Equine Tranquility Wellness Center, Inc.

06/17/2024

Important Safety Info to remember

What measures have you taken to reduce fire risks in your barn? 🧯

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, in 2024 there have been 16,940 reported wildfires in the U.S. to date. As we head into the hottest time of the year, make sure your farm has a fire prevention plan and an evacuation strategy in place to keep both horses and people safe.

Check out the graphic for ten fire prevention measures to get you started on the right track to a safer facility. This list is not meant to be exhaustive and we invite you to contact your local fire department and your veterinarian for guidance on designing a prevention and response plan tailored to your specific situation.

Barn fires are the number one local emergency affecting agricultural facilities. They can cause horrific injuries and kill more horses than any other type of disaster, so being prepared is only in your best interest!

06/17/2024

06/08/2024

Thanks Brit for the water!! lol 😂

06/08/2024

Here’s some before and after pics from today’s awesome group from Ayco Jeff Varisco thanks so much for all the teamwork today and for returning this year!! We ♥️ you all!

06/07/2024

Excited for tomorrow with Ayco coming …pics soon
🫶

05/29/2024

04/11/2024

A special moment with Pralines and a student…so sweet ♥️

04/11/2024

Bravo looking all grown up ♥️

03/27/2024

"We love this place! The teachers are awesome, and they do a lot of great work with special needs children. The stable is well maintained and the horses are well cared for. We discovered this place while on vacation, it’s totally worth the hour weekly drive from our place." says Joseph on Google

★★★★★ We love this place! The teachers are awesome, and they do a lot of great work with special needs children. The stable is well maintained and the horses are well cared for. We discovered this place while on vacation, it’s totally worth the hour weekly drive from our place.

03/25/2024

"I took my kids for a 60 minute riding lesson, and they had a wonderful experience. They said they will never forget this day. Not only did they get to ride the horses, but they got to brush them, clean under their hooves, and learned how to saddle. The staff were accommodating, very patient, kid friendly, and knowledgeable. I highly recommend this place." says Vanessa on Groupon

★★★★★ I took my kids for a 60 minute riding lesson, and they had a wonderful experience. They said they will never forget this day. Not only did they get to ride the horses, but they got to brush them, clean under their hooves, and learned how to saddle. The staff were accommodating, very ...

03/11/2024

I want to introduce everyone and give an official congratulations to Katie on the purchase of Rocco! He is now part of the ETWC family! ❤️

03/05/2024

….getting ridiculous! 😂

01/24/2024

Great article about winter safety riding for the horse….

01/15/2024

That time of year again where the cold is settling in and we have to treat the arena footing w mag chloride to help keep the horses safe! Thanks to everyone who helped!! 💜

12/15/2023

Hi Everyone! We are hosting a coat drive this winter for those who are less fortunate and in need. All sizes are needed, children and adult, and they can be dropped off through the end of December. Please help if you can ❤️. And we are wishing a Happy Holiday season to all!

10/09/2023

08/21/2023

If one wants to ride and does, that's brave.
If one does not want to ride and doesn't, that's brave.
Brave is doing - on the outside - whatever your insides want to do.

No single action is inherently brave - the honoring of the inner compass instead of outer expectations is the braveness.

Brave can never be judged by the crowd. Sometimes we are the only one who knows we've been brave.

And that is enough.
That is everything.

07/14/2023

Good read

Tempo versus stride length.
Rhythm and tempo are the hallmark of a good dressage foundation, yet it’s a concept most riders really struggle with.
Download a tap metronome onto your phone and measure your horse’s tempo in different scenarios…. In the field, on the lunge, when you ride a straight line versus a small circle (video helps). A typical trot should be around 75 bpm.  Often times in an attempt to get our horses more “forwards” we rushed them off their feet had a tempo of over 80 bpm. Sometimes our horses rush in the corner and we are unaware of it. 

Once you start paying attention to tempo, you’ll find that slowing down a rushed tempo is harder than you think. When riders try to slow down their horse, they tend to not slow down the tempo at all, but rather shorten the stride. Short strides are actually quick strides since the feet are not traveling very far per step. The horse may slow down in miles per hour, but the tempo may stay the same or even get quicker!

 Mastering tempo helps horses to relax, mentally and physically. Mastering tempo is mission critical if you want to learn higher levels of Dressage.

 Ride with a metronome. To learn about tempo measure your horses current trot tempo- if it’s over 80 you’re not just going to set a metronome to 75 and suddenly trot a perfect 75. Instead, set it for three BPM lower than whatever it currently is and try to find a steady rhythm. Forewarning – this is hard! Really really difficult…. maddening actually.  Controlling the horse’s every foot fall is a lot to ask from both horse and rider! This is intense and can cause a lot of problems (like the rider using ALL the aids CONSTANTLY). Some of you will quickly realize that you don’t even have any idea how to get in sync with the Metronome- that was me! It took me ages to learn how to actually influence the Horse’s temple in a positive way. I learned to take advantage of puddles or fluffy snow or Cavaletti…. Anything that naturally gave my horse’s stride some amplitude in a way that slowed the tempo.
If you find the Metronome too frustrating, try making a playlist of songs that are close to 75 bpm.

To understand tempo you should also play with stride length. Set up two markers, or put out to ground poles, and preferably put at least 40 m between them. Trot past/over them, and count strides from one to the next. Your next pass through try adding additional strides. Then try leaving out a stride. Again, you might find this is way more difficult than you imagined it would be!

In an ideal world, you could maintain 75 bpm while shortening or lengthening the stride, but the truth is the most will be lucky to lengthen and shorten the stride at all! 

 Advanced dressage horses with tons of suspension move slower than the typical 75 bpm. If you can slow the trout, the whole way down to 65 bpm while adding suspension, you have passage. 

If you try this stuff, and it seems futile, maybe start by tapping out a beat and seeing if you can at least create a 75 bpm beat. (There are plenty of free apps for this). Becoming more aware of tempo will at least help to make sure you’re not letting your horse rush tight turns, or suck back at the scary end… or at the very least, you’ll become aware of it!

06/23/2023

We would like to extend a huge thanks out to Ben Shaffer Recreation for donating large mats that we were needing for our back barn and wait till you see the surprise! Also In the picture is Anthony doing his famous headstand on top of them, he swears he wants to do one on top of a horse one day lol 😂

04/04/2023

So true….love Schleese!

17.5" Saddle =/= 17.5"

[For those not understanding why 2 completely different saddles were used. Both saddles are marked at 17.5", however, the area for the rider and tree size varies greatly. This highlights a common issue we see when riders are searching for a new saddle, assuming that since they rode in a 17.5", they will need a 17.5" in any other saddle they purchase. The space for the rider is not just where a rider sits, but also the area over which they post. Tree size =/= Seat size.]

Both saddles pictured are 17.5" as per the standard method of measurement from the seat nail to the center of the cantle. However, you can see that the blue line indicating the amount of space for the rider varies greatly between the two saddles. Seat size is a bit of a misnomer as it doesn't accurately identify the amount of space there is for the rider with zero consideration on pommel style and size at the very least. When it comes to fitting the rider, seat size is just one aspect of fit that must be considered to ensure the rider is comfortable and supported, but not "stuck" in their position or held in place.

The seat size is the most common way of identifying whether a saddle is the right size for you, despite the fact that it inaccurately depicts the true size of the saddle. To better determine the actual amount of space you'd have in any saddle, measuring from pommel to cantle (much like in Western) will provide more accurate information on if it'd be suitable. The seat size can vary greatly and simply by moving the seat nail, with the manufacturer able to stamp an 18" tree with a 15.5" seat based solely on where that seal nail is. The tree size (pommel to cantle) is the most accurate in finding a saddle that provides adequate room for the rider and is applicable to all makes, models and styles.

For those not understanding this post, the ENTIRE POINT was to show that 17.5" is not 17.5" across different styles and disciplines. That does not change the fact that many riders when buying a saddle assume since they rode in a 17.5", whatever next saddle they're looking for, regardless of style, also needs to be a 17.5". This simply highlights the importance of measuring the TREE (pommel to cantle). This post also does not delve into the other dozen + points that are considered when fitting a saddle to a rider.

03/16/2023

Spring is around the corner, come visit us! 💗

02/24/2023

https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E347985&id=48&cfifid=94

Please help me support Celebrate The Children! And please share our post! Thanks 🙏

02/24/2023

Very sad to be sharing this post….Molly rode with ETWC for many years! Her smile lit up the barn and her comments always made us laugh! Sending prayers and healing thoughts out to Mr Buyer and to all of Molly Molly Buyer friends! Love and miss you Molly!

Molly Anne Buyer, July 19, 1996 to February 10, 2023, died at Newton Medical Center after a brief illness. She was a special needs person who was...

02/21/2023

❤️

02/13/2023

"EWTC is a place for my daughter who has special needs to thrive on a horse where she feels challenged, safe, cared for, and has FUN! She gets equine therapy with people who really care about her happiness, safety, and goals. The horses are gentle and really connect with their riders thanks to the full experience offered here. My daughter gets the same horse every week. She grooms, rides, and bonds with the horse, and.." says Maria on Google

★★★★★ EWTC is a place for my daughter who has special needs to thrive on a horse where she feels challenged, safe, cared for, and has FUN! She gets equine therapy with people who really care about her happiness, safety, and goals. The horses are gentle and really connect with their riders ...

01/22/2023

I think someone forgot to lunge first….🤣🤣

12/23/2022

🤣. So true lately….

12/02/2022

"We’ve been bringing our child to ETWC for years. Colleen O’Dea and her staff take inventive approaches to therapeutic riding, ensuring ALL riders have outstanding experiences." says Anne on Google

★★★★★ We’ve been bringing our child to ETWC for years. Colleen O’Dea and her staff take inventive approaches to therapeutic riding, ensuring ALL riders have outstanding experiences.

10/21/2022

"Amazing experience. I want go again." says Guest on Groupon

★★★★★ Amazing experience. I want go again.