Hoof to Heart , LLC & H2H VETS INC

22/11/2024

This all winter 🥶❄️ day long

Question - How many barns/lesson programmes/trainers/instructors lose clients (or fear losing clients) during the winter months when they switch to groundwork, horsemanship, stable management, horse observation and education lessons when conditions or weather dictate that it is in their own, the facilities, the clients AND the horses best interests to NOT proceed with ridden lessons on any given day?

Answer - A LOT!

Support your trainers or programme when they make smart decisions in your best interests during the challenging winter months.

We make these decisions because we care. We make these decisions because, collectively, Kerry and I have been teaching for 60 years or more.

Unmounted lessons are as important as any ridden lesson.

Walk lessons are as valuable as any lesson in faster gaits.

18/11/2024

🌾🌾🌾

Horses have a fascinating and unique digestive system that requires careful attention. As non-ruminant herbivores, horses thrive on forage-based diets and have a single-compartment stomach—similar to humans. Since horses are hindgut fermenters, they also rely on fermentation in their hindgut (cecum and colon) to extract energy from forage. 🌾

🔬 How it Works:

1️⃣ Chewing (Mechanical Digestion):
Digestion starts in the mouth, where chewing breaks food into smaller pieces, increasing the surface area for digestive enzymes. Chewing also produces saliva, which buffers stomach acid and supports gastric health. Horses with dental issues may struggle to chew, so their diet may need to be adjusted. 🦷💧

2️⃣ The Stomach (Chemical Digestion):
In the stomach, gastric acid, enzymes, and microbes continue breaking down food. The stomach’s acidic environment helps digest food and defends against harmful microorganisms. However, since horses continuously produce stomach acid—even when not eating—long periods of time without food (forage) can increase their risk of ulcers. 🧪🍴

3️⃣ The Small Intestine (Nutrient Absorption):
After the stomach, digesta moves to the small intestine, where enzymes continue to break down the food even more. Nutrients like starch, protein, and fats are absorbed. 🌟

4️⃣ Hindgut Fermentation (Cecum & Colon):
In the hindgut, microbes ferment fibre from hay, pasture, and other forages, producing volatile fatty acids (VFAs) which are a major energy source for horses. Any undigested food continues through the colon, where water is absorbed, and waste is formed. 🌾🔥

📖 Want to learn more about equine digestion health and ways to support it? Check out our full article for a deeper dive! 🌿🐴

🇨🇦https://madbarn.ca/supplements-for-digestive-health-in-horses/
🇺🇸https://madbarn.com/supplements-for-digestive-health-in-horses/

14/11/2024

13/11/2024

Thissssssss

10/11/2024

On the triangle

Lunging, by Bill Woods

"Sometimes what I see makes me crazy(er); so here are my own thoughts on the topic that I wish you would take into consideration when you lunge.It is said that whenever you work with your horse you are "training" him— sometimes for worse, sometimes for better but he will always draw some conclusion about what you have done. That said, from the moment you bring him out of his stall you should be "riding" him— directing him in a positive way to accede to your wishes. If you let him walk all over you in hand or pull his head down to grab at the grass when he feels like it, it will not bode well for work under saddle."

Click on the link below to continue reading 👇

https://www.myvirtualeventingcoach.com/articles/guest-blog-121-lunging-bill-woods

10/11/2024

To develop the horse symmetrically in body and limbs you can use gymnastic exercises.

*** CORNERSTONES ***

The core of the gymnastic exercises consists of the circle, shoulder-in and haunches-in. All the other exercises are derived from these cornerstones.

🐴 The circle is used to develop the Lateral bending of the body and spine, the Forward down tendency of the head and neck and the Stepping under the center of mass of the inside hind leg (LFS).

🐴 Once the inside hind leg can step under, this hind leg can also start to take weight. To do so we use the shoulder-in and counter-shoulder-in. These exercises are designed to school the hind leg in function of the inside hind leg. As a result of taking the weight, the horse will bend the inside hind leg more and free the outside shoulder.

🐴 Once the horse can bend the hind leg as an inside hind leg, we can also start to school the hind leg as an outside hind leg. To do so we use first the haunches-in (travers) and later on the renvers. In the renvers the horse can lean less against the wall/fence with his shoulder, so it's a bit more difficult than the travers, but as a result he really supports himself with his hind legs.

*** ALL EXERCISES ARE RELATED ***

All exercises relate to one another and differ slightly:

🐎 The only difference between shoulder-in and counter-shoulder in is the position of the fence/wall. The same applies to the haunches-in (travers) and the renvers, also there the only difference is the position of the wall.

🐎 The difference between shoulder-in and renvers is the bending in the spine, which is the opposite. In these exercises the same hind leg has the opposite function ('inside' in shoulder-in, 'outside' in renvers). The same applies to counter shoulder-in and the haunches in.

🐎 The half pass is 'just' a haunches-in over the diagonal, and the pirouette is 'just' a haunches-in on a small circle. Both half-pass and pirouette require support of both the inside as the outside hind leg. Therefore in both exercises the shoulders must lead to be able to keep the center of mass in front of the direction of the hind legs, only then both hind legs can support the weight. So both the half pass and pirouette also relate to the shoulder-in.

*** NUMBER OF TRACKS AND DEGREE OF BENDING ***

Now all exercises can be done on 3 or 4 tracks, or 2,5 tracks or 3,75 or 3,99 ;) and your horse can have more or less bend in his spine. Now there is no 'perfect' number and the exact degree doesn't matter. What matters in ST is that you choose the number of tracks and degree of bending where your horse can support his body and center of mass best with both hind legs. And that depends on the conformation of your horse: if he has a long back or a shorter one, if he has long legs, or shorter ones, if he has a long neck or a short one. So choose the degree of bending and number of tracks where your horse can move in optimal balance and with most quality.

*** HOW TO DEVELOP THESE EXERCISES? ***

First start the circle, then after a few training sessions add the shoulder-in, and the moment the the horse can do this exercise for 66,6% of quality, add the haunches-in. From there you can start practising the variations.

**** HOW TO DEVELOP THE HORSE EQUALLY? ***

To develop a horse equally in body and limbs all exercises need to be done to the right and to the left (or as they say in English: on the right rein and on the left rein).

When doing these exercises there will always be an 'easy' side and a difficult side. To develop the horse equally, do the 'difficult' side a bit more often and it's also an idea to start with the 'difficult' side and to end with the 'difficult side'.

The moment the horse starts to feel more equal, switch to train the exercises 50-50.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click here for more information:

Circle:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/circle

Shoulder-in:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/shoulder-in

Haunches-in:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/haunches-in

Renvers:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/renvers

Half pass:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/half-pass

Pirouette:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/pirouette

Lateral movements:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/lateral-movements

Ladder of exercises:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/a-logical-system-of-ever-increasing-exercises

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

07/11/2024

04/11/2024

As a Veteran Owned and operated program, we offer a unique experience that encompasses an Equine partnership & connection.

02/11/2024

This!!!! 🥰

I will always try to help get the rider / handler to THEIR goals

🤠🥰🤠🥰🤠

If your rider does walk only for three months, barely trots, and never canters, it’s fine.
If someone wants to groom, do a little ground work, and an occasional pony ride, that’s great.

Let people enjoy horses at their level.

So many instructors only want the students that are going to buy a fancy horse, compete at rated shows, and be all in… that’s just not reality. It’s also NOT a more profitable businesses model!

If someone wants to pay you to spoil your older lesson horse, or if someone wants to learn the technical stuff at a walk, but their body just isn’t going to ride a real dressage test ever, then help them accomplish THEIR goals!!!!
*Too many instructors push their own goals onto students.*

(That said, most horses DO need to move out, and preferably should be moved out with a rider as a critical part of keeping them physically and mentally at their best- but another rider can do that. )

02/11/2024

It will likely be way harder one direction.
Do NOT lean, but rather put your pelvis over top of your inside leg.
Many (most?) riders unknowingly slide to the outside one or both directions.
This really helps!!

31/10/2024

🎃Happy halloween from these ponies 🎃

31/10/2024

26/10/2024

Follow along with licensed Equine Sports Massage Therapist & Pole Trainer Kara O'Laughlin as she walks you through extensive ground pole exercises to help prehab your horse 🐴❤️