Calm Healthy Horses UK

03/06/2024

An exciting venture by Maddie Sharpe of PB Paddock Paradise Track Livery. Follow the links and take a look 🤓 Its a quarterly publication focusing on TRACKS ! I have committed to writing something for each edition about my track, my horses and my experiences. Through this publication Im seeking to share how the Track / Paddock Paradise system has helped me and my horses to be calm and healthy. At CHH we advocate the Track System as we have been using it for our own horses, in NZ and UK for over 10 years. Our approach to diet and management fits very well with the whole ethos - we do get that its not always possible for many people and part of our mission is to help make this system more accessible and available to everyone. My Mini Track is an example of what you can do on a livery, in a small space with basic investment. Enjoy 😁

✨️ Featured in Issue 2 ✨️

Sue Dawson of Calm Healthy Horses UK is back from Issue 1 put things straight - competition horses can live on tracks, even mini ones.

Sue shares her journey with horse Glen, from traditional to track, learning and changing along the way.

Issue 2 out now - www.happytrackinmagazine.com/shop

21/05/2024

Wow – living the dream, talented but difficult horse out of racing doing his very best while living out 24/7 on a mud track, hay, simple bucket of vits mins etc and yes barefoot. A picture tells a thousand words as they say. I have a special interest in this horse and rider. Her mum is a very good friend and I have helped to prepare and ridden him, so I know what he is like. Anyway, for those who think that CHH is for problem horses who don’t get out there and do their thing here is an example of a serious competition horse who otherwise might not be in this world. Looking forward to their next event in June

19/05/2024

Brilliant post here - please read it. Also to be clear - this post is not saying short grass is good, rather it is pointing out a very common misunderstanding. When you understand the problem you have a better chance of finding the right solution ! 🙂

28/03/2024

It's easy to underestimate the importance of feeding quality vits, mins and amino acids on a regular basis. When money was short these were the first things I dropped before I woke up to this simple fact. This is a really informative post from people who have years of experience with many horses debunking the idea that a hay only diet is sufficient to fully meet your horses nutritional needs. Discussion and comments welcome 😀.

Three Ravens is our second track system. We've been here for 10 years and had our previous track for 5 years, so we've been running Track Systems for 15 years. We've been caring for large groups of horses for nearly 30 years.
There is currently a lot of misinformation being posted on social media platforms, 'advising' owners that horses can live and thrive on hay only diets- meaning no supplementation of protein, vits & minerals. If only this were true!!! Think of the money and time we would all save! We tried the 'hay only' diet...not for 15 days, or a month, but for YEARS. Like the majority of people who run tracks, we found out it just doesn't work. Hay and hay quality is such a vast subject, it's not just about the type of grasses, not fertilising, not spraying with chemicals etc, but how and when it's cut and made, it could he argued the whole process is an art form. Not all hay is equal, and I think we all know this by now. Most people now know that vit E is deficient in hay, and horses usually get this from grass- and a deficiency in vit E causes all sorts of problems.
We test hay and have it analysed, and have also previously gone to the expensive lengths of doing blood tests for mineral & vitamin profiling on some horses- which isn't necessary except in exceptional or complex cases- because there is a broad range of what is deemed adequate/safe for each vit/mineral. So how can we tell? The answer is the horses in front of you and their health & symptoms. And I'm not necessarily talking about them being extremely sick, although long term, this can and does happen. Generally speaking, I'm talking about every day issues such as raising youngsters on a Track System with hay only diet, veteran horses on a hay only diet- both of which need extra protein and plenty of it. And then there's the wide range of health symptoms, many of which- like head shaking- are still seen by some as an allergy and can't be fixed by the correct supplements, balancing up with what is missing from hay. We've fixed 2 headshakers, but it would reappear if we stopped supplements- we know because we've tried it. There's a whole plethora of symptoms, both health and behaviour, that start to show up when deficiency is present. Sometimes it takes a few years, just like horses with PSSM2- yes, we're successfully managing those as well. We have every age on our track system from 6 months old to our 25yr old QH, Millie. She's been with us since she was 6 yrs old and we've seen and relieved her of a lot of health issues over those years. We have LONG TERM liveries as well as our own being long term here, and that's what counts- seeing horses thrive in the long term. Millie was one of our horses who suffered the consequences of 'hay only' and dramatically dropped weight and top line, she went from being rock crunching to having extremely poor hoof quality. She had muscle twitching and dangerous behaviour changes. We at the time were strongly advocating hay only, so had to completely do a U turn on our then belief system. You do the best you know, until you know better. We changed things dramatically and started to see fantastic improvements- but not just in Millie, in ALL the other horses, including those who we hadn't realised that there was room for improvement. That was years ago now and we've seen a lot of horses since who improve vastly on a supplemented, hay only diet.
It would be a dream come true if hay only was sufficient, it would save countless hours of work and a lot of money, but it doesn't work in the long run. We want horses to be fit and healthy in their bodies, and calm and happy in mind and spirit.
We're aiming to supplement what they would have access to in a wild diet- which is a broad choice of plants, grasses, trees, bark, legumes, herbs etc. The first pic below is our own Little Wolf, the second is a wild Mustang from the Sand Wash Basin.
Little Wolf has PSSM2, two variants of. We've had him since he was 6 months old and he started displaying pssm2 symptoms age 2yrs old. At the time, we didn't think it was fixable or even manageable. Little Wolf is now almost 7yrs old and is healthy and ridden, and we think he looks amazing too! So yes, we see all the usual EMS/laminitics etc here- but our work and care (like most other experienced track systems) goes way beyond just 'fixing hooves', we are about WHOLE HEALTH, WHOLE HORSE.

Please note- we refuse any sponsorship from all feed & supplement companies, we use what we use because we've seen fantastic results. We do not personally benefit financially or otherwise from any of the products we use.

28/02/2024

Right now most paddocks are either 2 or 4. The result is increasing incidences of laminitis, spooky behaviour, tight muscles, itchy, grumpy, upset gut, headshaking and equine asthma - ie Grass Affected issues !!! Adding more salt plus GrazeEzy, Alleviate Gold and or Alleviate C will help your horse to cope. Please, as your very first response, remove as much green growing grass from their diet as you possibly can. Make their forage good hay 24/7. This message is even more important than usual given the time of year 🙂

04/12/2023

A grass free track with ad lib hay can provide the optimum environment for your horse or pony. As with all things horse - its simple but not always easy or as you would expect. If you are considering building a track arming yourself with what to expect and what to prioritise is really important 🙂 PB have learnt from their past mistakes so you have the choice not to go through that process - get armed with the best info and support you can when starting the TrackLife journey 😊

17/09/2023

Sunny, 10yr 16.2 TB ex racer. Won over £50k over flat and steeplechase, retired early as a bleeder. Brought by my friend Claire for Alice as eventer / mother daughter allrounder. Came from a very caring owner but was shod, with chifney, sedation and a long list of things he could or would not do plus extra things he did which were not very desirable. NOT a novice ride.

Since then kept on grass free track, taken barefoot with AANHCP trimmer Georgie@hoofmatters, on hay-based diet with CHH MVA and Alleviate C/GrazeEzy. Ridden by myself and Claire over last winter and Alice and Claire over the summer. He is not a classic novice ride, but he is very kind and gentle and loves his work and I feel very safe with him. Hes very bold, athletic and will be a serious eventer for Alice, massive jump, we just need to convince him he is no longer required to go to the start at Cheltenham if anyone announces anything over a tannoy !!!!

Proud moments today as he did his first dressage tests at Gracelands indoor arena at our local Bromsgrove riding club event, kept company with my lovely Ghandi, achied 65% in both tests with lots to like - now just to keep up the work over winter and be ready in the spring for the eventing season 😁

04/09/2023

Anxious Horses Webinar 7th Sept 7.00pm BST (UK time)
https://facebook.com/events/s/track-talk-anxious-horses-with/197576559982812/
Through simple management changes Spring, an anxious unhappy horse returned to her 'normal' self. Join us on Thursday if you want to know more :)

31/08/2023

Im often asked for telephone consultations and due to management of my time I really struggle to fulfil these requests.

So this event is for those of you who like to discuss in person, have questions or want to find out more about how you can improve the situation for your horse - a date for your diary and I'm looking forward to speaking with you 🙂

If you want to raise any questions in advance please email [email protected] - 😃

In this month's episode of Track Talk, we're being joined by Sue Dawson of Calm Healthy Horses UK to discuss anxiety and common causes we personally see cause extremely anxious, reactive horses. Sue brings a very interesting take into this subject, offering heaps of experience with anxious horses and how grass and grass-related issues can play into this.

Why are we seeing more and more anxious horses struggling to cope? We'll be looking at how denying our horses of their most natural, basic needs can take a massive toll on their mental health. We'll also be looking at the role diet plays in exasperating or causing anxiety and explosive behaviour in our horses. If you have a horse that struggles with resource guarding, separation anxiety, difficulty integrating into a herd or windsucking/crib-biting, then this is the webinar for you.

https://facebook.com/events/s/track-talk-anxious-horses-with/197576559982812/

13/08/2023

Amazing day, amazing place and fantastic people thank you team PB and everyone who came. so proud to be part of this event 😘

01/08/2023

Have you got your tickets yet ??????? 😁

We're super excited to announce that Mudcontrol will be joining us for our 4th annual open day, on Saturday 12th August 2023.

This year we're going bigger and better than ever, which includes having some of our must-have track additions on sale on the day. Everything available will be companies, feeds, supplements, enrichment makes and more, that we personally use on a day-to-day basis here at PB and couldn't be without.

Being unable to surface for a number of reasons, Mudcontrol is our go-to hard standing solution, making difficult, wet Winters that much easier. Here is retiree Bamroc, perfectly modelling one of the patches of Mudcontrol slabs around Track 3's water trough.

✨️ Based in Staffordshire/Shropshire UK ✨️

Tickets & information - https://fb.me/e/RaTsFg2X

27/07/2023

While some horses cope with a little grass and tight management in a traditional stable/pasture setting, there are horses that continue to struggle until you remove the grass and increase movement. Keeping horses on a grass free track with good meadow hay is the optimum system for calmhealthyhoreses, that’s why at CHH we always highlight the importance grass free 24-hour turnout, the horse’s always benefit, plus there are less costs and stress for the owners! This story is from two customers who did everything they could to manage in the livery yard but moving to a grass free track has been the best thing ever:

My sister and I have two horses, a 13-year-old quarter horse gelding called Cody and a 9-year-old cob gelding called Logan. Cody was our first horse, we brought him as a 3-year-old. Looking back on his early years with us we now realise there were a few indicators of being ‘Grass affected’, especially at certain times of the year. But it wasn’t until he developed gastric ulcers, that it made us look deeper into what was going on. We came across the ‘Calm Healthy Horses’ page and things started to make sense.


Historically every autumn Cody would start head shaking and rubbing his nose, twitching down his shoulders and front legs and stamping. This would lead to completely zoning out and being in a trace like state. He had difficultly cantering on the ground and under saddle and he struggled just to go forward. He would often be very anxious and prone to spooking easily despite his true laid-back nature. He had no confidence when hacking out and would just stop and refuse to go. His sacral-iliac area was often very tight and sore and his hocks stiff. We did x-rays and blood tests which were all normal, we regularly had the physio out and we would use a tens machine and hot compresses to try and help. We found sadly it meant there were more times than not that we couldn’t ride or even do groundwork with him. He would also get swellings in the area behind his cheeks, over his eyes and at the end of his nasal bone. He often showed signs of mild laminitis, being quite foot sore for a lot of the time. In addition, he developed the gastric ulcers which although were only graded low when he was scoped, it took nearly a year to get them resolved with repeated and more intensive treatments.

We brought Logan, our second horse when he was 5 years old, he has always been less affected than Cody, but he also had difficulty cantering, his hocks would click and wobble and he did exhibit some head shaking. Although worse in Autumn and Spring we have had problems all year round, especially with lots of rain and warm days and cold nights. Logan also suffers with mallanders.

As a result of our research from the Calm Healthy Horses website, we began to realise they were both ‘Grass affected’. Unfortunately, at the livery where we kept them we were not able to take them off the grass and they were stabled for a large number of hours each day. We managed to set up a track with electric fencing within the field so that they could eat the grass down as much as possible and we would then feed hay in controlled amounts to try and help with weight loss. We started them both on GrazeEzy, Alleviate C and added in Alleviate gold and MVA later. We found we were feeding large amounts of everything to get them to a place they were ‘comfortable’, but we felt they were still not happy as they could be. We didn’t know from one day to the next what symptoms they would be showing and how badly they would be affected despite all the changes we tried to implement.

Recently we have been able to move them to a grass free 24/7 track system, within weeks of being there the head shaking stopped, the swellings had all gone, they both seem a lot happier, they have lost weight and the physio says their backs are the best they have ever been. We haven’t seen any more twitching or zoning out, we are able to exercise them every day. Logan’s mallanders has also 90% resolved. We have been able to take them off all the additional supplements, just feeding their MVA and salt. They have only been at this new yard for 3 months and still have more healing to do but it’s been the best decision we have ever made; we just wish that the opportunity to be on track could have arisen earlier.

24/07/2023

Understanding why your horse has issues is so important to helping you get if right for him. This post is from Giselle who was so determined she travelled a 400mile trip to join us at the PB open day in 2018. Armed with the knowledge she needed, she made the best of the situation at a livery yard until she could move him to a more suitable place for the long term. This is her story :

I became the owner of Flint in 2015. He was an 8-year-old Connie X, an amazing, kind and gentle soul. Very soon after owning him I noticed he would head flick and scratch his nose on his leg and absolutely hated bright sunlight. I tried multiple nose nets, full ride on high UV protection masks and would ride in the indoor school on bright days.

The winter was better for him, but I began to dread the spring/summer. This continued for a few years, worsening every Spring with the headshaking getting more dramatic, it was as though a bee had got up his nose or an electric shock.
I continued to try lots of different remedies and joined various groups and forums learning more about this debilitating condition. During Spring 2018 Flint became increasingly lethargic, head shy and almost depressed. Riding felt dangerous and I was so sad for him.

I contacted my vet who prescribed oral steroids, steroid inhalers, antihistamines all of which didn’t help. A head CT scan was normal. I was referred to the Royal Veterinary College and he was diagnosed as Idiopathic Head-shaker. He had a course of electrical nerve stimulation but unfortunately only helped for a few weeks. I continued with my search to find help and stumbled across CHH. I made contact with Sue, and she really helped me to understand the Grass affected horse. I felt I’d found the problem and some important answers! Flint started on the CHH products Premium MVA, Alleviate C and GrazEzy, also I added salt to his bucket feed.
I wanted to get him off the spring lush grass, but I was on a traditional livery yard which couldn’t cater for this, so I worked to reduce his turnout and he wore a grazing muzzle. I decided to attend a workshop at PB retirement yard, it was a 400 mile round trip but I was determined to see how the horses managed without grass.
It was an amazing experience and I came home determined that I had to get Flints environment right for him, no more quick fixes and disappointment.
I was fortunate enough to move house enabling me to take him home. I don’t have a track but manage my paddock to suit him and it’s been brilliant so far.
We’ve been home 16 months, no nets, no masks, no sunlight issues, no flicking, and he feels energetic and looks happy. I have continued to keep him on the CHH supplements, I just adjust the GrazEzy and Alleviate C according to need, which is much less often now he is at home and away from the inappropriate grass at the livery yard. Plus, he has the Premium MVA for his daily vits, mins and amino acids with his salt in the bucket. Then I inherited a 20-year-old mini Shetland earlier this year. Unfortunately, he was in poor condition, laminitis, arthritic and had a displaced gut in January spending his first week of my ownership in hospital. He is treated the same as Flint and takes all the same CHH products and now he looks like a new pony!

09/07/2023

Looking forward to meeting everyone again at this event - 12th August 2023. This is my fifth year of getting together with Alyson and George and lots of other people to talk about tracks, diet, rehab, hooves and competing horses from what is a marvelous system for managing the horses health, wellbeing and ability to be our best friend and competitive partner. Book your tickets - will be a great day out 😁

03/07/2023

This is what we are trying to emulate in a wet, warm UK with organic soils and lots of trees - makes you realise what we are up against 😉

This is what the high desert biome in the U.S. Great Basin looks like - in wild horse country. It is neither a pile of sand nor a carpet of grass.

29/05/2023

Don’t forget to join us tomorrow if you have questions 😊

Track Talk - Understanding Grass with Sue Dawson of Calm Healthy Horses UK and Georgie Harrison of Hoof Matters.

Providing a species appropriate diet for your horse is essential to their health and wellbeing, but what exactly does that mean?

If your horse struggles with Laminitis, EMS, allergies, mudfever, sunburn, sweet itch, sacroiliac issues, anxiety, behavioural issues, headshaking or explosive behaviour, then this is absolutely the webinar for you.

In this month's episode of Track Talk, we'll be covering:

- what does species appropriate mean?
- the suitability of different forage
- what exactly is in our grass
- the direct impact grass can have on your horse's hoof health
- why Laminitis and EMS are rife in the equine world
- the grass affected horse

Grab your spot here - https://fb.me/e/3iJGa2sP8

About our guests ~

Georgie Harrison of Hoof Matters is an AANHCP/ISNHCP trained Hoof Care Practitioner and PB'S resident HCP of over 10 years. Georgie was also trained by Jaime Jackson, the founder of the paddock paradise and the natural trim.

Sue Dawson of Calm Healthy Horses UK is a nutritionist specialising in pasture related grass affected horses and is the UK representative of Calm Healthy Horses. We work closely with Sue on any particularly complex grass affected rehabilitation cases.

16/05/2023

15/05/2023

JD Equine Dentist - working on my little unicorn Ghandi. Correct management of our equines teeth is so important. Visit his page as there is a lot of interesting information on this subject. He ended up doing all three of mine I was so impressed with his attention to detail, purposeful but gentle work on the horses 🙂

Another busy day, and who said unicorns are not real!!

15/05/2023

Link for the presentation we did on 7th May for those who have asked - enjoy 😊

Grass and Domestic Horse Webinar now available!

For people who missed the webinars live,
Here is the link...
https://youtu.be/OwyBOK_MjF0

There is also a copy on our website
www.calmhealthyhorses.com

The presentation summarises the connection between pasture grass and the vast array of issues people experience with their horses.

It explains exactly what it is about the grass that causes the health, movement and behaviour issues we are contacted about on a daily basis,. All of them desperate for answers and help.

Although in this one we talk about New Zealand (as this is where we are based) the information is universal and is applicable to the UK/Europe, the Southern half of Australia and many other regions of the world. (temperate climates)

The northern half of Australia, with its predominantly warm season grasses will also be covered in a webinar on the 25th May
Please Register here:
You will need to re-register for the new time on the following link...
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqdeCvqzsqEtaqAcmcktPp46HDsGUSKAud

Understanding this information will enable you to make the right decisions about grazing and feeding your horses.

Your feedback is welcome!

08/05/2023

Many thanks for everyone who joined us last night at our first Webinar. We are working on the follow up now and hope to see you all soon.

02/05/2023

A post from my friends at PB. My horses are also on track and I ride a lot over all sorts of terrain - they only 'self trim' after hard work over challenging routes - even then it's not enough to maintain a healthy 'self trimmed' hoof - ie they still need trimming! also I've had horses with me whose hoofs are stuck and at that time there was a lot of other issues going on - interesting isn't it 🤔

When we describe a hoof as 'stuck', we mean that there is very little to no growth between trim cycles. There can often be some confusion around this particular issue of no growth and self trimming.

Self-trimming done properly is very difficult to achieve in the UK as continual daily movement and varied terrain is needed to naturally wear down the hoof. When we personally talk about self trimming, we are typically referring to any cracks and chips in the feet and for us, this tends to happen when a newly barefoot horse begins moving on track and their feet begin to wear with movement.

It's important to understand that no new growth is an indication that the hoofs are not being properly stimulated. This could be through restricted turnout where the horse isn't physically able to get enough movement to stimulate new healthy growth or due to shoes, where the hoof is restricted and unable to function optimally, which includes full contact and therefore, stimulation.

For the hoof to function and work optimally, our horses need to be moving daily and the hoof needs to be free of the restriction shoes cause. Self-trimming and lack of growth are very different things.

30/04/2023

Date for your diary - Sunday 7th May 8pm our very first UK focused Calm Healthy Horses Webinar!
Register in advance for Grass and the Domestic Horse by using the Link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/grass-and-the-domestic-horse-uk-tickets-626611410597

Announcing our very first Calm Healthy Horses Webinar!

"Grass and the Domestic Horse"

A subject critical to the quality of the horse owning experience.

So important it warrants 3 separate events to ensure we cover aspects and challenges relevant to these different parts of the world – UK, NZ & Australia.

This first webinar will be FREE, subsequent ones will be paid

1. Grass and the Domestic Horse
Important information about pasture your horse needs you to know!

After all his predominant forage has a significant influence on his health, movement, behaviour and longevity.

Understanding how means you can make better decisions around your horse’s management and diet.

Please submit any burning questions you have in the comments below so they have an increased chance of being answered.
There will be time for more Q & A at the end.

Register in advance for Grass and the Domestic Horse by choosing the Link for your time zone:

UK When: May 7, 2023 8:00 PM London time

https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/grass-and-the-domestic-horse-uk-tickets-626611410597

New Zealand When: May 9, 2023 7.30pm NZ time

https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/grass-and-the-domestic-horse-nz-tickets-627495364527

Australia When: May 11, 2023 7.30pm Brisbane time

https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/grass-and-the-domestic-horse-au-tickets-627584751887

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Content will be recorded and available afterwards for those who cannot make it live.

We look forward to seeing you there!

25/04/2023

Every person who contacts me about how to feed their horse gets told that a grass free environment is important and a grass free track is the optimum solution because it provides movement, ability to manage nutrition (hay and complementary supplements) and socialisation - all good for the mind and body. My horses thrive on a track and they are ridden horses. So proud that Pb are making this possible for others 😍

There is still quite an overwhelming percentage of owners who consider ‘track life’ to only be suitable for retired horses or those rehabilitating from Laminitis and EMS. Whilst it is absolutely true that a paddock paradise can drastically improve various issues or aid in the management of both of these scenarios, there are countless benefits to be offered to the average horse by prioritising species appropriate living.

This is Dun, a beautiful 10 year old Irish Draught who was the first to arrive with his friend Raffles at our new woodland track on the 17th February 2023. Dun’s lovely owner was kind enough to share a photo of him taken last summer, before his arrival here at PB.

Like quite a few of our new arrivals, Dun arrived with some obvious grass affected issues, separation anxiety and a bit of extra weight which we are seeing more of an improvement with the longer he is off the grass and remains in a herd environment. His owner has done a great job over Winter managing his weight so he did arrive slimmer than he was when the summer photo was taken. He had previously been kept on an equicentral system with sections of their grass paddock rotated weekly to maintain a better grass length with the winter paddocks left to grow to standing hay too.

Now we're quickly approaching summer, many owners with horses like Dun - your typical good doer, are going to be pulling their hair out with weight management and Laminitis prevention. Unfortunately the grass commonly found in the UK is highly unsuitable for so many horses which typically leads to owners restricting turnout, movement and forage. Not only is this an absolute nightmare for any owner to juggle but it’s detrimental to the physical and mental wellbeing of our horses and only solves one issue by sacrificing many other aspects of their management.

Fast forward to present day, Dun is now on a completely grass free track with netted adlib hay, 24/7 turnout and lives in a herd environment with the freedom to move, groom, play and eat as he chooses without the risk of Laminitis and obesity. In the short time he has been with us, he has lost any remaining fat pads and we are now starting to see changes in his body shape, gaining muscle along his shoulders, back and bottom.

The paddock paradise is a brilliant tool that can be used by owners to prevent common conditions or issues caused through inappropriate diet and management like Laminitis, EMS and obesity. Dun is still able to be ridden but with the added benefit of being an overall healthier and happier chap.