Northwood Farm

11/05/2024

Friendly reminder on blanket safety

06/17/2024

Reminders for this hot weather !

READ AND SHARE! Dangerously hot temperatures coming this week!!

🐴Some helpful reminders and tips for navigating the hot summer temperature with your horse!🐴

⛔️IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TIME TO COOL DOWN YOUR HORSE CORRECTLY- DO NOT RIDE/WORK YOUR HORSE!⛔️

☀️Horses feel and regulate heat worse than humans do, therefore if you're feeling hot- they are feeling much worse!

☀️Plan your activities around the heat. Come earlier in the morning or later in the evening.

☀️Trailering in the heat can be extremely dangerous and also lead to overheating

☀️Be prepared to change your plans depending on the temperature, especially if you have to ride in the afternoon. The safety and comfort of the horse is *MORE IMPORTANT* than whatever ride/goal/plans you had hoped to achieve that day

⛔️IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TIME TO COOL DOWN YOUR HORSE CORRECTLY- DO NOT RIDE/WORK YOUR HORSE!⛔️

💧Untack your horse as quickly as possible and immediately hose with cold water, after riding in the heat. Your tack can be put away later!

💧Allow your horse to drip dry- do not scrape access water off*

*it is a MYTH that evaporating water creates heat on the horse

💧Don't ride your horse to cool them out. Get off once immediately done and cool out by hand with a loose girth*
*if possible- best practice is to quickly untack, hose, and walk out after. Reapplying water as needed

💧Offer your horse a drink of cold water immediately after riding*

*it is a MYTH that cold water after exercise causes colic! Your horse needs that cold water to bring down enternal body temperature and restore the fluids lost from sweating

💧While the sweaty areas seem to be the most obvious to hose off, it's critical to not forget about the legs! The tendons of the legs can be permanently damaged when over heated*

*this is also why it's never, ever a good idea to boot or wrap your horse in fleece, neoprene, leather, nylon, foam and other non breathable materials. Trapping heat into the legs should be avoided at all costs. If its absolutely NECESSARY to boot- make sure you are using a super breathable mesh boot. Only put on directly before its needed, and take off immediately after. Boots and wraps are tendon cookers and need to be used carefully and only if absolutely necessary

🌡We don't all carry thermometers in our back pockets! So when do we know they're cooled down enough?

💧A good rule of thumb that I follow, is when the water stays "cool" when on the horse, the horse is at a safe temperature. If the water is still heating up quite quickly after being applied, keep applying. You might be applying water anywhere from 5 to 20minutes depending on how hot your horse is.

💧Hose your horse before trailering somewhere, if it is very hot. Have all windows (and top doors depending) open, and stop frequently to offer water to drink, and sponge more water onto your horse. Better to arrive with a soggy horse than a sick one!

⛔️IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TIME TO COOL DOWN YOUR HORSE CORRECTLY- DO NOT RIDE/WORK YOUR HORSE!⛔️

Feel free to share- stay safe and healthy!

04/08/2024

Drumroll….its another horse! 🐴 🤩
We bought this pretty lady with plans for her to be a recipient mare (surrogate) to Fiona’s next baby. Her registered name is "Safe at Danehill” and she came with the barn name Delilah. I’m thinking of changing it, I like it but it doesn’t sound as nice in French. Suggestions are welcome!! Ideas so far are: Dahlia, Zara…?

04/07/2024

We are home bound on the 401…any guesses on who/what is in the trailer??? 🧐

11/12/2023

It’s official! Rylstone is sold and off to his new home. Congratulations to Becca, can’t wait to see the amazing things you and Riley will do together!!

10/25/2023

Our beautiful barn kitties, Toby and Ella. These two love to greet visitors and will cuddle and play for as long as you are willing. They also do a great job at keeping unwanted pests away from the barn.

09/29/2023

Hey horse girl…
It’s okay if you have to take a rest.
It’s okay if you had the longest day ever, you’re running on 5 cups of coffee, you’re sitting in traffic, you’re at your wits end and trying to get to the barn before the sun goes down…. And you start to think maybe you should just go straight home instead.

It’s okay if you are getting over an illness, or an injury, you’re having a bad pain day, or your mental health isn’t in the best spot and you’re thinking… I don’t want to go to the barn today.

It’s okay if you have had a full day at work, chasing kids and adults, completing school projects, work projects, and your horses are with you at home and the barn chores get done but not much else.

Your barn can be your favorite place, and you can still need a 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚.

Your horse doesn’t want to see you rushed, in a bad mood, sick or weak, or hurting and stumbling. Your horse wants to see you healthy, happy, and ready to give him or her all of your attention.

You don’t need to be everything to everybody every second of every day.

If your body is telling you to rest, listen to it… every day looks different 🖤

09/17/2023

Riley is a sweet gelding with a very laid back personality. He loves attention and cuddles, bathes, ties, loads on the trailer like a pro. This guy has a bright future. Please PM if interested.

06/19/2023

June is Pride month, and here at Northwood Farm we are proudly flying our ally flag 🌈 because everyone is welcome here.
What does is mean to be an ally? It means:
- unconditional kindness with no judgment
- a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and respect
- that we speak up to support individuals and protect them from discrimination
- that we will educate ourselves so that we can advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community

03/24/2023

What is it you’re seeking from your animals through touch?

The way we touch our horses, our animals, our children, says everything about us. When do we touch? How do we reach out? What needs are we seeking to have filled, and why should it be their responsibility to fill it for us?

So often, if we look to the heart of our interactions, we will see them painfully one sided. We reach out without noticing, without taking in the needs of the one we seek to connect to. In many ways, we feel owed touch. Maybe without even being aware, we are saying with our actions, “This is my dog, my horse, my child, and I’ll touch him if I want to!” A conquest cloaked in nice words, come here and let me pet you!

From the outside eye, horses raise their heads up to avoid quick hands that reach rudely for their sensitive faces. Children protest or shrink away from pinching and pulling hands, adjusting clothes or buckles or simply reaching out for contact as if the child, a future adult, had no feeling.

We are not owed connection- this is a two way street that develops organically. Another body seeks us out when we make them feel safe, seen, heard. It is not something to be purchased, or even worked at. It’s a budding over time, which time is dictated entirely by the chemistry between both parties. And it is a conversation that changes moment to moment, winding like water flowing over turns and rocks and over low hanging branches, never the same twice - touch with respect for the other being requires no assumptions to be made, to feel, observe and adjust to the moment, and to never assume command of the other, no matter how subtle or well meaning.

Photo by Jasmine Cope

02/21/2023

A special someone is looking for a new home. PM for details.

12/13/2022

Nap time cuddles 🥰

12/13/2022

Sunny days are for napping 😴

11/17/2022

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=673891044173666&id=100046583295770

The destination for pony, junior and adult amateur riders.

08/12/2022

Riley isn’t just beautiful and athletic, he is also just the sweetest and cuddliest baby. He is going to make someone a really special horse. I haven’t posted him for sale yet but if you or someone you know is looking for an incredible prospect, please get in touch with me.

08/11/2022

Pickling day 🥒