Bodywork 4 Horses

SLOOOOOW DOWN!

SLOW your walking down to 1 step per second with and without your horse next to you.
SLOW your hand movements down as you touch or do things.
SLOW your talking down.
SLOW your breathing down.
SLOW your pulls and pushes down on the leadrope.

SLOW to FLOW!

Humans are WAAAAY to fast for horses and this is one of the leading causes of reactivity and opposition reflex in horses.

Sp*ed = stress.

Let me teach you what sp*ed does...

When the brain perceives a threat, it causes the body to release the stress response hormone cortisol. Cortisol levels and sp*ed go hand in hand.
Cortisol provides the body with the fuel it needs to flee a scary situation or fight against it.

The thing with the mind-body relationship is that the brain feels an emotion such as fear, which create a physical response in the body, but the body can also move at a certain sp*ed or in a particular way and create an emotion in the brain. It can be reverse engineered.

This is how special the intimate relationship is between the brain and body.

The other thing to remember is that, collectively as a social animal, when sp*ed is noticed by another mammal (no matter the species), it alerts the unconscious brain to threat.

Sp*ed is an alarm system in a social system (consciously and unconsciously).

If you walked down a road and everyone started running, you'd find it hard not to run even if you didn't know what the cause was. You are noticing that others are running and in a direction, so you mirror them to increase your chances of survival. You don't need the reasoning part of your brain for this. You just activated your primal (survival) part of the brain.

One other thing to remember: HORSES CAN SMELL CORTISOL. So not only does your sp*ed act as a visual alarm system to your horse, it also acts as an olfactory one!

Would you want to interact with someone who caused you to feel constantly on alert?

These little things are the beginnings of what ripples into chronic stress in both humans and horses.
You spend enough time around someone who is fast in their movement, your nervous system will condition itself to being on high alert.
HELLO 👋 CHRONIC STRESS!!!

Slow your movement down = slow your thoughts down.
Slow your movement down = lower your cortisol.
Slow your movement down = feel connected with yourself, the world and others in it.
Slow your movement down = slow your alarm systems down and eventually they'll turn off.

Slow down so much that it is uncomfortable. It won't be uncomfortable for long, I promise 😉

Happy brain training 🧠
Charlotte 🙂

A thought-provoking read.
By Jane Smiley

Most horses pass from one human to another - some horsemen and women are patient and forgiving, others are rigorous and demanding, others are cruel, others are ignorant.

Horses have to learn how to, at the minimum, walk, trot, canter, gallop, go on trails and maybe jump, to be treated by the vet, all with sense and good manners.

Talented Thoroughbreds must learn how to win races, and if they can't do that, they must learn how to negotiate courses and jump over strange obstacles without touching them, or do complicated dance like movements or control cattle or accommodate severely handicapped children and adults in therapy work.

Many horses learn all of these things in the course of a single lifetime. Besides this, they learn to understand and fit into the successive social systems of other horses they meet along the way.

A horse's life is rather like twenty years in foster care, or in and out of prison, while at the same time changing schools over and over and discovering that not only do the other students already have their own social groups, but that what you learned at the old school hasn't much application at the new one.

We do not require as much of any other species, including humans.

That horses frequently excel, that they exceed the expectations of their owners and trainers in such circumstances, is as much a testament to their intelligence and adaptability as to their relationship skills or their natural generosity or their inborn nature. That they sometimes manifest the same symptoms as abandoned orphans - distress, strange behaviors, anger, fear - is less surprising than that they usually don't.

No one expects a child, or even a dog to develop its intellectual capacities living in a box 23 hours a day and then doing controlled exercises the remaining one.

Mammal minds develop through social interaction and stimulation.

A horse that seems "stupid", "slow", "stubborn", etc. might just have not gotten the chance to learn!

Take care of your horses and treasure them.

Why don't horses PANDICULATE as often as cats & dogs? Great question! Unfortunately the answer isn't an easy one, but it needs to be said. The main reason we don't see horses pandiculating very often is that most domestic horses are not sound - according to the FEI 88% of horses competing and training are NOT SOUND. And when horses are in pain or are ill, they tend to pandiculate less than normal.

What is normal? Well, we know foals have been observed to pandiculate up to 80 times per day, but around the world it's typical for horses to pandiculate less and less as they age.

We do see an increase in equine pandiculation after/during some bodywork experiences, during Equine Hanna Somatics® sessions, and also in horses that are switch to more healthy training methods.

Other factors that likely contribute are that as prey animals, horses typically spend more time on their feet and moving around than predators - that is if they have the space to move and are not confined. By moving, their muscles don't stay in a shortened state as often or for as long as happens when a dog or cat curls up to sleep.

The purpose of pandiculation, as far as we know, is to return shortened muscles to a neutral resting length so they can be ready to lengthen or contract for healthy and efficient movement - so it makes sense that animals that sleep or sit still more often would need to pandiculate more often (after they wake or rise from being recumbent).

Personally I have NOT observed horses to pandiculate in response to discomfort - BUT I have seen horses do 'stretches' that can look like pandiculations on the surface, because there are only so many movements a horse body can make. A Pandiculation is not just the body position, but involves neural impulses that come from the voluntary motor cortex of the brain, followed by the slow coming out of the movement (which involves a series of inhibitory neural impulses that gradually de-contract the shortened muscles).

The body position or movement without the slow coming back to neutral that is internally mediated, or when done manually by a practitioner, or when trained to be a conditioned response to a cue, is not a pandiculation, and will not have the same outcome of resetting resting muscle tone.

www.EquineHannaSomatics.org

Excited to share my website is updated and I have officially added PEMF & PEMF/Massage Combo Services to my offerings in addition to massage services.

As many of you know, I had the opportunity to receive training and offer PEMF ( both Pulse PEMF and Magnawave) therapy while I was working on racehorses in 2022/2023 following the FL>KY>NY>NJ>KY 🏇circuits.

It was literally a dream come true to have that opportunity in life and I am so grateful for all I was able to learn and experience during that chapter. 🏇🏇🏇

While I’m currently back in Kansas City, I’m excited to finally be able to offer PEMF to the equine/equestrian athletes in this area and hopefully start to travel more to some shows/events/races around the country.

For over 20 years, I have been doing massage therapy on both people and horses and I’m so fortunate to get to make a living doing something I love!

I look forward to continuing to learn & grow in the ever changing field of Equine Therapy and my goal is to contribute in helping these amazing horses before, during and after their athletic careers.

Please check out my website and let me know if you have any questions!

Just wanted to re-introduce myself! I moved back to the Kansas City area last year after spending a year traveling the Thoroughbred racehorse circuit doing various therapies for pre-race, maintenance, re-hab, etc. I have also been a human massage therapist for 20 years and have massaged horses for most of that time. Recently, I added PEMF and Red Light to my available services. Please check out my website and feel free to contact me if you are interested in therapy for you and or your horse. My human massage office is in the Northland (Briarcliff area). I am a big fan of the importance of both horse and rider being in balance!

Bodywork 4 Horses Massage Therapy, Bodywork, PEMF for horse & rider (humans)

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsquaremktg.com%2Fcampaigns%2FSgZtNiBscAT2%2Flanding%3Fsource%3Dfacebook&h=AT1MCqiri9-NJMZSyVQFVjFC59jsFYhhDBWdIExWjG7CnOE_YketKiCd-kLTmIs11wJ6U2W6fafisz46ql_vz22bDN-IZ7YPoiz9aaA_EREVBK4Zl6QRBZqpusbWkqMeWfpcFLM&s=1

FREE Trial PEMF Service This Month Click here for an update from Integrated Bodywork By Jennifer!

“Horses have the ability to think and plan ahead and are far more intelligent than scientists previously thought, according to a Nottingham Trent University study that analysed the animal’s responses to a reward-based game.

“The horses cannily adapted their approach to the game to get the most treats – while making the least effort.

“Previously, research has suggested that horses simply respond to stimuli in the moment, they don’t proactively look ahead, think ahead and plan their actions – whereas our study shows that they do have an awareness of the consequences and outcomes of their actions,” said the lead researcher, Louise Evans.”

https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/aug/12/horses-can-plan-ahead-and-think-strategically-scientists-find

The actual research paper…

“Whoa, No-Go: Evidence consistent with model-based strategy use in horses during an inhibitory task”
Louise Evans et al.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159124001874?via%3Dihub

Read about Akhal-Teke Foundation programs here…
https://www.akhaltekefoundation.org/programs.html

Join our email list here…
https://www.akhaltekefoundation.org/email_list.html

Thanks Carol Ross Burns for creating this fundraiser. Karen was such a treasure to so many people. To me she was not only my very talented horse trainer, but mentor, mother figure, life coach and most importantly friend. She was always there to listen and guide me. And I can think of so many other young riders she helped develop and grow into not only excellent horsemen/women but good people. 💕

https://gofund.me/b299cca5

I wanted to let you know about a GoFundMe to create a lasting memorial for Karen Kemper, an amazing woman we recently lost. Every donation helps keep her memory alive, and if you can't donate, sharing the link would mean the world. Thanks so much!

Donate to Honor Karen Kemper with a Lasting Memorial, organized by Carol Ross Burns A special person, a special face, someone we all loved, that will never be… Carol Ross Burns needs your support for Honor Karen Kemper with a Lasting Memorial

https://www.facebook.com/share/XurhEPaHF8ky2w9p/?mibextid=WC7FNe

New thinking about cribbing

❤️

I’ve recently begun cross training my racehorses in classical dressage and in just about 6 months time the changes have been remarkable!! Joint issues are resolving. Horses that were once tough to gallop are becoming light and engaged in their training. I’ve even noticed originally very different front feet, one high one low, becoming more symmetrical.

While the typical aim of high school dressage progresses towards ultimate collection, in the airs above the ground, my aim is a bit different, it’s ultimate extension…I like to think of my dressage goals as airs OVER the ground!

Great Tips

Lately I've had several folks reach out about hauling their horses longer distances...

Here's just kinda a reference for me. Not everyone has to agree but idk much about the subject. :)

Cameras. Get them. We install them pm me if you want one. Worth every single penny. Your entire perspective will change. Wire them into your running lights, it'll act as an on/off switch and won't run batteries down. https://a.co/d/582ihv4

Horses appreciate box stalls IMHO. If you can haul as such, do it. In the same breath, some horses cant tolerate the room and get anxious. Load accordingly.

Nervous horse?
I have a loud yet small portable speaker too. Let's listen to Mozart or Beethoven! You have no idea how much it'll drown out road/trailer noise and give them something else to focus on. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLu1tYRd/

Never ever hard tie. Ever. I have tie blockers attached with hay string at all tie points in my trailer. There has been exactly 3 times that has really saved my ass (and spared the horses injury). I really prefer not to tie at all if I can get away with it. They need to be able to get their heads down or at least lower it some to clear their lungs or you risk shipping fever.

Stop every couple hours and rest legs. They get fatigued more than other body parts. I stop every 3 hours ish for about 20/30 minutes. I also take this time to use the bathroom, grab a snack, walk my trailer and top off fuel. I absolutely do not make unnecessary stops. I have a 100 gallon drag tank too which I really appreciate.

I bed deep, 8 inches or more long distance and 6 inches or so local hauls. Helps keep them comfy but also absorbs waste more efficiently and deeper (also a insulation to keep the road heat at bay). Take note of how much they're p**ping and if they p*e. I scoop p**p when I stop if I can safely. I've had horses that absolutely will not p*e on the trailer and that needs to be kept in mind for travel time as well. Double mats are good too! I invested in the spray floor from Texas Floor Skinz and I can tell it's also made a huge difference in the cushioning. I also don't have to pull the stupid mats out anymore and it's super easy to disinfect.

I also invested in a air hitch from https://shockerhitch.com It takes so much of the jerk and rough ride out! It's like night and day on any trailer but y'all with those heavy LQ? Order ya one, you'll thank me later. They're also commonly listed on FB Marketplace as well. I average around $550 used. I swear by this and that cushioned spray floor for legs.

I never park my trailer in the direct sun either, once it starts to warm up. If you feel like it's really heating up, buy 60/80 pounds of ice and throw on the floor. Imagine the heat coming from the road, the ice melts but it does help. Ventilation is key. Keep that trailer open.
I ordered a custom screen from this place for the window above my side ramp. Its made a huge difference while still being safe!
https://www.horsetraileraccessorystore.com/Trailer-Safety-Screens-with-Straps-CUSTOM-SEWN-New-or-Replacements_p_575.html

Don't ever unload at a truck/rest stop/questionable area. Find an arena or barn or even a quiet back road if nothing else. I try hard to not have to unload at all but I have the luxury of the nicest barns to let my passengers walk it out at (thanks you guys).

How long can I travel? That's such a loaded question. How's your horse/s traveling? Again, cameras are just such an invaluable tool. If they're drinking, comfortable, p**ping and happy I'm good going 12 hours or even more if client wants straight through, keep your breaks consistent. I feel 6/8 hours or so is a good days haul. If there's any question just stop and layover somewhere. https://www.horsemotel.com/ is a great resource and many public arenas are available as well. Give your horses 8/10 good hours of rest off trailer if you're going to layover. Make sure they drink.

I keep water in front of them long distance or if it's hot. You have to. If it's a 3 hour trip and 70° they aren't thirsty and they're just going to make a mess. Make sure you hang the bucket high enough to keep feet out but low enough to be accessible. Pay attention to what direction your clips are too. You don't want a halter getting hung up on a clip holding a water bucket in a tight area. I appreciate actual bucket straps, they'll break if they needed to.
I also use these to keep splashing to a minimum. Some horses just really don't appreciate it. They learn fast how to use them.
https://teskeys.com/products/rockin-road-lid?variant=40161967865919&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw26KxBhBDEiwAu6KXt2mu3QWkzH-BVxMn_aVC2gsSY4g79uyrPBWTXWeeGh2m8xriU0D7oxoCzlAQAvD_BwE
Keeping hay bags full is important too. Smaller the hole in slow feed hay nets the better. You don't want them to just pig out bored, you want to keep tummy acid at bay and horses content while traveling. I don't like feeding horses during travel either. Grain really weighs the gut down. Soak it really good if you do. This will help reduce colic. See my ulcergard comment below.

If they're struggling to drink, keep in mind you're filling their gut with dry hay in an already stressful situation. Then add to that you're restricting the digestive process by them standing still. There's a lot of things to help with this. I like https://www.whinnywater.com/ but you can also use Gatorade, a handful of alfalfa pellets and full bucket of water or whatever your horse likes but they really need to drink, esp in the heat. If you can start ulcergard a few days prior to, during and a few days post travel that really seems to help too.

I hate shipping boots for a lot of reasons, mostly because they trap heat in the legs and thats no bueno.

Walk. Your. Rig.
Every single time you stop. Walk. Your. Rig. Things I look for.. cracked/busted welds, door/window hinges, lug nuts, secured latches, kick the tires, quick visual of my hitch, head gates/drops (those aluminum bars can break) and whatever else is in-between. Don't forget to look under it occasionally as well! There's so much under there that can break too!
Make this second nature and you can potentially save yourself a lot of headache later.
My trailer is professionally inspected every 3 months and repairs made immediately when found needed. Stuff breaks, it happens.

There are companies that are like Triple A for horse people. I really like www.trailguard.org They have a lot of features they offer and help get horses and equipment safe. Do this ahead of time, don't want until you have an issue.

Know your maintenance schedule. Can't recall the last time you had your bearings/brakes/tires inspected? Then it's time. Over a year? Then it's time. Have a blow out? Then it's time. Tires over 4 years old but still have lots of tread? It's time for new ones. This heat kills tires. I buy mine at Trout Tire and they've always done me right. Same goes for your truck.

Carry two spares, that trailer aid ramp is worth every penny and so is a good impact. I can change a tire in under 8 minutes. It's invaluable in the stupid Texas heat. I recently added a tire temperature/pressure system. I'm certain those is going to amazing. https://a.co/d/euhYmgF
I also have enough spare s**t to build a space ship in my tool box. Tools, hay string, electrical tape, extra lights, fuses, zip ties, straps, bailing wire, coolant, you get the point. I also carry wraps, vet wrap, extra halters/ropes, spray and tie blockers blah blah blah. I could be a hauler or a serial killer turns out it looks the same. I have a fridge in my center console so I can safely carry drugs as well. Bought that here! It's an amazing human comfort too. Cold drinks/snacks and I don't have to make another stop! https://www.dometic.com

FIRE EXTINGUISHER and a knife. You just never know. I put out a car fire one night, it was like 11pm. Peeps were super grateful. I replaced it the next day. Have a good sharp knife close and handy too. **tyouseeasahauler

This is just me and my observations over the last 8 years of hauling. I strive to evolve into the absolute best hauler I can be and it comes from experience for sure. I really do love the horses I haul and want nothing but safe travels every time I load a horse.

Haulers and individuals all do things different and that doesn't make (most of) it wrong.

I'll add to this as I think of more :)

Like my page!
New Caney Equine Center

Congrats to all my clients for a successful Pony Cup! Hard work pays off! Honored to be part of their wellness team!

Tips to remember this 4th of July with your horse! 💥👇🏼

• If possible, talk to your neighbors and local display shows to find out times and days they will be setting off fireworks near you.
• Stick to your horse’s normal routine as much as possible. If they are used to being stabled then staying in their stall is usually a safe option. Using a fan and/or a radio in the barn as a sort of white noise can help to keep them calm.
• If your horse will be turned out or isn’t used to being stalled ensure that their pasture is clear from any potentially harmful objects. Check all fences to be sure they are in proper working order.
• If leaving town be sure that you have arranged an experienced caretaker and that they aware of the amount of fireworks around your property and how your horse reacts.
• If you know that your horse will be stressed and could harm themselves or others plan ahead! Talk with your veterinarian to decide what medications or strategies could help your horse to cope with the event. It is better to have the tools you need and not use them, than to have a crisis and be unprepared. WFEH clients can call the clinic to discuss medication options.
• Avoid riding at times when fireworks are expected.

Have a safe and happy Independence Day from Wilhite and Frees Equine Hospital! We will be available for emergency only on July 4th and resume normal office hours on July 5th. 🇺🇸 🐴 ❤️

Do Not plug your barn fans or tack room window air conditioners into multi outlet bars.

They are not meant to handle that type of load and are prone to catching fire

Those box fans that you buy from a local store are very prone to catching on fire in a barn setting. Their motors are not enclosed and catch the dust.

Any fan you use in the barn should be inspected for rodent damage.

Additionally after it has run a few hours, investigated whether the cord is hot anywhere, or the fan itself.

Fans need breaks too. They aren't meant to run 24/7.

There are just as many barn fires in the summer as in winter so we need to be every bit as vigilant and careful.

It’s no secret that many horses deal with anxiety like people do. Being herd animals it is very common for horses to develop separation anxiety and thus become difficult to bring in from the pasture to groom, ride and even massage or stand for the farrier.

I have been working with a client with such a horse and we have found that he is much easier to work with when we stick to his schedule. Literally night and day difference in behavior!

It’s important to not just assume bad behavior is just a “bad horse” but usually they are trying to tell you something. Seek to find the root cause and work with your veterinarian, a trainer or work on some ground work/trust building exercises to help your horse feel more safe.

This was a great article on this topic of Anxiety in horses!

https://ka-hi.com/blog/equine/horse-anxiety/

Congrats to all my clients and horses for braving the crazy Midwest weather!

Learn to listen with your hands 🙌 Your horse wants you to relieve tension & enhance performance for them 🐴❤️ Join our amazing community of equestrians from around the world who are helping their horses feel their absolute best ✅