The Barn at Hemlock

26/11/2023

Louisa, VA. Retirement board available for full care for 1 horse. Would share pasture with a mare and molly mule. 12 x 12 matted box stall in new barn. New no climb wire fencing with a strand of hot wire on top in rotated pastures. $400 / month plus cost of hay (you purchase in addition to monthly board price, 100 bales per horse per year minimum). Daily care / turn out. The BEST local farrier. Vet is Old Dominion Equine Associates.
Strictly retirement, so no riding. Private farm. Owners live on the farm. Looking for the right fit. Boarder visitation by appointment only.

25/11/2023

Louisa, Va

21/04/2023

Dinnertime! Cindy the Mule

11/01/2023

I have added a bit to the previous post 😊
I have also added some links to interesting studies,so join the dots.( in the comments)
When you remove nailed on metal shoes, the heart rate decreases and the whole circulatory system relaxes, we know that fixed metal shoes have an effect on the hoof mechanism.
This means the equine becomes less stressed and the temperament changes to a more relaxed state.
This is just common sense.
Just think about any stressed animal, what happens to their heart rate?
But sometimes once you remove the shoes and load a weak hoof without giving support via boots/pads or suitable footing you can add stress to the horse and increase the pressure on the heart and circulatory system, this is sometimes why people go back to shoes as they don’t want to see their horses struggle.
So we need to be careful and take things slowly and carefully, respecting healing processes.
We need to be able to communicate properly and understand each individual situation and explain as we go.
You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs, but let’s try and not get any of the shell.

07/01/2023

19/12/2022

When securing blankets, make sure that the snaps/clips are facing inward, toward the horse! If they are facing out, they can easily become stuck on something, like the hay net in the picture.

09/12/2022

Do you really understand how big your horse's lungs are? This picture is a horse's lungs fully inflated...amazing when you think they are enclosed in a horse's body! Did you know a horse takes in 2x 5-Gallon buckets of air ever second? Think of how much that really is. So, do the best you can to help your horse breathe! http://flairstrips.com/learn/

06/12/2022

Both girls visited with the vet today.

15/11/2022

When someone allows her/himself to project human emotions into a horse, it limits that person from figuring out the REAL reason for some behavior.

Example: Someone says "My horse is being a pig."

Possible real reasons behind the "unwanted" behavior---Bad riding, ulcers, bad saddle fit, horse too unfit for the task, horse doesn't understand the task being asked, too painful a bit, tooth leg, hoof, back, neck or other physical issue, too little turnout, there are many possible real reasons.

The better horse people have learned to think like trainers. The lesser ones, not so much. How well does someone want to ride and train? Some get educated, some don't, their choice-------

05/11/2022