Rock Wall Farm

30/07/2023

What’s at the end of the rainbow? Well, if you’re Chile, it’s a flake of alfalfa!

04/11/2022

It’s almost time!

13/10/2022

Bounce has earned her retirement with the title of “Most Disgusting Mouse Demolisher”. So now she’s teaching the fake bird toys a thing or two in our house.

13/10/2022

Oxer (aka Oxypants) is living the good life with Olga! He has worn himself out playing with all the fake mice - he finally found one he can catch because he certainly never caught a real one on the farm!

13/10/2022

For those not already aware, we are packing up and moving to sunny New Mexico in a couple months. In case anyone is wondering where the cats of RWF are heading…

Thomas has found a home with Sarah! He has already taken over the dog bed because what is the dog gonna do about it?

01/10/2022

This is a must watch. Grab a coffee and set aside half an hour to watch this documentary about pain behaviors in horses and the research behind what they’re trying to tell us.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hrZgtrqbMVI

The 24 Behaviors of the Ridden Horse in Pain is a film that dares to challenge the way we look at "badly behaving" horses, and promotes the notion that lamen...

02/09/2022

Guilty!

Friday Funny! Hats off to a great weekend.

18/08/2022

I love the offerings at Horse Class. The founder, Callie King, just finished fourth in the Mongol Derby so you know she’s got some riding chops. Wendy Murdoch is one of my faves too as a leader in rider biomechanics. Here she explains what it means to “Sit Deep”. How many times have people heard me say that?

https://www.horseclass.com/blog/what-does-it-really-mean-to-sit-deep/

What does it mean to sit deep? Common advice, but often poorly explained and understood.

11/08/2022

This, and clucking at slow moving traffic 😂

05/08/2022

Want to say thanks to Daniel P. Brown for driving Chile Dawg up to Rood and Riddle tonight to be examined for swollen hind legs and fever, allowing me to stay behind and finish taking care of the other horses. Chile is in good hands and I’m so glad we have a good group of people here that care so much about the horses. 🙏

25/07/2022

Anyone who knows me, knows I am a quick-tempered person. I finally figured out how to never get angry when I ride.

I stopped having an agenda for my rides.

I started seeing my horse as another living being who:
- can wake up on the wrong side of the bed
- is in pain or anticipates pain they used to have
- doesn’t understand what I’m asking and is trying anyway
- would rather be hanging out with friends

So I ride with more compassion than I used to. And I want to end on a good note- whatever that happens to be that day.

When frustration turns into anger, many otherwise decent riders get into fights with their horses. Most of us, if we are honest, will know this, will have had this happen, but if those are rare and isolated happenings, it isn’t the end of the world.

But we know that for some riders, having these fights are almost daily occurrences. How can someone who is on this particularly damaging hamster wheel get off? Well, think about this---Does a scared and reactive horse get to be better trained? What happens is usually just the opposite. The horse does something that annoys the rider. So the rider retaliates with some sharp response, maybe a yank on the bit, a kick with spurs, a slap with a stick.

So the horse gets more nervous, more reactive, more resistant. For the already angry rider, this is seen as a provoking disobedience, calling for even greater response. A fight is the result. Overnight, after a fight, the rider broods, so the next day, not very long into the ride, the rider revisits the issue, the already apprehensive horse reacts, and the fight from yesterday is happening again today, in a long chain of bad days.

This situation probably needs outside intervention, but that is a dicey deal, because people with anger issues don’t appreciate being told that they are doing it wrong.

So here’s the question---How can this chain be broken? Is it even possible?

09/07/2022

It’s just one of those kind of summer nights

07/07/2022

Great info on a disease that is very common in our area but noticing signs early can really help!

Check out our latest infographic on equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). This infographic was developed by Hannah Lochner, MS, UMN. For more info, visit: https://extension.umn.edu/horse-health/equine-protozoal-myeloencephalitis-epm

03/07/2022

Big news! Put it on the calendar…we will be welcoming Jen and Julia for a horse and rider biometric evaluation and treatment clinic.

More details to come!

17/06/2022

Equine obesity needs to addressed just as much as in our cat and dog friends. Squishy and round may seem cute but it could lead to life threatening conditions if not addressed (laminitis, anyone?).

Are you not sure if your horse is overweight?(Studies have shown that horse owners aren’t great at estimating their horses’s weight so you’re not alone)
Are you struggling to get pounds off of your pudgy pony?
Are you worried that he’s missing some key nutrients with his current restricted diet?

Reach out because as a certified independent equine nutrition advisor, I can help!

Schedule a free 20 minute discovery call to find out what I offer and see if we can team up for your horse’s health!

https://calendly.com/melissaheckart/dc

Learn how to help your horse shed his excess pounds safely.

02/06/2022

Great tips for tough drinkers!

Have any upcoming travel plans with your horse? When traveling, horses may not drink enough water to meet their daily needs. A 1,000-pound horse should drink 8 to 10 gallons of water each day. Try these tips to encourage your horse to drink while away.

1. Bring water from home.
2. Add 20 ounces of clear soda (make sure it’s caffeine free) to new water.
3. Add electrolytes to new water or provide electrolytes using an oral gel or paste.
4. Add a small amount of salt to grain, which can act as an electrolyte.
5. Wash water buckets with a little added Listerine; horses like the minty taste.

For more information visit: https://extension.umn.edu/horse-nutrition/encouraging-your-horse-drink

29/05/2022

Eight months ago we brought in a big, skinny, shy TB mare. With proper nutrition, care, and time, Lucy went to her first show today and acted far older than her 6 years. Many thanks to Jen Robinson for helping to bring out Lucy’s hidden talents. This mare is for sale so reach out for more info if interested. Looking for an amazing home where she can continue to develop proper flatwork/dressage, jumping, and possibly cross country. We all love Lucy so references will be required.

08/05/2022

Thanks to everyone for celebrating Poppy’s birthday yesterday! Fun times had by all!

01/05/2022

We’ve got a celebrity in our midst! Congrats Dan and Duo on a lovely story together.

All of April, we have been celebrating Knabstruppers as our Breed of the Month on . To cap off the month, we bring you this story from a USDF Region 8 rider about finding his unexpected equine partner, a Knabstrupper/Friesian cross, & their journey to their USDF Bronze Medal together. Read it here: https://yourdressage.org/2022/04/30/bronze-duo/

Photo by Darian Quinn – Q2 Photography

27/04/2022

I love to make the jobs of equine caretakers as convenient as possible. It’s a tough gig so any little bit helps! Meal size usually comes down to two things- the size of the horse’s stomach and risk of NSC (sugar) spilling over into the hindgut. So a small meal like a balancer is just fine to be fed once per day.

Want a personalized evaluation of your horse’s entire diet? Reach out and see how I can help!

Feed manufacturers design ration balancers to make feeding horses simple. But is it better to divide a daily portion into two feedings?

26/04/2022

For anyone who wants some insight into running a boarding barn, there is a lot of good info here

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-goes-into-building-running-a-boarding-business/id1547861330?i=1000558725494

12/04/2022

Show season is coming - does your horse's diet make the grade?

I am an independent nutrition advisor which means I don't work for a feed or supplement company. I work for you and your horse to create a winning program. Get in touch!

09/04/2022

Happy Saturday

04/04/2022

No one is having as good of a day as Chile

21/03/2022

“Certified Independent Equine Nutrition Advisor”

Let’s break that down.

Certified - There are no licenses or specific education programs for someone wanting to work as an Equine Nutrition Advisor. However, Dr.Rachel Mottet has worked as an Equine Nutritionist both in industry and independently. In her career, she has taught numerous courses and students, given countless lectures and knows what it takes to work with horse owners to build a successful nutrition program. As part of her business, Legacy Equine Nutrition, she has built a rigorous course designed for equine professionals who want to do this as a career. Completing hours of coursework, guest lectures by top nutritionists and veterinarians, and finally, passing a pretty tough exam process has led me to being able to say that I am now a Legacy certified advisor!

Independent- I don’t work for any one company. I work for my clients - the feeds you like (or don’t), your horse’s condition and his job, and give you the straight info on those supplements that come at us from all directions. I want the best for YOU and YOUR HORSE - not a feed or supplement company’s bottom line.

Equine Nutrition - I ensure your horse is receiving a balanced nutrition program according to the most current science out there. I stay on top of what the experts are researching and what the best approach is for your horse’s entire program - from forage to feed and everything in between.

Advisor - My goal is to be in line with your goals and use my expertise, training, and education to give you the best program possible. I‘ve done all the research so you can spend more time enjoying life with your equine partner.

I know what it’s like - I ride, breed, compete and run a boarding barn. We care about our horses from top to bottom and love our vets, trainers, and body workers. Now there’s an option to add me as an expert to make sure your horse is getting what he needs on the inside to look and perform his best on the outside. Whether it’s your heart horse or your whole herd, I’ll design a program that works for you, for your horse, and fits with your lifestyle.

Schedule a time for us to talk more about how I can help! https://calendly.com/melissaheckart/dc

Overview of your equine nutrition goals and discussion of how I can help you!

19/03/2022

I’ll just leave this here…

15/03/2022

I mean he’s only won a couple Olympic medals…

A fifth-generation horseman, Peder Fredricson runs Grevlunda in Vitaby, Sweden, with his wife, Lisen Bratt Fredricson. Peder is a four-time Olympian, most recently earning team gold and individual silver at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games with H&M A...

07/03/2022

Let me know if you want some help navigating your horse’s nutrition!

20/02/2022

Listen and Learn!

This week's podcast comes from The Feed Room Chemist. Dr.Jyme Nichols is the nutritionist for Stride Animal Health and she provides a lot of great nutrition information in her podcasts. This episode focuses on treats! No judgment if you're a treat person or not - she gives you the nutritonal impact of feeding treats which should be a consideration of any horseperson.

For what it's worth - I'm somewhere in the middle on treats. I believe they can have a use (positive reinforcement, carrot stretches, etc.) but I don't want a horse to be interested in me just because they think I might give them treats. From a safety perspective, they can turn into nippy beasts every time you stretch your hand out for them to sniff.

Look for episode 85 "Horse Treats"
https://strideanimalhealth.com/podcasts/

Dr. Jyme Nichols, equine nutritionist for Bluebonnet Feeds, explores unique cases, debunks popular myths, and breaks down advanced research data. This podcast combines a little fun with a lot of science to provide real-world feeding advice for your horse.

12/02/2022

Listen and Learn!

This week's podcast is with Liv Gude. If you've ever googled "best tips for cleaning tails" or "how to remove manure stains", you would have come across proequinegrooms.com. The site was founded by Liv after her extensive experience grooming at the top level. There's something good in here for every horse person!

https://shows.acast.com/thepracticalhorsemanpodcast/episodes/the-practical-horseman-podcast-liv-gude

Listen to The Practical Horseman Podcast - Liv Gude from Practical Horseman Podcast. Top groom Liv Gude spent years in the saddle riding hunters, jumpers, reining and ultimately dressage before she focused on learning all she could as a professional groom. She started her grooming career with Guente...