Natalie Pittenger Training & Bodywork

08/26/2024

I know with the heat the last thing we are thinking about is buying more sweatshirts/ hoodies for the fall and winter season. But, if you are, please check out the NPTB online store and consider ordering yourself a new sweatshirt or t-shirt!

Buy merchandise from NPTB Gear. Featuring Black Premium Unisex Tees, professionally printed in the USA.

07/17/2024

It was such an honor to help these horses feel their best! Thank you HorsePower Therapeutic Riding for having me out!

Our horses received massage therapy from Natalie Pittenger Training & Bodywork covered by our program's Animal Partner Fund this past month!

Our herd LOVED Natalie's equine-specific techniques and we are so grateful to her care of our partners to ensure they are feeling their best for their important roles here at HorsePower.

02/14/2024

I’m very excited to welcome Tiana to the family! She has already started giving lessons and is quickly becoming a favorite.

12/12/2023

As horse trainers we don’t get to pick and choose what baggage horses come to us with. Sometimes even the most simple things, like walking through a door, require a gentle approach. Just because it seems easy to us doesn’t mean that the horse will see things the same way. We must always show kindness, compassion, and empathy for the horse; even in the simplest of things.

11/09/2023

Feelings are such a tricky thing. We as humans are meant to experience a wide range of emotions as we go through life. The key is to feel the emotion but not let it dictate your response to the situation. Stress can lead to impulse buying at the grocery store, anger can lead to yelling at a friend/ spouse, excitement can lead to overlooking an important detail. A mark of a mature human is one who sticks to the plan and doesn’t get swept into the ever changing roller coaster of emotions.

11/03/2023

The longer I’m in the equine business the more I’m learning that when people say their horse is soft, chances are that’s not the case. And that’s ok, there is hope.

When I break the news to owners they will often ask me why it’s so important. Why can’t we just get to the riding and the “fun stuff”? Softness is the foundation in which everything else is built on. Softens is when I pick up on the lead rope the horse is focused on me and ready to move his feet with out using his head to pull back. When I start to teach this to horses I want the horse to be yielding his hindquarters away from me WHILE trying to put slack in the rope. It’s natural for the horse to figure out the foot placement before the lateral flexion or vice versa. It’s also typical for one side to carry more brace than the other. Remember to reward the effort and build on the horse’s ability to try. If we expect too much too soon we will slowly crush their confidence.

How can you tell if your horse needs more work in this area? Your horse may exhibit one or more of the following:
-Impatience while standing to be groomed/ tacked/ or while working.
-They have trouble leading be it they lag behind or walk dangerously in front of you.
-Under saddle they struggle to turn or lean on the bit.

Just remember- your horse is a reflection of you. If you don’t like the reflection looking back at you maybe it’s time to find a qualified trainer to help.

10/31/2023

Happy horses = happy clients.

I’ve learned over the years that horses get the most out of their massage if they aren’t tied or in cross-ties for their session. Each horse releases the tension in a slightly different way. Usually they will want to take a few steps away from you and proceed to lick, chew, yawn, snort, pass wind, ect. They usually will walk back to you when they are ready to have you continue. Remember, the session is about them and what they need; not about you and your agenda. Let them set the tone and pace for your work.

10/24/2023

DNS Strength Training 1 was amazing! Thank you for encouraging me to go. I am very excited to take what I learned and help my clients be better riders and horsemen.

10/11/2023

When you can find what the horse excels at it’s your job to let him shine there. Building their confidence is vital to having a solid partner.

10/02/2023

When starting colts it is of the utmost importance that their ground work is bullet proof before you climb on. Any steps you skip will likely set you up for a disaster down the road. Take your time with these guys. There isn’t any rush to get them started and and riding.

08/08/2023

Please don’t let your desire to achieve greatness be fulfilled by how many likes and comments you get on your social media posts. Let’s work towards something more than having the most followers or making the best TikTok‘s. I know it’s a great marketing tool and some of you do it as a job in which case you need to put time and effort into it. But for those of us that have a job that doesn’t require us to be on our phone all the time, let’s set it down and stay focused.

We can get a false sense of fulfillment through interaction on social media. I think it’s human nature to want to achieve more, have goals, and feel like we are accomplishing something. Interaction on social media can pacify those needs and make us feel important and validated.

Well, NEWSFLASH—you are important!

We were all made equally and we all have a purpose in this life. Let that give you the confidence you need to work towards the things that you desire to achieve. You don’t need approval from others. Stand alone and take the path less traveled. It isn’t always the easier path, but it’s usually the better one. Remember that not everything you read on social media is true or wise. Have the common sense to think for yourself.

I listened to a message the other day from Pastor Rick Griffith, he said something that has been weighing on my mind. He asked, “Are you being an influencer or are you being influenced?” I thought this was such a profound question. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to be influenced, as long as the influencer is making wise choices and giving good advice. If you find yourself being influenced and making choices that you don’t feel good about, you need to change your surroundings. If you are the person influencing others to make poor choices, you need to evaluate that and make changes as well. None of us are perfect and we all make mistakes sometimes, but the best way to make a difference in this world is to work at being a better version of ourselves. That starts with choices.

www.betweenthereins.us

07/31/2023

This weekend was one of those weekends where I am so thankful for the people God has placed in my life. I was able to go to my first barrel race in five years. While I didn’t compete I was able to ride around with my hauling partner and enjoy the atmosphere. I spent some time reflecting on all of the veterinarians who have helped Stitch along the way. From the routine work, to the emergency visits, to the two kissing spines surgeries; I literally could not do what I do without them. They are all amazing people.

This week’s The More You Know Monday is dedicated to all of our amazing veterinarians who help keep our horses (and other critters) feeling their best.

🐴- If you know your vet is coming for routine work it’s always a good idea to have your horse caught, clean as possible, and in a safe environment for everyone to be in.

🐴- It’s no surprise that horses are expensive and it’s only a matter of time before something unexpected happens. Know going into ownership that your vet isn’t in it for just the money. They want to help your horse but at the end of the day they need to eat too, pay for the supplies, and other expenses that come with being a veterinarian.

🐴- Understand that your veterinarian is a human just like you. They feel the weight of their job, get attached to their patients, and have outside stress like anyone else. Just because they are a veterinarian doesn’t mean they are invincible and immune to pain, hurt, or the trama that comes with the job and life. Kindness goes a long way.

07/25/2023

As a kid I used to trail ride all the time. Through farmer’s fields, down water ways, and countless miles along the roads. It was great! Don’t get me wrong, I am VERY thankful for the arenas I have access to now. They make it possible to do my job all year round. I don’t get out as much as I used to, but when I do, I’m always glad I did.

🐴-Repetitive work in the area can cause anxiety and boredom in both our horses and ourselves. Humans are creatures of habit and if we aren’t intentional we will do the same thing each time we ride; and our horses figure that out fast. Getting out of the arena allows them to see different things and it allows you to mentally take a breath to enjoy your horse.

🐴- Always riding in a manicured arena never gives your horse the chance to experience uneven ground, hills, or go over natural obstacles. All of those things are crucial for building stabilizer muscles, lung capacity, and mentally strong horses.

🐴 Trail riding is also a great way to build friendships. Having friends you can enjoy horses with is invaluable and will help prevent you from getting stuck in a rut.

How often do you get out of the arena? Where is your favorite place to ride?

07/19/2023

Happy third birthday Archer!! You are the best “little” baby and I’m so thankful you came into my life ❤️

07/14/2023

If you hang around horse people enough you’ll hear the old adage “all he needs is miles and wet saddle pads.”

Sure, some horses need lots of work each day. But on the other hand a horse only has so many miles in him. His days are numbered just like ours are. Maybe instead of mindlessly racking up the hours under saddle we should be more intentional about each horse’s session. One good hour is better than five mediocre ones.

07/11/2023

It’s fun to project human tendencies and characteristics into our horses. I am guilty of it for sure. While it is fun, do you really know why your horse is doing what he is doing when he c***s a back leg? It is important to be mindful of how our horse is feeling when we are interacting with him.

🐴- Tension is your horse’s natural response to their work load, ill fitting equipment/ tack, environmental stress, or turn out conflicts. It’s our job to help our horses cope and release the tension. Grooming, massages, baths, trail rides, or long and low walks under saddle are great ways to help your horse relax.

🐴- The typical signs of relaxing are: licking, chewing, yawning, deep sighing, blinking, relaxing a back leg, passing wind, and sneezing. Once your horse releases it’s usually a good idea to give them a few seconds to a few minutes to make sure they have worked through it entirely.

🐴- Misreading releases or not giving a horse enough time to work through the release can lead to a horse becoming fidgety, rude, or they emotionally shut down. Horses need to feel that they are respected and an equal member of the partnership you have with him and it is our job as handlers/ owners to help them feel their best.

07/05/2023

Thank you Grace Leigh Performance Horses for letting me help keep Maddie feeling her best!

Thank you Natalie from Natalie Pittenger Training & Bodywork for coming out and helping our Maddie feel her best this morning! While Maddie is coming into her senior years and needs some extra love and care, I firmly believe there is no such thing as a “no maintenance” horse without doing your regular maintenance. Regular massages is one way to keep your horses feeling their best!

07/04/2023

Believe it or not what halter you use can make a substantial impact on the efficiency of your ground work.

🐴-Flat halters are what people normally think of when they think of halters. They have metal hardware, often have a leather crown or part of the crown designed to break if needed. These halters are fine for most handling, but they allow the horse to lean into them without any consequences.

🐴-Rope halters are designed to apply pressure at specific points on the horse’s face. They are great for training as they allow the trainer to more clearly communicate with the horse. They often have a lead rope tied on which prevents the horse from being clipped in the chin by a metal clip on a standard lunge line.

🐴- I often get asked what rope halter I prefer- I love Buck Brannaman’s rope halter. It’s not overly stiff and the rope is excellent quality. I’ve put a link in my bio if you are interested in purchasing one for yourself.

06/30/2023

What an excellent post. This applies to so much more than equine massage.

Thoughts from the road.... How important is it to control the flow of our energy during bodywork sessions with horses?
I always hear other therapists saying, "You have to ask the horse if he is open to bodywork. Consent is everything. If a horse says NO, we should honor that."

For my practice, getting a "No" means I have to find a different way to ask the question, because many times I'm the final option for that horse. I'm ok with being the last resort. It doesn't hurt my feelings. It actually gives me an edge, because most times the horse has already been to several vets, therapists, and has a trail of imaging that I can use to piece together a history. The more history you have, the more complete the puzzle is.

The horses I work with can be difficult, moody, aggressive, and defensive.... Don't worry, so was I when I was going through my own health crisis. I feel you. I see you. I respect your boundaries.

I have to start by bringing my energy down so I'm not overwhelming. High intensity humans are much like high intensity equipment... Not usually effective on the already overstimulated horse...
My first goal is always to bring the horse down and out of flight. Sometimes that ends up being the only goal of the session. Sometimes I feel like the horses pick up on my silent mix of desperation and hope that's lingering on me. My silent plea for them to let me in...
.. I know you aren't just choosing to act this way.... I see you. I see your pain. I see your fear. But we have to reach a compromise... Relief and a voice advocating your needs in exchange for a safe environment to work. You don't want to hurt me. You want to trust, but you feel unheard in your agony. Now is your chance to tell your story...

The patterns in muscle, fascia, hooves, and gut tell me what I need to speak on your behalf. Your patterns in movement allow me to describe why you are hitting barrels or refusing the alley.

My heart goes out to these difficult horses and I don't feel right quitting at the first "No" that I get. I find a different way to ask. For the severely reactive hind gut horse, maybe it's casually munching on a haybag while I work. For the horse that won't stand still, maybe taking short breaks to walk around or starting with corrective exercise before bodywork. I have to find ways to make my energy and hands inviting, because many times I'm the last resort before the horse is sold, sent to a harsher trainer, or even put down. I've been in all these situations. Since a horse can't comprehend what an owner's next move will be, I have to try my best to get through the session and turn the "No" into "I accept".

Usually a difficult horse comes with a mentally and financially exhausted owner that really cares deep down, but is just defeated by the situation. They are just as emotionally flooded as their horse and have a chaotic energy that is desperate to have their story heard as well. I always notice that as their horse begins to "come down" and settle into relaxing... My flooded owner begins to ground as well.

To my owners... You aren't crazy. You aren't a bad owner. You are doing your best. I see you. I hear you. You don't have to defend yourself. There's no judgement here.

A big part of what I do that I don't often talk about is creating a shift in the energy of the room. You have to encourage everyone to ground so you can nurture the type of environment to get answers, make improvements, and design a course of action.

So to some degree I agree with other therapists... Consent is everything, but I try my hardest not to let "No" be the final answer. If I can start to get some releases and relief, the horse is quickly ready to go on the healing path I'm offering. Once the demeanor of the horse starts to change, I see a spark of hope ignite in my owner. This is how we change the tides and energy to begin working in our favor for success and plan moving forward.

I think the world would be a better place if more people understood how powerful these two phrases are:
"I see you. I hear you."

06/23/2023

Raise your hand if your horse knows how to ground tie.

This skill is so valuable for horses to know. On the surface it allows you to set up equipment in the arena without them tagging along or brush them when all of the cross ties are full. On a deeper level it gives the horse a chance to show how much he trusts you to put him in a spot where he knows he will be safe. It takes a bit of time to build that relationship with them to be able to do it, but it ends up being an integral piece of their foundation. Everything we do with the horse is built on mutual trust, if we don’t have that everything else is infinitely harder.

06/21/2023

Horses are a reflection of the humans they have encountered. Every time we interact with them we are shaping them and that’s not a responsibility we should take lightly.

06/20/2023

As you stand in the middle of your horse’s 400th lap around you have you ever wondered if there was a better way to prep your horse to ride?

Mindless lunging does nothing for your horse but make him more fit, which only extends the time you need to lunge him, which only makes him more fit, which only…. well, you get the picture. It’s a vicious cycle. But does it REALLY matter? You bet.

🐴-Ground work is a broad term used to describe anything you do with your horse un mounted. There are lot of things that are called ground work that aren’t beneficial for you or your horse. Good ground work is anything that involves working both the horse’s brain and feet.

🐴-It is imperative that people understand that they will ride the horse they have on the ground. Meaning that if your horse is pushy and impatient on the ground, they more than likely will be the same under saddle. Teaching a horse to be respectful on the ground will lead to a more productive ride.

🐴-A lot of problems people encounter under saddle can be solved with intentional ground work. Often it is the horse doesn’t understand that whatever device (halter or bridle) is on his head ultimately is the thing that influences his feet.

06/17/2023

One of the best things you can do for your horse is just to wait.

Wait for him to show you he understands.
Wait for him to work through what you just asked.
Wait for him to show you he can make the right decision.
Wait for him to catch his breath.

Humans and horses don’t think similarly at all. While we have something figured out, we need to be thoughtful of where our horse is at with that same idea. It’s ok to give them an extra minute to simply breathe.

06/15/2023

Some of you may remember Ellie. She had a bodywork session back at the beginning of the year where I was able to help her work through some of her trust issues and show her that not all people are scary.

Now her owner has brought her to me for training! I couldn’t be more trilled with the progress she has made in the few weeks. Stick around to watch her progress over the next few months.

06/07/2023

Enjoy this snippet from Honey’s massage earlier this week!

05/23/2023

Keeping our horses hydrated should be at the top of our list this summer.

🐴- Your local feed store should carry electrolyte paste tubes. They usually are inexpensive and come in multi-dose syringes. These are great and not only replenishing salt lost through sweat but other vital nutrients to keep your horse drinking.

🐴- Bringing water from home is a little cumbersome and does take a bit of forethought. The water where you are going may have an off putting taste or smell that can deter your horse from drinking. You can find gas can style containers specifically made for water or have a water take installed in your trailer.

🐴- Kentucky Equine Research published an article in 2020 where they found that horses preferred to drink out of turquoise colored buckets (link below). Purchasing turquoise colored buckets might seem silly but it might be a worthwhile purchase to help your horse.

Where are you and your horse headed this summer?

https://ker.com/equinews/color-preferences-among-horses/ #:~:text=Based%20on%20water%20intake%2C%20researchers,toned%20colors%20over%20darker%20tones.

05/16/2023

I don’t know about your location, but in Northern Illinois horse owners have their pick of bodyworkers to choose from. I’m here to say that it is more than ok to ask the therapist questions before you book an appointment. If you don’t feel like you can ask him or her questions- move along. Your horse deserves the best so do your due diligence and find the perfect fit.

🐴- Where did your bodyworker get their education?
In this day and age people can pick up used
machines/ lights/ devices pretty easily. When they do this they can bypass the education that usually accompanies that modality. On the surface that may not seem like a big deal, but there are certain times when a particular modality shouldn’t be used or it might negatively impact your horse.

🐴- How long have they been providing their service?
Everyone does have to start somewhere. But your provider’s skills need to match (or exceed) how long they have been offering their service. If someone has been providing massages for horses for ten years but can’t name muscles-that’s a huge red flag.

🐴- Can they tell you the science behind their service?
If your provider can’t at least explain the basics of what and why they are doing what they are doing, it’s time to call the next person. When someone can’t explain the basics they usually don’t have a firm grasp on what they are doing.

🐴- Is your therapist continuing their education?
A bodyworker who genuinely cares about his/ her craft will continue their education. Horses and horse care is constantly evolving- therefore we need to make sure we are keeping up to most adequately help our clientele.

05/12/2023

Gratitude.

Some days it is more evident in my life than others. It is easy to get lost in the stress of making sure I respond to clients in a reasonable time, getting to appointments on time, keeping each horse making progress, let alone somehow get enough sleep.

When I take a step back and look at my life I realize just how blessed I am. The stress doesn’t dissolve with this perspective shift, but things always seem more manageable.

05/09/2023

NonStructural Carbohydrates- the good, the bad, the ugly, and why it is important to be mindful of all aspects of your horse’s diet.

🐴- NSC is the term often used to describe the amount of sugar and carbohydrates found in your horse’s grain. It is often displayed as a percentage found by adding the percentage of sugars and starches listed in the guaranteed analysis on the bag.

🐴- Most feeds average around 20-40 NSC. Performances horses indeed need the starch a carbohydrates for energy, but a horse that is more sensitive/ hot would probably benefit from a lower NSC as feeds that have a higher stretch content aid in glycogen repletion. Aka higher starch = higher energy.

🐴- While knowing and calculating the sugar content of your concentrated feed is important, that is only part of the puzzle. Nutrient testing on your horse’s hay is helpful in addition to being mindful of the sugar content of your pasture.

🐴- Horses who routinely eat a diet with a high NSC can be put at risk for some pretty serious problems. If the hindgut is routinely overwhelmed by sugars can trigger hindgut acidosis, colic, or laminitis.

05/05/2023

Nervousness tends to lead to fear and we know how crippling fear can be. Once we define what we are scared of we then can apply the right knowledge to successfully combat it.

How are you combating your nerves?