Emily's Equine Services LLC

11/28/2024

Please, for the love of the horse, if they get to the point where they are constantly uncomfortable, and you cannot manage the discomfort, let them go. They need to be free of pain and it's the least we can do for them

If there was one thing I would want to impart this winter season, as I get requests for ancient, decrepit surrenders who really don't deserve to be moved to a rescue, but do deserve end of life peacefully at home where they feel safe:

If you are starting to ask yourself if it's time, it likely is.

It's way better a day too early than a day too late.

While uncomfortable, it is unfair to put our emotional needs onto our animals, allowing suffering when we extend their life for just our benefit, not theirs.

Most folks, even knowledgeable and caring ones, wait far too long.

No, your old rescue likely won't find the perfect little kid. Many old equines don't get a kind ending. Please take responsibility and do it for them instead of burdening someone else.

This I have found out while I've been training, working with, and rescuing equines. While ancient donkeys often find good homes (they are adoptable since most people see them as pets) old full sized horses and mules generally don't.

I'm about to start laying this out to folks in initial calls. No, your 30 year old toothless horse "who gets around just fine and has plenty of life left" shouldn't need to move to a rescue. Let them go at home in kindness and peace.

It's not meant to be easy on us. It's hard. Death is a part of life. It's our responsibility. It's a kindness we can gift our animals. Do so.

- Rachel

11/14/2024

With the short daylight hours, man I'm having to make the most of it! Riding my own horses at daybreak, then trimming and shoeing client horse feet all day, and lastly coming home and teaching a lesson under these gorgeous late fall sunsets 😍

09/25/2024

Daylight may be getting shorter but my work days are not!! Grateful for clients and horses that don't mind when the headlamp comes out 😅

07/25/2024

EasyCare shoes can be dyed! This was a fun application today 😍

07/12/2024

It's a scorcher out 🥵
I've had a few clients yesterday and today that had to get done (pathologies, acute issues, schedule, etc) so this is my solution to beat the heat. My clients have been awesome at squirting me down with the spray bottle while I work in front of the fan, some laughs included 🤣 the 18% humidity has made the cooling factor very efficient 👍🏻
Stay cool and safe y'all! ⛱️

07/09/2024

If you look close, there is a snazzy set of EasyCare Inc. Protective Hoofwear Speed shoes on his tootsies!! Go Louise and Johnny!

05/14/2024

Picture perfect application of a full set of EasyCare Inc. Protective Hoofwear Versa Octos shoe today 🤩

03/30/2024

Pretty excited to announce that I am now a dealer for Pure Sole Hoof Products! I stumbled across this brand not too long ago and I was incredibly impressed with their ingredients, and when I tried it I found an equally impressive performance against thrush.

Talk to me for any length of time and you'll know that I am a**l about preventing and treating thrush and the HUGE impact that will have on hoof health. I strongly believe that any thrush products that stain purple or green are caustic and will eat at live tissue as well. While they can kill the thrush with use, they however also kill live tissue and I never see healthy regrowth happen after use.

I think of it this way, if you wouldn't want to put a thrush treatment on your own split heel or athletes foot, then why put it in on your animal an area that is often eaten down to mere millimeters away from soft, sensitive tissues??

I currently have Pure Sole Hoof Mud and Thrush Dust available for my clients to purchase, both products I would readily use on my own body. I am trying out some other products they have before I offer them as well.

Interested? Shoot me a message or ask me about this at our next trimming appointment ☺️

03/16/2024

Full set today on a gorgeous Appaloosa gelding! One thing he struggles with is low palmar angles causing a broken back hoof-pastern angle, so this shoeing package utilized 2.5° wedges all around to correct alignment. The goal here was to get the bony column aligned, which will lead to better heel growth and support, sole growth, caudal support, and a functioning, healthy foot.

Best part today was that he happily trotted off after snoozing through his appointment 🥰

Products used:
EasyCare Inc. Protective Hoofwear's Versa Light Glue in Front and Hind patterns.
Hoof MD Fast Set Acrylic adhesive.
Equine Digit Support System, Inc.'s Soft impression material (DIM).
Pure Sole Hoof Products's Hoof Mud for thrush prevention.

Interested in seeing what a progressive shoeing package can do for your horse? I am taking clients and would love to discuss the benefits of glue-on shoeing with you!

03/08/2024

Check out this glow-up?
Jack has gone from long toes, broken back angles to a functioning foot 😍
This was achieved using the EasyCare Inc. Protective Hoofwear Versa shoe line that I modified by grinding a shallow wedge and additional breakover. Jack's owner says that he is feeling better than ever. Excited to see how he progresses this next year!

Also a big thank you to my mentor Epona who got Jack started on his journey and then connected his owner and I, and for the ongoing support, knowledge and feedback!

03/07/2024

Today I worked on a new client horse, I was there to trim his feet... This horse was absolutely not about to let me pick up his front feet. He either had them firmly planted, or would aggressively paw if I did get the foot off the ground. Apparently a previous farrier had decided it would be a good idea to tie a rope to this horse's front foot, and then hoist the foot up and run the rope over his back to either a helper or a fence.... 😳😩😭

No wonder this poor soul didn't want anything to do with me trimming his feet.

With the help of his owner, and lots of cookies, we got him to let me pick his foot up and run a rasp over it. We called it good there, and I'll go back every 3 weeks for a training/trim session. Try and undo this past trauma and get him to realize that getting his feet trimmed is a happy time.

This just resonated so strongly tonight with me.

And I promise, cross my heart, hope to die, to all my current and future clients, that I will never, ever, EVER force your horse to let me trim their feet. Hoof care is a partnership exercise, one built in trust, and I will do everything possible to make the trim for your horse a positive time.

Picture of my derpy Warmblood baby for tax, ain't he cute?

02/06/2024

One of my clients shared this, and it really struck me. I don't think I've ever heard my approach to working with horses summed up so well. Especially horses that are shut down, withdrawn, or "frozen" because they've been forced into helplessness. Not always intentionally done, either. It's always so emotionally thrilling to me to see the light and curiosity come back into their eyes when you reward the tiniest try. When they realize that their efforts are seen, that's when you start to see a true connection to your horse. And then the results start to come.

01/18/2024

A neat comparison of the improvements I've made on a hind foot of a mare with DSLD. Her weight bearing surface has come back under her limb and the heel is starting to stand up and become a functional weight bearing surface. I'm so excited for this horse! She's become noticeably easier to work on as well as her comfort level increases 😊

12/31/2023

An incredibly satisfying frog shed from a Percheron mare. Doesn't look like it but her feet were dinner plate sized!!

(Side note, yes I will trim drafts but only if they have good manners and know how to stand and hold their own feet.)

12/08/2023

I have some of the cutest clients! How can you not love this face? Bonus, he was perfect for getting his pedicure done ☺️