Day 2 down and we’re on to graduation day! Thanks again to Caliente Therapy LLC for hosting us and allowing us to use your facility! #learnequinetherapy #equinetherapy #horses
Day 1 is in the books and day 2 is underway! First up is our Muscular Rehab Therapist course and next up our Rehab Therapist course! And it’s always nice to be Caliente Therapy LLC. #equinetherapy #horses #learnequinetherapy
You know how much I love stretching horses, but here's one example of a time when I wouldn't stretch my horse...
(Also my hair definitely looking like I got 3 hours of sleep at a random hotel ... 🤣)
#horses #equinetherapy
You know how much I love stretching horses, but here's one example of a time when I wouldn't stretch my horse...
(Also my hair definitely looking like I got 3 hours of sleep at a random hotel ... 🤣)
We are back on the road! Hearing up for 6 trainings in the next 4 weeks! We enjoyed our time in Arizona but it’s time to get back out there and do what we do best.
The Hopeful Has-Been Podcast: Horse Owner's Guide to Back Issues in Performance Horses Pt. 2 - Diagnosis to Decisions: How to Make the Best Choices for your Horse
This is the continuation of our in-depth look at equine back issues from the perspective of an experienced equine rehab therapist and bodyworker.
This episode will take you through:
Diagnostic Process & Working with your Vet
Pros & Cons of Surgery
Non-Surgical Options
Rehabbing Process
Don't forget to check out Part 1 for signs and symptoms, difference in back pain & back problems, and the formation of kissing spine...
If I have enough interest, I'll do another episode featuring some rehab stories from our facility and my mobile practice.
By popular demand... Here's a 2-Part episode of The Hopeful Has-Been Podcast: The Horse Owner's Guide to Back Issues
This part covers:
Back Pain vs. Back Problems
How Kissing Spine Develops
Uncommon Symptoms
NPA, Stifle, Back, TMJ Connection
Bleeder & EPM Connection
Common Behavioral Issues
All through the perspective of an experienced equine rehab therapist and bodyworker.
Don't forget to look up part 2 - Diagnosis to Decisions... Making the best choices for your horse.
Pros & Cons of Surgery
Non-Surgery Options
How to work with your vet
Rehab information
The book that I reference in both episodes is: "Understanding the Horse's Back" by Sara Wyche
I just rolled all of my best equine therapy marketing tips into one convenient, The Hopeful Has-Been podcast... If you're not familiar with the story of Superior Therapy and the hurdles we had to climb to get to where we are, the first half of this podcast will let you in on all of our secrets. I get really vulnerable about some of the hardships and how they paved the path to where I am today.
The second part of this episode is for the person who has built or is building their small business and is looking for tips and tricks of the trade. Where I felt like I spent money poorly. Where I had good advertising return and branding secrets that have helped me succeed. How to attract your ideal client and more.
It's a long one... But this is the kind of information most people charge for.
You can find this episode and all of our others on your favorite podcast and streaming platform!
Horse Owner's Guide: Big Shows on a Budget
On this episode of The Hopeful Has-Been Podcast, Jordan and I talk.... A LOT🤣 about big multiple-day shows. This episode is full of common sense tips for preparing for a big show, keeping your horse comfortable at the show, trailering tips, free hacks for a successful show experience, and realistic expectations for therapy at shows.
If you want to save money and improve your horse's performance at bigger events... This is the episode you've been waiting for. Once you get us rolling on a topic, we have trouble finding a stopping point. 🤣
If you have a question that we didn't cover in the episode, post it in the comments and we will answer it for you.
Thank you to my amazing co-host, Jordan Berry of Caliente Therapy LLC for hanging out with me and bringing you some great information.
Old Fashioned Stick Trick: Detecting NPA
👍 Old-Fashioned Stick Trick: Detecting NPA on hind feet
I've been using this easy hack for assessing hind hoof angles for probably 25 years. Had an amazing farrier teach it to me. This is not a replacement for taking x-rays, but more of an indicator that you need x-rays. I have not had an instance where it didn't match up pretty darn close with x-rays.
You can use this tip to train your eye to look for low heels. Once you learn to see it, you can spot it anywhere. This is why I don't spend a bunch of time using apps that draw lines and things. My farriers are old school too with using protractors to measure angles.
Should I be mad at my farrier that she is NPA? No, because we have worked tirelessly to keep this mare comfortable in her feet before finally finding the OCD. Her previous compensation patterns have forced us to make changes about every 4th set of shoes. Now we know that her exercise routine, fitness level, and soreness of the stifles (that's she's never been blockable lame on btw) have kept us chasing unachievable balance with her angles. NPA is not good but neither is PPA (too positive or forward angles). Between my Oklahoma & Arizona farrier keeping her balanced, we hid that OCD for a long time.
Obviously I would like the horse to be standing as square as possible, but compensation patterns will always be present in a horse that is in pain, so many times we just have to work with the horse we have on that day. That is why I suggest backing up all findings with x-rays like I demonstrate in the video. If I have a horse that can stand perfectly square without compensation patterns, chances are I don't have a reason to be suspension of hoof angles.
- Feel free to pause the video if you need more time to read and study.
Common Symptoms of NPA:
- Unwilling to stop or turn
- Dragging toes
- Hamstring/Back Tension that doesn't Resolve with Bodywork
- Stifle pain
- SI pain
- Reoccurrence/chronic EPM
- Toes out behind
- Stands camped under
- Bedsor
I'm so excited to share this episode of The Hopeful Has-Been! I'm interviewing Acupuncturist and Acupressure Educator, Lori Perez of Crowning Touch Clinics and team leader for Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Resources .
We are covering one of my favorite topics... Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupressure for the Performance Horse. If you've ever been curious about acupuncture, acupressure, or the TCM way of thinking... This podcast will give you a great foundation to begin learning. If you know me, you know I'm obsessed with bridging the gap between Eastern & Western ways of thinking.
We also talk about how simple it is for every horse owner to learn acupressure techniques to use for their own horses. It's not physically demanding, can be combined with therapy equipment, and helps to create balance within the body. We also cover some specific conditions like Non-Sweating, Bleeding, Soft Tissue Injuries, EPM... from a TCM thought process.
We also have an amazing offer for our Podcast listeners. Tallgrass is offering 20% off the online course: Intro to Traditional Chinese Medicine through Sept. 15th when you use the coupon code: STPOD
What a great opportunity to start your learning journey! I've personally completed all of their online courses and two of their onsite courses. I highly recommend them to everyone.
Tallgrass Online Courses can be found at: https://www.animalacupressure.com/
For In-Person Learning opportunities with Lori, check out: https://ctattheranch.com/
We also have some Superior Therapy educational opportunities in the works for next year that will combine my rehab-focused education with Lori teaching TCM/Acupuncture. So if you are a current student or graduate of my program, you will not want to miss this new course we are bringing your way. Details coming very soon, so watch our Facebook for updates.
The Hopeful Has-Been Podcast: Horse Owner's Guide to EPM
On this episode of The Hopeful Has-Been Podcast, I tackle one of my favorite topics.... EPM. This makes probably the 4th or 5th podcast episode on this topic, my others feature Dr. Sam Crosby, but this one is a solo episode on my experiences as a rehab therapist. Hear about a few of my favorite EPM cases from our facility, get a history of EPM, learn about the different strains, and get some rehab tips.
I tried really hard not to duplicate the same questions that get asked in all of the episodes with Dr. Crosby. So if you asked questions and I didn't answer them, check on our previous episodes or the EPM video playlist on the Superior Therapy video tab.
I also reference the book: "Understanding EPM" by David E. Granstrom. It's not longer in print but can usually be found on used bookstores online.
I hope you enjoy this episode and I hope that it helps expand your mind to better understand what your horse is going through. If you have a question that I didn't answer, feel free to comment it below and I will do my best to answer as long as it's not one that could be considered diagnosing.
The Hopeful Has-Been Podcast: A Horse Owner's Guide to Nebulizing Horses with Tonda Collins of Equi-Resp
On this Episode of The Hopeful Has-Been Podcast, I'm interviewing Tonda Collins, the owner & creator of Equi-Resp . Are you familiar with the benefits of equine nebulizers? Do you know what to look for when purchasing a nebulizer? How do I know if my horse can benefit? How much air does a horse intake? Are human nebulizers the same as equine ones? Find out the answers to these questions and more on this episode!
Don't forget that you can also can also subscribe to our podcast on your favorite podcast app. You can catch past episodes and make sure that you don't miss the new episodes!
When we have acute issues or injuries or post-surgery healing we need to modify stretching sessions to fit what is within the horse's range of tolerance. This is going to be different for every horse. For example, this mare loves stretches. It's not uncommon for me to stretch her multiple times a day. So naturally she will have better range of motion even after a surgery than some of the competition horses that I work on. So for her, I have to make a conscious decision of where her range of tolerance should be because she's not as likely to cue me where to stop. I go by the feel of the muscles and restriction higher up in the hip. I'm not trying to make big changes. Right now her compensation patterns are keeping her body safe. I'm looking to increase circulation and keep the body from becoming too rigid or locked up. Little by little as the body heals we can start to eliminate compensation and create balance.
#sharetheknowledge #horses #horseriding #equinetherapy #barrelracing
When we have acute issues or injuries or post-surgery healing we need to modify stretching sessions to fit what is within the horse's range of tolerance. This is going to be different for every horse. For example, this mare loves stretches. It's not uncommon for me to stretch her multiple times a day. So naturally she will have better range of motion even after a surgery than some of the competition horses that I work on. So for her, I have to make a conscious decision of where her range of tolerance should be because she's not as likely to cue me where to stop. I go by the feel of the muscles and restriction higher up in the hip. I'm not trying to make big changes. Right now her compensation patterns are keeping her body safe. I'm looking to increase circulation and keep the body from becoming too rigid or locked up. Little by little as the body heals we can start to eliminate compensation and create balance.
