Tips to Tune-Up Your Horse in Spring

As the vibrant colors of spring emerge and the weather warms, horse owners are gearing up to provide their equine companions with the care they need for the season ahead. Here are some essential spring tune-up tips to keep your horse happy, healthy, and ready for action.

Why won’t my horse pick up its hoof?

In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, April, addresses a question about a horse that refuses to pick up one of its hooves. If the horse is avoiding putting weight on one hoof, the focus should be on understanding why it’s uncomfortable shifting its weight rather than forcing the hoof to be lifted.

Young Horses With Cow-Hocked Posture

A cow-hocked horse refers to a conformational issue where the horse’s hocks are positioned closer together than normal when viewed from the rear. We’ll explore why this happens and discuss ways to address and prevent such issues for a healthier, sound, and rideable horse.

Keep Your Horse’s Lungs Healthy (Especially During Fire Season)

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Love riding your horse? Here is how to help them be more comfortable in their bodies and be rideable into their 30’s

Is your horse tripping or short striding? Do you wonder why your horse is pinning ears, swishing tail when saddled or when being asked for the trot or canter? A horse unwilling to flex at the poll, bend to the bit, unwilling to extend the gait, canter on the other...

How does your horse’s environment affect their mood?

In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, host April Love delves into the often unseen environmental factors that can significantly affect a horse’s behavior, mineral assimilation, and overall immune system.
Through insightful anecdotes and practical advice, April sheds light on how power lines, water sources, and even natural elements like trees out in the pasture can impact a horse’s well-being.

Dealing with Laminitis, Foundered Horses, and General Hoof Health

Horse’s hooves have to support the entire body. Hoof care must be the foundation for complete health care. In this episode, April discusses various hoof issues and effective solutions for maintaining healthy hooves. Whether you’re dealing with laminitis, foundered horses, or general hoof health, these insights can make a significant difference.

Are you ready to treat a wound in an emergency?

In this episode of Holistic Horseworks, April retells a story about an incident in one of her clinics. Despite being told repeatedly to NOT tie the horse to the corral panels, one student did just that. When the horse spooked, the corral panel hit another student in the head and caused a small but bloody gash. While her students were wondering what to do, April stepped in to treat the wounded student.

You can potty-train your horse, here’s how

Wouldn't it be nice if your horse put all his manure in a nice pile for you? In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, I talk about my own personal horse journey. Among the things I learned, by accident was that you can potty train horses! It is much easier to...

Sidebone; what can you do about it?

Sadly, in my travels, I have seen sidebone starting on horses as young as 3 years old!   What causes 'calcifications' like sidebone, ringbone, arthritic hocks and knees that can lame our horses and decrease their ride-able years? When our body is not correctly loading...
Biomechanics of the First Rib

Biomechanics of the First Rib

Ready to explore some insightful and helpful biomechanics info about your horse’s shoulder, first rib, front limbs, and hooves? Mastering this knowledge can keep your horse happy and moving freely well into their 30s! How do you know if your horse dealing with troublesome issues in these areas? Read on…

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Tips to Tune-Up Your Horse in Spring

Tips to Tune-Up Your Horse in Spring

As the vibrant colors of spring emerge and the weather warms, horse owners are gearing up to provide their equine companions with the care they need for the season ahead. Here are some essential spring tune-up tips to keep your horse happy, healthy, and ready for action.

read more
Maintaining Healthy Weight in Older Horses with Vegan Fat Sources

Maintaining Healthy Weight in Older Horses with Vegan Fat Sources

In this episode, our founder, April Love, shares valuable information on maintaining the well-being of older horses, focusing on a simple recipe for a vegan fat source. The discussion delves into practical tips for horses with missing teeth, difficulty gaining weight, and the importance of identifying and addressing insulin resistance.

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The Hyoid and First Rib Connection

The Hyoid and First Rib Connection

Many people talk about the hyoid as the cause of an issue. The equine industry has established that the hyoid is connected not only directly to the tongue, forelimb, and poll but also indirectly to the hindquarter. However, looking at this from a holistic perspective, it is also important to consider what else the hyoid is affected by. The prominent first rib misalignment, as we talk about so often here at Holistic Horseworks, will not only impact the front end of the horse but also back to the hind end and even all the way up to the hyoid.

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Dealing with Laminitis, Foundered Horses, and General Hoof Health

Dealing with Laminitis, Foundered Horses, and General Hoof Health

Horse’s hooves have to support the entire body. Hoof care must be the foundation for complete health care. In this episode, April discusses various hoof issues and effective solutions for maintaining healthy hooves. Whether you’re dealing with laminitis, foundered horses, or general hoof health, these insights can make a significant difference.

read more
Are you ready to treat a wound in an emergency?

Are you ready to treat a wound in an emergency?

In this episode of Holistic Horseworks, April retells a story about an incident in one of her clinics. Despite being told repeatedly to NOT tie the horse to the corral panels, one student did just that. When the horse spooked, the corral panel hit another student in the head and caused a small but bloody gash. While her students were wondering what to do, April stepped in to treat the wounded student.

read more
Caring for Older Horses: Arthritis, Mobility, Nutrition, and Hooves

Caring for Older Horses: Arthritis, Mobility, Nutrition, and Hooves

In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, April Love shares helpful practices for caring for older horses. She offers information not only about supporting the symptoms of arthritis but even more importantly, preventative measures to keep it at bay for as long as possible. April also shares many other useful tips for aging equines such as choosing healthy feed to keep on weight, the importance of daily stretching, and even hoof care.

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How does your horse’s environment affect their mood?

How does your horse’s environment affect their mood?

In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, host April Love delves into the often unseen environmental factors that can significantly affect a horse’s behavior, mineral assimilation, and overall immune system.
Through insightful anecdotes and practical advice, April sheds light on how power lines, water sources, and even natural elements like trees out in the pasture can impact a horse’s well-being.

read more
Emotional Healing for Horses

Emotional Healing for Horses

Horse care is more than just the physical— there’s also an emotional component. Emotions can it directly affects the horse’s behavior, performance, and overall health. It’s also important to consider how the emotions of the owner can affect the emotions of the horse, and vice versa.

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The Importance of the First Rib in Horses

The Importance of the First Rib in Horses

Join us in this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks with April Love as we explore the often-overlooked significance of the first mobility rib in equine anatomy. She sheds light on how misalignments of the first rib can lead to various issues with people such as thoracic outlet syndrome, frozen shoulder, tendonitis, bursitis, and carpel tunnel syndrome. So think about all the things it could be impeding your horse’s freedom of movement in the front end. This is what starts the high-low hoof syndrome, horse not picking up right or left lead, mysterious lameness, kissing spine, behavioral issues, and even roaring in horses requiring expensive tie-back surgery.

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