the origins or author of this story. It was something that was emailed to me, one of those stories that gets passed around on the internet.

I think its a great story of courage and willpower, and the amazing resilience horses have to adapt as well as there amazing generosity of spirit. I think its a story that is meant to be read by many.

My blessings to Molly and I hope you enjoy this read as much as I have. Read the rest of this entry

How to treat a horse with back pain:

If your horse is very sore it is best to get professional advice and the help of a qualified equine therapist to assist your horse.

If your horse has minor muscle soreness, you can practise some gentle massage and acupressure techniques. By principle, begin very slowly and watch your horse carefully for signs of pain or annoyance. Allow your horse to guide you as you work and if your horse is not happy with what you are doing, it is probably for good reason. You may need to stop what you are doing or seek further help with your technique, or with your horse’s back.

Begin your connection with your horse by relaxing your own body with some deep breaths and making sure you are not carrying any tension into your treatment.

Before focusing your attention on your horse’s back region, open your treatment with long slow sweeping strokes down the whole of your horses body, feeling for tension, heat or cold. Repeat this process 3 times attuning yourself to your horse. Read the rest of this entry

Identifying Back Pain in Horses

In today’s blog I am going to talk about Back pain in horses. Unfortunately, it is something that is common, and that often goes unrecognised. It is something I see a lot in my clinic. Riding horses who have pain in their back region can have a big impact on their happiness and comfort.

A horses back is dividable into three regions. The Thoracic (spanning from the withers to just past where the last rib attaches to the spine), the Lumbar continuing on from the thoracic section (this region spans to the point of the croup) and the Sacrum (the region spanning to the tail). The tail is an extension of the back, where beneath the dock the coccygeal vertebras continue to the point of the tail.

In today’s blog I am going to discuss Lumbar pain. The Lumbar Area is an area that is often sore in horses. These back muscles receive a lot of use, and even unridden horses can be stiff and sore across the lumbar region. Read the rest of this entry

Horses Love Aromatherapy …

Aromatherapy describes the therapeutic use of essential oils, diluted to a

manageable potency and used either directly on the skin or indirectly through inhalation. But essential oils are not all about smells. Aromatherapy has been proven to have therapeutic effects on both people and animals. At this point I have to mention one must always be cautious when using essential oils on animals (especially cats) as essential oils can be powerful and have damaging health effects on the more sensitive of breeds.

Essential oils are completely different from ‘fragrant oils’, as they are extracted from plants and herbs and are proven to have therapeutic effects. Fragrant oils on the other hand are often chemically manufactured or produced to provide a cheap smelling oil based product.

Each essential oil has a specific property – similar to herbal medicine – including anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and antiseptic qualities of the oil etc. Read the rest of this entry

Flower Essences can offer Emotional Balance for You & Your Horse …

Flower essences have a special place in my heart because of their ability to influence our emotional and spiritual wellbeing. I find horses very receptive to flower essences and will usually recommend both horse and rider take them together when seeking to balance any behavioural or emotional issues. This is because very often our horses will mirror or reflect any imbalances or problems we are working on, with both issues we are aware of, and issues we are not.

Dr Edward Bach, an inspirational physician and homeopath, developed flowerremedies in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. Today these remedies are used throughout the world and are widely acknowledged for their gentle yet profound qualities. Read the rest of this entry

Remedies for Ringworm …

Ringworm is a highly contagious, fungal condition usually found on the head, saddle and girth areas of the body. The skin falls out and the skin is left scaly underneath. Multiple areas of crusty, scaly, hair loss break out, often in a circular pattern, healing first from the centre outwards. The centre may be healing while the outer part of the lesion is still spreading. The rings sometimes run together to form irregular blotches. These areas are rarely itchy, though can be. In the initial stages, small tufts of hair standing on end may be visible and when this hair then falls out, the skin below can form a scab that exudes serum. As this dries, the skin becomes dry and scaly. Lesions may originate on the head, neck or base of the tail and spread to any part of the body.

Horses can be infected from tack, grooming and saddlery equipment, stables, fences, vehicles and other animals (including rats etc). Transition between humans and horses and vice versa is also possible. Horses in poor condition, and young horses more commonly get this disease, and warm, humid conditions increases the likelihood.

Contaminated girths are the most common cause of spread in training stables and riding schools, where the sharing of equipment is common. Read the rest of this entry