Wholesome Horses

15/01/2025

Finally, an aloe Vera combo product in a pad!!

When they get a cut or scrap reach for Hydra Heal’s Natural Wound Care Aloe Vera saturated gauze pad or squeeze bottle. It treats a variety of wounds, abrasions, and skin irritations— preventing bacterial infection by providing a moist healing environment that promoted faster healing! All natural product.

Purchase today www.hydra-heal.com

15/01/2025

We’ve all been there— but maybe if you can alert others to the signs?

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SPOT COLIC IN HORSES?

Colic indicates a painful problem in the horse's abdomen (belly), which can be caused by a number of different conditions. Less than 10% of all colic cases are severe enough to require surgery or cause the death of the horse; nevertheless, every case of colic should be taken seriously because it can be difficult to tell the mild ones from the potentially serious ones in the early stages.

Horses show signs of abdominal pain in a wide variety of ways, and usually a horse shows only a few of the signs during an episode of colic. The rule of thumb is — the more obvious the signs of pain, the more serious the problem.

If you suspect the horse is suffering from colic, we suggest that you:

• Alert your veterinarian immediately

• Remove all hay and grain from the horse's surroundings

• Don't medicate without your veterinarian's approval, as pain medications can mask clinical signs

• Walk the horse around if it's continually rolling or in danger of hurting itself — but do not tire the horse with relentless walking and don't approach the animal if it's not safe

• Keep the horse under close observation until the signs of colic resolve or the veterinarian arrives

The key to increasing the chances of a good outcome is to identify the problem early and get your veterinarian involved from the start.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of colic signs. Horses are individuals and may display signs of pain in a variety of ways. Always consult your horse doctor for more information.

06/01/2025

Are you interested in experiencing the healing energy of Horses? Reach out to learn all the options available to you at our little intimate farm in Emek Hefer…

31/12/2024

(English to follow)
עזרו לסוס שלכם לנוע בקלות, בנוחות ובחופשיות!
בקורס **שיטת מסטרסון - מעבר לעיסוי סוסים**, תלמדו טכניקות מעשיות לשיפור התנועה, הרווחה וחיזוק הקשר שלכם עם הסוס.
קורסים קרובים: פברואר & מאי. מעוניינים? עדכנו אותי ואוסיף אתכם לרשימה!
מעדיפים שמטפל מקצועי יעבוד עם הסוס שלכם? צרו קשר לקביעת מפגש בטלפון 0523-209-390.
Help your horse move with greater ease, comfort, and freedom! The **Masterson Method 2-Day Course (Beyond Horse Massage)** teaches you hands-on techniques to improve your horse's mobility, well-being, and strengthen your bond.
Upcoming courses: February and May--2025. Interested? Let me know, and I’ll add you to the list!
Do you prefer professional treatment for your horse? Schedule a session with me at 052-320-9390.
The Masterson Method, Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork Hub for Horses 🐴🐎- by Hub4Horses 🐎🐴 קבוצת לואי סוסים למכירה סוסים ורוכבים - רכיבה על סוסיםסוסימ

26/12/2024

I hope everyone who tries to teach a horse something new or even simply works with horses reads this…Timna Benn Shani Shahar Shkedi Chana Deborah Sternberg Nitzan Shacham Fried Einbar Raiter

05/12/2024

This is worth the read. Many of us know it. For others it will be an important eye opener!

Comparative neurobiology of horse and human.

Horses and humans are both mammals.
Our brains may not be the same size, but they are almost identical in their structure and function.

Why can our brains look so similar but our behaviours and sensitivity to the world look so different?

The area in the picture highlighted is the prefrontal cortex or the (PFC). Its job in humans, horses, dogs, dolphins, elephants, cats, mice, rats, all mammals, and even birds is to carry out "higher executive functions" such as:

🧠 problem solving
🧠 decision making
🧠 reasoning
🧠 risk assessment
🧠 forward planning
🧠 impulse control
🧠 intention

Obviously, these executive functions are more advanced in humans than in other species of mammals, but this part of the brain plays a pivotal role in higher levels of learning beyond primal behaviours and learning survival skills.

So why aren't we seeing these higher executive functioning skills and behaviours in horses as much as what we see them in dogs, dolphins, elephants and even birds?

Ultimately it comes down to safety!

The latest neuroscience research suggests that when the brain feels unsafe it causes the body to produce stress response hormones and these stress response hormones cause the PFC to go "offline".
This means that subcortical regions of the brain (deeper parts of the brain) such as the primal brain (AKA limbic system, survival brain, flight/fight brain) completely take over to increase the chances of survival.

Feeling unsafe causes the feeling of fear and it is fear that gets this party started.

So behaviours come from two areas:

1. The PFC, carrying out problem solving skills, reasoning, impulse control, forward planning etc. that may be interpreted as "obedience" and "partnership".

2. The primal brain, carrying out reactive survival behaviours. This brain does NOT carry out impulse control, forward planning, problem solving, etc. It just reacts to the world. This brain heavily relies on patterns and consistency. This brain will cause freeze/flight/fight behaviours such as shutting down, bolting, biting, rearing, bucking, kicking, barging, etc.

Which brain is the domesticated horse spending most of it's time in?
It's primal brain!

This is why we don't get to see their full intellectual and cognitive potential because most of the time, domesticated horses are perceiving their world in a fearful way to some degree.

We can help our horses with this!

Feeling fearful is the OPPOSITE to feeling calm.
If we want to help our horses access their PFC then we MUST do whatever it takes to help them feel calm.

☝️ ONLY when a brain feels calm can it slow down enough to develop TRUE confidence. Only when the brain feels confident will it access TRUE cognition (PFC).

☝️ We first need to understand that when we get "bad behaviour" from our horses, it's not intentional or naughty or rude. What you are seeing is either a horse that is just reacting to the fear they feel or they are carrying out their "coping mechanism" in response to their anticipation of feeling fear.

☝️ Try to remove expectations that your horse should "know better".
"Knowing better" implies that all behaviours are coming from the PFC and there should be some impulse control and reasoning. Unless your horse feels calm, they can't access the PFC to "know better".

THIS STARTS WITH YOU!!!

You need to be consciously aware if YOU feel calm first. If you feel calm, your horse will have a better chance at feeling calm. Expecting them to feel calm when you don't is unfair.

The best way to create calmness is to intentionally be SLOW!!!
SLOW EVERYTHING you do down.
SLOW your movement down.
SLOW your talking down.
SLOW your walking down.
SLOW your breathing down.
SLOW your horse down.
If you feel too slow, then you're going slow enough.

Calmness is slow, not fast.

This will help you and your horse to connect and feel safe together.
When the brain feels stressed, the stress response hormones cause the body to speed up.

Stress = speed

We can reverse engineer this process and create a calm mind through slow intentional movement and a relaxed posture.

The by-product of a calm brain is confidence and cognition (PFC access).

Happy brain training 🧠
Charlotte 😊

Photo: Credit: Adult horse (equine) brain, sagittal section. Michael Frank, Royal Veterinary College. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

04/12/2024

My friend Kim shares this and I love it❤️ https://www.facebook.com/share/r/eYyt4ASLnMXK9nWE/?mibextid=UalRPS

28/11/2024

(English to follow)
עזרו לסוס שלכם לנוע בקלות, בנוחות ובחופשיות!
בקורס **שיטת מסטרסון - מעבר לעיסוי סוסים**, תלמדו טכניקות מעשיות לשיפור התנועה, הרווחה וחיזוק הקשר שלכם עם הסוס.

קורסים קרובים: פברואר & מאי. מעוניינים? עדכנו אותי ואוסיף אתכם לרשימה!

מעדיפים שמטפל מקצועי יעבוד עם הסוס שלכם? צרו קשר לקביעת מפגש בטלפון 0523-209-390.

Help your horse move with greater ease, comfort, and freedom! The **Masterson Method 2-Day Course (Beyond Horse Massage)** teaches you hands-on techniques to improve your horse's mobility, well-being, and strengthen your bond.

Upcoming courses: February and May--2025. Interested? Let me know, and I’ll add you to the list!

Do you prefer professional treatment for your horse? Schedule a session with me at 052-320-9390.
The Masterson Method, Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork Einbar Raiter Hagar Shai Hub for Horses 🐴🐎- by Hub4Horses 🐎🐴 קבוצת לואי סוסים למכירה סוסים ורוכבים - רכיבה על סוסיםסוסימ

26/11/2024

(english to follow)
**סקרנים לגבי הכוח של שיטת מאסטרסון בעבודת גוף לסוסים?**
התחילו עם **קו שלפוחית השתן**. מדובר בטכניקה פשוטה אך יעילה במיוחד, שעוזרת לסוס שלכם לשחרר מתחים בצורה טבעית ועדינה. והחלק הכי טוב? כל אחד יכול לעשות את זה, ללא צורך בניסיון קודם!
כשאני עובדת עם סוסים, וכשאני מלמדת אחרים לעבוד איתם, אנחנו תמיד מתחילים עם קו שלפוחית השתן. זו שיטה בסיסית שבונה אמון, חיבור ורגיעה כבר מהשלב הראשון.
רוצים לראות איך זה עובד? צפו בג'ים מאסטרסון מדגים את הטכניקה המדהימה הזו – זהו צעד ראשון פשוט ליצירת קשר טוב יותר עם הסוס שלכם! 🐴✨
Apologies again—here’s the complete and polished version:
**Curious about the power of the Masterson Method in equine bodywork?**
Start with the **Bladder Meridian**. This simple yet highly effective technique helps your horse release tension in a natural, gentle way—and the best part? Anyone can do it, no prior experience needed!
When I work on horses, and when I teach others how to work on them, we always begin with the bladder meridian. It’s a foundational tool that builds trust, connection, and relaxation right from the start.
Want to see it in action? Watch Jim Masterson himself demonstrate this amazing technique—it’s an easy first step to creating a better bond with your horse! 🐴✨

12/11/2024

ישנם רגעים שבהם סוסים זקוקים לעזרה נוספת כדי לרפא שרירים כואבים או עייפים.
ישנם מקרים שבהם הווטרינר לא מוצא משהו ספציפי.
וישנם זמנים שבהם הסוס שלך נוקשה וזקוק לעזרה לשחרר מתח בגופו.
את יכולה ללמוד להעניק לו את העזרה הזו!
הצטרפי אליי ב-20-21 בפברואר 2025 ולמדי איך!

29/10/2024

This is a great visual when a rider fails to use “following hands”

25/10/2024

This is one of the best pieces of advice I’ve seen out there. 🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻had to share

SLOOOOOW DOWN!

SLOW your walking down to 1 step per second with and without your horse next to you.
SLOW your hand movements down as you touch or do things.
SLOW your talking down.
SLOW your breathing down.
SLOW your pulls and pushes down on the leadrope.

SLOW to FLOW!

Humans are WAAAAY to fast for horses and this is one of the leading causes of reactivity and opposition reflex in horses.

Speed = stress.

Let me teach you what speed does...

When the brain perceives a threat, it causes the body to release the stress response hormone cortisol. Cortisol levels and speed go hand in hand.
Cortisol provides the body with the fuel it needs to flee a scary situation or fight against it.

The thing with the mind-body relationship is that the brain feels an emotion such as fear, which create a physical response in the body, but the body can also move at a certain speed or in a particular way and create an emotion in the brain. It can be reverse engineered.

This is how special the intimate relationship is between the brain and body.

The other thing to remember is that, collectively as a social animal, when speed is noticed by another mammal (no matter the species), it alerts the unconscious brain to threat.

Speed is an alarm system in a social system (consciously and unconsciously).

If you walked down a road and everyone started running, you'd find it hard not to run even if you didn't know what the cause was. You are noticing that others are running and in a direction, so you mirror them to increase your chances of survival. You don't need the reasoning part of your brain for this. You just activated your primal (survival) part of the brain.

One other thing to remember: HORSES CAN SMELL CORTISOL. So not only does your speed act as a visual alarm system to your horse, it also acts as an olfactory one!

Would you want to interact with someone who caused you to feel constantly on alert?

These little things are the beginnings of what ripples into chronic stress in both humans and horses.
You spend enough time around someone who is fast in their movement, your nervous system will condition itself to being on high alert.
HELLO 👋 CHRONIC STRESS!!!

Slow your movement down = slow your thoughts down.
Slow your movement down = lower your cortisol.
Slow your movement down = feel connected with yourself, the world and others in it.
Slow your movement down = slow your alarm systems down and eventually they'll turn off.

Slow down so much that it is uncomfortable. It won't be uncomfortable for long, I promise 😉

Happy brain training 🧠
Charlotte 🙂

24/10/2024

“No” must be an option for every horse…

🐴

23/10/2024

(English to follow)

יש לך אפשרויות כשמדובר בעזרה לסוסים שלך עם כאב, רגישות או תנועות מוגבלות. ייתכן שעדיין לא שמעת על שיטת מסטרסון, אך היא כל כך יעילה בשחרור מתח ועוזרת לסוסים לנוע בצורה חופשית וקלה יותר. ניקי קגן מוסמכת כמטפלת ומורה בשיטה הזו של עבודת גוף לסוסים כבר למעלה מעשור. אם הסוס שלך זקוק לעזרה והווטרינר לא מוצא שום בעיה, מוזמנים ליצור קשר: 0523-209-390.

You have options when it comes to helping your horses with pain, soreness or restricted movement. You may not yet have heard of the Masterson Method, but it is so effective for helping horses release tension and move more freely and easily. Nikki Kagan, has been certified both as a practitioner and a teacher in this form of equine bodywork for more than a decade. If your horse needs help and the vet cannot find anything wrong, please feel free to call me. 0523-209-390

22/10/2024

אם הסוס שלך מראה סימנים של נוקשות, אי נוחות או ירידה בביצועים? שיטת מסטרסון מציעה גישה עדינה ומעשית לשחרור מתח, שיפור התנועה ושדרוג הרווחה הכללית של הסוס שלך. זה לא רק לטפל בסימפטומים, אלא לפתוח רגיעה עמוקה וחופש בתנועה. סוסים מגיבים לעיתים קרובות בהקלה נראית לעין, אמון מוגבר ותחושת חיבור מחודשת עם הבעלים שלהם.

השקעה בטיפול בשיטת מסטרסון היא הזדמנות לשפר את בריאות הסוס שלך ולחזק את הקשר ביניכם. אחרי הכל, סוס רגוע ושמח הוא שותף נוח ורב-יכולות. למה לא לתת להם את הטיפול שמגיע להם?
0523-209-390