AMW Equine Services, LLC

10/30/2025

Scheduling and Holidays are not friends.

We are finishing the schedule for November and starting a rough draft schedule for December.

I will be taking time off to head to NC the week before Thanksgiving to attend a wedding.

If you are a client you can almost figure out when your horse will be due... if that time is when you are traveling or taking vacation please let us know. The sooner we know the easier it is to move travel loops.

As always if you are looking to become a client of AMW Equine Services it can take a few weeks to get in on a rotation. If the need is urgent we can make an acceptation.

10/29/2025

" Innovation is taking two things that already exist and putting them together in a new way"

~ Tom Freston

10/27/2025

For those may be interested in something like this this Facility is owned and run by a dear friend who is doing some amazing things up near Ann Arbor.

If you’re curious about what we do here at Happy Hooves, a Discovery Session is the perfect way to begin.

These 45-minute visits are designed to help you explore the farm, meet our animals, and discover how Equine-Facilitated Learning (EFL) can support emotional regulation, communication, confidence, and nervous system health.

We believe relationships matter — the one with yourself, others, and the natural world. If you’re ready to explore meaningful growth in a calm, inclusive environment, we’d love to meet you.

Located in Dexter, MI – serving Ann Arbor & surrounding communities

Email Crystal at [email protected] to schedule your Discovery Session

10/26/2025

We're off to Indianapolis today!!!

This route is always an early start and a late finish, but the route is full of good clients and good horses. It's always a plus when Mom gets to come along to keep me company and help drive.

📸 Hoof Distortion from a nasty abscess blow out. It's always cool what the hoof capsule can do to adapt to things.

10/24/2025

We're heading to our Southwest Ohio and Indianapolis clients today.

Tomorrow (Saturday) we will be taking the day as a family day to spend at the Ohio Ren Faire.

Sunday we will be traveling to Indianapolis which we have a full day of clients to see. Monday through Wednesday we will be working in the surrounding Dayton area.

We will be traveling back late Wednesday and then seeing local appointments and one of our loops to Millersburg the rest of week to finish up the Month of October.

10/23/2025

The post Humble Hoof posted a few days ago hit home for me. There are some cases right now I'm learning to let go of what we say is ideal. Because the horse has clearly stated that what we believe is ideal is in no way ideal for them.

I thought long and hard about posting a photo of these feet. It's not the prettiest feet or shoeing job. There are many things I want to change and improve to meet what we consider a perfect shoeing. the correct 50/50, the perfect boney alignment, and so on. My joke with this dude..... is I really don't want to see radiographs of his feet unless absolutely necessary. Because, I know the minute I see his radiographs. I'm going to want to change my approach to his hoof care that may not work for what he wants.

He's my keep me humble client. Has been since day one four years ago, when he started with me. He has gone through multiple founders (even before me) and comes out the other side. He's made me think outside the box more times than I can count. He's also has taught me to trust my intuition and gut when I trim. But, most of all he's taught me that you can't judge a trim or shoeing because it's not ideal. If you looked at his trims or the shoeing job you would question. If I had ever shoed a horse before.

All that matters is he's happy and comfortable. And, him and his mom get to enjoy some quiet trail rides together.

10/23/2025

I may be bias, but he’s a pretty cute dude.

Fun Fact: Freckles is my first horse. He’s what really ignited the love for horses again after the military. He’s been my rock after many nasty falls of other horses. We’ve survived many things together. He lost his eye due to cancer on his eyelid in 2019.

He’s one of my reasons I do what I do.

10/22/2025

How do you other hoof-care providers take care of you're hands?

The hard drought feet the last few weeks and coming out of the summer hustle my hands and shoulders are really feeling the beating.

I've found icing them when their swollen helps a bit and so does my Back on Track gear.

So how do you manage pain in your heads and shoulders as hoof-care providers?

10/22/2025

I’ve got one or two cases right now that’s teaching me to let go of perfect and ideal. To let the horse dictate what they need for their trim. Man is it hard learning to let it be ugly and functional for the horse.

When Trims "Go Wrong"

A handful of years ago, I had a rehab case that came with a lot of internal pathology - including tendon damage, ligament tears, and navicular bone damage. Surprisingly, even with all the internal damage, this horse was fairly sound and the owner was able to ride him regularly, walk/trot/canter.

At one appointment, I had a hoofcare friend help look at his feet, because angles and appearance wise, I still wasn't quite happy with how they LOOKED. (This is probably where I went wrong... function over form is my now-motto!). This INCREDIBLE hoofcare friend - who has helped more horses rehab and become sound than I've even seen in my life - worked with me on this horse, and we were able to get his angles perfect based on radiographs, and his hoof to look beautiful.

And yet, almost instantly this horse went lame.

After years of internal issues and pathology, he couldn't handle having a "perfect looking foot." I should have known better not to try to force him to, when he was already comfortable and doing well.

I am so thankful that at that time, Cavallo Hoof Boots willingly sent out a pair of boots for FREE to help this horse become comfortable. He was much better in them, and we were able to put pads inside to allow for some extra "cushion."

And this is where I learned two important lessons:
1. Don't ever force a horse's hoof to fit your ideals - ask them how they feel about the decision each step of the way
2. Always have hoof boots on hand to ensure comfort in rehab cases

While I am sorry that this horse was sore after what we had done, he taught me those valuable lessons, and I am thankful that I could take that, and move forward to make sure I make better choices in the future.

Our Podiatry Clinic is coming up this weekend, and I wanted to give a HUGE shout out to Cavallo Hoof Boots for sponsoring it! While the clinic itself is sold out, we do still have a "livestream" option that will be available to purchase up through Friday; the link will be in the comments below.

10/21/2025

What Makes a Horse “Worth It”?

There have been a lot of posts lately about horses selling for incredible amounts of $50,000, $500,000, even $5 million.

It really makes you stop and think about what determines a horse’s worth.

You wonder, how can someone afford that?

And then the business side of your brain starts running the numbers — how could they ever make that money back?

I was once told, “Something is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it.”
And that line has stuck with me.

Because it made me realize.......value is deeply personal.

For one person, a horse’s worth might come from its success in the show pen, the titles, the earnings, the breeding.

For another, it might be how quietly that same horse takes care of their child on a trail ride or stands patiently for the vet.

As I rode through the woods in the dark the other night, I caught myself thinking about how my own idea of “value” has changed over the years.

There was a time I believed the best horse was the one who could win — who could perform, compete, and turn heads in the arena.

Now? I’ve come to value something very different.

I value the horse I can swing a leg over late at night, even after weeks , maybe months, off.

The one who quietly grazes beside me while the dogs run through the woods.

The one who stands politely for farrier and vet visits, who’s a steady presence no matter the chaos around him.

I value good conformation not just for beauty, but for soundness and longevity.

I value a horse that’s kind, trustworthy, and consistent more than one with ribbons or records.

So it leaves me wondering…

How do we each define the worth of a horse?

Maybe it’s not about the price tag at all .... maybe it’s about the peace they bring when you’re with them.

10/21/2025

For those folks looking to get on Erin Schedule!!! Highly recommend!!

📢 Vote for last official 2025 Ohio trip dates! 📢

🍁🍂Oct 31-Nov 2 (Halloween weekend)
--Or--
🍁🍂Nov 14-16

Comment your preference and tag friends!

10/20/2025