horsemanship Archives -

Posted on February 17, 2018

Ditch Bad Horse Days One Day At A Time…

Courage Can Simply Be Taking The Situation One Day At A Time…

I think all horse owners face days where they might question why the heck they own horses in the first place… they may begin to question their own sanity. Yet deep down they also know that a life without horses simply just won't do! I'll be honest, I tend to be overly optimistic, those around me have said I can find light in the darkest of places. My horsemanship and horse ownership is no exception.

Yet I recently found myself in one of those dark, ugly horse days, where I was pretty sure one of my herd members had worn out his welcome. You can here more of Lonan's story and our ugly day from a Facebook Live video shared below.

Don't Lose Hope-

Lonan is a horse that challenges me in ways I don't often enjoy, and yet for some reason it seems wrong to send him on his way. I mention that I read a chapter from Heart To Heart With Horses The Equine Lover's Guide to Reiki by Kathleen Prasad that morning. It was Chapter 8 titled Healing Fear and Finding Courage.

This chapter could not have been more aligned with what both Lonan and I are going through! He has some pretty strong and alive fears and emotions when it comes to people. He actually has an indentation scar from a lariat on his neck from a history of not ideal handling…

I myself experience a considerable amount of fear sometimes in his presence. I mention in the video he is expansive… something about him just feels big and loud. Yet there is a sensitivity and softness that when he feels safe enough to expose this side of himself, I am in complete amazement.

In the book there is a passage that shares “When we're afraid to be who we are, our animals don't feel safe to be who they are.” This strikes me as so true and reminds me what horses can teach us if we are open to it. Most of the time I feel the most myself when I am with horses… almost any horse!

Not this one… he awakens feelings I am not familiar with and instantly I no longer recognize myself. Through the tips I shared in my previous post and the words in that chapter I am so thankful I read that morning, I continue my journey with Lonan.

Looking at the Big Picture

So I mentioned my over site with Lonan's diet and the fact I didn't factor in the impact of the hay switch I had to make… Although it was not solely the solution, I have seen many times when diet and lifestyle are big contributing factors to a horse's behavior and health! If you want to review your horse's lifestyle for negative imbalances be sure to download our FREE PDF guide, The Secrets of Equine Naturopathy, click here or the image below to get this guide sent to your inbox today!

I hope you found value in this post. Please share via your favorite social media page to help us on our mission to promote horse health and wellness. You will find share buttons at the bottom of the post.

The Journey To Your Horse's Health Begins Here & Now!

Posted on February 16, 2018 February 17, 2018

No Bad Horse Days! Mindset and Horse Connection

Horsemanship Tips to Ensure Good Horse Days!

I would say horse connection is the reason many horse owners have horses in their lives. Although there are some who simply have them for a business, profit, or professional stand point only. The average horse owner I believe has horses to enjoy a connection and bond that you don't get from motorized ATV and recreational activities. You might look at the title “No Bad Horse Days” and be a bit skeptical, but I decided with the time, effort, and work that horses require I would not accept having any more bad sessions or days with my horse.

Just like with any habit or goal, some days it takes focus and determination to keep yourself positive. It is a choice or mindset that you can train yourself to gravitate towards and eventually it will become a natural, automatic response. As an entrepreneur, I spend a good amount of time in personal development, but as a horse lover and owner I find that horses are amazing teachers and can push and drive us to becoming better people, if we are open and give them the opportunity.

In this post I will share how I help myself through my own bad horse days, so that you can learn to enjoy your time with your horse. I believe the emotional health of the horse is just as important as the physical health. Horse connection and emotions have a big impact on horse behavior as well! It is a synergy that Equine Essential Wellness helps horse owners balance and take responsibility for. This is how you achieve your dreams, goals, and passions with your horse!

Essential Oils and Horse Behavior

The great thing about essential oils, is they can be utilized by both horse and rider! In relation to improving horsemanship and horse sessions there are two factors to think of while selecting the right essential oil single or blend to maximize your results.

Mindset and Focus– To improve or increase focus and shift mindset to a more positive vibration, I like to use Clarity Young Living blend, Citrus Fresh Young Living blend, and one horses seem to really enjoy Magnify Your Purpose Young Living blend. If you prefer singles or have a therapeutic grade vendor that you trust Peppermint, Grapefruit, Orange, or Basil are great options too! These essential oil options can bring mental clarity for both you and your horse.
Emotions and Stress– Whether you or the horse tends to get emotional or brings tension into the session it is not productive and will have a negative impact on your session. For blends I would utilize Peace & Calming, Stress Away, Grounding, or Harmony, these are Young Living essential oil blends. For single essential oils Lavender, Ylang Ylang, or tree oils (tend to be grounding) Frankincense, Idaho Balsam Fir, etc.

Horsemanship and Mindset

When undesirable horse behavior arises I like to remind myself of a couple quotes from some great horsemen:

“The horse may not be doing the thing that is the right thing for what the rider is asking him, but as far as the horse is concerned, he is doing the right thing.” ~Tom Dorrance

“One of the primary ways horses communicate with us is through their behavior. Again, it is my belief horses don’t distinguish between how they feel and how they act. So if they act a certain way, their actions are reflecting the way they feel. A horse’s body then becomes a mirror for their emotions. So the body informs us of what is truly going on internally.” ~Mark Rashid

These two quotes help me to view undesirable horse behavior through communication. I am open to making sure the horse is understanding my communication, while also listening and assessing their behavior as a means of their communication to me. From this information you can determine the horse's need. Does the horse need clearer direction from you, do you lack respect or rapport from the horse, is the horse connected and paying attention to you?

It is imperative to leave blame out of the equation! Do not blame yourself or your horse, when things don't go as planned. Focus on a solution, if it is beyond your scope of horsemanship or abilities seek help. Otherwise if both you and the horse are safe then it is time to get to work improving yourself. Blame will keep you stuck and only produce more frustration.

Nutrition and Conditioning

Although many times sessions go awry it is do to lack of horse connection, communication, and mindset reasons; it is important to review and assess the horse's fitness and nutrition. If we eat junk food and are out of shape we often don't want to go hiking, running, or other physical activities. Horses are no different. Making sure they are physically comfortable, building their fitness, and adjusting their nutrition is something many overlook.

For steps on how to effectively assess your horse's lifestyle download our FREE PDF guide, The Secrets of Equine Naturopathy, click here or the image below to get this guide sent to your inbox today!

For more information related to this topic check out some of our previous blog posts listed below:

The Journey To Your Horse's Health Begins Here & Now!

Posted on February 5, 2018

Owning Horses Can Be Good For Your Health

Does your horse time benefit your health?

Okay, so this topic is a little different than what I usually share… but since you are probably just as passionate about horses as I am… this is still a topic you will enjoy and benefit from!

If you have read, watched, or studied with any great horseman or woman you will have likely heard them teach about how horses live in the moment. They are masters of it!

People… not so much. Unless you have put effort and habit into doing so.

When you work to develop a bond and connection with horses, you develop skills of being present and this practice has benefits for your health.

The Secret Behind Relaxation & Rejuvenation

I am recently developing a habit of meditation, visualization, and journaling (is that a word?). Being naturally curious I began to wonder why these habits are good for our health…

What I discovered was it is related to the Autonomic Nervous System.

The Autonomic Nervous System manages the automatic systems and functions of the body, such as your heartbeat, breathing, digestion, and other things your body naturally does without you thinking about it…

The Autonomic Nervous System has two parts:

Sympathetic
Parasympathetic

As horse owners we are familiar with the sympathetic nervous system… as it is what controls “fight” or “flight”. This is something not just our horse has and the truth is most of us spend too much time in this mode and have allowed it to become the dominant operating part of our nervous system.

The concern with that is that it is during the parasympathetic time that our body rests and rejuvenates. So supporting and encouraging our nervous system to activate the parasympathetic system regularly and have it become dominant is beneficial for our health.

Although our horses are well known for the fight and flight characteristics, they are masters of parasympathetic system as well… and when people spend time with them in a relaxing, bonding, and connecting state it has similar benefits (in my opinion more) to things like meditation, visualization, and journaling.

So I will continue with developing my new habits… but will also remember that the horse time that seemed like a hobby or pass time, is much more than that. It benefits our mind, body, and soul.

Returning The Favor-

Our horses give us so much! Let's return the favor by doing what we can to increase their health and wellness. If you want to go deeper into ensuring that your horse is on a path to health and not disease then you should download your copy of our FREE PDF guide, The Secrets of Equine Naturopathy, click here or the image below to get this series sent to your inbox today!

The Journey To Your Horse's Health Begins Here & Now!

Posted on January 21, 2018

The No Cost Way To Improve Your Horse’s Health

How Every Horse Owner Can Build Strength of Connection & Bond While Improving Their Horse's Health… For Free!!

What if I told you there is a way to improve your horse's health, and increase the bond between you and your horse at the same time… and it won't cost you a dime? Sounds to good to be true right?

It only requires one thing, your time.

Now before we discuss how you will implement this time, I want to ask you… are you too demanding?

Do you demand too much of yourself, others, and even your horse?

How often do you go out and just be, with your horse. No agenda, intentions, plans, or direct line purpose. Believe it or not, even grooming your horse does not necessarily count as being non demanding…

So how about with yourself? How would you know if you are being too demanding or preventing yourself from benefiting your horsemanship and even your horse's health?

The red flag I hear the most from people is phrases like, “if I only had the confidence you have, or if I only knew as much about (fill in the blank)”:

natural horse care
essential oils
training horses
nutrition
body work
anatomy
herbs
natural remedies

I think you get the picture… The statement closes with the typical, “then I would (fill in the blank)”:

use essential oils
change my horse's nutrition
have a deeper bond and connection
stop using over processed, chemical products or treatments
see the same result you do
etc, etc

If you have said or thought these statements, know there is no judgement intended as I too have experienced these dis-empowering thoughts… The truth is that you are enough to achieve results in your horse's health and in your horsemanship.

Are you taking time just to be with your horse… in the moment?

While reading The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod this quote caught my attention

You can learn more in an hour of silence than you can in a year of books. ~Matthew Kelly

What came to my mind as I read this quote was the realization that you can learn more in an hour listening and communicating with your horse than you can in a year of clinics and lessons…

Now just as the quote is not intended to devalue the importance of books, I do not intend to imply that we do not benefit from studying and learning from those who are further along or more skilled or experienced than we are certain areas.

I am a student by nature… I love to study and learn. But if you do not take time just being yourself with your horse. Allowing for your horse to be a horse and you to utilize what you have learned and what you innately know without methods, tasks, systems, or plans. There is much at risk, priceless experiences, and lessons that will fail to be discovered.

There is a time and place for structure, discipline, and expanding your understanding… but don't short change your horse owning journey of the treasures and priceless moments that simply being with your horse can bring and foster.

Check out the video below to learn more on how undemanding time and awareness applies to improving your horse's health.

Just in case you still feel like your missing the secret of how to improve your horse's health for free… it is to go out and simply be with your horse. What do you notice, feel, and experience?

There is no right or wrong. It is a time of observation, silence, and believe it or not communication that has a value beyond measure. Much like learning to meditate, it can take time to get comfortable and develop this habit and dare I say skill.

Just like every other area of our lives, our time with our horses often becomes rushed, noisy, and task filled. With little awareness and cherishing the moments that really make horse ownership the truly rewarding experience that it is!

Discover What Your Horse Is Trying To Tell You-

In my content, I share the story of supporting my mare through health concerns, naturally, after traditional methods had failed and euthanasia became the only recommendation veterinarians had for her. Part of our mission has to do with the success I had in helping her, and wanting that for your horse…

The reality is Pokey had been “telling” me for years that there was a concern, but sadly the vets and other equine professionals and mentors I had at the time, told me the things I noticed were no big deal! So I created a FREE pdf guide that shares 10 Tell Tale Signs Your Horse May Be Suffering From Dangerous Digestive Problems. Click Here to download your copy today.

Pokey struggled with #3 on this list for years and yet I was told she was just lazy and it was a training/behavioral problem. Don't let others misguide you or silence what your horse wants you to know. Click Here and download the guide now.

The Journey To Your Horse's Health Begins Here & Now!

The title photo of this post is the work of professional photographer, Nadja Rider. She has a great passion for the mustangs of the Sand Wash Basin and her work brings awareness and life to the herds and horses there. I hope to further the efforts of her great work, through utilizing these beautiful images. If you would like to follow these horses on Facebook Click Here. Be sure to check out Nadja photos, they share a story of the lives of mustangs in such an honest and authentic way.

Posted on January 1, 2018 February 13, 2018

Tips & Ideas To Help You Increase The Satisfaction Of Horse Ownership

Stop Letting Time Pass You By, Achieve More With Your Horse This Year-

It is a common practice for people to set goals in a variety of areas in their lives' from finance, fitness, health, and self improvement… but what about integrating our horses into this process so that we can improve the bond between us and our horses, and at the same time achieve what we desire in our horsemanship and our horse's health?

In this post I want to share with you some tips and ideas to setting horse related goals that will align and compliment the other goals that you set in your life.

Start With The Top Areas of Goal Setting-

Saving Money- The common mindset of horses is that they are an expensive hobby… and although there is truth to this thought most of the time that is only the case because we accept and expect it. When I started taking a more natural approach to care for my horses their care costs reduced drastically.
Eating Healthier- People often review and look into their eating habits and diet to see how they could improve their health and wellness… this is an area that is needed for your horse as well. Many of the supplements and products used daily in our horses lives are just as unhealthy as things in our life like processed foods, synthetic ingredients, and toxic chemical additives. In fact with our horses it can be much worse as the labeling regulations are more lax in the pet and livestock industry. Consumers must beware!
Get More Exercise- You can involve your horse in exercise goals in more than one way… first recognize the physical activities involved in caring for your horse: moving hay, cleaning pens, dragging hoses, carrying grain bags and buckets, etc. If you delegate these chores to others but are looking to increase your fitness without going to the gym… just add these to your to do list for awhile! The other thing to keep in mind is that the average horse is the equivalent of a couch potato. The health of their vital organ systems from lymph, cardiovascular, digestion, and more relies on adequate movement to function properly. When you are creating your fitness and exercise goals and habits be sure to include your horse as well 🙂
Increase Focus on Self Care & Self Improvement- Horses are a mirror for us that reflect where we need to improve ourselves. They are masters at living in the moment and being self aware. Scheduling time for your horse will not only be a form of self improvement, but is a great option to increase self care if you review the insights that your horse reveals to you and explore further from that point.

Learn a New Skill or Hobby- There are so many disciplines and activities in the horse world… pick something new that would be a good fit for you and your horse and give it try!
Read More Books- Many times people say they want to, read more books. Making a list of what you want to read and purchasing one off that list whether audio, eBook, or a physical copy ensures you know what books you plan to read more of and will get your started… Why not make a horse related book where you start? Or at least add some horsemanship books or horse health books to the list. Our Complete Guide to Essential Oils For Horses eBook would be a great way to kick off this goal!
Focus on Relationships- What you learn and experience as you aspire to become good with horses, is that the wisdom the horse shares and the skills you develop as your work with them build character and aptitude to improve the relationships in your everyday life.

Setting Goals From Nature's Principles

Getting my horses' lifestyles aligned with how Nature designed has helped me reduce the cost of caring for my horses, and increased the long term results I achieve. Allowing me to enjoy my horses more, while worrying and stressing less!

If you are ready to get results, confidence, and the information you need to help support your horse's health naturally, I invite you to get our FREE The Secrets of Equine Naturopathy PDF Guide, click here or the image below to get this guide sent to your inbox today.

The Journey To Your Horse's Health Begins Here & Now!