Reaching Strides Equestrian Centre

12/27/2025

A boarding barn located in Sheffield Mills, Nova Scotia. Beautiful, well-cared-for facilities include a small indoor arena, large outdoor arena, endless nearby trails — and home to Will-oh!, Nova Scotia’s first Riding Simulator.

12/24/2025

It’s a besutiful, peaceful winter wonderland at RSEC this Christmas Eve morning.

12/23/2025

And thats a wrap for our RSEC Christmas dinner and grooming for the horses. Huge thank you to all that came to participate. Merry Christmas to everyone from our barns to yours.

12/22/2025

A good read.

Winter Hoof Growth

Here in Massachusetts, winter came earlier than usual this year. Inevitably with it come the questions about winter hoofcare cycles -
“how long do you think they can go between trims now that their growth has slowed?”

“They don’t really need another trim in 5 weeks do they?”

Now I’ll try to make this short and sweet. As a hoofcare provider, I am fighting for my life to get horses’ hooves in a better spot all spring, summer, and fall- often fighting against metabolic concerns, grass intake, excessive growth, distortion even on a regular schedule, etc.

But for all the horsekeeping issues we deal with in winter, at least for many horses winter gives us a little reprieve in their excessive growth and potential distortion. This is the time we can get ahead of hoof issues- when we can address the flare before it starts, when we can work on correcting angles without doing too much all at once, when we can get heels to come back under the limb and get breakover in a good spot, and we can get the entire horse moving and feeling better.

Although it’s tempting to want to stretch out a horse‘s hoofcare cycle in winter, and while for some that may be an okay option, I am most excited when l can stick to the same cycle year round and make even better progress all winter and set the feet up to be healthier when the spring growth hits.

Our job as hoofcare providers isn’t just removing excess. It’s addressing hoof balance, supporting the feet for proper movement and comfort, and addressing issues before they become pathological or chronic.

If your hoofcare provider is asking to stay on the same cycle this winter, trust that they’re trying to make sure the feet don’t get into a spot you have to rehab from next summer.

12/21/2025

End of an era at RSEC yesterday. Our lovely storm took out the big herds shelter, which was the first one to go up 14 years ago. She was the first one to fall. Luckily no one was hurt and all the horses are safe and we will rebuild in time. This one was our biggest one a 10 x 40‘. And we also lost our big ancient tree down at the bottom of the pasture. She couldn’t hold on no more. Sad day for us, but we will continue on and move forward, that’s what we do when we turn over a page and move forward to the next chapter. Hope everyone made out safe.

12/21/2025

Heck ya. Here come the brighter days!!

It’s Solstice Day, Equestrians 🌑🐴

Blessed be the mud.
The sacred, ankle-deep, boot-stealing mud.

Today we honour ancient pagan traditions such as:
✨ Standing in a field at dawn questioning your life choices
✨ Lighting a candle while absolutely covered in mud
✨ Chanting “the light returns” whilst your horse is still somehow dirtier than yesterday

The old pagans welcomed the returning light with feasts and fires.
Modern equestrians celebrate by:

Offering hay to the mud gods
Wearing three layers that are all somehow wet
Accepting that nothing you own will ever be clean again

Yes, today is the shortest day.
Yes, the light is coming back.
No, the mud is not leaving anytime soon.

So raise your reusable coffee cup,
bow to the great muddy earth,
and remember:

🌞 The days get longer
🌱 Spring will come
🟤 But for now… we worship at the altar of mud

Blessed Solstice.
May your boots survive and your horse remain smug.

12/21/2025

Miss Tira loving life in Alberta with her momma. I love getting updates on our former RSEC horses. Thanks Jen for always thinking of me.