Mara’s Place

11. And if you cancel last minute be prepared to pay for their time since they cannot fill that spot, and that is their livelihood.

"This horse is 3 out of 5 lame."
You've probably heard a similar statement many times when it comes to describing lameness in horses. But do you ACTUALLY know what a person is talking about if they use this expression?

Because each horse has unique performance characteristics, evaluating lameness can be challenging; lameness may appear as a barely noticeable shortening of the stride, or the condition may be so severe that the horse will not bear weight on the affected limb. With such extremes possible, the AAEP developed a lameness grading system that is used by most veterinarians in the U.S. The AAEP lameness scales aids both communication and record-keeping and ranges from zero to five, with zero being no perceptible lameness and five being most extreme.

When lameness occurs or is suspected, you should contact your veterinarian promptly. An early examination can save you time, money and frustration by diagnosing and treating the problem immediately, possibly even preventing further damage.

Read more about lameness in horses on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/lameness-exams-evaluating-lame-horse and consult your veterinarian to learn how you can become a better observer and steward for your equine friend!

Horsemanship above all else.

Checking the heat index before you ride is something that is often overlooked. However, it is an important step in your pre-ride routine that can help keep you and your horse safe.
My motto as a trainer is “When in doubt, take it slow.”

Photo credit to: equestriansrock.com

There’s possibly nothing better than fun in the sun with your horse, am I right? While we hope your summer is one for the books, please remember to always remain vigilant to your horse’s needs in hot weather and on the road. Heat stress and dehydration in particular should not be underestimated, as both can have serious consequences for our equine friends.

Pro Tip: Consult your veterinarian for additional recommendations on how to keep your horse safe and comfortable on the road this summer.

Happy trails!

Happy Holidays from our four legged family to yours!

Happy to the two most wonderful boys who bring so much joy to both me, and to all of the students who’s lives they touch every day!

Not to brag, but we have a pretty awesome team over here!

Mara’s Place updated their business hours.

Heaven on earth.

Mara’s Place has moved! As of today, November 19, we are now ½ a mile up the road at much smaller ranch! We are taking this next week to allow Buddy and Brego to settle into their new location.
Here’s to new adventures and forging new trails!

Sometimes you just want to change things up a bit! Last weekend I put one of my students on Brego for a lunge lesson, and she had a blast!
It is so rewarding to see students gain confidence when they ride a variety of different horses!

We are embarking on a new adventure! As of November 19, Mara’s Place will be moving to a new ranch just up the road from our current location.
More details and pictures to follow once we get settled in to our new spot!

Joint injections + a new and properly fitted saddle= a happy and well moving Mustang!
Healing and retraining takes time but it is so worth it!

September 28 is . While the number of confirmed equine cases every year is low, talking about this disease remains important because of the potential for human exposure. As a matter of fact, human exposure to rabies does not have to involve a bite from an infected horse: contact of skin or mucosa with the horse’s saliva could transmit the disease.

Rabies can “look like anything,” with early signs ranging from colic to lameness to depression to agitation. There is no treatment or ante-mortem (prior to death) test, and once a horse shows signs of rabies it invariably dies within a few days.

Luckily, modern vaccines are very effective in providing rabies immunity; current AAEP recommendations list rabies as one of the “core vaccines” that should be given to all horses annually. Equine rabies is a real risk for all horses and a public health concern as well, so be sure to set up a regular vaccination schedule with your veterinarian. And remember — strange behavior on behalf of your horse is always a valid reason to call the doc!

Read more about rabies on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/rabies-has-many-faces

The full AAEP guidelines for vaccination for rabies and other infectious diseases of horses can be accessed here: https://aaep.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines

September is , so here is some food for thought regarding equine lameness.

Lameness is a term used to describe a horse’s change in gait, usually in response to pain somewhere in a limb, but also possibly as a result of a mechanical restriction on movement. We all think of lameness when a horse is obviously limping, but lameness may only cause a subtle change in gait, or even just a decreased ability or willingness to perform.

The graphic below lists 7 goals you should try to attain in order to be the best caretaker for your animal. What are the areas in which you could improve?

Educating yourself and working with your trusted equine veterinarian to diagnose problems early on is in your horse's best interest. Lameness cannot always be prevented, but it can be minimized through your understanding of the factors involved in its development.

For more info about understanding equine lameness, visit the AAEP's website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/understanding-lameness

Today we take time to honor all of those who were lost on this tragic day 20 years ago. We will never forget.

Twenty years ago, a great tragedy struck our nation.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those who have suffered in one way or another as a result of the events that happened on 9/11/2001
image found online-creative commons license.

Here at Mara’s Place, we strive to make desensitization super fun for our horses!
Brego has decided to try his hand at some equine soccer!
If you would like to get your horse more confident around different obstacles, feel free to contact us today! We offer a number of different regiments that are uniquely tailored to the needs of each horse.

Fall is right around the corner, and research shows this season brings a higher risk of Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). This is likely due to increased transportation to and from major horse competitions, and also to larger amounts of carrion in the diet of the opossum, the definitive host for the primary EPM-causing parasite in horses (Sarcocystis neurona.)

Efforts towards development of a vaccine for EPM have proven ineffective to this point in time, but there are several things horse owners can do to protect their horses from infection. The list includes good house-keeping practices such as effective rodent control, properly disposing of garbage and carcasses, keeping feed rooms and containers closed and sealed, using feeders rather than feeding directly on the ground, keeping water tanks clean, and maximizing your horse's health and fitness in general.

Consult your veterinarian for more information about EPM prevention and treatment options, and about improving your horse's immune system. To read more about EPM, visit out website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/epm-understanding-debilitating-disease

A beautiful day for a trail ride!
Whether you are interested seeing views like this or just being around horses; our program offers various options tailored to your riding and horsemanship goals!
Feel free to contact us! Buddy, Brego, and I would love to meet you!

Mara McEntee was born and raised in Lafayette California and has been riding since she was seven years old. She has been lucky enough to ride and compete throughout high school and college in several Western disciplines with her American Paint Horse, Buddy.
Mara always dreamed of sharing her passion for horsemanship and horseback riding with others and went on to get a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood and Adolescent Psychology and Development, and Recreational Therapy from California State University at Monterey Bay. She also achieved a minor in Outdoor Education from the same school.
Together with her two horses, Buddy and Brego; Mara founded her own small riding instruction program out in Briones California so that she could achieve her dream of sharing her passion with others. Mara has a passion for passing on the joy and magic of positive horsemanship with children.

Brego showing off his lunging skills with the Equiband. This resistance band system helps to develop muscles in a horse’s back while encouraging them to properly use their core.

Meet The Team:
Buddy: 18-Year—Old American Paint Horse.
Buddy was my champion high school rodeo team roping horse. We have gathered cattle and attended brandings together. We have also tried our hand at jumping.
Buddy is now my steady trail horse and he thoroughly enjoys his job of teaching students to ride.

Brego: Brego is a 15-year-old captive born Salt River Mustang whom I recently rescued. This boy has had a rough past and is learning to trust humans again. Brego’s main job now is to settle into his new life and show my students the process of rehabilitating and restarting a horse.