I can't be the only one!

Sometimes horse ownership can feel like the loneliest place on earth. You are probably scratching your head at this because, let’s face it, the horse community is HUGE! And there is no shortage of opinions when it comes to you needing answers. You have a problem, there is always someone offering a solution. But seriously, sometimes you just feel like you are the only one when it comes to making sure your horse is getting the right care.

It is no joke when they say: put five horse people in a room, ask a question and get eight answers…..

I know how “helpful” this can be especially when already came up with six of them all on your own.

All joking aside, when our horse doesn’t feel good, we don’t just fret over his physical discomfort or pain. We also think of the emotional and mental impact it has on him. I know I do. And doing this work has allowed me to tune in even more. I now watch for breathing patterns, the look in his eye, the tone and texture of his coat. It helps me catch things earlier, but it also can make me look totally paranoid to other people. Not everyone pays such close attention to their horse, and what works for me may not work for others. But if you are similar to me, I bet you just take one look and KNOW something is still not quite right.

And when things are not right, we sometimes end up questioning ourselves. Am I being overly cautious? Am I reading into this? Am I overprotective? We call the vet, but nothing really can be diagnosed. Or, the vet says: let’s try giving him XYZ. And you listen, of course. Because your vet spent an inordinate amount of time studying this stuff and accumulating knowledge.

But sometimes things just don’t resolve themselves. And you start questioning everything.

I went through this myself not too long ago. And I was frustrated. I mean FRUSTRATED.

Not only did I feel helpless because I could not seem to help my horse, but it wasn’t getting better but worse. It started out with him not being lame to him walking like an 80-year old, although not every time and certainly not when the vet came out. And my horse tried for me. Believe me, I know the look! He always gives a 120%. So I knew something was really seriously wrong.

“Mom, I am really trying, but I just can’t do it.”

It’s heart-breaking. I learned to take a lot of deep breaths and to hit the proverbial mental “pause” button A LOT! I am a problem solver by design, it’s one of my gifts. But it can also be a challenging trait for others because I just don’t give up and I will keep asking questions. I knew there had to be information and help out there. But it sure felt like I was a one-woman band some days because the diagnosis didn’t make sense (navicular was one option being talked about repeatedly, so were injections, special shoeing … you get the picture). There were many days when I told myself: do I just not want it to be true? Do I really have to face this diagnosis, or that one? Am I nuts that I am the only one seeing it differently? Why am I the only one who thinks this doesn't make sense because there are these other things which don't fit into the picture?

I finally ended up switching veterinarians. I needed a fresh set of eyes and someone who worked similar to me in looking at the big picture. Luckily, I had already started asking around and got some very detailed feedback on several excellent vets in the area.

So when I met Dr. Abby, and my horse LOVED her, I had no hesitation at all. You see, Chase not just liking but loving her was a big part of my decision. He can be very judicious in who he trusts and I now make this part of my evaluation process when deciding on who works with us. A tense horse may hide what’s going on so it was important that Chase felt comfortable with whomever I enlisted to assist us.

I felt we finally found the right support – because we both were being heard, really heard. It had been such a long time that someone wanted to take the time to listen to the hundred little details my brain had recorded. Dr. Abby was so incredibly patient – I can tell you. She deserved an award just for that.

But the most important part was, she was willing to amend her thinking based on my continuous feedback and we ended up working together to solve Chase’s issue. And not only that, she also suggested I bring another veterinarian with a different skill set on board so we could keep making progress.

That’s why I said in my last blog – my horse has a team. In the truest sense possible. Every single one of us has the same goal – to help him. And Chase trusts every one of us, which in itself is an achievement, I can tell you that.

That’s why I no longer feel alone in this. And that’s what I want for you.

Every single experience teaches us something (although there are days when I really would like to take a break from learning another lesson!).

But feeling like you are all alone in this does not have to be one of them.

Chase is now well on his way to recovery and back to work 3-4 days a week. And just this week, I was conferring with his farrier on his hoof balance and adjusting his trimming schedule - another vital part of keeping him happy and sassy. And yes, his red-headed personality is back as well. Which in itself is a double-edged sword, but one I am more than happy to live with.

Most importantly, I know now how supported we are, which gives me peace of mind that, no matter what comes our way, we can tackle it.

And that’s the approach I take here at Healing Hands. I offer full support to my clients. I not only work with their horses, but we also talk strategy on what would be helpful in their riding program, I teach some basic techniques that the owner can utilize to help their horse in between sessions, and I am available to answer any questions at all. 

I know how important your horse is to you. I know how much you care for him (or her!) and what an integral part of your family your horse is. And that’s why I take your feedback and your input very serious. Getting results and getting your horse back on track and feeling happy and sassy – that’s the goal. Progress, not status quo.

Give me a call so we can schedule a free consultation to discuss your particular situation. I know I can give you the right help and support.

Fix it or maintain?

I was recently asked why I counsel my clients to have their horse worked on regularly instead of coming out when things need "fixing" so to speak. So I used the analogy of owning a car.

Most of us can relate to this. When you get a car, you have to do certain things to keep it going. You obviously have to put in gas and you hopefully have a garage to park it in. But that's not all. You perform oil changes, check the tire pressure, check the fluids, take it to the car wash. What would happen if you didn't do any of these things? Would your car operate? Of course, but then problems would pop up and now you have to fix them, and the car would never really run the same because some damage can't be fixed.  And even though you fixed the issue, problems keep popping up. You spend money on the mechanics and parts, you are frustrated because the car is in the shop again. You have to get a rental or play musical cars while it's in the shop...you get the picture. It's frankly an inconvenience. If you are interested in performance, responsiveness and maintaining your investment in your car, you would have a regular maintenance program.

The same principles apply to your horse, especially if you ride/train/show regularly. Your training/riding schedule is like putting miles on your car. It takes more than good feed (gas in the tank) and a nice stall (parking in the garage) to have a well-performing partner. To get the best performance from you horse, his soft tissues such as muscles, tendons and ligaments and his joints need to function well. Kind of like a well-oiled machine if you don't mind the pun. 

With a regular program, you are able to reduce or eliminate stiffness and soreness, increase range of motion and create greater balance, increase responsiveness to your aids and requests, and all together achieve better performance. 

But more importantly, you become increasingly aware of when things just aren't right. You will change your perception when your horse is showing resistance or isn't performing quite as well. You become more in tune with him by gaining a greater awareness of how his body works and how you can influence him, and in turn, your horse will not only trust you more, but he will also tune more into you. You frankly gain not just another tool to help you achieve YOUR goals, you gain an entire tool box. 

And when your horse knows you get what he is communicating, you become a better team. 

Send me an email if you are interested in learning more about my program "Performance Through Connection". I'd love to show you what's possible.

He is loving life right now!

One of my clients and also a friend, Vicky Zionts, recently sent me this message: 

"He is loving life right now!"

She was of course referring to her horse Dude (in the picture if you were wondering) who I had just worked on a couple days before. She even sent me a short video showing him cantering freely in the pasture. I can tell you, it made my day. 

Her horse has a long history of on-off lameness and it caused her quite a bit of frustration. Even though her favorite activity is to just hang out with him, she obviously also wants to ride and make sure he is sound and healthy. And having him be sore and stiff, limping along and not being able to play and run was really effecting her. She decided to invest in a regular maintenance program for her horse.

Having had injuries myself, I can tell you how important it is to keep your body healthy, flexible and strong. A good diet, plenty of rest - all those are important. And exercise is important as well. But how do you exercise when it hurts? When you just can't seem to find a comfortable way of using your body? That's where regular bodywork can really help. Horses are incredibly good at giving feedback on what works and what does not. It's important to be tuned in as a practitioner. To not just work ON the horse, but WITH him. 

Being able to see her horse happy and cantering really was priceless. It's what we all want for them.

If you have thought about Equine BodyWork but are not sure what to look for in a practitioner, pick up my free guide - available at my website.

Email me if you would like to learn more about how I can help your horse to love his life.