That Horse Girl

25/04/2024

I'd like to dedicate today to a very special man. This boy touched my heart, and we spent the best 18 months of my life together. We shared so many laughs and beautiful moments. Those who know me personally will know this fellow by name: Old Man.
Here's to what would be 32 years. I can't believe it's been 5 years without you. I always miss you, old boy. ❤️

16/04/2024

Today, our theme is ! These iconic beauties roam wild on ranges in the western United States. They are also the subject of a heated debate.
The Bureau of Land Management that oversees the Mustang ranges claims that the horses are doing more harm than good and need to be removed. Their system of relocating the horses involves spending several weeks on a range using a helicopter at very low altitudes (sometimes only a matter of tens of feet off the ground) to chase the horses into a pre-set trap. The horses are then shipped to holding facilities where they may remain for long periods of time. Some horses are placed in special Mustang auctions to hopefully find their forever homes.
However, people like Emmy-winning filmmaker Ginger Kathrens and the Cloud Foundation are advocates for the wild horses. Asserting that the Mustangs are in fact a keystone species in the US, they fight to stop the roundups and control horse populations using more humane methods that have proven effective such as reversible infertility darting. The Cloud Foundation also uses social media to bring the Mustangs a bit closer to people like you and me by following bands in the Pryor Mountains. Kathrens has documented the life of the famous stallion, Cloud, for which the Foundation is named, since he was born in 1995. She knows all of his foals as well as all the Mustangs on the range.
No matter what side of the debate you take, there are ways you can help. By donating to causes like the Cloud Foundation, you can pitch in to finding alternatives to roundups to keep the keystone horses in place. If you are up to the task and commitment, you can also give a forever home to one of the tens of thousands of once-wild Mustangs who are currently in holding facilities. The Bureau of Land Management often holds special Mustang auctions both in-person and virtually. And if you aren’t in a place where taking in a once-wild Mustang is an option, being an advocate for the cause is just as important. Without advocacy, there cannot be awareness.

Picture taken from Google.

15/04/2024

These temperature fluctuations here in New Jersey are insane. Is it spring or not? I demand to speak with Mother Nature about her planning! 😂
This week has been very busy for me. Was it busy for you, too? On such days when we launch into a new week, it’s important to remember the simple, quiet moments. The world around us moves so quickly that it’s easy to overlook those little moments that can stop time. Horses are experts at grounding us. To a horse the present is the most important, and being mindful is a way of life. In a society that constantly has us race to endless goals, it’s important to take a few minutes to breathe in the present and greet the day whether or not you have a horse beside you. Maybe you will notice little things you hadn’t before like the buds on all of the trees!
Here, our beloved star Rockie is enjoying some afternoon sunshine!

11/04/2024

Welcome back to What’s the Word Wednesday!
Equestrians know the difference between a halter and a bridle, but I find most people outside of the horse world aren’t aware (including Google while I was searching for these pictures). Let me first begin by saying that horses naturally move away from pressure, and that some horses are more sensitive to it than others. Ideally, the pressure we as equestrians create is light enough to send clear signals to the horse. Sadly, like anything in this world, it can be used as either a tool or a weapon. Be mindful of your equine partner and treat them with respect.
A halter, shown in the first image, is a simple tool typically made of leather, nylon, and/or a special type of rope. It is used to guide a horse from the ground such as taking a horse out to the paddock in the morning or bringing them in at night. A halter is designed to create pressure in certain areas such as the poll, cheeks, bridge of the nose, and jaw to cue the horse where to go.
A bridle, shown in the second and third images, is a more complicated device most often used when riding. Usually made of real or faux leather, a bridle uses a metal piece in the horse’s mouth called a bit to guide the horse. There are many types of bits with different purposes, and a bridle doesn’t need a bit to direct the horse.
Bitless bridles, shown in the third image, are becoming increasingly common in the U.S. The world of horses is constantly changing, and bitless bridles are beginning to demonstrate that a bit isn’t always needed to control a horse. Bitless bridles are designed to put pressure on the horse’s cheeks and bridge of their nose to guide them.
Most often, the difference between a halter and a bridle is a bit, but with the rise of bitless bridles, this isn’t a universal identifier. A halter is almost always paired with a lead rope clipped to the bottom of the halter while bridles use reins. The halter is an all-purpose tool, and a bridle is worn for work.

08/04/2024

I think this is what we all need to hear.❤️

The more you claim your authentic self and find yourself walking firmly on the foundation of your life path, no longer having it deviate or crumble due to the pressures of outside expectation…

The more you tend to trigger people who don’t yet have the confidence to that.

Who, aware or not, feel trapped in a body that is frozen, scared to live the life they truly want and scared to follow their real motivations in fear of judgment.

And so, when they see other people doing just that, even in the presence of judging eyes and mocking words, it’s an upsetting sight to behold.

In an effort to alleviate the discomfort, they attempt to find flaws in the people who are approaching life in a way that honours who they are.

They attempt to disassemble that sense of personhood, to bring people back to where they are themselves.

What people often do and say, no matter how judgmental or unkind, oftentimes has more to do with them than it does anyone else.

If you find yourself doing things differently, becoming a completely different person than one the world once knew, because you’ve discovered who you really are and what makes you happy…

Hold onto that.

People who perceived the old version of you and either benefitted from that mask or were more comfortable watching you in that husk won’t like the change.

They may call you fake or inauthentic for such change.

But they don’t know which version of you feels more authentic to YOU.

They don’t know what makes you feel the most whole and happy.

So, don’t let them dictate that to you.

Observe their judgments with the understanding that people who haven’t yet found themselves cannot understand why someone else may change completely when they’ve found home in who they TRULY air.

The more happier, balanced and at ease you become, the more you’ll feel like a rock in the shoe of those who are anything but.

08/04/2024

Sunday is here again, and this time, it’s Saddle Up Sunday! Do you prefer English or Western riding? Or maybe a traditional ba****ck ride? Let me know in the comments!

07/04/2024

It’s Silly Saturday!
No matter how they are caused, we all have those hilarious pictures of our beloved horses. The young mini in this picture decided to give me a classic “nose shot” as she investigated my phone. She wouldn’t leave me alone! 😆 Do you have any silly pictures of horses? Share them in the comments!

05/04/2024

Fun Fact Friday is here!
Did you feel the 4.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut this morning? I’m sure your horse did!
Among the many superpowers of horses’ hooves is the ability to help perceive their surroundings. Called proprioception, this function allows horses to detect vibrations through a complex system of nerves within the hoof capsule. Research on this subject has only just begun, but so far, our understanding of horses’ feet has been completely redefined. The hoof serves many functions including acting as a “shock-absorber” to protect the blood vessels and joints. However, the bottom surface of the hoof is also adept at sensing. This allows them to very quickly readjust their footing if they step down on something incorrectly to avoid injury. In the wild, horses travel on varied terrain, sometimes at high speeds, and they have to be able to adjust accordingly. This is why they have evolved to pick up on many frequencies of vibration.
Another helpful survival skill this provides is the ability to detect the small vibrations that come before larger ones such as the beginnings of an earthquake or tremor. Human feet are not nearly as sensitive and often don’t feel a tremor until it hits with full force. Horses can feel these vibrations in advance of an occurrence, so they have time to prepare for disaster. Usually, this involves seeking higher ground in case a tsunami follows. An age-old question regarding horses and natural disasters is whether they have the ability to predict these potentially devastating events. While we may not yet know the answer, we do know that horses are certainly aware before we are!

05/04/2024

It’s Throwback Thursday! Horse history has plenty to teach us, and today, we’re diving into the origins America’s #1 horse breed.
The American Quarter Horse, the most popular horse breed in the U.S., originates from several bloodlines around the world. Despite the phrase, “They can turn on a dime and toss you back nine cents in change” used to describe the versatile breed, the Quarter’s name doesn’t come from coins at all.
The breed’s development began in Colonial America with none other than the everyday, all-purpose horses that had been brought over from England. These horses were capable of learning just about anything including riding, driving, and farm work in harness such as plowing fields. At the same time, the indigenous populations had another kind of horse: the still-developing ancestors of the modern Mustang. At that time, these horses were direct descendants of the Spanish Barbs brought to North America by the Spanish conquistadors. However, the Spanish Barb draws its origin from other Spanish breeds and the North African Barb (also known as the Amazigh and the Berber). As time went on, colonists sought the smaller but fast and surefooted horses bred by the Native Americans. Through trading with many tribes, most often the Chickasaw Nation, the colonists obtained these ponies. Through breeding them with their own English horses, they began to bring forth a whole new breed.
In England in the 1700s, a new kind of horse was stealing the spotlight. The responsible stud, Godolphin Arabian, is one of three recognized foundation sires to which all modern Thoroughbreds can trace their heritage. After a grandson of Godolphin Arabian was imported to the colonies, he changed the breed’s history by introducing a bloodline of faster and more powerful horses. Thanks to this influence, the Quarter Horse and the American Thoroughbred began to form. Though Thoroughbreds were preferred for their long-distance racing capabilities, the Quarter Horses were established short-distance sprinters. As the U.S. continued its history, Thoroughbreds became popular horses in the east for racing while Quarter Horses became the preferred horse in the western states. The Quarter’s endurance and energy made them a crucial part of the development of the Midwestern states. A few other notable sires left their mark on the breed including Steel Dust, Tiger, Printer, and Sir Archy. However, the Quarter Horse was still lacking one set of bloodlines that would finish sculpting the breed into the iconic Quarter: the wild Mustang. Though the breed already contained the blood of the Spanish Barb, the Mustangs had around two hundred years to evolve in the wilderness. The breed was now tough, brave, and well-equipped for running. From these lines of improved Quarter Horse came the stock bloodlines that went on to create the studbook of the American Quarter horse on March 15th, 1940. Through eighty years of careful breeding, the Quarter Horse has evolved into America’s favorite breed.
The name Quarter Horse originates from the colonial ancestor horses who worked hard to provide for their owners. On the weekends when the horses weren’t working, farmers enjoyed racing their horses through town. In those days, the main roads of towns averaged a length of a quarter of a mile. These races were key factors in the development of the breed, and the American Quarter Horse will never forget the quarter-mile distance that forever changed all American horses.

Sources:
The American Quarter Horse Association and a few other Google searches.
Horses pictured:
Metallic Cat, Latigo Dun It, Smart Chic Olena, and Slick by Design
All pictures taken from Google.

04/04/2024

What’s the Word Wednesday is here! Equestrians know we have words for the most oddly specific things relating to horses. This day is dedicated to those words!
Have you ever seen a horse do this? There’s a reason for it! This behavior is called the Flehmen response, and it serves a few very particular purposes.
The most common explanation is that the horse encountered a scent or taste that was unfamiliar to them. The sensitive membranes on the inside of a horse’s lip can help to better “smell” by sensing pheromones and sending the information directly to the brain. Naturally, a horse learns by associating senses to ideas, and this is one of their many superpowers in the wild. They will take in a new scent and determine if it has positive, neutral, or negative implications. For instance, the smell of a new treat will have a positive association while the scent of a predator will have a negative one.
Similar to detecting scents, a stallion may have a Flehmen response to a nearby mare to determine if she is in heat. Mares who have very recently given birth will also do this to gather as much information about her foal as possible.
If you have ever scratched that “perfect spot” on a horse, you very well might have seen this response! Often paired with a curved-up neck, this means the horse is really enjoying what you are doing. It’s comparable to a dog thumping their leg when you scratch their belly.
Lastly, the Flehmen response without an obvious cause can be an indicator of intense pain. Mares in labor may do this. However, it can also be an indicator of colic, abdominal pain that can lead to complications and even death if not treated immediately. If a horse continues performing this response for longer than 2-3 minutes, test its appetite. If it doesn’t want to eat, assume it is colic. Be sure to call your vet and monitor the horse.
No matter what the reason for the Flehmen response, it has often been called “smiling”. Now that you know the reasons for it, you can get to know your equine partner even better.

03/04/2024

There is always something more to be learned! This is why I am launching Teachable Tuesdays. Maybe you’ll learn something new!
Though I love teaching others, I love learning just as much. This week, I’m doing research on locking stifles, clinically known as upward fixation of the patella. I frequently work with a young mini with the issue, and I like to go into a situation as educated as possible. That way, I can keep the horse and myself safe without any surprises.
I was interacting with the youngster in her stall recently when I noticed she seemed to hop with one back leg and drag the other along. Naturally, my mind went to all of the worst-case scenarios: what if she injured herself or broke a bone? I gently massaged her leg to see if she showed any signs of being in pain, and she was more annoyed than anything else. I thought back to a book I have that reviews some common equine medical issues, and I eventually realized what had happened. Up to that point, I had only ever seen a stifle lock in the resting position, so it was pretty apparent that I had some research to do. Once I knew she wasn’t in any pain or potentially at risk, I decided to leave her be. I checked on her about ten minutes later, and she was standing and walking perfectly.
In addition to learning about locking stifles, some of the known causes, and some treatment options, I also learned that it’s important not to jump to conclusions. Horses do some things that look really scary, but if you consider other possibilities, the situation usually becomes much less scary. Luckily for this youngster, her issue is likely due to her rapid growth and should resolve over time. If it continues to be an issue for her after she reaches adulthood, I know she will be cared for and loved anyway. She has such dedicated owners and a team of loving volunteers to make sure she has everything she needs to be happy and healthy for her entire life.

01/04/2024

I’m kicking off this week (and month) with new weekly themes! It’s Meme Monday, and it’s no joke!
This meme was inspired by a conversation I had with a fellow volunteer at a local barn. Can you relate to this? Let me know in the comments, and feel free to share!

23/03/2024

It’s interesting how the horseshoe is one of the most commonly associated symbols with horses.

It’s not something the horse naturally has — it’s what humans have done to them.

So much of what we attribute to equestrian culture is what humans do to horses.

What we add to them in order to do the sports we want to do.

Not their natural beauty, not what fundamentally makes up “being a horse.”

Lately, I’ve been really into barefoot hoof prints.

The hoof is one of the most integral parts of the horse — no hoof— no horse.

What an incredible structure it is, all on its own.

Often, it’s the human intervention in the first place that damages the natural capacity of the hoof.

So, really, it’s no surprise that so many of the symbols we attribute to horse culture and equestrian style are related to what humans have created for horses.

This isn’t a sentiment against shoes — or equipment for that matter — just a mere observation.

Perhaps, a new symbol of good luck and something to memorialize the horse could be an homage to the bare hoof, rather than what man nails to it.

27/02/2024

As much as I would have loved for the very first before and after post to be a drastic (or at least noticeable one), the horse’s needs always come first.
Last week, I had the pleasure of grooming this wonderful, young horse named Rockie (soon to be the first featured horse!). He is an off-track Thoroughbred (OTTB) currently preparing for his first show season. His owner has done a fantastic job caring for him and training him, and he has come a long way! He isn’t used to being handled by strangers, so my main goal for grooming him was to show him that I would be as gentle and loving as his owner. Sometimes strangers can be intimidating to horses.
His thick winter coat was shedding like a blizzard. My favorite deshedding tool is the Equigroomer, but he really didn’t like the noise it made. I opted instead to use a tool that was more familiar to him: a standard shedding blade. Also, he was being protective of his legs because of a healing scrape on one of them, so I didn’t put him through cleaning his hooves. I wasn’t concerned about skipping this step because his owner is very diligent in looking after him. Overall, he was very patient with me despite being a little cranky that day and just being a bored youngster. If I was that young, I wouldn’t want to stand around, either!

05/02/2024

So it begins......

Shedding season always catches me off guard! I make the annual mistake of thinking we can get halfway through February before anyone starts to shed. 😂
Though I have to admit, I'm excited it's shedding season. Giving a horse a good, thorough de-shedding is one of my favorite things in the world!

01/11/2023

Happy Halloween! 👻🎃

Horses can share in the fun, too! Many years ago, I participated in a horse and human costume contest. My partner in crime was a sassy pony gelding named Colby. Thankfully, he more or less tolerated being dressed up!
Our theme was a local New Jersey legend from the American Revolution. As the tale goes, a young woman from Jockey Hollow named Temperance "Tempe" Wick rode to fetch the nearby doctor for her sick mother in December of 1780. On the way home, she was stopped by three soldiers of the Pennsylvania Line Mutiny who demanded she give them her horse. One of the mutineers held the horse's bridle until she surrendered the horse but released it to help her down. Tempe sent her horse forward, escaping the soldiers and racing home. They arrived safely, but she feared the mutineers were so desperate they might follow her to take her horse. She brought the horse inside the house, up the stairs, and into a bedroom to keep it hidden. She closed the shutters over the window and laid a featherbed under the horse to muffle the sound of his hooves on the wooden floor. When the soldiers came, they searched around the house and inside the barn, but they eventually left without her horse. According to the story, Tempe kept her horse in the bedroom for about a week and a half until the mutineers marched south. Today, the Wick House is part of the Morristown National Historical Park, and visitors often claim to see the faint imprints of the horse's shoes in the wooden floor of the bedroom.
I had a colonial costume from a school project the year prior, and with the help of my crafty mom, we made a costume for Colby, too. I thought, why not take the legend a step further and disguise this pony as a bed? Unfortunately, the quilt wouldn't stay on Colby's back, but we gave everyone there a good laugh! I had so much fun that night! I hope one day I'll be able to enjoy another event like this one.

24/10/2023

SERVICES:

On average, the process takes around one hour for standard-sized horses. For miniatures, draft horses, especially dirty horses, or anxious horses/horses with undesirable habits, it may take a shorter or longer amount of time.

A full grooming session includes:
- A good check for any abnormalities during the entire process (which I will report to you at the end of the session)
- A deep cleaning with a curry comb to bring all dirt, dust, hair, and other debris to the surface
- A thorough de-shedding if needed (seasonal)
- A full body brushout with a hard brush
- A coat finishing brush with a soft brush (coat shine and dust repellant spray optional)
- A careful face brushing (eye and/or muzzle clean-up optional)
- A hoof cleanout with a hoof pick and brush
- A combing and dirt removal of the feathers if needed
- A brushing and detangling of the mane and tail (detangler is used unless requested otherwise. Braiding of the mane and/or tail is optional)
- One last look-over for anything unusual and to make sure there are no places that need further grooming
- A clean up of any hair, dirt, and debris that was removed during the session

Services can be tailored to the individual horse's needs. I am happy to work with you to determine what services would be appropriate for your horse.

24/10/2023

Welcome to That Horse Girl’s page!
My name is Lily, and I’m a mobile horse groomer based in Wall Township, New Jersey. With 10 years’ experience working with and handling horses of all sizes, I serve the equestrians and horses of the Monmouth County area. The services I offer go beyond standard maintenance grooming. Thoroughly grooming horses with patience and compassion, I take pride in making your horse feel and look wonderful!
If you are interested in my services, you can contact me via Facebook Messenger, send an email to [email protected], or call or text me at 732-608-3953. I look forward to working with you and your horse!