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What could your dog’s itching, allergies, vision problems, stiff joints, or changes in movement be telling you about their overall health?

In this Holistic Horseworks Wellness Show, April Love performs live intuitive wellness scans for dogs and shares her holistic approach to common dog health problems. Using photos submitted by their owners, April looks beyond individual symptoms to discuss the body, environment, nutrition, structural alignment, dental health, and other factors she considers when evaluating a do’s wellness. 

April works with several dogs, including Susu, a young French Bulldog experiencing severe vision problems and a history of autoimmune concerns. She also evaluates 10-year-old Westie-Poodle cross Steve, who has multiple food and environmental allergies, and 9-year old Maisie, whose owner is concerned about a lipoma under her arm. 

Along the way, April discusses:

• Dog allergies, itchy skin, and digestive health, including the relationship she sees between the gut, liver, skin, diet, and environment

 • Vision and eye problems in dogs, with a closer look at Susu’s declining eyesight and other health concerns

 • Dog dental health, including why April pays close attention to the back teeth during her wellness scans

 • Hip dysplasia and ACL injuries, and April’s approach to evaluating the neck, spine, pelvis, and overall structural alignment

 • Dog nail care and joint health, including how overgrown toenails can affect paw position, movement, and joints

 • Environmental exposure, including drinking water, household products, and other factors April considers during an evaluation

 • Probiotics, hydration, nutrition, and holistic dog care as part of supporting overall wellness

 • Muscle testing and intuitive dog wellness scans, with April demonstrating how she assesses different areas of the body 

April also shares lessons from caring for her own French Bulldog, Zoe, including what she has learned about French Bulldog itching, digestion, skin health, nail care, breathing, and bodywork.

If your dog struggles with recurring allergies, itchy skin, poor digestion, vision problems, stiffness, joint problems, hip dysplasia, ACL injuries, long toenails, or unexplained changes in health or movement, this episode offers a whole-body perspective on what else may be worth investigating.

 Want April to Take a Closer Look at Your Dog?

If your dog is struggling with recurring health issues, unusual behavior, mobility problems, allergies, or symptoms you still don’t have answers for, book an Intuitive Wellness Scan with April Love.

Using recent photos of your dog, April intuitively evaluates what may be going on in their body and provides personalized findings to help you better understand where they may need support.

 Book Your Dog’s Intuitive Wellness Scan With April: https://holistichorseworks.com/product/canine-distance-reading/

Videos and Books

April pulled from a lot of different methodologies in this episode — and these are the videos and books behind them. Whether you want to work on your posture, release your own first rib, or start exploring the emotional roots of physical symptoms, these resources are a great place to start.

Conscious Language

Essential Oils

Essential oils are something I come back to again and again — and in this episode I talked about a couple of my go-tos and exactly how I use them.

Supplements

Not everything is easy to find locally, so here are some of the products referenced in this episode, all available online. 

Colloidal Silver
Sinus, eye, and travel immune support

Neem Capsules
Ayurvedic intestinal support

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What do you do when your horse struggles to breathe during exercise and the next recommended step is surgery? Could looking beyond the airway reveal other physical patterns worth addressing too?

Ruger is an 11-year-old Kentucky Mountain Horse who couldn’t comfortably handle hills. Even after losing excess weight and becoming fitter, uphill work left him struggling for air, with a long recovery before his breathing returned to normal.

A veterinary scope revealed the reason: Ruger was diagnosed with grade-three roaring, with his owner reporting approximately 90% loss of movement in the left cartilage responsible for opening his airway. A tie-back surgery costing around $3,000 was being considered.

But before moving forward, Ruger’s owner Ruth began working with April Love’s Holistic Horseworks whole-horse approach.

In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Live, April evaluates Ruger from head to hoof and explores the physical patterns she believes deserve attention alongside his diagnosed breathing condition, including cranial compression, the laryngeal nerve, first-rib alignment, ribs, pelvis, posture, hoof balance, and overall movement.

What Is Roaring in Horses?

Roaring is commonly associated with dysfunction of the larynx that can interfere with a horse’s ability to move enough air during exercise.

In Ruger’s case, his owner initially believed his difficult breathing was related to being overweight. After she helped him lose weight and began conditioning him, it became clear that something else was happening.

He could work comfortably on flat ground, but climbing hills quickly left him out of breath. Veterinary scoping then identified significant loss of movement in the left cartilage involved in opening the airway.

April uses Ruger’s case to explore a question that runs throughout the episode:

When a horse has a diagnosed problem in one area, what else might be happening throughout the body?

Roaring, the Laryngeal Nerve and Cranial Compression

A major focus of April’s evaluation is the left side of Ruger’s head and neck.

April discusses the path of the laryngeal nerve and explains her observation that horses she has worked with for roaring have also shown patterns she interprets as cranial compression on the left side.

She connects this with her assessment of the head, throatlatch and left first-rib region.

April also shares the story of another horse with advanced roaring that she previously worked with. She describes using her Level 3 bodywork, laser therapy and other supportive approaches and says that horse improved enough to return to light riding without undergoing the planned tie-back surgery.

These are April’s observations and experiences rather than a replacement for veterinary diagnosis or treatment, but they explain why she wanted to evaluate more than Ruger’s airway alone.

Why April Checks the First Rib

The first rib becomes another important part of Ruger’s evaluation.

Before this live episode, Ruth had already worked with April over Zoom. Together they worked on Ruger’s hips, pelvis, ribs and first rib.

By the time of the live evaluation, April notes that Ruger is standing considerably more squarely than he had in his earlier photographs.

April explains that when she identifies a first-rib imbalance, she also looks at how freely the shoulder can move and whether the horse has developed compensation through surrounding muscles and the rest of the body.

This is central to the Holistic Horseworks approach: don’t stop evaluating simply because you’ve found the place where the most obvious symptom appears.

What Horse Yoga Can Reveal About the Body

Ruger’s owner had also begun using April’s horse yoga exercises.

During the episode, April has Ruth demonstrate a belly lift and explains what she watches for as Ruger raises his back and engages through his ribs.

April uses several simple movements as observational tools:

• Neck stretches to assess how freely the neck moves
• Front-leg circles to observe the ribs and withers
• Tail pulls and butt tucks to evaluate the pelvis
• Belly lifts to observe the ribs, intercostal area and back

Her approach is that difficulty performing a movement comfortably may give an owner another area to investigate.

For performance horses, she discusses using these exercises before, during and after work as part of her routine for keeping the body moving freely.

First Rib, Shoulders and Movement

April also spends time discussing the first rib and shoulder area, an important part of her Holistic Horseworks approach.

She explains what she looks for when a horse has differences between the shoulders, front legs, hoof loading, or movement patterns.

In Stetson’s case, this becomes part of a much larger evaluation that includes both his front and hind end rather than treating his previous lameness as an isolated leg problem.

The episode allows viewers to see how April follows these patterns through the body and why she believes addressing multiple connected areas can be important when a horse has experienced recurring issues.

Cranial Balance, TMJ and the Rest of the Horse

April also examines Ruger’s head, including his eyes and facial symmetry, and discusses what she interprets as cranial compression.

Later in the episode, she explains why her advanced approach considers the TMJ, chewing, teeth, cranial structures, pelvis and skeletal balance together.

For April, getting one area to change isn’t necessarily enough if the horse continues compensating somewhere else. She wants the horse standing and moving more evenly throughout the entire body.

This is also why the episode touches on previous trauma and experiences such as pulling back and trailering. April encourages owners to think about a horse’s physical history rather than focusing only on what is happening today.

Can Equine Roaring Be Managed Without Surgery?

Ruger’s story does not establish that every horse with roaring can or should avoid surgery.

Roaring can significantly affect breathing and performance, and horses with respiratory problems need appropriate veterinary assessment. Ruger’s diagnosis itself came from veterinary scoping.

What this episode provides is a look at the additional areas April chooses to evaluate while Ruth explores her options for Ruger.

The episode follows their work on his first rib, ribs, pelvis, posture, cranial structures, hooves and overall body balance, while documenting the changes Ruth is seeing along the way.

At the time of this episode, Ruger’s story is still unfolding.

That makes the full evaluation particularly interesting to watch.

Watch Ruger’s Full Horse Roaring Evaluation

If your horse has been diagnosed with roaring, laryngeal dysfunction, exercise intolerance or breathing problems, or you’ve noticed recurring issues with posture, hoof balance, shoulder movement or body stiffness, Ruger’s story offers a different perspective on looking at the horse as a whole.

Watch April evaluate Ruger’s breathing concerns, cranial structures, first rib, shoulders, ribs, pelvis, hooves and movement, and see the techniques Ruth has already begun using at home.

Watch the full episode to follow Ruger’s journey and see why April believes horse owners should look from head to hoof rather than focusing only on the most obvious symptom.

You’ll also get a glimpse into April’s signature Holistic Horseworks programs, clinics, and free resources—including the Horse 101 eBook and dozens of YouTube tutorials.

Ready to Start Helping Your Horse?

Start with April’s foundational training, Equine Musculoskeletal Unwinding, available to learn online with live 1:1 support. This step-by-step course teaches you how to release deep patterns of imbalance and pain—so your horse can move, feel, and live better.

Whether your horse is showing signs of discomfort or you simply want to deepen your connection and care, this program puts powerful tools in your hands.

Includes video lessons, downloadable workbooks, and a personalized distance reading from April herself.

Rather learn in-person?
Check out our hands-on equine remedial therapy clinics, available all over the globe →

More Holistic Horse Care Education

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

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What does it take to keep a horse healthy, comfortable, sound, and rideable for as many years as possible? And when lameness, hoof problems, pain, or behavior changes appear, how do you know whether you’re addressing the real source or simply managing another symptom?

In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Live, April Love shares two very different stories that come back to the same goal: helping horses feel their best throughout their lives.

First, April checks in on Tiki, her former endurance horse and “heart horse,” who is now 30 years old and still being lightly ridden. After Tiki suddenly developed a high fever, stopped eating and drinking, and became seriously ill, his owner Chris worked with veterinary care while also reaching out to April for additional holistic support. April shares what she recommended during his recovery and why she believes horse owners should have supportive tools and resources available before an illness or emergency occurs.

Then the episode turns to Stetson, a 10-year-old horse whose owner, Tia, spent years trying to understand his lameness, weakness, body sensitivity, hoof problems, difficulty with one lead, biting, and kicking.

Together, their stories explore a much bigger question: What changes when you stop looking at one symptom at a time and start evaluating the whole horse?

Keeping a Senior Horse Healthy, Active and Rideable

Tiki’s story is particularly meaningful because of his age.

At 30, he has a long history as an endurance horse and is still being lightly ridden. April discusses the work she has done with him throughout his life and shares her philosophy of noticing physical changes early instead of waiting until they become major limitations.

When Tiki suddenly became ill, however, the challenge was different.

He developed a high fever, stopped eating and drinking, and became weak enough that his owner was concerned about losing him. Alongside veterinary involvement, Chris contacted April, who suggested several supportive approaches she uses in her holistic horse care practice.

His recovery opens a wider conversation about senior horse care, immune support, nutrition, hydration, recovery, and being prepared when a horse’s health suddenly changes.

Tiki’s story also supports one of April’s biggest goals for horse owners: don’t wait until your horse is old or struggling before becoming proactive about their health.

When Years of Horse Lameness Don’t Give You Answers

Stetson’s story begins at the opposite end of the spectrum.

He is only 10, yet his owner had already spent years trying to determine why he wasn’t comfortable.

Tia describes unexplained front-leg weakness, hind-end lameness, muscle tension, hoof cracking, difficulty with his right lead, and extreme sensitivity to touch. At one point, Stetson was so uncomfortable with bodywork that he would bite or kick when practitioners attempted to work on him.

She had consulted seven veterinarians, three chiropractors, five bodyworkers, and five farriers, spending more than $15,000 while trying to find answers.

Yet the different pieces still weren’t coming together.

April uses Stetson’s story to demonstrate why her approach doesn’t begin and end with the place where a horse appears sore.

What Does a Head-to-Hoof Horse Evaluation Look Like?

April walks through Stetson’s body and explains the areas she evaluates when looking for compensation patterns.

She looks at his head and cranial structures, neck, first ribs, shoulders, sternum, psoas region, pelvis, legs, posture, and hooves.

Rather than viewing the hoof problem, hind-end lameness, difficulty with one lead, and sensitivity to touch as completely separate issues, April explores how the horse is using his entire body and where one area may be compensating for another.

This whole-horse perspective is one of the central lessons of the episode.

Where your horse shows discomfort isn’t necessarily the only place worth examining.

High-Low Hooves, Cracking and Uneven Hoof Growth

Stetson’s hooves are another major part of his story.

Tia had struggled with hoof cracking and imbalance despite working with multiple farriers. April discusses high-low hoof patterns, hoof loading, posture, and how the horse uses each leg as part of her assessment.

Instead of looking only at how the hoof can be trimmed differently, April encourages owners to consider why the horse may continually load one limb differently from another.

If the same hoof repeatedly grows differently, cracks, flares, or develops an imbalance, she believes it is worth looking above the hoof and considering what is happening throughout the rest of the body.

First Rib, Shoulders and Movement

April also spends time discussing the first rib and shoulder area, an important part of her Holistic Horseworks approach.

She explains what she looks for when a horse has differences between the shoulders, front legs, hoof loading, or movement patterns.

In Stetson’s case, this becomes part of a much larger evaluation that includes both his front and hind end rather than treating his previous lameness as an isolated leg problem.

The episode allows viewers to see how April follows these patterns through the body and why she believes addressing multiple connected areas can be important when a horse has experienced recurring issues.

Could Old Trauma Still Affect Your Horse?

A horse’s history matters too.

April discusses pullback trauma and cranial compression and explains what she looks for around the head, poll, neck, and surrounding structures.

An accident that happened years earlier may be easy to forget, particularly when the horse appears to recover at the time. But April’s approach includes considering previous falls, pullback incidents, injuries, and other physical events when evaluating the patterns she sees today.

This is why knowing your horse’s history can be valuable when trying to understand recurring movement, posture, or performance changes.

From Biting and Kicking to Enjoying Bodywork

One of the most striking parts of Stetson’s story is the change Tia describes after she began using April’s home-study techniques.

This was a horse who had previously become so sensitive that he would bite or kick when someone tried to work on his body.

Tia says he later became comfortable with being touched and began enjoying his bodywork and hoof soaks. His movement improved, and she was able to return to riding him and loping both leads.

For April, the behavioral change matters too.

Biting, kicking, resisting touch, or becoming difficult during bodywork aren’t automatically behaviors she wants owners to dismiss as attitude. She encourages them to consider when the behavior happens, where the horse is being touched, and whether discomfort could be part of the picture.

How Can You Help Your Horse Stay Sound for Life?

There isn’t one technique, supplement, trim, or treatment that guarantees a horse will remain sound for life.

Instead, April encourages owners to become students of their own horses.

Notice how your horse stands. Watch how the hooves grow. Pay attention to changes in movement. Don’t automatically dismiss biting, kicking, resistance, or sensitivity as bad behavior. Remember previous injuries and accidents. And pay attention when the same issue keeps returning.

Tiki’s longevity and Stetson’s journey back to riding show why April believes proactive, whole-horse care should begin long before a horse reaches old age. Tiki is still being lightly ridden at 30, while Stetson was able to return to riding after years of challenges.

Watch the Full Holistic Horseworks Live Episode

If you’re dealing with horse lameness, hoof cracking, high-low hooves, body sensitivity, biting, kicking, difficulty with one lead, unexplained movement problems, or you’re simply looking for ways to help your horse remain comfortable and active as they age, watch the full episode.

You’ll hear Tiki’s recovery story, follow Stetson’s journey from years of unresolved issues back to riding, and learn how April approaches holistic horse health from head to hoof.

Watch the full episode to learn how you can become more proactive about your horse’s health, soundness, comfort, and longevity.

You’ll also get a glimpse into April’s signature Holistic Horseworks programs, clinics, and free resources—including the Horse 101 eBook and dozens of YouTube tutorials.

Ready to Start Helping Your Horse?

Start with April’s foundational training, Equine Musculoskeletal Unwinding, available to learn online with live 1:1 support. This step-by-step course teaches you how to release deep patterns of imbalance and pain—so your horse can move, feel, and live better.

Whether your horse is showing signs of discomfort or you simply want to deepen your connection and care, this program puts powerful tools in your hands.

Includes video lessons, downloadable workbooks, and a personalized distance reading from April herself.

Rather learn in-person?
Check out our hands-on equine remedial therapy clinics, available all over the globe →

More Holistic Horse Care Education

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

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Does your horse have a stiff neck that keeps returning, even after bodywork or chiropractic care? Do they bite when you tighten the girth, resist saddling, stand unevenly, or develop recurring hoof and lameness problems?

In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Live, April Love evaluates two very different horses and explores how neck stiffness, previous pullback trauma, first rib restrictions, girth sensitivity, posture, hoof imbalance, and hind-end problems may fit into a larger whole-body pattern.

One horse is a 27-year-old Icelandic mare who bites during saddling and reacts around her girth and chest. The other is a former reining horse with neck stiffness, hind-end problems, navicular changes, and signs April interprets as evidence of previous pullback trauma.

Watch the full episode as April works from head to hoof, showing what she checks around the neck, first ribs, shoulders, sternum, pelvis, TMJ, legs, and hooves and why she believes the location of the symptom may not be the whole story.

When “Bad Behavior” May Be Your Horse’s Response to Discomfort

The first horse, Kate, is a 27-year-old Icelandic mare who still enjoys being ridden. But she bites when being saddled, reacts around her girth and chest, and paws frequently.

It would be easy to label those behaviors as attitude or training problems.

April looks at them differently.

During the evaluation, Kate reacts when pressure is applied around her sternum and pectoral area. April explains why she considers discomfort and previous physical trauma when a normally willing horse suddenly reacts to being touched, saddled, or girthed.

This is one of the central messages of the episode: before assuming a horse is simply being difficult, pay attention to when and where the behavior happens.

Biting during saddling, pawing, resisting touch, reluctance to move, or difficulty performing a particular movement may provide clues worth investigating.

Horse Posture, Back Tension and Hind-End Imbalance

Kate also appears croup-high or “butt high,” but April questions whether what viewers are seeing is actually conformation.

During the live evaluation, pressure near the top of Kate’s pelvis produces visible muscle spasms through her lower back. April describes what she sees as a pelvic and muscular pattern affecting the way Kate holds her hind end and explains why she considers this posture rather than simply the horse’s natural conformation.

From there, the discussion expands into the lower back, pelvis, psoas region, hocks, stifles and hoof loading.

April’s approach is to follow the pattern through the horse instead of stopping at the location where the symptom appears.

What Uneven Hooves May Reveal About the Body

The hooves are a major part of both evaluations.

April examines how each horse stands, how the legs line up, which parts of the hoof are being loaded, and whether the heels and hoof walls are developing evenly.

With Kate, she connects the hoof patterns she observes with what she has already seen higher in the body, including the sternum, pectoral region, shoulders, lower back and hind end. She encourages owners not to focus only on repeatedly cutting, trimming or reshaping an uneven hoof without also asking why the horse continues to load that foot differently.

That same idea becomes even more important with the second horse.

Neck Stiffness, Pullback Trauma and the First Rib

Ice is almost nine years old. He began his career as a reining horse and is now used for ranch riding. His owner reports left-hind problems, neck stiffness and veterinary findings of navicular changes.

April begins by looking beyond the areas already identified as problems.

She examines the shape and musculature of Ice’s neck and discusses what she interprets as signs of previous pullback trauma. She also evaluates his first ribs, shoulders, poll, head, TMJ and cranial symmetry.

The episode explores April’s view of how unresolved patterns in the head, neck, first ribs and shoulders can affect the way a horse carries and uses the rest of the body.

For owners whose horses repeatedly become stiff through the neck or struggle to move comfortably despite previous treatments, this section provides a different perspective on where to look next.

Contracted Heels, Hoof Balance and Navicular Changes

Ice’s feet become another major focus of the evaluation.

April points out his contracted heels and discusses how shoeing, hoof expansion, stance, loading patterns and problems higher in the body can influence what owners eventually see at ground level. Ice had already been found to have navicular changes in both front feet and had experienced lameness.

April then shares her approach to contracted heels, hoof soaking, transitioning toward barefoot where appropriate, hoof conditioning, and giving the hoof time to change. She also discusses why she believes owners should prepare a hoof before simply removing shoes.

The broader lesson isn’t simply about shoes versus barefoot.

It’s about asking why the hoof developed its current shape and considering the horse standing above it.

Your Horse’s Head, Eyes, TMJ and Teeth Matter Too

The episode doesn’t stop at the musculoskeletal system.

April closely examines both horses’ faces, including the eyes, nostrils, ears, poll, TMJ and chewing muscles.

With Ice, she points out asymmetry between the eyes and nostrils and discusses how she evaluates these patterns alongside a horse’s history of head or pullback trauma. She also explores her approach to TMJ movement, chewing patterns and dental wear.

Later, April discusses what she watches for when a horse has a weepy or irritated eye, facial asymmetry, spooking, difficulty chewing normally, or feels different from one rein to the other.

These are all pieces of the same whole-horse evaluation.

First Rib, Shoulders, Pelvis, Hooves

A recurring message throughout this episode is that the location of the symptom isn’t necessarily the only area April wants to examine.

A horse may show:

• Girth sensitivity or biting
• Pawing or resistance during saddling
• Neck stiffness
• Difficulty with one canter lead
• Uneven posture or inability to stand square
• High-low or uneven hooves
• Contracted heels
• Stifle or hind-end problems
• Recurring lameness
• Spooking or eye problems
• TMJ or chewing changes

Rather than viewing these signs independently, April works from head to hoof, looking for patterns in how the entire horse stands, moves and compensates.

This is also why she encourages owners to regularly observe their horses before problems become severe. She explains that when a comfortable horse stops naturally and stands, she expects the front feet and hind feet to be positioned evenly, apart from a relaxed hind leg. Changes in that normal stance can be one clue that something deserves attention.

Keeping Horses Healthy, Sound and Rideable as They Age

There’s another important message running through this episode: longevity.

Kate is 27 and still being ridden. April also shares the story of her endurance horse Tiki, who accumulated thousands of miles and was still being lightly ridden around age 30. Her philosophy is to notice small changes in a horse’s body and address them instead of waiting for them to develop into larger performance problems.

That philosophy is at the heart of Holistic Horseworks Live: helping owners learn to look at the whole horse and recognize patterns that may otherwise be dismissed as age, conformation, behavior, or an isolated hoof or joint problem.

Watch the Full Holistic Horseworks Live Episode

If your horse has recurring lameness, girth sensitivity, uneven hooves, contracted heels, navicular changes, neck stiffness, back tension, trouble standing square, spooking, or unexplained behavioral changes, this episode gives you an opportunity to watch April work through two very different horses in real time.

You’ll see how she evaluates the head, eyes, TMJ, teeth, neck, first ribs, sternum, shoulders, spine, pelvis, hind end, legs, posture and hooves, while explaining the connections she looks for throughout the horse.

Watch the full episode to see April’s whole-horse evaluations and learn how to start looking beyond individual symptoms.

You’ll also get a glimpse into April’s signature Holistic Horseworks programs, clinics, and free resources—including the Horse 101 eBook and dozens of YouTube tutorials.

Ready to Start Helping Your Horse?

Start with April’s foundational training, Equine Musculoskeletal Unwinding, available to learn online with live 1:1 support. This step-by-step course teaches you how to release deep patterns of imbalance and pain—so your horse can move, feel, and live better.

Whether your horse is showing signs of discomfort or you simply want to deepen your connection and care, this program puts powerful tools in your hands.

Includes video lessons, downloadable workbooks, and a personalized distance reading from April herself.

Rather learn in-person?
Check out our hands-on equine remedial therapy clinics, available all over the globe →

More Holistic Horse Care Education

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

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Young horse care involves much more than feeding, hoof trimming, and preparing your horse for training. The way a foal or yearling stands, moves, uses their feet, and behaves can reveal patterns worth paying attention to long before they are ever ridden.

What if your young horse constantly tosses her head, chews on everything, doesn’t stand square, develops uneven hooves, or simply moves differently from the other horses?

It can be easy to assume they’re just being young.

In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Live, April Love evaluates two young Arabian horses, Gem and Honor, and shows viewers what she looks for when assessing a young horse from head to hoof.

From hoof balance and posture to the first rib, pelvis, TMJ, cranial structures, and previous injuries, April explores how seemingly unrelated signs may fit into a much bigger picture.

Watch the full episode to follow both evaluations and learn what April looks for in foals and young horses.

When Young Horse Behavior Seems Unusual

Gem is an 11-month-old Arabian filly with a few behaviors that have left her owner wondering why.

She frequently tosses her head, puts her mouth on things, runs much more than the other horses, and even carries her hay over to her water before eating it. Her teeth had already been checked, but her owner still felt there was something unusual about what she was seeing.

Gem also had an accident earlier in life. She became trapped underneath a gate with her neck beneath the bottom rail and may have remained there for some time.

Rather than dismissing the behaviors as simply part of being a young horse, April begins looking for physical patterns that she believes may help explain what Gem is doing.

Horse Head Tossing, TMJ and Cranial Balance

One of the first places April examines is Gem’s head.

Looking at her face, April points out differences she sees in the position of Gem’s eyes and nostrils. She then uses a model horse skull to demonstrate the structures she is evaluating and discusses the relationships she sees between the TMJ, teeth, chewing patterns, poll, atlas, and cranial bones.

For horse owners, this part of the episode provides a different way to observe horse head tossing and unusual mouth behavior.

Does one side of the face look different from the other? Does your horse chew differently? Are dental problems recurring? Is there a history of an accident or pullback incident?

April demonstrates what she looks for and why she believes these details deserve attention as part of a whole-horse evaluation.

Why Your Young Horse May Not Stand Square

How does your horse stand when nobody is positioning their feet?

April pays close attention to this during her evaluation.

When the front feet don’t naturally rest side by side, she examines areas such as the ribs and withers. When the hind feet aren’t square, she looks farther up into the pelvis and hind end.

This is one reason horse posture is such an important part of April’s approach.

Instead of looking only at the foot that’s positioned differently, she asks what may be happening elsewhere in the body that could influence how the horse chooses to stand.

In the full episode, you can watch April evaluate these patterns directly on Gem and explain what she’s seeing as she moves through the body.

High-Low Hooves and Uneven Hoof Growth in Young Horses

Uneven hoof growth can become noticeable surprisingly early.

During Gem’s evaluation, April looks at all four feet and discusses high-low hoof patterns, hoof loading, posture, first rib position, and hip position.

Her approach is to look beyond the hoof itself.

If a young horse repeatedly loads one leg differently, April believes it’s important to investigate why instead of only correcting the resulting hoof shape.

That means considering the relationship between horse hoof balance and whole-body posture.

For owners dealing with a young horse whose hooves continually grow differently despite regular trimming, this is one of the most useful demonstrations in the episode.

Is It Horse Conformation or Posture?

Honor, the second young Arabian featured in the episode, presents very differently from Gem.

Where Gem is constantly moving and showing obvious behaviors, Honor is much more laid-back.

But April still finds patterns she wants to investigate, particularly through his front end, first ribs, stance, and hooves.

This raises an important question for young horse owners:

Are you looking at your horse’s natural conformation, or at the way your horse is currently holding and using their body?

April also discusses why she doesn’t automatically interpret reluctance to move as laziness or unwillingness. In her approach, she first considers whether moving freely may be physically difficult for that particular horse

Why April Starts Equine Bodywork With Foals and Yearlings

April believes there is value in observing and working with horses before riding and training add more physical demands to their bodies.

In the episode, she discusses handling a foal’s feet early, gradually introducing young horses to everyday experiences, monitoring how they stand and move, and paying attention when hoof or posture patterns begin developing.

She also explains that her bodywork approach with babies differs from working with older horses because young horses have not accumulated years of riding, training, and compensation patterns.

The goal isn’t to assume that every unusual behavior means something is wrong.

It’s to notice patterns early instead of waiting until they become bigger problems.

What Should You Watch for in a Foal or Young Horse?

Take a few minutes to observe your young horse without asking them to stand or move a certain way.

Look at:

• How naturally square they stand
• Whether they consistently place one foot forward
• Differences between the left and right hooves
• High-low hoof patterns or uneven hoof growth
• Head tossing or unusual mouth behavior
• Differences between the two sides of the face
• How freely they move in both directions
• Changes following an accident, fall, or other physical event

These observations don’t provide a diagnosis on their own. Instead, they can help you notice recurring patterns and decide when something deserves a closer look.

Watch the Full Young Horse Evaluation

If you have a foal, yearling, or young horse, this episode gives you an opportunity to watch April evaluate two very different horses and explain what she notices along the way.

You’ll see her examine horse posture, hoof imbalance, high-low hooves, first rib position, TMJ and cranial patterns, head tossing, movement, and young horse behavior while demonstrating the Holistic Horseworks whole-horse approach.

Watch the full episode and learn how April evaluates young horses from head to hoof, before years of training and compensation patterns have accumulated.

You’ll also get a glimpse into April’s signature Holistic Horseworks programs, clinics, and free resources—including the Horse 101 eBook and dozens of YouTube tutorials.

Ready to Start Helping Your Horse?

Start with April’s foundational training, Equine Musculoskeletal Unwinding, available to learn online with live 1:1 support. This step-by-step course teaches you how to release deep patterns of imbalance and pain—so your horse can move, feel, and live better.

Whether your horse is showing signs of discomfort or you simply want to deepen your connection and care, this program puts powerful tools in your hands.

Includes video lessons, downloadable workbooks, and a personalized distance reading from April herself.

Rather learn in-person?
Check out our hands-on equine remedial therapy clinics, available all over the globe →

More Holistic Horse Care Education

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

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If your horse keeps experiencing recurring lameness, spooking, uneven hoof growth, stiffness, or performance problems, the issue may involve more than the area where the symptoms appear.

You treat the sore leg. Call the farrier about the hoof. Give your horse time off. Try bodywork or chiropractic care.

Things improve for a while, but then the problem comes back.

In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Live, equine bodywork expert April Love works with Dana and her former high-performance hunter, whose history includes spooking and bolting under saddle, uneven movement, hoof imbalances, stiffness, and a serious hind-end injury.

Despite veterinary care, rehabilitation, chiropractic work, Masterson Method, shockwave therapy, and other treatments, Dana still felt something was being missed.

April takes a whole-horse approach, looking beyond individual symptoms to explore how the hooves, first rib, shoulders, pelvis, poll, TMJ, cranial structures, and movement may be connected.

When Horse Lameness Keeps Coming Back

Recurring horse lameness does not always mean the problem begins where the horse appears sore.

During the evaluation, April identifies several areas she believes may be contributing to this horse’s compensation patterns, including differences in his hips, shoulders, forelegs, hooves, and soft tissues.

She explains how tension around the foreleg and intercostal area may place additional strain on the tendons and suspensories, while restriction around the first rib can interfere with normal shoulder movement.

Instead of looking at each symptom separately, April looks at how the horse is using and compensating through the entire body.

What Your Horse’s Hooves Can Tell You

Long toes and low heels. Uneven hoof angles. Flares. Contracted heels. An off-center frog.

These horse hoof problems can provide useful clues about how a horse is standing and loading their body.

In this episode, April compares all four hooves and explains why she doesn’t look at hoof balance separately from body alignment.

How a horse stands and loads each leg can influence how the hoof grows. At the same time, an imbalanced hoof may make it harder for the horse to maintain changes made elsewhere in the body.

This work blends:

• Myofascial release and cranial decompression

• Hoof analysis and posture evaluation

• Energy meridian sweeps and intuitive listening

• A unique “horse yoga” protocol that supports alignment and self-healing

For April, improving horse movement means looking at the hooves and the body together.

Could Old Trauma Affect Your Horse’s Movement and Behavior?

Sometimes a horse’s current problems may be connected to something that happened years earlier.

April points out signs she associates with previous pullback trauma and discusses how she believes pressure and restriction around the poll and cranial structures may influence the way a horse carries and uses their head.

This becomes particularly interesting when Dana describes her horse’s history of spooking and unpredictable behavior under saddle.

Although he knows his surroundings, he can suddenly become extremely nervous. Dana has also noticed that he becomes calmer when someone walks beside him and will sometimes reach toward her hand as though checking that she is still there.

April explores whether physical restrictions around the head, poll, TMJ, and surrounding structures could be another piece of the puzzle.

Understanding Compensation Patterns in Horses

A problem in one part of the horse’s body can change how other areas are being used.

If a shoulder isn’t moving freely, surrounding muscles may compensate. If the horse carries too much weight over the front end, other structures may take on additional strain. Tightness through the pelvis or groin can also change how a horse stands and loads a hoof.

Over time, these compensation patterns in horses may show up as stiffness, shortened strides, recurring lameness, hoof imbalance, difficulty with a canter lead, or changes in performance.

That’s why April’s holistic horse care and equine bodywork approach evaluates the horse from nose to tail and hoof to withers, rather than focusing only on the latest symptom.

What to Look for in Your Horse’s Posture and Movement

You don’t have to wait until your horse is noticeably lame to start paying attention.

April encourages horse owners to step back and observe the whole horse.

Look at your horse from behind. Are the hips level? Does one shoulder appear different from the other? Are the withers level? Does your horse consistently stand with one hoof forward? Do the hooves look different from each other? Has the mane suddenly started falling differently?

Small changes in horse posture, hoof balance, movement, and behavior may give you clues worth investigating.

In the episode, April demonstrates how she uses these observations to begin putting together a larger picture of what may be happening throughout the horse’s body.

Looking Beyond the Symptoms

When your horse keeps cycling through lameness, spooking, stiffness, hoof problems, or performance issues, repeatedly treating the symptom may not answer the bigger question:

Why does it keep coming back?

This episode gives you an inside look at how April evaluates a real horse using the Holistic Horseworks whole-horse approach, examining the relationships between the hooves, first rib, shoulders, pelvis, poll, TMJ, cranial structures, posture, and movement.

Is your horse showing some of these same signs?

Watch the full evaluation to see how April connects what she sees in the hooves, posture, movement, shoulders, pelvis, poll, and other areas instead of looking at each symptom in isolation.

You’ll also get a glimpse into April’s signature Holistic Horseworks programs, clinics, and free resources—including the Horse 101 eBook and dozens of YouTube tutorials.

Ready to Start Helping Your Horse?

Start with April’s foundational training, Equine Musculoskeletal Unwinding, available to learn online with live 1:1 support. This step-by-step course teaches you how to release deep patterns of imbalance and pain—so your horse can move, feel, and live better.

Whether your horse is showing signs of discomfort or you simply want to deepen your connection and care, this program puts powerful tools in your hands.

Includes video lessons, downloadable workbooks, and a personalized distance reading from April herself.

Rather learn in-person?
Check out our hands-on equine remedial therapy clinics, available all over the globe →

More Holistic Horse Care Education

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Share This Post:

In this episode of Your Health Now, April Love sits down with Tracy and Karin to explore the deeper connections between chronic pain, nerve issues, structural imbalances, toxins, hormones, and overall wellness.

What starts as a conversation about physical discomfort quickly expands into a much bigger discussion about how the body compensates over time, why some symptoms never fully resolve, and how overlooked issues like first rib dysfunction, jaw tension, mineral imbalances, water quality, and hidden infections may be affecting both people and horses.

Throughout the episode, April answers live audience questions on topics ranging from root canal infections and nerve pain to chiropractic adjustments, distilled water, detox support, and structural compensation patterns in the body.

This webinar goes far beyond symptom management. It is about understanding the domino effects happening inside the body and learning how to look at health from a more connected, root-cause perspective.

April and the live audience also discuss:

• Nerve pain and structural imbalance
• Root canal infections and oil pulling
• Detoxification and distilled water
• Jaw, hip, SI joint, and first rib compensation patterns
• Chronic soreness and recurring body issues
• Supplements and wellness support
• How body issues in horses and humans often mirror each other

If these conversations resonate with you, join us for the next live Your Health Now webinar where April answers questions in real time, performs live intuitive wellness scans, and explores holistic approaches to health, balance, and recovery.

You never know what connections your body may be trying to show you.

Don’t miss the next episode in June 17. Register here.

Videos and Books

April pulled from a lot of different methodologies in this episode — and these are the videos and books behind them. Whether you want to work on your posture, release your own first rib, or start exploring the emotional roots of physical symptoms, these resources are a great place to start.

Conscious Language

Essential Oils

Essential oils are something I come back to again and again — and in this episode I talked about a couple of my go-tos and exactly how I use them.

Supplements

Not everything is easy to find locally, so here are some of the products referenced in this episode, all available online. 

Colloidal Silver
Sinus, eye, and travel immune support

Neem Capsules
Ayurvedic intestinal support