Equinox Equine Services

29/01/2025

This is an outstanding paper on equine cervical spine development and growth plate closure--really important information to inform how we train and develop our horses.

Don't miss Olstad et al's "Closure of the neuro-central synchondrosis and other physes in foal cervical spines", it's our top-pick article today!

Read it here - https://bit.ly/4aRJnyq

20/01/2025

No matter what "type" of rider/horse owner we might be, we are all joined by our love of horses.

To the owner whose horse is stabled - you work so hard to ensure your horses needs are met so they can live in comfort, thank you for your dedication!

To the owner whose horse lives out - your horse is fortunate to have an owner that can provide them the space to roam and graze as nature intended!

To the owner who rugs their horse - they will be so warm and cozy under their blanket, and less grooming means more time to ride!

To the owner of the unrugged horse - their coats are fascinating how they adapt to the weather, aren’t they?!

To the rider who wears cheap riding leggings and rubber boots – good for you…. you know that your horse couldn’t care less what you are wearing!

To the ‘all the gear and no idea’ rider - wow! You look incredible, your horse has everything it could ever wish for! You don’t have to be a grand prix rider to wear matchy-matchy. Go, you!

To the rider who rides once in a while – brilliant! It is so difficult to fit horses in around the rest of our lives. It’s great that you make the time to do the most that you can with your horse!

To the rider who never rides their horse – no problem. How lovely for your horse to spend its life being cuddled, groomed and grazing in the fields, you must have a wonderful relationship!

To the rider who rides everyday – go for it! Your dedication is admirable and your horse is benefiting from training and fitness. Well done!

To the happy hackers - you are living the dream of millions! What an honour to share such adventures with such extraordinary animals!

To the barefoot fanatic – I admire your passion. Barefoot is the best option for many horses. It is wonderful that you are trying to improve your horse’s comfort and foot health!

To the owner of the traditionally shod horse – fantastic! Shoes are the best option for many horses. It’s great to know that your horse’s feet are protected from the surfaces that we ask them to work on!

To the rider who trains with every professional and expert going – brilliant. What a wealth of knowledge and expertise you have access to!

To the self-taught rider – you must be so proud. What an achievement!

To the professional rider – you inspire me. Your results and rosettes are impressive. They are not won without hard work, commitment, sacrifice and talent. You deserve your success!

To the rider who has never won anything – who cares?! Your horse doesn’t! The passion you have for your sport is worth so much more than any material!

If you want to win and have not had any luck – keep going. You will get there eventually. The hardest won successes are the sweetest!

To the owner who keeps their horse spotlessly clean, neatly trimmed and pulled – marvellous! I applaud your attention to detail. Your horse looks beautiful!

To the owner whose horse is caked in mud and has dread locks – I laugh with you! You know that horses love to roll and if you were to bath your horse today, you would find them in exactly the same mucky state again tomorrow!

As long as your horse is happy and healthy, what you do with your horse is nobody else’s business. The only time anybody should interfere is if there is a genuine equine welfare issue, a safety issue, or if you have specifically asked for advice or help. Otherwise, please let’s not judge others.

‘Each to their own,’ and if it’s good for your horse then ‘good for you!’ 🐴❤️

16/01/2025

We need more of those horse girls, the days are hard 🖤

15/01/2025

27/12/2024

This is an incredible course, a great way to deepen your understanding of how our horses function, whether you're a trainer, farrier, bodyworker, or just a loving horse owner who wants to learn and do well by your partner!

This message is for those who asked me to extend the sale of my online class. Here it is!
I was smiling when I read some of your comments about why you missed the Black Friday sale. Many of you spent all your money on gifts for others and needed to wait until Christmas to have some "present" money to spend on yourselves. That’s completely understandable! Here is the new coupon since the Black Friday promotion has expired.
https://ivanaruddock.podia.com/the-equine-anatomy-in-layers?coupon=CHRISTMASTREE20

21/11/2024

Look what arrived today! It was such an honor to work on the massage chapter of this amazing reference book with !

21/11/2024

Look what arrived in the mail today! It was such an honor to work on this textbook with my mentor, Mike Scott, and the finished product does not disappoint! There is so much amazing information in here -- exercise and rehab physiology, pain management, tack evaluation and use, management practices, and so much more!

03/11/2024

Anyone who has ever owned or cared for a horse knows they learn at their dams' knees how to manipulate the two-leggers for more treats!

“Horses have the ability to think and plan ahead and are far more intelligent than scientists previously thought, according to a Nottingham Trent University study that analysed the animal’s responses to a reward-based game.

“The horses cannily adapted their approach to the game to get the most treats – while making the least effort.

“Previously, research has suggested that horses simply respond to stimuli in the moment, they don’t proactively look ahead, think ahead and plan their actions – whereas our study shows that they do have an awareness of the consequences and outcomes of their actions,” said the lead researcher, Louise Evans.”

https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/aug/12/horses-can-plan-ahead-and-think-strategically-scientists-find

The actual research paper…

“Whoa, No-Go: Evidence consistent with model-based strategy use in horses during an inhibitory task”
Louise Evans et al.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159124001874?via%3Dihub

Read about Akhal-Teke Foundation programs here…
https://www.akhaltekefoundation.org/programs.html

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https://www.akhaltekefoundation.org/email_list.html

10/10/2024

I am so looking forward to this discussion. It will be fascinating to hear from veterinarians about what they are observing in ECVM horses and how they are diagnosing.

23/09/2024

Nothing but truth here.

23/09/2024

Nothing but truth here. Happy Monday, folks!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/XH2HejZgPPPHAHzF/?mibextid=xfxF2i

How to make an equestrian:
Blood 🩸
Sweat 😥
Tears 😭
And a sprinkle of crazy 🤪

19/09/2024

What a sweet photo! I loved "Misty" and all of Marguerite Henry's books when I was a kid.

A really great picture of Misty and Marguerite Henry. It's from the Michigan paper The Saginaw News on January 6, 1952. The photo accompanied an article promoting a Marguerite Henry speaking to the Saginaw Branch Association for Childhood Education.