by_daniellehurst

11/07/2022

12/01/2022

Sometimes we fall into the trap of HAVING TO RIDE EVERYDAY and if we aren’t we’re ‘failing’.

Take a step back and just do you! 💗

A must read 👇🏻

This is something i find myself explaining quite frequently.

Now i get it, we've all been there, everyone's riding and having fun and you're not able to because your horse is lame, you've lost a bit of confidence due to an incident on board, boring practitioners like me have advised your horse needs a holiday or maybe your life just isn't allowing for rides at the moment... it's normal. For example, i've not ridden mine for 10 days now and it's going to be at least another 4 before i find the chance AT BEST!

What it also is, is OK. It's completely OK to not work your horse for 2 days or 2 years. Often when I've had a more "intense" case you can almost guarantee there's a period of time when tacking your horse up isn't remotely on the agenda and there's a pressure to "do something" with them, especially in the winter!! this often leads to feelings of guilt and sometimes even elements of resentment to the horse when it's their health that's stopping it. Again, it's normal.

It's CRUCIAL to remember this quote. Don't pressure yourself, the training and experiences together begin the moment you walk within eye sight. If you can't ride your horse, DO SOMETHING ELSE! Here's some "no pressure- no riding" things you can do until the day comes when you get that warm fuzzy feeling of working your horse again... whenever that time may be:

- Did you know grooming increases blood flow, heats up superficial muscles, increases oxygenation, reduces HORSE AND OWNER blood pressure and you both get super levels of endorphins (Happy chemicals) by the end of it.

- Tricks: teaching tricks isn't just teaching to bow. Teach intelligence based tricks, manners, communication based body language!

- Join up/ free schooling games such as "you stop when i stop" ,following you, obstacle courses and more

- In hand pole games. These can be the essential starters to raising confidence in each other, learning about each other, and is often where Physios advise you start the rehab to gain key hand-eye co-ordination (Proprioception)

- Going for walks! This may just be around the yard, up the lane, or even just in the arena whilst you help others with jump poles etc

- Stretches..yes i know "stretches stretches and more stretches ARE BORRINGGG!!" But, stretching the horse will A) Keep them flexible and in good shape whilst they recover from their injuries B ) They also will find the return to work much easier; you may find your horse comes back better than he was before!

Don't pressure yourself to ride your horse. He doesn't mind.

03/01/2022

Happy New Year 💥

Firstly, I would like to apologise for being so absent and very unorganised! A lot has being going on behind the scenes 🤓🐴

Thank you for baring with me. I am opening my diary on the 22nd, 23rd, 29th and 30th of January with serviced clippers and freshly sharpened blades ✨

Please pop a message through if you’d like to book in, thank you 💌

22/12/2021

💫

Somewhere in the world, the 2028 Olympic champion is a foal out in a field. He’s ewe-necked, sickle-hocked, downhill and shaggy, with a club foot and a chunk of mane missing, because his buddy chewed it off.

Somewhere in the world, there’s a young horse that everyone says is too short to make it big. In three years, he’ll be jumping the standards, but right now he’s fat and short and no one is paying him any mind.

Somewhere in the world there’s a 7-year-old who can’t turn right, and a 10-year-old who has not shown the ability to put more than two one-tempis together without losing it, and a 14-year-old who hasn’t yet reached his peak, and all of them will be at the next Olympic Games.

Somewhere else in the world, there’s a rider who is thinking of packing it in. Maybe the bills are getting out of control, or she’s killing herself to get enough help in her own riding development because she’s having to spend all her time riding and teaching to make ends meet and change needs to happen, and she’s wondering if it’s worth it. She’s thinking it’s time to just give up and be a local trainer, to shelve her dreams of international competition. And then she’s going to shake off the doubt, double down, and make a team in the next 15 years.

Somewhere in the world, one of the next great team riders is 9 years old and couldn’t tell if she was on the right posting diagonal if her life depended on it.

Somewhere in the world there’s a future team rider who just got told that she’ll never make it because she’s too chubby, because she’s too short, because she’s too late.

There are horses who will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars that will never amount to anything, and there are horses who will be touted as the Next Big Thing only to be never seen or heard from again, and there are horses who will fly under the radar until suddenly they’re setting the world on fire.

There are riders who will win Junior and Young Rider competitions only to quit riding completely, riders who will be touted as the Next Big Thing only to get stuck in their comfort zones and never come to fruition, and there are riders who will make their first Olympic team at 50, at 55, at even older than that.

And yes, there are the horses that will be brilliant from day one, and there are the riders for whom success both comes early and stays late. But more often than not, history has shown that the unlikely story, the horse who was passed over in favor of his more expensive stablemate, the rider who no one saw coming, is the more likely path to greatness.

Credit and written by Lauren Sprieser at Chronicle Of The Horse

02/09/2021

Raise your hand if your ignoring the colder mornings, the nights drawing in and your pony moulting 🙋🏻‍♀️

Clipping season has arrived! My dairy is now open so to avoid disappointment book your steed in now for their glow up 💌

17/08/2021

Reverse leg blend for Clover 🍀

Clover suffers from Chronic Progressive Lymphedema which is a build up of lymph fluid in the lower leg. It causes swelling that is then visible as skin folds on the lower legs.

This condition is very common in your big heavier breeds; cobs, clydesdales and drafts etc. Clipping the legs can help and reduce the onset of the condition worsening for example skin lesions; or the onset of other conditions such as mites 🐜

Overall leaving Clover happier as her legs can breathe and her owner is able to monitor and treat her if needs be without tackling through her feathers ✨

05/03/2021

Meet my team! 💈

I have 3 different types of clippers:
✨On the left we have the Bruno’s - small but powerful.
✨In the middle are the Black Beauty’s - the ultimate powerhouse.
✨Lastly we have the Classic’s - perfect for the face, awkward places and blending.

At the back we have the liveryman clipper oil and blade cleaner which I use whilst clipping and blade cleaner which I use to disinfect my blades after every use.

02/03/2021

Cute little cob with some unwanted tenants. Hopefully he’ll be feeling much better after some treatment 💕

24/02/2021

Following on from Bojo’s announcement it’s looking like we may have a season this year🤞🏻

Who’s ponies are show ring ready and who’s need a little lockdown glow up? ✨

I will be opening my diary very soon so please get in touch to avoid disappointment 💌

Picture captured by the very talented 📸

28/01/2021

💯👇🏻

I can vouch for Hannah, she’s been and treated Zeus twice when he got a double casting. I knew he had a ni**le but couldn’t put my finger on where it was. Hannah found two little ni**les whilst warming Zeus up for his treatment and was so educational with the theory side of the equine muscular-skeletal system- I learnt loads. 🤓

Happy ponies are the best ponies 🦄

The mind of a Vet Physio vs “The moody one”. Why are we accepting this?

70% of new clients book an appointment for a standard “MOT”. Meaning they’ve felt it’s time to get a Vet Phys out for a good look and check over. That’s great, I LOVE that. Have your horse checked, felt, prodded, poked, tested, evaluated and re-fitted to as much as Is financially possible. We ask the earth of our beloved horses and I’m of the opinion that we in turn should give back the upmost in complete pain management. Having people like myself out is considered completely normal now and it’s brilliant. However, one thing I hear almost every day when I see a horse scowl or snap is “oh he’s always been like that” or “he just doesn’t like being touched there” or even “he was like that when we got him 13 years ago so”. This in itself poses a problem to me. A horse that- in any context- is argumentative, aggressive, snappy or unsociable is not a horse that is either happy or healthy; perhaps even both. Horses by nature are passive (to a degree!), submissive and “ flight not fight” minded. Just these 3 descriptions immediately go against the thought that it’s just their personality. So, in light of this, you begin to think WHY are they being like this? What could cause a seemingly happy animal to become defensive or angry. Simple answer is discomfort in their body or environment.

Now, I say it could be two things because sometimes horses simply don’t settle on yards. If a horse is unsettled where they live and the problems causing this aren’t dealt with, over time the horse will become defensive and stressed which can lead to negative behaviours. Old environmental trauma such as abuse and neglect can also cause such behaviours. However, this is the less frequently diagnosed answer and a vet or suitably qualified physio will be able to distinguish mental stress from physical pain.

We know by now from previous posts I’ve written to books, magazines, studies and social media that everything from saddle fit to anatomical pain and aggressive riding causes discomfort. But my question therein lies, why is it not commonplace that owners aren’t challenging this likelihood with what we do to/with them? Just because the horse has been like this for X amount of years does not mean theres “nothing they can do”. You absolutely CAN do something about it. And it starts with the mindset of the owner.

A horse that presents with snapping over the ribs and armpit, whilst brushing or rugging is possibly showing discomfort to the digestive tract. Similar that a horse which tries to kill you for putting a saddle on may well have an ill fitting saddle. This is no different to if you have a sore foot; the last thing you want is someone to stand on it. Realistically, you want everyone to back off and leave you the hell alone until it doesn’t hurt anymore JUST IN CASE you get even more hurt. Now I’m sure you’re nodding and agreeing at the hurt foot theory. This same mindset of our human pain behaviours needs to be accepted and PUSHED into the equine field.

Now the reason I am bringing this up is because recently I have found myself almost daily advising new clients that I have *never* come across a horse who is aggressive and given the owner the all clear. There is ALWAYS something causing it. Always. It may not be clear, it may be minor or it may be completely obvious. But it’s there and I will find the cause of their behaviour.. then it’s just the task of telling the owner- this is the hard part!!

I’ve always said to owners that I’ll be blunt and I’ll never lie. This is because My job is not just to treat the pony and tell the owner what they want to hear. It’s to educate as many people as possible about their horse and move them forward to be the best they can be. The theory that a good portion of the worlds horses are nasty and angry is not something that is scientifically accepted. And I truly believe we cannot move forward with the health of the horse in mind until this is commonly accepted and known. That’s where myself and many other amazing professionals come in! So if your horse snaps, argues or evades you, perhaps consider getting a professional out to confirm what the possible problem is. At the worst, you’ll know why and be able to accept it without frustration. At the best, you’ll have a new horse who thanked you for listening. Just listen, and they will tell all. It’s down to you.

Photo of horse “KT” by Jennifer Brooks PT, MEd on “reprogramming the girthy horse”

31/12/2020

Wishing everyone a happy new year! ⛄️❄️

I am taking bookings for January and February 💌

25/12/2020

Merry Christmas from me and mine to you and yours 🦄🎄

Massive thank you to everyone who has supported us through 2020 💗

08/12/2020

CLIENT NOTICE ✨

Sorry for the short notice but this weekend (12th and 13th) will be my last weekend of 2020 for clipping! Due to personal circumstances I will be unable to visit yards over the Christmas period, I hope you all understand and make the most of what can only be described as strange times 💗

I will be taking bookings for 2021 💌

Thank you for your support! 💗

28/11/2020

Clint after his winter glow up 💫

Perfect client! Bathed prior his clip, stood perfectly then hot clothed down after his clip 🦄

24/11/2020

🙅🏻‍♀️👇🏻💯

https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/horse-whisker-removal-banned-731272?fbclid=IwAR2f47pvdLVqGPhQgSUZ4SCk_cSbnV0S-S75ZNjL5u6fPEe_uKgif_L7bto

The ban will come into force in FEI events next summer

23/11/2020

Baby Willow saying hi to the clippers 💈

Introducing babies to clippers is super important to me. Your creating a very first impression that is going to be instilled into them forever so you want it completely pressure free. I held them over the stable door and waited for Willow to come to me - in her own time - this is super important! When it comes to clipping a youngster, or any form of handling youngsters for that matter, do it in their time and you’ll get such a bigger reward from it 🌈

The purpose for clipping Willow was she was dripping with sweat from being stabled at night due to the mild conditions we’ve had so we needed to make her more comfortable ✨

21/11/2020

Little Frosty had her 3rd clip of the winter today ❄️

Giving frosty an Irish to ensure she doesn’t get sweaty when being lunged. I also tamed them fluffy little legs using the liveryman classics ✨

18/11/2020

Had the pleasure of giving this little herd their winter glow up 💫

Velvet much preferred the pamper to the photoshoot, big Red is an absolute gentle giant and little Biscuit was a wild one when it came to his ears! 🦄

Love getting to know each of your steeds! 🥰

14/11/2020

Introducing the inspiration behind 🥁

This is Odin Pony and has the patiences of a saint and will stand to be messed with all day long and not move an inch. He’s been my blank canvas for my ideas for the past 4 years and is nothing less than the best! 💗

Odin isn’t in any work at the minute but was sweating due to the mild conditions so we decided on a irish ensuring his armpits are completely clear to avoid sweat build up 💫

12/11/2020

I was lucky enough to be the first to clip baby Peppa! 💫

Peppa knew what was coming as she’d watched her big sissy getting a glow up a couple of weeks before and absolutely loved the attention! 👑

I am so grateful that you choose me to introduce your babies to clipping, they have all been fab! 💗



Issy Nami Dressage

10/11/2020

Our favourite baby Tia 👶🏻

This was Tia’s second clip and we kept the same style of clip - small trace. We took it a step further and took Tias head off (I think I got carried away 🙈) You can see by the video she’s took it in her stride 💗

What will be next - full hog?! 😱

09/11/2020

One of my FAVOURITE products yet - wonder oil 💥

Wonder oil is created by a small company close to home and I absolutely love it! I use this product after I have clipped mixed with some hot water to lift the excess grease that wasn’t lifted from bathing and to wipe off those little tiny itchy hairs. This product also has a HUGE list of benefits:
✅ It balances the PH skin levels encouraging strong healthy hair growth.
✅ It contains therapeutic properties to ease tired muscles.
✅Increases blood flow and contains anti inflammatory properties.
✅ Contains anti fungal and anti microbial properties to reduce the itch.
✅ Prevents and treats mites.
✅ Leaves coats silky smooth with an awesome shine.
✅The smell is incredible!

also do a full botanicals range for your pony 🌺🌸🌼



*Please note this is not an ad and I am not receiving a gain from this. Just sharing an awesome product.

31/10/2020

Little Lenny 🤩

Unicorn wings and stars for the ultimate kids pony 🦄⭐️

I still have some availability through November if you’d like to book in 💌

26/10/2020

Jim knew the script 💯

Before and after of Jim’s new trim. He stood so still to be clipped, bless him 🐻

24/10/2020

Palamino Polly sporting a blanket ✨

Polly hasn’t been with her owner very long and her history of being clipped was very much unknown so we had a pre consultation. Polly was very unsure of the clippers, although not dangers just super worried so we opted for a sedation 💤

If your wanting your pony clipped but unsure how they will react, please get in touch 💌

23/10/2020

The other two to Issy Nami Dressage’s herd 😍

Peppa had the best first experience and took to being clipped like a duck to water. I have never seen a pony groom their owner whilst being clipped before 🤷🏻‍♀️ she must of enjoyed it 🐎

22/10/2020

Let talk prep 🛁

Grab yourself a magic brush, your favourite shampoo and warm water. Larva your pony up with your magic brush and your very own touch of elbow grease 👌🏻

Prepping your pony correct will not only:
✅ Make your clipper happy.
✅ Look after your clippers’ machines and blades.
✅ Reduce lines.
✅ Enables the machine to fly through the coat.
✅ It’ll be more comfortable for your pony.
✅ Reduce the tug of hairs through greasy skin.

Results of the perfect prep within the video 💯

20/10/2020

number one girl - Gucci ✨

Hunter clip with saddle patch for this worldie 🌎

Every clip is finished off with a hot oil by wonder oil which has a full list of benefits and smells amazing! 🌹

18/10/2020

Introducing my very own 💗

Zeus is a 3 year old highland gelding and stood like a lamb to be clipped. Currently he’s not in work, we might tag along on the odd hack but nothing strenuous. He’s a warm pony and can put on weight just thinking about food hence the full clip 🐷

17/10/2020

This black beauty is Jett and has a mane to die for 🔥

I did a 4 stranded braid on either side to keep it neat and tidy for dressage 💫

Please get in touch to book in 💌