Equinox Equine Services

The young folk give me hope.

It is wonderful to see any rider putting the horse's needs and well-being before human goals.

It's especially heartening when a young, hungry, up-and-coming rider with big ability and big goals takes this tack.

Well-done, Skylar!

Statement from Skylar Wireman on withdrawing Tornado from today’s final round at FEI World Cup Finals:

I have made the very difficult decision to withdraw from the final round of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Finals. Tornado, my horse is 100% well, sound and fit and I would like to explain why I have withdrawn. I came here knowing this would be an incredible learning experience and hoped to be competitive. I am at the start of what I want to be a long and successful career as a jumping athlete and to compete against the very best in the world has been an honor, and I have learned so much. I hope I have proven that I deserved to be here and that I will give my all to jumping clear rounds and being a winner. While I want to ride every round and grow my experience level, I care deeply about my horses. I love Tornado more than anything.

I came here with a horse that is 10 and is very much still learning and his welfare will always be at the very heart of every decision I make. Without our horse we are nothing, and they put their complete trust in us. Tornado was a rock star in the 1st Round of the World Cup Finals finishing 10th amongst the legends of our sport. He jumped his heart out in the 2nd Round on Thursday. Tornado is inexperienced at this level and having studied our round on Thursday and talked extensively to my coach and many others whose opinions and experience I have high regard for, I will not risk his welfare or his future in the sport by asking Tornado to jump a course he might not be quite ready for. The course today will be big and technical but fair for this level of competition: I knew it would be but I knew Tornado and I had the potential to jump it; that potential is still there but we need just a little more experience to realize it.

I am so grateful to those that have supported Tornado, to my family Shayne Berridge-Wireman , my groom Alicia Marie, my coach Peter Wylde and the USEF who have put a warm blanket of support around all of us here in Riyadh. I look forward to representing the team in the future!

Nice to get to see some of my clients relaxing after their sessions. 💗 Thanks, Amanda Castro, for including me as part of your herd's care team! Malibu, Goldie and Roo were delightful, as usual!

This is crucial. ALL of us have absorbed incorrect, even damaging, information about the "right" way to go about caring for, training, and conditioning horses, and it takes a concerted effort to scrutinize what we "know to be true" and excise that which doesn't serve the horse.

A well-educated equine professional of any stripe will be always curious, always learning, and always willing to make a change if new evidence overturns the old.

𝐈𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭?

In the world of horse professionals, there can sometimes be a disconnect between what is advocated for in terms of equine welfare and what is actually practiced. It's not uncommon to see experts speaking passionately about the importance of proper equipment and safe practices, only to turn around and utilize the exact equipment or methods that are incongruent with ethical advocacy.

When seeking advice or guidance on horse care, it's important to consider the practices of the professionals you are consulting. A key aspect to evaluate is the congruence between what they advocate for and how they actually care for their own horses. For example, if a horse professional promotes a barefoot approach, it's worth investigating if they keep their own horses barefoot as well.

Similarly, if a horse professional emphasizes providing 24-7 access to hay and freedom from confinement for optimal equine well-being, it would be beneficial to ascertain if their own herd or facility follows such a system. By aligning advocacy with personal horse care practices, professionals demonstrate a commitment to the principles they endorse. This consistency not only enhances credibility but also showcases a genuine dedication to the welfare of the animals under one’s care.

I have noticed a rise of incongruent behaviour lately, and it saddens me to see respected professionals sharing conflicting images. It is disheartening because we must uphold the values we promote in order to enact significant change in the industry.

For me, it is essential to embody the values and systems presented to the public. It is not about perfection but it is about walking the talk and living in alignment with our values. If we say we stand for empathy for horses then this must pervade all areas of our life, not just on social media. Aligning our actions with the science we promote is also crucial in ensuring the well-being of the animals we love and work with.

By maintaining consistency between our words and actions, we can set a positive example for others in the industry to follow. This means not only educating ourselves on the latest research and best practices in equine care but also implementing these principles in our daily routines. Whether it's choosing the right equipment, practicing safe handling techniques, or prioritizing the health and happiness of our horses above all else, our commitment to aligning with scientific evidence is key to fostering a culture of respect and responsibility within the equestrian community.

I believe it would be inspiring to witness more professionals, particularly the well-known ones, setting a positive example and endeavoring to create an impact by remaining faithful to the values they claim to cherish. Remember, transparency and consistency in actions speak volumes about a professional's commitment to the well-being of horses.

This article offers some good basic questions to ask yourself whenever you see signs of back (or other) pain in your equine partner.

https://thehorse.com/1125415/topline-dysfunction-in-sport-horses/?fbclid=IwAR12NWHArLZqrRIY9ouTRB0L0Rd_UV9vcvs9cVkaFf3qPgGU57tbpK-fL2w

Topline Dysfunction in Sport Horses One expert explains why horses typically experience back pain and how veterinarians can treat and prevent it.

This is a good blog post about how careful behavioral observations can help guide a savvy owner, rider, or trainer to insight into where a horse may be uncomfortable.

https://www.thehorsephysio.co.uk/sue-dyson-observations-during-showjumping-warm-up/?fbclid=IwAR1UvVk5S9RY41DpX7SOgGeVXvQIhmoS-j-614JGU7yehmSDMrD_vHkIghY

The key takeaway, for me: "So what do these observations mean? To me it means that with careful attention to detail there is the potential to improve both comfort and performance and provide a ‘happier’ athlete."

All athletes of all species experience discomfort at some time. We demonstrate good horsepersonship when we accept this, acknowledge it, and strive to address it fully.

Observations during showjumping warm-up - The Horse Physio - Sue Palmer Alternatively, I could say that I was promoting the concept that comfortable horses are ‘happy’ athletes and providing evidence that they are likely to perform better than horses experiencing discomfort. I also had the opportunity to spend several hours watching the warm-up arena for the showjum...

Excellent discussion on the "On the Move" podcast about the state of equine veterinarian medicine in SC with Dr. Nicole Cunningham, who was my vet when I was based in Camden. This is a concern for all horse owners, as the number of vets available seems to be shrinking, with few new graduates entering equine practice.

Dr. Cunningham offers great discussion not only on the pressures on veterinarians, but also on clients in terms of pricing, access to care, and ultimately on how medical decisions are made.

The Current State Of Veterinary Medicine | On The Move 80 with Nicole Cunningham Nicole Cunningham is an equine vet from Camden, SC. After attending vet school in the UK, Nicole returned to the United States and worked for a prominent equ...

I often have similar thoughts and feelings about the horses I've had in my life over the years.

If I could go back in time and apologize to all of the horses I’ve harmed through ignorance, I would.

I would tell them that I truly did love them but my love was misguided. I had been taught to love them in the wrong way, in a way that hurt them.

I would tell them that I wish I could have given them more freedom. To have allowed for them to live a life of more abundance, one of a stability and consistency they could only dream of.

I would tell them how I would protect their right to friendships with other horses and do my darnedest to preserve the beautiful relationships they build.

I would show them how I’ve changed. How I’m not so quick to grab a harsher bit or a training gadget to get the instant gratification I so desired, at their expense. How I’ve embraced more lightness and softness.

I would tell them how much better I could listen to them now and how deeply regretful I am for ignoring their voice for so long.

I would tell them how sorry I am, how I’m reminded of the hurt I caused them any time I see a horse in active distress. Any time I see a horse living a shell of a life, confined to a stall with no other stimulation.

I would tell them how that brings me right back to all of the times I had caused them the same pain, while insisting it was for their best interest and that they loved their life.

But, I can’t do any of that.

So, instead, I do what I can now for the horses I have and I speak.

I speak and I speak, even if yelling into the abyss, in hopes that some people will hear me and make positive changes for their horses earlier than what I was able to.

I dedicate a huge portion of my time to thinking about where improvement is needed and vocalizing my belief in the potential for change.

I try, one spark at a time, to ignite an inferno of change, one that may eventually burn down a structure of belief that serves neither horse nor human.

I can’t go back and undo the hurt I caused, but hopefully, I can reduce harm in the present and work towards creating a better world alongside all of the others fighting the same fight.

If I could go back in time and reunite with the horses I’ve hurt, I would thank them for tolerating me and not bringing me harm, despite the harm I brought them.

I would express my eternal gratitude for their kindness and forgiveness

We could all learn a thing or two from horses.

They forgive us time and time again, even when we may not deserve it.

Their gentility and softness is something we should all aspire to have.

So, thank you to the horses I wronged.

I will spend my entire life trying to do better by them and hopefully one day, I can earn the forgiveness they gave so freely even though I didn’t deserve it.

My last appointment of 2023 featured two of my favorite boys--Bucky and Tango, both of whom had a supremely successful show year! Plus new friend Dagoo, a fierce competitor in his own right! What a satisfying and fun way to wrap up the work year.

Wishing everyone a peaceful end of the old year and a healthy and happy 2024!

What a sweet gift! This incredible artwork was painted by long-time Equinox client Malibu, affectionately known as Bu Bear. Thanks so much, and Bu!

Dr. Haussler is a fountain of important information for everyone from veterinarians to bodyworkers to trainers to horse owners! January's webinar will focus on the topic of laterality versus asymmetry, an important topic to anyone working to develop a happy and healthy equine partner. I attend as many of these as I possibly can, and strongly encourage all my clients and friends to do the same.

𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞!
We announced some time ago that Dr. Haussler will be offering reasonably priced educational webinars next year. We consulted some of you about the topics, to make sure we are meeting the educational needs of equine practitioners and owners. We're excited - the schedule is ready and will be published soon at https://vetspine.org/webinars/ These 2-hour webinars will include time for Q&A and sharing your experiences.

You can sign up now for the 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟖𝐭𝐡 webinar entitled "𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲... 𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐬𝐲𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐲?" Click the above link for details.

P.S. Dr. Haussler will still be publishing his monthly blog posts and holding free Community Gatherings at the end of the month. We have already announced the Jan. 31st ComGath with NBCAAM's Lola Michelin. The 2024 ComGath schedule is also ready! An exciting year ahead!

Equinox equines Sally and Vinny would like to wish all horses everywhere a happy National Day of the Horse! To the human caretakers: It's fine to drape your horse friends in holiday finery, but fair compensation should be provided. Peppermints are thematically appropriate and tasty.

One of the most enjoyable things I do every year is to sponsor the Golden Oldie award for my local GMO, the SC Dressage & Combined Training Assn. This award is meant to recognize the contribution that older horses make to our dressage community, and to highlight that horses in their late teens and even 20s still have a lot to offer. The horses that compete for and win this award are always stellar examples of horses who are loved and cared for precisely in line with their needs-which we'd like to see for all horses.

I am especially happy to announce that the 2023 Golden Oldie winner is a client and a horse I've known since he was a snarky teenager who hated arena work of any kind. WH The Aga Khan (affectionately known as "Bucky") topped an outstanding field of competitors with many scores in the upper 60s and even over 70. Congratulations to Bucky and his human, Trisha Louise Di**le!

Everyone who entered their horse's scores for the award this year should be extraordinarily proud of the great work they are doing with their senior horses. Mere tenths of a percentage point separated the top three entries, and the others were no more than one point behind. Great work, everyone!

Edited to add photo credits: Photo on the left is from the SCDCTA Oktoberfest SS Championships from a video shot by Beth Smith. Photo on the right is from the last UCSC Schooling Show and was taken by Tom DePuy.

"Move it or lose it" is a great truth for all creatures--horses, humans, and otherwise--"of a certain age" and beyond. But we may find that we have to adjust exactly HOW we move it as age and chronic conditions take hold. This article has some very good general information for keeping an older/arthritic horse conditioned without aggravating the joints or causing an arthritic flare-up. It's all about management, like most things.

Conditioning Arthritic Horses: Do's and Don'ts Two authorities on older horse care share tips for conditioning horses with osteoarthritis.

Very solid advice anytime, but especially if you are in an area where large-animal vets are fewer and during times like these when everyone--vets included--may be trying to take a little time off.

As we enter Thanksgiving week in the US, many of your vets will be out of town or spending much needed time with their families.
It’s times like these that horse owners need to practice 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠.

During this holiday time, as an emergency only vet, I recommend the following:

- 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 deworm your horse right now.
- 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 start a new feed right now.
- 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 get a new round bale of coastal hay right now if you’ve let the last one go to dust (give small amounts at a time or mix with a stemmy hay until they’ve had their fill, then give the round bale).
- 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 change schedules.
- 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 vaccinate your horse right now, especially if you have a known reactor.
- 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 be in a rush and fail to soak your feed for long enough (choke risk) - especially if you’re late to feed due to holiday errands/get togethers.
- If you have visitors, limit treats. Ensure gates are closed. Make sure feed doors and bins locked. 𝐁𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐟𝐮𝐥!

There is already a shortage of equine vets - and the few we do have will likely be out of town or trying to enjoy the holiday.

Let’s all have a very 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠. And let’s let our vets stay home with family!

Remember: 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝑷𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝑷𝒐𝒕𝒍𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒔! 😂🥴

Important information and discussion for all professionals and horse owners.

𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖'𝐒 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆!
𝐒𝐄𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄?

Register at vetspine.org/webinars/

50 horse owners, trainers, and practitioners have registered so far for our 𝐎𝐜𝐭. 𝟐𝟔𝐭𝐡 𝐳𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐫. 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐫 to talk about 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲.

Dr. Haussler will be using a clinical example to show us how to apply the scientific method to decisions we take every day in our practice, including the decisions owners must take.

We can also talk about social media posts - what is educational about them and what aspects of them may be misleading and troublesome. And what options we have for responding... from eye-rolling and scrolling on by to thoughtfully engaging in respectful conversation.

Y'all know I'm all about the Halloween fun! Equinox is proud to sponsor the costume and stall decorating contests at the South Carolina Dressage and Combined Training Association (SCDCTA) Oktoberfest schooling show and championships, which is tomorrow at the South Carolina Equine Park in Camden!

AN ODE TO THE ADULT LEARNER…

KEEP SHOWING UP

I always begin sessions by expressing gratitude to my participants and giving them kudos.

Many riders worry they aren’t good enough for their horses, or not spending enough time with their horses, but believe me, just by showing up, you are way ahead of everyone who isn’t.

And by showing up, I don’t mean those learners showing up to learn from me, in particular, but showing up every day in their horsemanship, as a student of the horse.

Showing up is hard… but I see you.

Being an adult learner isn’t easy. It requires a lot of vulnerability and fortitude.

Being a good horseman can be mentally and physically taxing as we try to master ourselves.
It requires the ability to hold space for mental and physical discomfort as we discover new skills and balance in our horsemanship.
It’s often simple, but never easy.

It’s always very humbling to be entrusted with a learner’s hopes and dreams, fears and insecurities, and sometimes, the scars that other trainers and coaches have left behind, and never fails to amaze me how fathomless people’s curiosity and dedication is, especially with the distractions and complications of everyday life.

Many people can only ride on the weekends, because they’re trying to make a living the rest of the week, some make a living riding, and can’t always focus on their horsemanship while doing so, but when they show up for the horse, they show up 100%.

“Shoshin is a concept from Zen Buddhism meaning beginner's mind.
It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner would.”

Below:
The notebook is probably one of the most underrated horsemanship tools out there…

Gillian Higgins - Horses Inside Out Community Forum has a very interesting blog post out. Most of us spend a lot of time looking at conformation as it may or may not predispose a horse to success in a particular discipline. This post talks about the impact of conformation on soundness, which can translate to longevity in whatever equestrian sport or activity we want to engage.

Many times, perhaps even most times, discipline-specific "good" conformation also means sound conformation, but that's not always the case. This is a good overview from the soundness perspective and makes many good points we should all consider.

Conformation and the Link to Long Term Soundness of the Horse When we are looking to buy a new horse, we are encouraged to look at its conformation. Horse conformation is the study of the shape and structure of a horse's body. Conformation is influenced by the length and angles of the bones, the size and shape of the muscles, and the balance and symmetry of th...