What do you do if you put your horse on a very strict diet to control his weight but he is not getting any thinner? You swear he is getting fat on air, but more than likely your horse has found a way to get around your efforts. Your horse is probably sneaking treats when … Continue Reading »
After several years of helping people temperament type their horses I have arrived at a rather funny conclusion: while many people love the idea of temperament typing, they don’t always love every aspect of their horse’s temperament. The Water Horse – An Example For instance, the amateur dressage rider who is fascinated by horses in … Continue Reading »
As horse temperament typing has become more popular, and as more people become interested in being in better “Horse Harmony,” I am being asked some pretty tough questions. And I am so pleased! The fact that tough questions are being thrown my way means that people truly want to learn more about horse temperament typing, … Continue Reading »
It’s not unusual for older performance horses to have joints that click, crack, or crunch, especially when you first warm them up. Although these “crunching” noises can sound a little alarming, there’s no need to panic. The noises are just a result of aging horse joints, and can be alleviated with some simple holistic horsekeeping … Continue Reading »
Five Element horse temperament typing is starting to become accepted by more horse owners as a viable way to have healthier and happier horses. Knowing your horse’s type helps explain those quirky behaviors and special dietary needs. The challenge is typing the darn things! It seems that many horses just don’t fall perfectly into a … Continue Reading »
If you put the right horse together with the right human, even the wildest dreams can come true. Grand Prix jumper courses can be navigated with amazing skill. Roping can be accomplished in the blink of an eye. Dressage can become a form of art in motion. By the same token, when you put the … Continue Reading »
Bald spots, tails with mohawks, and assorted lumps and bumps … all of these symptoms can be signs of an itchy horse. Unfortunately, all the symptoms of horse itch are usually worse in the summer, when bugs, humidity, and heat all contribute to the problem. Does your horse itch? If so, then you know it … Continue Reading »
If buying gifts for the holidays has made you crazy, then shopping for all the “right” supplements for your horse can make you downright insane. Not only do you need to visit multiple stores to buy various products (whether you shop in brick-and-mortar or online stores), but many stores don’t carry holistic horse feeds and … Continue Reading »
If you are hooked into YouTube or the reining horse world at all, chances are pretty good that you’ve seen Stacy Westfall’s 2006 Championship Freestyle run aboard Whizards Baby Doll, affectionately known as Roxy. Her run, done without a bridle or saddle, incited a worldwide response via the internet. To see a video of her … Continue Reading »
With over 170,000 unwanted horses in the United States, according to the American Horse Council, the number of horses showing up at horse sales and horse rescues, or simply “turned loose on the range,” is increasing. As a result, the number of malnourished and skinny horses is also on the rise. Luckily, some of … Continue Reading »
Nutrition is critical for a holistic horse health program. When evaluating the cost of feed for horses you have to consider quality over price. I recently bought 2 bales of alfalfa hay for horses and I paid $15 for one bale and $12 for the other. The $15 bale was expensive but very green and … Continue Reading »
“This horse is an idiot!” I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this statement about a horse only to find that when I handled the horse he gave me no trouble. To this unexpected good behavior, the owner usually says, “He must really like you!” Well, I don’t think horses particularly like … Continue Reading »
Horse health care is one thing. Caring for a horse who has a history of ulcers is something else altogether. Owners of horses who have had ulcers in the past are super-sensitive to any signs of possible new ulcers forming, whether it be a horse leaving his feed or experiencing a mild colic. These owners … Continue Reading »
Have you ever met a horse who will do just about anything to please you but can’t thrive unless conditions are just perfect? If so, you have just met the prototypical Shao Yin (Fire/Water) temperament horse. The Shao Yin horse is the perfect show horse, hubby horse, kid’s horse and school master, but ONLY after … Continue Reading »
I decided to write Horse Harmony, a book about horse temperament, after experiencing a bad match with a tough mule named Jake. Up until Jake came into my life I assumed a good training program was the answer to all behavior issues. After working with several of the best trainers in the country I came … Continue Reading »
I was talking with a good friend who was having trouble getting his horse to go away from the other horses. Having a herd or barn sour horse is such a common problem and I wondered what could be done to improve this situation. The late, great horseman, Ray Hunt, always said, “Make the wrong … Continue Reading »
Cerise, my 1/2 TB, Fire, mare and Remi, my QH, Yang Ming, gelding, are so different. I am learning how to approach each horse temperament individually when introducing a new exercise. At the last Tom Curtain clinic we practiced helping the horses get soft in the face and have that softness come out through their … Continue Reading »
The weakness of the Metal horse temperament is his digestive tract, specifically the large intestine, and excessive dryness will damage this organ. Impaction colic in horses can be the result of dryness in the large intestine so monitoring water consumption is very important. Metal horses also have an extremely high pain tolerance, which can allow … Continue Reading »
Remi, my Yang Ming, horse temperament gelding was a star at the Tom Curtain clinic this last weekend. I had been looking forward to the clinic all year and it did not disappoint. Tom’s wife, Trina, started a colt for a friend of mine so that was especially fun to watch. My great friends, Linda … Continue Reading »
It has been a month since I started feeding a horse di magnesium malate supplement my horses. What a difference! Remi, my Yang Ming horse temperament gelding, had been on magnesium oxide for over a year so he did not show a big change but both Tess and Cerise are different creatures. When my hoof … Continue Reading »