April's Holistic Horseworks Podcast: Recent Episodes
April
April Love, Founder of Holistic Horseworks an IICT approved modality, teaches you how to keep your horse healthy sound, and rideable thru their 30's! This knowledge that you will gain will leave you feeling empowered to take your horse's health into your own hands; developing a better bond between horse and rider, all while saving money and avoiding critical horse health issues like Colic and mysterious lameness. April also offers global hands-on clinics, home study courses, and 1:1 consultations for horse owners. Get her FREE E-book www.horseacademy101.com and learn more at www.holistichorseworks.com
Have a question you'd like April to answer on the show? Send us a text!
Join April Love of Holistic Horseworks and Dr. Jeff Grognet of New Earth Vet as they dive deep into the controversial world of equine vaccinations. In this eye-opening episode, April shares her extensive experience and insights into the potential risks of over-vaccinating horses, the harmful ingredients in vaccines, and holistic alternatives for maintaining your horse's health.
In this conversation, you'll Learn about:
— The hidden side effects of multiple vaccinations
— Toxic ingredients in horse vaccines
— How to support your horse's immune system naturally
— Detoxification strategies for horses
— Alternative approaches to traditional veterinary care
Whether you're an owner, rider, trainer, or any other type of horse lover, this podcast will challenge your understanding of horse healthcare and provide practical, holistic solutions for keeping your horse healthy and vibrant.
⬇️ Resources and Products Mentioned ⬇️
Free Horse 102 Ebook: https://horseacademy102.com/
NCD Liquid Zeolites: https://link.holistichorseworks.com/ncd
ACZ Nano Zeolites: https://link.holistichorseworks.com/acz
Dynamite Specialty Products: https://link.holistichorseworks.com/dynamite
To keep learning about horses:
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://horseacademy101.com/
• Shop videos & courses: https://holistichorseworks.com/store/
• See the global clinic schedule: https://holistichorseworks.com/clinic-schedule/
• Visit the HHW website: https://holistichorseworks.com/
🎉📱 Now available— Holistic Horseworks Remedies! A new app for remedial horse therapy, from nose to tail, hoof to withers. This is your 24/7 horse wellness guide, loaded with everything you need to spot issues before they become big problems.
- Search by symptom and discover natural remedies, stretches, and support
- Watch videos & listen to podcasts on real-life horse health breakthroughs
- Get step-by-step help to keep your horse balanced, comfortable, and thriving
- Enjoy insider offers on Holistic Horseworks programs & products
- Save precious time and money on vet visits by catching things early
- All for less than the cost of a cup of coffee each month.
📲 Plus, your first 7 days on the app are free!
Download it now: app.holistichorseworks.com
Have a question you'd like April to answer on the show? Send us a text!
"What would you do if your horse was limping, colicking, or spooking—and no one could tell you why?”
That question lit a fire in April Love that would grow into a global mission: helping horse owners uncover the root causes of mystery lameness, behavioral issues, and chronic pain that traditional methods often miss.
Recently, April joined Kimberley on The Backyard Horse Enthusiast podcast to share her journey, from early passion and endurance riding to developing the revolutionary bodywork system that is now Holistic Horseworks.
What makes April’s approach unique is that she teaches horse owners how to become their horse’s best healer. Through hands-on clinics, online home study courses, and a growing archive of over 200 YouTube videos and bite-sized podcasts, April shares techniques that work—because they’re based on real results over decades of experience.
From resolving Uveitis without surgery, to transforming behavioral “problem horses” into calm companions, April’s stories are more than anecdotes—they’re evidence of what’s possible when we support the body’s ability to heal itself.
And the best part? You don’t need to be a vet, trainer, or therapist. You just need the right tools, a little guidance—and a deep love for your horse.
Thanks to the host Kimberly from The Backyard Horse Enthusiast!
Website: https://www.thebackyardhorseenthusiast.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCPzmo1x8mWZWCOmBKIZ9hhw
Resources and Products Mentioned in This Episode:
- Dynamite Release Spray: https://bit.ly/release-spray
- Hoof, Hand, and Ting Miracle Spray: https://tinyurl.com/miracle-spray
- Colloidal Silver: https://tinyurl.com/dynamite-solace
- doTerra Essential Oils: https://tinyurl.com/hhw-doterra
- Holistic Horseworks Books: https://amzn.to/4jjyTf7
- Distance Readings: https://holistichorseworks.com/e4l/
- Online Home Study Program: https://holistichorseworks.com/best-online-horse-bodywork-course/
- Horse Yoga: https://tinyurl.com/horse-yoga
To keep learning about horses:
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://horseacademy101.com/
• Shop videos & courses: https://holistichorseworks.com/store/
• See the global clinic schedule: https://holistichorseworks.com/clinic-schedule/
• Visit the HHW website: https://holistichorseworks.com/
🎉📱 Now available— Holistic Horseworks Remedies! A new app for remedial horse therapy, from nose to tail, hoof to withers. This is your 24/7 horse wellness guide, loaded with everything you need to spot issues before they become big problems.
- Search by symptom and discover natural remedies, stretches, and support
- Watch videos & listen to podcasts on real-life horse health breakthroughs
- Get step-by-step help to keep your horse balanced, comfortable, and thriving
- Enjoy insider offers on Holistic Horseworks programs & products
- Save precious time and money on vet visits by catching things early
- All for less than the cost of a cup of coffee each month.
📲 Plus, your first 7 days on the app are free!
Download it now: app.holistichorseworks.com
Have a question you'd like April to answer on the show? Send us a text!
In this powerful session from the Holistic Horse Conference, holistic equine expert April Love joins Dr. Jeff Grognet and animal communicator Joan Ranquet to share game-changing insights on keeping horses healthy, happy, and rideable into their 30s.
April reveals her unique, certified bodywork method that combines massage, energy work, intuitive listening, and hoof and cranial alignment to address the root causes of pain, behavioral issues, and poor performance in horses. Learn how subtle signs—from hoof imbalance to head tension—can reflect deeper imbalances in the body and emotions. Discover how owners can take healing into their own hands through hands-on techniques, yoga-based diagnostics, and tools to restore vitality and connection.
Topics Include:
- First rib misalignment and its cascading effects
- How to recognize emotional trauma in the body
- The real causes behind saddle fit issues, mysterious lameness, and hoof deformities
- Why traditional veterinary care often misses the bigger picture
- How to use bodywork to support the horse’s nervous system, digestion, and behavior
To keep learning about horses:
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://horseacademy101.com/
• Shop videos & courses: https://holistichorseworks.com/store/
• See the global clinic schedule: https://holistichorseworks.com/clinic-schedule/
• Visit the HHW website: https://holistichorseworks.com/
🎉📱 Now available— Holistic Horseworks Remedies! A new app for remedial horse therapy, from nose to tail, hoof to withers. This is your 24/7 horse wellness guide, loaded with everything you need to spot issues before they become big problems.
- Search by symptom and discover natural remedies, stretches, and support
- Watch videos & listen to podcasts on real-life horse health breakthroughs
- Get step-by-step help to keep your horse balanced, comfortable, and thriving
- Enjoy insider offers on Holistic Horseworks programs & products
- Save precious time and money on vet visits by catching things early
- All for less than the cost of a cup of coffee each month.
📲 Plus, your first 7 days on the app are free!
Download it now: app.holistichorseworks.com
Have a question you'd like April to answer on the show? Send us a text!
In this interview, holistic healing expert April Love uncovers the deep, often invisible threads connecting horse and human wellness.
Join Kimberly, host of The Backyard Horse Enthusiast, as she shares her transformative experience with April's intuitive healing techniques, including:
❤️ Distance body scanning for horses and humans
❤️ Releasing trapped emotions and generational trauma
❤️ Holistic approaches to healing physical and emotional blockages
❤️ Insights into nutrition, essential oils, and energy frequencies
❤️ Personal healing journey after significant life challenges
April breaks down complex healing concepts, sharing her expertise from $19,000 worth of training in various holistic modalities. Learn how intention, energy work, and understanding your body's signals can dramatically improve not only their health, but yours, too.
For horse lovers and wellness seekers alike, this conversation offers profound insights into holistic health.
Find Kimberly and The BackYard Horse Enthusiast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCPzmo1x8mWZWCOmBKIZ9hhw
Get an Equine Distance Reading from April: https://holistichorseworks.com/get-a-distance-reading/
Get a People Distance Reading from April: https://holistichorseworks.com/product/distance-reading-for-people/
To keep learning about horses:
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://horseacademy101.com/
• Shop videos & courses: https://holistichorseworks.com/store/
• See the global clinic schedule: https://holistichorseworks.com/clinic-schedule/
• Visit the HHW website: https://holistichorseworks.com/
🎉📱 Now available— Holistic Horseworks Remedies! A new app for remedial horse therapy, from nose to tail, hoof to withers. This is your 24/7 horse wellness guide, loaded with everything you need to spot issues before they become big problems.
- Search by symptom and discover natural remedies, stretches, and support
- Watch videos & listen to podcasts on real-life horse health breakthroughs
- Get step-by-step help to keep your horse balanced, comfortable, and thriving
- Enjoy insider offers on Holistic Horseworks programs & products
- Save precious time and money on vet visits by catching things early
- All for less than the cost of a cup of coffee each month.
📲 Plus, your first 7 days on the app are free!
Download it now: app.holistichorseworks.com
Have a question you'd like April to answer on the show? Send us a text!
In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, April Love sits down with Joie, a passionate horse lover who has discovered a profound purpose in the holistic approach to equine care. After years of working with horses in various capacities, Joie felt a deep calling to find a more integrative way to support and serve these magnificent animals.
Through her journey of discovery, Joie stumbled upon the work of April Love and Holistic Horseworks, and everything clicked into place. Joie shares her inspiring story of how she went from feeling frustrated and limited in her ability to truly help horses, to finding a comprehensive system that addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of these sentient beings.
"I want to be able to give back to horses in a way that they've given to me my whole life, and do it better than I ever have before."
Listeners will be captivated by Joie's enthusiasm as she describes the transformative power of the Holistic Horseworks approach. From understanding the importance of hoof balance and body alignment to exploring the profound impact of energy work and emotional release, Joie's testimony sheds light on a holistic path that can revolutionize the way we care for and connect with our equine companions.
Seasoned horse owners, equine industry professionals, and anyone who appreciates the special bond between humans and horses—this episode will inspire you to approach equine care with a more empowered and purposeful mindset.
To keep learning about horses:
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://horseacademy101.com/
• Shop videos & courses: https://holistichorseworks.com/store/
• See the global clinic schedule: https://holistichorseworks.com/clinic-schedule/
• Visit the HHW website: https://holistichorseworks.com/
🎉📱 Now available— Holistic Horseworks Remedies! A new app for remedial horse therapy, from nose to tail, hoof to withers. This is your 24/7 horse wellness guide, loaded with everything you need to spot issues before they become big problems.
- Search by symptom and discover natural remedies, stretches, and support
- Watch videos & listen to podcasts on real-life horse health breakthroughs
- Get step-by-step help to keep your horse balanced, comfortable, and thriving
- Enjoy insider offers on Holistic Horseworks programs & products
- Save precious time and money on vet visits by catching things early
- All for less than the cost of a cup of coffee each month.
📲 Plus, your first 7 days on the app are free!
Download it now: app.holistichorseworks.com
Send us a text
In this episode, April Love, in response to a fan question, explains how her horse yoga program can help improve a horse's gait, making both the trot and canter smoother.
The yoga exercises serve as diagnostic tools to address issues such as neck stiffness, shoulder restrictions, and spinal problems, which can lead to choppy trots and uneven canters. She highlights five key stretches, each targeting different parts of the horse’s body, to release tension and improve flexibility.
April emphasizes that while the yoga can help, more severe issues such as first rib misalignment often require deeper work through her Equine Musculoskeletal Unwinding program. She offers detailed online courses and diagnostics to help horse owners maintain their horses' well-being and prevent costly vet bills.
Yoga Video FREE Yoga for Horses to help keep them healthy sound and rideable thru their 30's! - YouTube
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
Send us a text
In this conversation, April Love shares her experience working with dogs, emphasizing the importance of checking their skeletal alignment, similar to how she works with horses.
She explains that early detection and intervention are key, especially for young dogs, and that's why she created the Canine Musculoskeletal Unwinding program, which teaches dog owners how to address these issues themselves.
The program is best for people who already understand the equine bodywork.
Canine Musculoskeletal Unwinding https://tinyurl.com/mrxcesrw
Natural Cellular Defense https://amzn.to/3OvEKk6
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
Send us a text
There has been a lot of news about Avian Flu infecting cattle and humans.
Is it possible horses could contract this and other diseases? What can horse owners do to protect their horses?
April discusses ways to keep horses as healthy as possible and empower people to help their horses rather than always relying on paid services.
Products mentioned
Horse 102, Holistic Healing Alternatives www.horseacademy102.com
Miracle Spray Recipe: https://bit.ly/hhw-miracle-spray-recipe
doTerra Essential Oils https://tinyurl.com/9z7nv42n
Distance Readings https://holistichorseworks.com/get-a-distance-reading/
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
Send us a text
In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, we explore the complexities of high-low hoof syndrome, a condition that has long puzzled vets, farriers, and horse owners.
We'll discover what contributes to high-low hoof syndrome and reveal a hidden underlying cause that often goes unnoticed but plays an extremely important role in the condition: the misalignment of the first rib.
Learn about the importance of early detection, regular hoof care, and practical solutions that can help your horse achieve better balance. This will be a game-changer in managing high-low hoof syndrome.
Resources Mentioned:
FREE Yoga for Horses Video
ENROLL NOW: Equine Musculoskeletal Unwinding
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
Text us to submit a question for the podcast!
Join us for an in-depth discussion on holistic horse care with guest April Love of Holistic Horseworks and host Poppy Philips of Holistic Animal Insights!
In this interview, April shares her journey learning various healing modalities and how she's helped horses with complex issues like kissing spine and lameness. She discusses the importance of bodywork, proper tack, and natural remedies in maintaining horse health. April also offers insights on prevention through addressing muscle imbalances and root causes of injuries. Listeners will learn practical techniques for alignment, arthritis, and dental care.
To learn more about Holistic Horseworks visit https://holistichorseworks.com/
To learn more about Holistic Animal Insights visit https://www.holisticanimalinsightsmember.vip/inner-circle-members
Get the free Horse 101 ebook at https://horseacademy101.com/
holistichorseworks #holisticanimalinsights #aprillove #poppyphillips #horsecare #horseriding #horses #horselover #horsemanship #naturalhorsemanship #equinetherapy #equinebodywork #horsertherapy #horsebodywork #equestrian
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
Most male horses are gelded at a young age.
In this episode, April talks about the gelding process and how to ease the transition from colt to gelding.
Castration can be traumatic but with the use of Liquid Trace Minerals and NOT fresh cold water hosing, the incision site will heal quickly with less scarring.
Gelding scars will develop when the incision site gets infected. Gelding scars can severely impact a gelding's athletic ability.
Products mentioned:
Liquid Trace Minerals: https://tinyurl.com/hhw-trace-minerals
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
There will come a day when it's time to let go of your horse, dog, or other pet.
So, how can you decide when it is time to let them go? Sometimes animals stay for their humans, even if their body is causing great suffering.
In this episode, April talks about how to make the transition easy for both the humans and the animals.
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
In this episode, April discusses the importance of horse owners preparing for natural disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, and tornadoes. The key points include:
Learn how to put identification on your horse so if they get loose, the person who finds them can contact you.
Use duct tape and a black Sharpie pen to write your phone number on the horse's hooves. Additionally, consider using dog tags on the horse's halter or blanket.
Always keep essential supplies on hand, such as Dynamite Liquid Trace minerals for wound care, tea tree oil, and Epsom salts. Prepare a medicine chest with items recommended in horse care books for emergencies like colic, wounds, and smoke inhalation.
It's better to be prepared and not need it than to scramble during an emergency.
Resources
Dynamite Trace Minerals:https://tinyurl.com/2p8w6nzu Tea Tree Oil: https://tinyurl.com/yz4jukyb
Horse 102 Ebook: https://horseacademy102.com/
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
April discusses how to use chia seeds as a good vegan fat source for horses that have trouble gaining weight, especially as winter approaches.
She talks about how she fed her endurance horses as well as how to help horses with insulin resistance.
Resources:
Natural Cellular Defense (NCD) Liquid Zeolite Drops: https://amzn.to/3OvEKk6
Home Study Courses: https://holistichorseworks.com/store/
Clinic Schedule: https://holistichorseworks.com/clinic-schedules/
Dynamite Trace Minerals: https://tinyurl.com/2p8w6nzu Dynamite Free & Easy: https://tinyurl.com/ybvwzzy2
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
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.
A listener asked for advice regarding her 30-year-old retired showhorse who experienced cancer and founder issues. April provides valuable insights into holistic approaches to improve the horse's condition.
Resources
Natural Cellular Defense (NCD) Liquid Zeolite Drops: https://amzn.to/3OvEKk6
Hoof Soak Tutorial (Video): https://bit.ly/hhw-hoof-soak-video
UC Davis Soaker Boots: https://amzn.to/46WvA8J
Miracle Spray Recipe: https://bit.ly/hhw-miracle-spray-recipe
Dynamite Liquid Trace Minerals: https://bit.ly/hhw-dynamite-trace-minerals
Horse 102, Holistic Alternatives: www.horseacademy102.com
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, 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. April was prepared to stop the bleeding and there were two lessons learned that day - how not to tie a horse and how to treat a fresh wound.
Products mentioned:
Dynamite Release Spray: https://tinyurl.com/24w5cksb
Liquid Trace Minerals: https://tinyurl.com/hhw-trace-minerals
Tea Tree Oil: https://tinyurl.com/yz4jukyb
Horse 102 Ebook: https://horseacademy102.com/
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
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.
Tune in for practical tips you can implement today. Whether you're a seasoned horse lover or a brand new horse owner, this episode offers valuable advice for keeping your equine companion happy, healthy, and rideable well into their golden years.
Resources
Distance Reading: https://bit.ly/distance-reading-for-horses
Balm Sweat for Arthritic Knees (Video): https://bit.ly/balm-sweat-for-knees
Dynamite Balm: https://bit.ly/dynamite-balm
Joint Support Supplement: https://bit.ly/hhw-joint-support
Apple Cider Vinegar: https://amzn.to/3PERypV
Desitin: https://amzn.to/46dJqCu
Horse Yoga (Video): https://bit.ly/horse-yoga-video
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
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.
She also emphasizes how factors in a horse's environment could be impacting their ability to assimilate nutrients, as well as the importance of considering their unique needs when vaccinations, and deworming.
Tune in for a wealth of knowledge on creating a balanced and happy environment for your equine companion.
Resources
Get a Distance Reading: https://bit.ly/distance-reading-for-horses
Natural Cellular Defense (NCD) Drops: https://amzn.to/3OvEKk6
Recommended Inline Water Filter: https://amzn.to/3RgnNx6
Horse 102: https://amzn.to/3sQo4N6
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
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 in people such as thoracic outlet syndrome, frozen shoulder, tendonitis, bursitis, and carpel tunnel syndrome. So think about all the things it could be impeding in 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.
Discover practical techniques to identify and address these misalignments, and gain valuable insights into maintaining your horse's well-being through regular first checks and preventive measures.
Don't miss this eye-opening discussion on a small but critical element that can make a world of difference in your horse's well-being!
Resources
How to tell if the first rib is misaligned on your horse (video)
Horse yoga (video)
Equine Musculoskeletal Unwinding Home Study
NCD Natural Cellular Defense
ACZ Nano
Dynamite Specialty Products
Horse 102: Holistic Alternatives
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, April offers guidance on helping your horse cope with the loss of a pasture mate. A horse's herd is their family, and the absence of a companion can be deeply distressing.
While it's natural to want to replace the lost companion immediately, April suggests giving your horse space to grieve and process their emotions. Here are some ways to support your horse through this emotional time.
Resources
Dynamite Relax: https://tinyurl.com/3sh64art
Dynamite Tranquil: https://tinyurl.com/mprzhkyv
"The Emotion Code" by Bradley Nelson: https://amzn.to/3R0YOOf
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
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In this episode, April, addresses a question about a horse that refuses to pick up one of its feet.
April suggests that the issue is not a training problem but rather a discomfort or pain-related concern. She advises looking at the horse's other feet and checking for signs of laminitis, soreness, or injuries.
If the horse is avoiding putting weight on one foot, the focus should be on understanding why it's uncomfortable shifting its weight rather than forcing the foot to be lifted.
For front hooves, April recommends positioning the horse uphill to shift more weight to the hind end or providing a soft surface for the other foot to stand on, encouraging the horse to lift the desired foot. She shares a beneficial hoof-soaking recipe for various foot issues.
Regarding hind hooves, April suggests considering potential soreness in the SI joint, which can affect the horse's willingness to lift a hind leg. She demonstrates a technique for picking up the hind leg that reduces stress on the SI joint.
SI Joint Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8CBET7o4go
Davis soaker boots: https://amzn.to/46WvA8J
Liquid Trace Minerals: http://bit.ly/3O8XYwN
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
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April discusses how the first rib in foals can become misaligned and that causes the hind end to develop incorrectly.
Doing bodywork on young foals not only helps them develop properly, but it also helps foals develop positive relationships with their handlers.
Learn more about how bodywork can benefit young horses as they grow.
Video: Why Foals Need Bodywork: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8rfeFsYY_ke
Liquid Trace Minerals http://bit.ly/3O8XYwN
Equine Musculoskeletal Unwinding Home Study: https://bit.ly/3OeeLh1
Bodywork for Foals and Yearlings: https://bit.ly/3qweopA
Free E-book: www.horseacademy101.com
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
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Does your black horse fade to brown in the summer?
In this episode, April discusses how the color change is likely due to a copper deficiency in the horse's diet. She suggests feeding the horse Dynamite Liquid Trace Minerals once a week to provide the necessary copper and prevent the fading of its black coat.
April also mentions that chestnut horses with burnt-out-looking hair and curled ends may have a copper deficiency as well.
April believes that mineral deficiency can make horses more prone to parasites, so she advises using organic diatomaceous earth and doing fecal counts every two to three months.
Resources:
Liquid Trace Minerals http://bit.ly/3O8XYwN
Dynamite Excel https://bit.ly/3NJkvyU
Free E-book: www.horseacademy101.com
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
In this episode, April explains muscle testing, which is a technique used to determine the suitability and effectiveness of supplements and products for horses.
April explains that muscle testing involves "yes" or "no" answers. She teaches muscle testing in her applied kinesiology class. She emphasizes the importance of assessing the vitality and quality of products before feeding them to horses. By placing a hand on the product packaging, one can ask if its vitality is greater than 8 on a scale of 1 to 10.
April also suggests asking if the product is good for the horse and if the horse can assimilate it effectively. She shares her experience using NCD (Natural Cellular Defense) to passively clear the horse's liver and kidneys of toxins, which can affect their overall health.
She notes that being emotionally upset can affect the accuracy of muscle testing.
Overall, muscle testing can help horse owners save money by ensuring they provide the right products that their horses can effectively assimilate.
Watch The Muscle Testing Video
Level 1 Home Study Course
Natural Cellular Defense
Free e-book
To keep learning about horses:
• Sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/44t9Q1V
• Get the free Horse 101 ebook: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
• Shop videos & courses: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
• See the global clinic schedule: https://bit.ly/3CZiaee
• Visit the HHW website: www.holistichorseworks.com
Thanks for listening!
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Some horses seem to pass much more gas than others. Is this something an owner should be worried about?
Yes!
Excess gas indicates a problem with digestion. In this episode, April talks about how to prevent future colic incidents with natural methods.
Resources
Dynamite Apple Cider Vinegar
Horse Yoga video
Organic Parasite Control Podcast
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
In this episode, April Love tackles a crucial concern for horse owners this summer: how to safeguard our equine companions from the harmful effects of wildfire smoke. Join us as we delve into expert insights shared from firsthand experience.
Discover a natural solution that clears your horses' lungs and supports respiratory health, helping them thrive even in smoky conditions. We'll reveal an intriguing technique that balances organs and meridians, promoting overall well-being and resilience. And when the smoke settles at night, we'll share effective tips to help your horse's body eliminate any toxins.
Listen now and ensure the well-being of your horses in the face of these seasonal environmental challenges!
Resources:
Natural Cellular Defense (NCD) Drops
Respiratory Support from Silver Lining Herbs
How to Do a Bladder Meridian Sweep (Video)
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
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Join us on this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks as we delve into the importance of early detection and addressing issues in horses, starting from foalhood. April discusses her experiences working with brood mares, foals, and problem horses, highlighting the significant impact early interventions can have on a horse's overall well-being.
April emphasizes the need for diligent observation, especially in the early stages of a horse's life. She shares stories of foals encountering alignment issues due to falls or incidents in their young lives, which can affect their physical development and behavior. By providing gentle bodywork, environmental training, and imprinting techniques, April has witnessed remarkable transformations in foals, resulting in well-behaved, personable, and trainable horses.
April also touches on the importance of environmental training, starting as early as possible, to familiarize horses with different stimuli making them easier to work with throughout their lives and creating a strong bond between horse and handler.
Resources:
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/apARz6zu8TE
Bodywork for Foals and Yearlings: https://bit.ly/3qweopA
Home Study Programs: https://bit.ly/43vhsku
Horse 101: https://bit.ly/3ChKAQr
Have a question you'd like to submit to the podcast?
Email april@holistichorseworks.com
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
To use a bit or not, has often been discussed by horsemen.
Many people go to a bigger, harsher bit when their horse doesn't respond. It could be that the horse's head is not in alignment. The skull is not one big bone, it's many bones fused together. If a horse pulls back those bones can shift.
This affects the teeth and how the bit feels in the horse's mouth.
Learn how to correct the teeth, the temporal mandibular joint, and other cranial issues and you might be able to go bitless.
Resources:
Level 1 Home Study: https://bit.ly/43HRERV
Level 2 Home Study: https://bit.ly/3oXQPWh
Equine CranioSacral Energy Work: https://bit.ly/43toDK0
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
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Ever wonder why some horses get girth sores and others don't?
Join April Love from Holistic Horse Works as we tackle the common issue of girth sores in horses. April shares her expertise and offers practical tips for preventing and treating these discomforting sores.
Discover the drawbacks of neoprene girths, the importance of natural materials, and how restoring shoulder and elbow mobility can prevent girth sores in the first place.
Explore gentle cleansing options and holistic alternatives to promote healing and protect your horse's skin.
Don't miss this insightful episode for essential knowledge on maintaining your horse's comfort and well-being.
Resources:
Dynamite Liquid Trace Minerals - https://bit.ly/3Gsi5SD
Horse 102: Holistic Alternatives - https://amzn.to/45DslC7
Releasing Neck and Shoulder Tightness - https://youtu.be/Y6UudxuOdZ0
Have a question you'd like to submit?
Email april@holistichorseworks.com
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
Should you be giving your horse electrolytes this summer?
In this episode, April discusses whether horses should be given electrolytes during the summer. It depends on what the horse is doing.
Powdered electrolytes can burn a horse's esophagus and cause them to lose their appetite. Instead, April recommends using Dyna Spark, which is a liquid electrolyte that is more bioavailable and gentle on the system.
It also has ismene silica, which helps detoxify the liver and kidneys and pull out lactic acid.
April recommends giving electrolytes in small amounts, more often, as horses will only take what they need. The speaker also suggests using Dyna Spark to encourage horses to drink water when traveling or when the water source has an unpleasant smell.
Get Dyna Spark Here: https://bit.ly/3WkzSle
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
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Why do horses rub their tails?
In this episode, April Love shares common reasons why horses may rub their tails out and what to do about it. She explains that this behavior may be due to underlying issues with the horse's pelvis and hips, insect bites, parasites, or variety of other factors.
Additionally, April provides information about the Holistic Horseworks programs and eBook, which address body issues and offer solutions to improve the horse's overall health, including crooked tails and how to work on tail muscles and ligaments which could be contributing to your horse's discomfort.
Tune in to learn more about how to care for your horse's tail and their overall well-being!
Itchy Tail & Mane Spray Recipe:
- 32oz Spray Bottle filled with water
- 15-20 Drops Tea Tree Essential Oil
- 15-20 Drops Lavender Essential Oil
Get the ingredients here ⟶
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
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April shares a story about a client's horse with a mysterious colic and how they dealt with it.
She emphasizes the importance of having Banamine, Epsom salt, and DoTerra DigestZen oil on hand. She recommends keeping a copy of her book, Horse 102, in the barn for quick reference in emergencies.
She explains that colic is often caused by impaction due to a blockage in the intestine, which can be alleviated by giving warm salt water and rubbing DigestZen oil on the belly.
April demonstrates how to perform various bodywork techniques to help alleviate colic.
Click here to shop DigestZen
Get Horse 102: Holistic Alternatives on Amazon
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
holistichorseworkstalks
In this episode, April talks about common cranial issues found in horses, and why cranial work is vital to your horse's overall health. She explains how if left untreated, head trauma can lead to uveitis, spooking, head shyness, dental problems, Cushing's disease, and even metabolic or immune system disorders.
Watch it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9NXieJaH6I
To learn how to support cranial issues in your horse, check out the Holistic Horseworks Level 3 Program, "Equine Cranial Decompression," which is only available as a hands-on clinic experience. Can't find a Level 3 clinic near you? Apply to host one and get in for free! https://holistichorseworks.com/clinic-schedules/
Not ready for Level 3 yet? Get started on your journey with equine care when you download the free ebook: https://horseacademy101.com/
Other resources mentioned in this episode:
Equine Cranial Sacral Energy Work
NCD Cleanse Drops (Clilloptiolite Zeolite)
Silver Lining Herbs
April Love, Holistic Horseworks
april@holistichorseworks.com
www.holistichorseworks.com
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
In this episode, April explains how she designed the home study program for all kinds of learners. She reminds us what to expect of our horses before and after a full session. She shares a real-life story of what happened when a student hard-tied her horse to a pole, and then how this program is helpful for humans too.
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
In this episode, April explains her accredited program, equine musculoskeletal unwinding. She also talks about how it is a very easy and personalized learning experience even when you’re studying at home or getting guidance from a distance reading. But if you prefer, she provides details to host a hands-on clinic. And last, she shares a fun way to spoil your horse!
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
My passion is helping horses and horse lovers like you! There is nothing that lights me up more than watching someone have that "ah-ha" moment when it finally clicks, and they realize how powerful and instrumental they are to their own horse's wellbeing.
This week on Holistic Horsework's Talks, I share my story behind that passion, stemming from decades of experience in horseback riding, competing, training, and health care. And even further back to being a little girl playing with horses on my Grandparent's farm.
My history with horses has been filled with so much joy, but there have been plenty of challenges, too. Being disqualified from riding and competing because my horse was lame. Wondering what was going on and never getting any actual answers from the vet. Spending $17,000+ dollars on classes, courses, and clinics to feel like something was still missing.
But you don't have to struggle like I did. Years upon years of riding, practice, study, and my own hard-won experience are now available to you through hands-on, in-person clinics and virtual home study courses at Holistic Horseworks.
Start with the Level 1 Home Study: https://holistichorseworks.com/level-1-equine-musculoskeletal-unwinding-home-study/
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
Scars can be more than just ugly! In the wrong place, scars can impede your horse’s performance.
Ideally, the best thing is to avoid scarring in the first place by taking care of fresh wounds. Since horses’ bodies are saline, you don’t want to use plain cold water to clean them out.
Using a solution of Tea Tree Oil and Dynamite Liquid Trace Minerals will prevent infection and swelling and start the healing process from the inside out.
For old, hard scars, Dynamite Balm, which comes from a pre-historic mineral mine, will soften them and free up movement especially if the scar is near a joint.
In this episode of Holistic Horseworks talks, learn more about wound care and scar treatment!
Get Horse 102 - Holistic Alternatives on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nCYwA7
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
In this episode, April discusses show jumping and eventing horses.
Jumping is very hard on a horse's body.
Healthy hooves provide a good foundation for overall horse health.
Next, jumpers need to be able to do horse yoga. If not, there are issues that need to be addressed. It starts in the front end. If the shoulders can't move freely, the horse can't pick up the front legs to get over the jump. That throws stress onto the hind end to compensate.
The hips then become misaligned and the horse doesn't have the power to push off the ground, nor pick his hind feet up, and then knocks a rail down.
Taking care of the horse's joints are key to keeping them jumping.
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
Springtime is a good time to give your horse a nice tuneup.
Start by looking at the horse's mouth. Get an equine dentist to work on the teeth. When the teeth don't line up correctly, the bit is going to be very uncomfortable for the horse.
The next thing, is what to do about all that hair!
Then, take a look at the feet. They've been soaking in mud for a while. The horse has to run on these hooves.
Soaking the feet in my special solution will kill the fungus, and improve overall hoof health.
My yoga program will show you where the horse has glitches. Then follow my bodywork program to clear up those glitches.
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
Have you ever considered rescuing a horse from a bad situation?
Rescue horses often come with a low or even free price tag, but they can come with many issues that will end up costing you more in the long run.
In this episode April discusses what she does when presented with a horse for retraining that has come from a neglectful situation.
First, the teeth and other health issues need to be addressed. The horse may also have a lot of emotional baggage to unpack.
April talks about how to help the horse while getting the most bang for your buck.
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 ebook
- Shop videos & courses
- See the global clinic schedule
- Visit the HHW website
Thanks for listening!
An owner that was desperate to help her horse, hosted a clinic with April Love to help her mare that had become unrideable.
The mare's whole right hind leg, her hoof, her stifle, was pointed out and she couldn't back up. The owner was frantically trying to figure out something to help her horse get better.
First April worked on the horse. The bones in the mare's hip were out of alignment. The inside of her heel was crushed from bearing excess weight.
April brought that hip forward and changed the angle of that bone and all of a sudden, the horse was standing square with both hind feet pointed forward for the first time in 10 years!
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 e-book
- Shop videos & courses
- ...
When racehorses come off the track, they will need a little help transitioning to life as pleasure horses.
Off the track Thoroughbreds tend to be high-headed and hollow backed and often stronger on one side than the other.
Bodywork may help them release the diaphragm so they can lift their back and tuck their head as expected for disciplines like Dressage.
OTTB, #equinebodywork #AprilLove #racehorse
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
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- ...
Since most people are right-handed, polo plays carry the mallet in their right hand.
Because the mallet is in the right hand, the rider is often leaning to the right. That leads to one side of the horse being affected by the rider's weight, more than the other.
To help polo horses stay on the top of the game, yoga and bodywork can be done before and after a match.
To keep learning about horses:
- Sign up for our email list
- Get the free Horse 101 e-book
- Shop videos & courses
- ...
Horses that are driven can have different soreness issues than horses that are ridden.
April Love simply looked at a competitive driving horse in the stall and described the horse's issues without even seeing him move. The horse had hock issues for years and after some Holistic Horseworks bodywork, was moving much better.
In this episode, learn more about driving horses and common issues they might experience.
drivinghorse #lamehorse #equinebodywork
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- Sign up for our email list
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- ...
If you lie in a colder climate, it's time to think about winter car for your horses, especially the older ones.
Should you blanket or not?
Getting enough water in the winter is crucial to preventing impaction colic. Hear some ways to increase water consumption when it's cold.
Hooves also tend to be neglected more in the winter. If it's muddy, your horse could suffer from hoof problems.
A woman brought her horse to a Holistic Horse Works clinic to help her with contracted tendons.
The horse's muscles were so tight, they felt as hard as rock. Veterinarians suggested surgery but the owner wanted alternatives.
After completing all three levels the horse was looser, softer and more comfortable than she had ever been.
The owner also learned how to keep her that way using the techniques she learned in the clinic.
The standard treatment for Lyme disease in horses is antibiotics.
Many horses, though, are still not quite right even after treatment and the bloodwork reveals the infection is gone.
These horses may have many problems that all need to be addressed. Bodywork is one thing, along with hot oil treatment of the spine has helped horses with neurological symptoms.
In this episode, learn more about how to help horses with Lyme disease.
When a horse has surgery, they will have many issues afterward.
To get the horse to the surgical table, they are usually hoisted up by their legs. They can also develop problems from lying too long on their side.
Post-surgical issues need to be addressed right away. For major surgeries, it will be a six-month process to get them back to where they were before.
In this episode learn how to support your horse after surgery.
A horse’s hooves are not as hard as you might think.
When a horse has pain in their body, they will shift their weight to find some relief. After a while, the hooves bearing the extra weight will start to change shape.
If you examine your horse’s hoof from behind, does one side seem higher than the other? If you compare all four feet, are they different shapes? Does the farrier have to make a different size or shaped shoe for each foot?
The farrier can try to reshape the hooves, but when the problem is higher up in the legs or body, any changes will be temporary.
After doing the bodywork and yoga the horse will start to stand more squarely and its hooves will return to a more normal shape.
Does your horse have a really choppy stride. What is this caused by and what can you do to fix it?
The choppy trot in the front end is because everything is just so tight and jammed up.
Leg circles can loosen everything up and make your horse lighter and springier in the front legs.
April explains how she can provide personal one-on-one instruction via Zoom sessions.
For students who are taking the home study course, this is a great opportunity to get feedback to make sure they are doing the moves correctly.
Learn more at www.holistichorseworks.com
By the time your mare nears the end of her pregnancy, she will no doubt be feeling uncomfortable.
You can do Holistic Horseworks horse yoga. It's very gentle. Stay away from the rib lifts, but you can still do the carrot stretches. You can still do the front leg circles, you can do the tail pulls and the buttocks to help free up their pelvis, to be able to be open and free to push out the foal.
Do a little bodywork session as soon as they do foal, and it's safe to be around the mare and foal.
I have been finding that a lot of our foals are mineral deficient, and that's the weak fetlocks.
I also gave a little bit of syringe of the Dynamite Dyna Pro to the foal, which really helped, you know, past that first poop, get their gut going. All the changes happening and my foals wouldn't get the scours where all that stuff on their hind end is making like their hair fall out and everything. I would just get a tiny little syringe without the needle and drop a little bit of the Dyna Pro every day and just give them a little bit like in the first four or five days.
I also give some to the broodmares as well. You know, they're going through a lot of changes.
I've seen foals at two months old that are already out of alignment because they fall asleep next to corral panels and wake up under them. Or in halter training, they're pulling back or they ran and they fell and tumbled down a hill.
So, I've noticed, you know, with everything going on in the planet, I mean, here on Maui, it's $400 for a horse shoeing every six to eight weeks. You're just like, oh my goodness, who can afford this?
I don't know what it is back in the states, but I know steel is going to be going up. fuel going up again. You know, we're over $5.50 a gallon here if you don't have Costco. And so, it's, you know, how can we better take care of our horse’s hoof at home to make our dollar go farther?
And a lot of people say, well, I'd love to go barefoot, but my horse is always ouchy and sore and just doesn't work.
When I was in France teaching and they had a cadaver hoof they had cut into, the redness went higher and higher around the coffin bone. When you actually cut into the hoof and see what's happening, you can see why the navicular groove, the navicular bone might be offset or uncomfortable.
So, I really like to start with the basics. The hoof soak recipe that I made up is just amazing. It's the Dynamite liquid trace minerals Epsom salt and warm water.
The soak recipe totally pulls out bruising, abscesses, anything that needs to come out and gravel, a hot nail, etc. If there are any cracks in your horse’s hooves, you have fungal and bacteria going in there as well.
I also have a miracle spray recipe that's made with DoTerra Essential Oils, and that recipe is on my Web site. You can get it. You can make up your own and we spray it on the frog, the white line, the sole we apply it to the coronary band and it's like daily acupressure treatment for horses.
If you combine the hoof soak and the miracle spray recipe, I guarantee you in two months you're going to see amazing hooves. You're going to be like, "Wow, this is actually saving me money." So, the spray recipes on my website, on my shop page, you can see YouTube videos of how to do the hoof soaks, how to do bomb sweats, how to use the miracle spray on my channel Holistic Horseworks.
Marisa Levitt, based in Australia is an IICT certified instructor for Holistic Horseworks.
While researching how to help her Arabian mare when one hoof grew larger than the other, Marisa found April Love's Youtube site. She later attended a clinic and the rest is history.
Listen to Marisa explain how the Holistic Horseworks program changed her life for the better.
The Level one course will provide a solid foundation on how to do bodywork on horses, whether it's your own or your client's.
Layla Harris, an IICT Certified instructor for Holistic Horseworks explains what happens at a Level 1 clinic.
After you have taken a Level 1 clinic, you have the option of taking levels 2 and 3. These clinics will delve a little deeper into the physical aspects of bodywork and specifics relating to the cranial sacral area.
Layla Harris is an IICT Certified Instructor for Holistic Horseworks.
Layla Harris is an IICT Certified Instructor for Holistic Horseworks.
in this episode, she shares how she found April Love's Holistic Horseworks program and it has helped her clients' horses.
Donna initially did some online searching to find out how to help her horses.
She found April's Holistic Horse Works program and then signed up for a clinic. Then COVID hit and the clinic was canceled. So Donna did the home study course.
When Donna herself, got sick she found that April also had things to help humans too. Donna eventually purchase a Healy Resonance device and found it helped, not only her but her animals, as well.
April talks with a horse owner who was at her wit's end trying to find out why her horse was on-and-off lame. After spending thousands doing diagnostic work, she was advised to put the mare on multiple medications, use special shoes, etc. The owner considered euthanasia.
Instead, the owner found April's Holistic Horse Works program. After taking the home study course and applying the first rib adjustment, the mare was sound and happy.
When I took my equine cranial class, we actually had to do a head dissection. We got to see what was really in the horse's mouth and all the layers. It's amazing how just the cranial compression (when they pull back when tied) is affecting everything in their mouth and how they chew.
When the teeth have sharp edges, hooks, and waves, sometimes the horse is biting the side of their tongue. They're getting pockets of feed up in their cheek. Some horses actually wad their food on purpose. They put it up there to protect an ulcer or sore on the inside of the mouth.
The chestnut mare’s head that we had dissected, had a hole inside of the cheek wall with layers and layers of scar tissue and pieces are missing on the side of the tongue. Her teeth were all sharp hooks, like shark teeth. And they were loose in the gums like gingivitis. If you have a toothache, what are you going to try and do to get the food that is food lodged, out from there? And you know, if you have a sore in your mouth, what are you going to try and do?
When they do the pullback when tied, or get their head stuck in a fence, they shift the 26 cranial bones in their head. Their TMJ joint can't move sideways when they chew. And you'll notice this, when you look at your horse's head, the cheek muscles right under the jaw should be really thick. And the forehead muscles should be pretty flat. When you start to see those forehead muscles getting bigger, especially on one side, they're chewing more up and down on that side of their mouth. Kind of like if a tooth hurts on the left, you're going to push everything over to the right.
In the wild, the horses don't have those issues, because they've never been haltered. They've never had their heads stuck in a fence or gone down in the trailer. So they grind their teeth more sideways like they're supposed to.
The equine dentist that I would use, would work with the horse. He’d stroke the horse, rub certain acupressure points on their face and calm them down. He didn't need to sedate them. He was so good and it was $50 to come to check your horse. If he just needed a hook taken down, he would do it. If he needed more work, it was like $100 to $150. So he would just check him every six to 12 months.
Anytime there's any kind of infection in the mouth, we do wet sloppy mash with beet pulp, some hay pellets, and some salt. If you go to the dentist and you have cuts and sores in your mouth, or they pull a tooth, they'll tell you to swish and gargle with warm saltwater.
For the horse, I use dynamite liquid trace minerals, three droppers-full. If you only pull up half a dropper-full, you have to do six. So three dropper-fulls in their mouth for 10 or 11 days can help clean out any cavities or heal up any mouth sores and ulcers. It's also amazing for boosting their immune system and getting rid of bacterial sinus infections. The horse that's always tossing its head and rubbing its head on its leg, you're trotting along and it drops, you know, and rubs its head and you're like, “Oh, come on.”
So if the horse is doing all of this swishing around and soaking their food, they're trying to make it easier to eat and less painful in their mouth. So ask your friends on Facebook for recommendations of equine dentists.
Call Dynamite. Their number is (800) 697-7434. Get a little two-ounce bottle of the liquid trace minerals. It's in my wound care book as well as my “Horse 102, Holistic Alternatives” that's on Amazon. So those are the kinds of things that I would do if your horses swishing food or mouth or tongue in their water.
Why would a horse eat manure?
We've noticed is the horses that eat manure, whether it's theirs or another pasture mate, are looking for pre-digested greens because their digestion is off track. They also need minerals and things that they're lacking. I really like the Dynamite company that makes all organic vitamins and other things. Without having to guess, you can call (800) 697-7434 and just tell them April Love sent you.
Get the Dynamite Plus vitamins, the plus meaning it has things for the gut and getting rid of parasites in the horse. It will give you better feet and you don't have to grain them. So the horses like the vitamins so much, you have two big scoops that they will eat it out of a pan or your hand. You have to be careful because the cats and dogs, chickens, everything else likes it too!
You'll notice that then seven to 10 days, they'll stop eating the manure because you're giving the horse what they're looking for in digestion, nutrients, and supplements.
Another thing that we see with the mineral-deficient horses is, especially the young horses, is eating the dam's tail hairs. You'll see one horse chewing on another's tail. It’s same thing, he’s looking for digestion, to get minerals. So even the foals, you can put them on a little bit of the Dynamite Plus pellets. And it's amazing how their coat changes, their hoof changes, or attitude changes when you can get them bio-available nutrients.
And for people that don't want to grain the horse because they're not working hard, it's a really good way to get the good nutrition into them.
You can also look at probiotics. I believe a liquid probiotic is better than a powdered probiotic. If your gut flora is off, or if you take antibiotics, which kills all your gut flora, a lot of doctors will say to eat yogurt. Well, can you imagine eating powdered yogurt? No!
If you're going to be feeding a probiotic to your horse, it should be in between meals and it should be a liquid that you can just put in their mouth. Dynamite company has a good one called Dynapro.
You can learn more in my free e-book at HorseAcademy101.com. And I have a book on Amazon, Horse 102, Holistic Alternatives. And of course my website holistichorseworks.com.
An owner had a horse that was acting up and they were going to send it to a trainer. But is it really a training problem? Or is it the horse trying to tell them that they're in pain?
We've been taught that if the horse doesn't want to canter to the left or the right or doesn't, want to do a certain thing in their body is that they're being stubborn on purpose, or it's a weakness. I remember training horses and it didn't want to canter to the right. I was told, well it's just weak on that side. So you make them do three times as many circles to the right as to the left, when actually it's because the right shoulder can't move correctly and the horses in its own way saying. “I don't want to go that way.”
If you're looking at horse language, and you brush them somewhere and they pin their ears, that's an area of pain. If you put a saddle blanket on and they're pinning their ears and shivering their withers that's letting you know that ribs and withers are not in perfect alignment. And muscles when they over tighten, create spasms. Then they pull bones too close together.
So it's a lot easier and cheaper if we can start listening to the horses at a younger age. Is it a stubborn behavioral issue, or is there something uncomfortable in the body and they don't want to do it that way? If you start looking at the hooves of the horse, you're going to see four hooves out of balance.
That tells me the inner muscles, pectorals, inside your psoaz, and your hocks are over tight, not allowing the joint to move correctly. And then we create extra stress by keep asking the horse to do the same thing that's already creating pain in the first place.
So if the right shoulder, and the right hip can't move correctly, they have to borrow extra from the left side to try and do that.
That's what creates your chiropractic issues. But most chiropractors just come and fix the withers and the spine and the hips and don't look for the cause.
When you do my program, which is everything from teeth to tail.
There are no big words like, “medial laterally rotated.” I just say if it if you push here, and the horse is reactive, this is how you fix it and we go through the whole horse from nose to tail, and hoof up.
And the testimonials I get just really warms my heart.
So you can start with my free e-book HorseAcademy101.com. And I have a Horse 102, Holistic Alternatives on Amazon. I have a home study program which you get my help and a free distance reading on my website: Equinemusculoskeletalunwinding.com, so that you can learn how to fix your horse yourself and then there's hardly any training left to do the horse wants to be with you.
So give me a jingle or e-mail me April@holistichorseworks.com.
What’s in the water that your horse is drinking?
I've been doing distance readings. People send me in left and right picture of their horse name, age goals and any specific issues and I give them like a seven page report back on what's really going on with their horse.
Seven or eight years ago, water source was not an issue and in the past three years, it's coming up to be 90 and 95% of all the distance readings I'm doing. It’s heavy metals, high iron, high calcium, etc.
People don't think about that but it really affects the horse and it throws off how they can assimilate nutrition. So the really important thing when we're hydrating ourselves is to have pure water without other things in it.
So it's really important in our toxic world, that the horses are getting more pure water. So high calcium water is going to create excessive arthritis in your horse. And also the enteroliths, the stones that grow in the intestines which is calcium surrounding a foreign object like a piece of plastic or baling twine they ingested. The body keeps surrounding it with that calcium until you have a big stone and a mysterious colic. So if they're not having to take in all those toxins every day they can flush their cells and detox easier.
So when the horses are toxic, and we do the readings we always recommend the Nano Zeolites like NCD or ACZ that you can find on Amazon. and we usually do 10 to 15 drops two times a day for horses for about 20 days. And for people you can do about eight to 10 drops or three to four sprays in your mouth, three or four times a day, it pulls out the mercury in the aluminum.
So it's all about what we are, is what we drink. You'll notice a huge change in your horses once you start filtering their drinking water. Learn more on my website, holistichorseworks.com and yoga for horses, and 140 other helpful YouTube videos on my YouTube channel, holistichorseworks.com and also my free e-book, HorseAcademy 101.com.
A listener is dealing with some young horses that are nipping and even head-butting the other horses. And he wants to know why that's happening and what can you do about it.
I worked on a horse that you could see the muscle development on his face was out of balance. One side mandible cheek muscle was bigger than the other and his forehead was developing bigger on one side as well. He just didn't want you to touch his face.
He was only about 14 months old. ,
I told the owners to have the vet check his teeth. And the next time I was there, they said oh the vet refused saying that he's too young. They don't start looking at teeth until age two or three.
Well, they finally got someone to look, and the teeth were just horrendous and he had huge sharp hooks in waves and he was chewing his own cheek when he was trying to eat and he was just head-butting all the other horses just asking for help.
But the problem is with all these knotted rope halters that have no give you put that on a two or three month old foal, even then just rearing up and fighting with the handler because they feel trapped when those bones are so soft as some much damage. So I really ask people to not handle young horses without some kind of give or stretch in a rope.
With these knotted-rope halters, doing so much damage to the horse's head, because there's no give, we need to start looking at the teeth sooner on before they start, you know, nipping biting chewing on things, because that's usually just saying my mouth is bothering me and I need something done are fixed in here or something, but they don't know how to ask for it.
You can look at that on my Horse 101 free e-book, at HorseAcademy101.com. I get into that a little bit. And Holistic Alternatives Horse 102 is also on Amazon, and www.holistichorseworks.com is my website call or e-mail if you have any questions.
Does your horse feel sluggish to you? Many riders may think the horse is just being stubborn, but it’s more likely the horse is unable tomove freely, rather than choose not to.
Recently at a barn, while I was working on horses I looked up and noticed there was a big tall thoroughbred in the arena who just didn't want to go and I could tell his hips and neck, and the rest of his body was out of alignment making proper movement possible. The rider was whipping him, and forcing the horse to do the move again and again in the heat, trying to get him to do the move correctly, and I had to turn away. The horse was not physically able to do what the rider wanted because it caused him pain to do so.
This hurts my heart when I see this again and again and the horse is mislabeled lazy or stubborn. How would you feel if someone says, ‘Hey, let's go for a run or a bike ride.’ And you're like, “Yeah, I really don't want to.” Then they whip you and make you do it anyway.
But if you do my bodywork program, and you do the horse yoga, your horse will be light and free. I used to do 50-mile endurance rides. Other riders noticed that I never needed to kick my horses to get them moving.
So when they're sluggish and lethargic, and heavy in the hind, and heavy on the forehand, you need to look into the body issues of why.
In summer, it may also be electrolytes out of balance. Giving a horse too many electrolytes will cause diarrhea. If you work them really hard, just give them electrolytes a little the night before and later that day. I prefer the Dynamite Dyna Spark which is in a liquid electrolyte in an organic molasses base and the horses just love it!
Also, do the horse yoga to make sure everything's working well. And then look into how much they're eating and drinking. Because when you don't feel good, they aren't going to want to perform.
When everything is out of alignment in the horse, it’s like riding a concrete block. Loosen them up with the horse yoga and the horse will be happy when they see you coming to ride.
When your horse is lame, you will watch him move to figure out where he hurts.
However, what you see, may not always be the result of the actual cause of the issue.
I see a lot of horses and the owner will say “he's off on the left hind,” and I'll say, “No, it's actually the right front.”It's interesting how quickly they can compensate! By the time they're bobbing their head, they're more like three-legged-lame. Many times when you think they're lame, it is going to be the area that was overworked and overcompensated, rather than the site of the original injury.
So if you're riding and the horse seems to be lame on the left front, you should look at the right rear. You need to look at how tight the muscles are in each shoulder and each hind leg. The over-tight area is the one that's over-working. I have a video on how to palpate the front leg's suspensory and tendons. Follow the tight muscles, they will tell you where there's an issue.
You want to look for heat. There are a couple of products that are pretty amazing when you're not quite sure where the lameness is. I like Dynamite Release Spray. You can put it on an area and it'll foam wherever the issue is. Bigeloil is another one. The oil will dry everywhere except where the issue is. Applying the oil daily will help that area heal a little bit better, but you still need to trace the lameness back to the cause.
I have quite a few videos on my YouTube channel for diagnosing where things are starting. The Horse 102 book that I sell on Amazon, has a little bit of information in that as well.
In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, I talk about horses that stumble.
When horses have issues with stumbling, most people would guess that the problem is in the feet. right? You have been told your horses' toes are too long and the farrier needs to cut them back.
But 4 weeks later it is happening all over again!
How the horse stands on the hoof 24 hours a day and how they load the hoof is how the hoof is going to grow. So when they're stumbling, they're going to have a low heel and a long toe. That's like you having a size 8 foot and wearing size 12 shoes. You're going to have to really pick the joints up higher to not trip on your own toes right?
The farrier can cut into the toe and set the shoe back, but it's still not changing the body issues that are creating the long toes in the first place. I always talk about the first rib misalignment. When the rib is misaligned, it makes it harder for the horse to pick up the shoulder and move it through. With all the compensations going on in the body your horse will develop low heel and ling toe syndrome.
The rider will think the horse is heavy on the forehand, or they need to do exercises with the horse walking over poles to get them to pick up their knees. It doesn’t help because it’s the shoulder not moving correctly, because it can't get around the first rib.
Until you change how the body is standing on that hoof 24 hours a day, shoeing is not going to solve the problem long-term.
Why do horses repeatedly spook at the same things? I have a couple of diagnostic head videos on my YouTube channel about what's really going on with the horse's head.
Also, check out my craniosacral page on my website. If you go up to your horse's head and lift the chin a little bit, (like you're going to kiss him on the nose) and look at their eyes, you'll see one's pointing off one direction and one's pointing off way out to the side.
The eyes should be symmetrical and when they are not, that affects the horse’s depth perception. I've heard from a lot of riders that they have an older horse. Right about the time when the horse’s brain is really good, the horse will start spooking at something they go by every day. I ask if they notice if it's always on the left side or the right side? Because, if it's only one side, it means the vision on that side is impaired.
The near eye couldn't focus on the object so the horse didn't see it. The horse will turn his head and all of a sudden it comes into view in the other eye, and it’s like a predator suddenly appearing! Of course, they’re going to jump!
I've also noticed that some horses that had high loads of parasites in the past have vision issues. I had a mare that if she was in front of the other horses on the trail, she'd see something up to the left about 30 yards off and she'd shoot backward and there was nothing I could do to stop her.
Previously, when the parasite load was so high in her body, they were in her eyes. The wormer killed the worms but left their remains in the eyes, creating floaters that affected her vision. After a month of sterile MSM eye drops, it cleared her vision and I could ride her in front again without the spooking.
Cranial displacement also affects their vision. After we manually move those cranial bones people notice that their horse will ride on a loose rein, with their head down, barely even looking at anything anymore because they can focus on things in their environment.
Besides vision issues, addressing cranial issues helps many other things.
In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, I talk about itchy horses
It’s summertime and many horse owners are noticing their horses rubbing their tails or their faces, even to the point of rubbing themselves raw. They're very sensitive to flies and other things in their environment. The issue may be an autoimmune disorder or allergies. It can be environmental but it may also be a cranial sacral problem.
Click here to see my page about autoimmune issues in horses caused by a past pull back when tied trauma - causing future health issues.
You can start by trying to control the fly population using Diatomaceous Earth in the pasture on the fresh poop piles, and within 21 days, you'll have fewer flies.
You may notice that some horses have a lot more flies than others. This horse has a lower immune system and is probably mineral deficient. Low copper can lead to having a higher parasite load. I add the Dynamite liquid trace minerals to their feed 2 FULL dropper full for 10 days and this usually clears up and may help some horses that do a lot of head tossing when being ridden.
For itchy skin, rubbing out mane, threadworms in the neck area, I use DoTERRA essential oils such as tea tree oil or melaleuca, and lavender. Fill a 32-ounce spray bottle with water, and put about 15 or 20 drops of each oil. And you can spray it on the horse, rub it in and let it dry. It's very good for sunburn, or bugs, and for helping skin to heal.
If the area is RAW then mosquitos and other bugs may be drawn to bite as well as lay eggs in that area. I then also use Desitin (yes, the diaper rash ointment) that comes in a big tub, to treat the areas where their skin is irritated. This lays down zinc to prevent bugs from irritating it more. You do not want the creamy tube as it just runs off in the heat. This is also great for tummies and bug sores along the underbelly and on gelding sheath or mares teats to keep bugs off. Also excellent for horses that get scratches or mud fever in the pasterns. See my horse 102 book on Amazon Holistic Alternatives
If the allergies are so bad that your horse is on steroids, then you need to look on my cranial sacral page on my Holistic Horseworks website. Because allergies and autoimmune is all about the cranial issue. Go back to the source for long-term solutions.
Nothing is more frustrating than having a horse refuse to get on the trailer, especially if you need to home!
There's a reason behind the horse's unwillingness and it's usually not stubbornness.
Would you want to ride in an uncomfortable car? No? Neither does your horse! We'll start with the ones that are already trained. A lot of people just don't realize how bad the trailer can be.
When I was training safe trail horses, I could load three horses in 90 seconds by myself. At the trailhead, I’d see people who had been out riding and their horse didn't want to load again. They’ve got a brand new trailer and they're wondering how I can load three horses in 90 seconds. They're sitting there for 10 or 15 minutes trying to get the horse to get back in the trailer.
If you have a well-trained horse that doesn't want to get in a trailer you should look at your trailer. Every time I bought in a horse trailer I've asked them to balance the tires Have you ever driven down the freeway at 60 miles an hour when one weight has fallen off your tire and the whole thing is shimmying? That's what happens in the horse trailer with these unbalanced horse trailer tires. You're putting the horse in something that has a lot of vibration so it feels like an earthquake!
The second thing you need to look at is where the bridles and halters hang. Imagine when you're going down a bumpy road and the horse feels vibration up their legs, and the bridles and halters going bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!
So what I did is I got an old yoga mat and I glued it on that wall, to prevent the banging.
The other thing that many people do is clean out the horse trailer. Then it might smell like bleach or something and the horse didn't want to get in it.
I bought an 18-month old black Arab stallion that had never been on a trailer. I went into his stall with a wheelbarrow and picked up shavings that had his urine and poop on them. I put it in the horse trailer and spread it all around. I walked him up to it and he sniffed it. It's like he was saying, “Oh, there's my poop and pee, I must have already been here. So it must be safe to get in.”
He just loaded right up.
We need to be looking at things from the horse's point of view. At one bodywork clinic, there were horses that wouldn’t load onto a step-up trailer. After three days of unwinding bodywork, they all just stepped up in the trailer.
One owner already had a whip in hand, but never had to use it. Her horse was totally locked up in the front end. After the clinic, he could step up nicely into the trailer.
Saddle fit is a huge issue for horse owners. A lot of people go and spend a whole lot of money trying to get the perfect fitting saddle.
Often, it’s not the saddle that needs changing — it’s the horse's body! I've noticed a lot of things are passed off as behavioral and training issues. When you go to put a saddle on the horse's back and they pin their ears and swish their tail, they are telling you that they know it's gonna hurt!
Put your horse on a flat hard surface, stand about 10 feet back, maybe up on a mounting block and look at your horse's butt, back, withers and shoulders. There's nothing symmetrical there; one hip will probably be higher, one side of the rib cage is higher, etc. When one shoulder is bigger, that's means that side is working harder.
The withers might also be off-center. When you put a straight-tree saddle on that and you girth them up really tight, you're forcing the horse's body to meet the underside of the saddle instead of the other way around.
I’ve worked on horses whose owners went out and spent $3,500 or $5,000 on custom-fit new dressage or show saddles. After a 45-minute to an hour bodywork session, they're like, “Oh, no! The horse is now straight and the saddle that I just had custom-made for his back is no longer going to fit!”
Instead of chasing saddle fit, you should look at all my free Youtube videos and look at HorseAcademy101.com so you can ride in your favorite saddle.
I rode more than 40,000 miles in endurance competition. I always did it in treeless saddles after learning all of this because your horse’s shape is going to be different every day.
My level one Equine Musculoskeletal Unwinding program is now a certified modality on its own.
So instead of chasing saddle fit, fix your horse first and you're going to have a happy healthy horse sound and rideable through their 30s
In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, I talk about sunburn on light-skinned horses.
Many light-colored horses and those with a lot of white on their face are prone to getting a sunburn on their noses and around the eyes. | Sunburn is not only painful, it can lead to skin cancer.
You can’t put lotion on their noses, they will just rub it off - probably on you! Or the toxic chemical can get in the drinking water when they submerge their nose.
The best way to prevent sunburn is to prevent exposure to the sun.I have found Equivizor makes the most amazing face masks. They have ones that cover the nose. I got them because I had a black and white Pinto with a pink nose and a white Arabian with a pink nose. So I could have that Velcro piece on but if it got if they stepped on it or anything, it would just come off.
And I could also trim it because one of my Arabians had a short little nose.
You may have noticed that a month after you put on a new fly mask, it will have little holes over the eyes. It's because people aren't trimming those very long brow lashes that come down when they put the fly masks on.
Then the fly mask bends that around and jabs him in the eye all day or is tickling your eyelashes. So if you notice that when you take off the fly mask, those long lashes are bending down into their eyes.
You can take a pair of scissors and just trim them short if they're going to have fly masks on every day. You always have to be careful about what you put near your horse’s eyes. When the horse starts to sweat, whatever ointment you use will get into their eyes and you’ll have constant eye issues.
Many internal parasites are building up resistance to chemical paste wormers, so how can you control parasites naturally?
Remember, the paste wormers available on the market are poison!
There are other ways to keep the horse healthy so they don't pick up parasites in the first place. I prefer the daily add to feed de-wormer, such as Dynamite Excel, which is a digestive aid but also has diatomaceous earth in it to control parasites without the poison.
Dynamite also has an immune booster. We noticed that copper-deficient horses tend to have more parasites. In this episode of Holistic Horseworks Talks, I talk about how to tell if your horse is copper-deficient.
I feed the Dynamite liquid trace minerals to correct the copper deficiency along with other essential minerals.
Oregano oil is also a natural way to control parasites, but that does burn the lip lining of the horse's mouth so you have to mix it with something else, like molasses to syringe it to them.
For tapeworms, you still need to use an Ivermectin paste gold or similar product. However, you may not need to give one horse the whole tube for a 1,400lb horse. I do fecal counts to determine how much parasite infestation they have and then judge how much wormer they actually need. I was able to do three horses with one tube, based on their actual parasite load.
If I have to use a chemical wormer, then I will detox the horse afterward. I will also give him a probiotic for a few days since the gut flora has been destroyed by the chemical poisons.
A few times a year I do a fecal based on the schedule of the full moon as more eggs hatch on a full moon cycle. Did you know that? And that the full moon is the best time to worm to be more effective?
If you can't get someone to come out to do bodywork on your horse, you can learn how to do it yourself at home or a clinic.
Live help is so challenging to find these days. Some clinicians want you to buy their DVD or package and then — Good luck! I can help you through all the steps and you can send me a picture of your horse for a recheck to make sure you got everything correctly.
How did I develop this program? I used to sell treeless saddles. The clients were sending me pictures of their horses. I noticed the ewe necks the roach backs, and the feet that were off angles. The owners thought they needed a treeless saddle to fit their crooked horse.
You actually need tofix the crooked horse if you want them to last longer. If you get on a bucket about 10 feet behind your horse and you look at your horse's back, you'll see one hip higher, one side of the back lower one shoulder bigger. When you look at the withers, there'll be a curvature of the spine like scoliosis, and part of the mane might flip to the other side.
I had taken a course with Kelley Mills and Dr. Regan Golob. They had given us some mane hairs and a pendulum and said, to ask a whole bunch of “yes” or “no” questions about a horse. When you ask the question, the way the pendulum swings determines if the answer is yes or no. I thought it was weird, but we did it. And then we got to go out and meet the horse. The pendulum was right on! All the health issues we asked about were correctly identified.
Because people kept sending me pictures of their horses, I'd tell them to get some bodywork. And they would say, “But I'm way out in the country, and nobody will come out here!” Or “it's $300 for a horse chiropractor, and I don't have that money. How am I going to fix my own horse?”
So that's what made me put out my first video and later my home study courses.
I found that it wasn't a training or behavioral issue, it was the horse trying to say that something hurt or it was uncomfortable to move a certain way.
My whole program has grown from that. In the distance reading, you send me left- and right-side pictures of the horse after trying the methods in the video and the workbook. I can see if the horse is in alignment. If not I can tell you where work needs to be done.
The home study program teaches you how to find the problem on every other horse for the rest of your life. Anytime a horse falls, goes down in the trailer, flips over backward, sits down, or pulls back when they are tied, you're going to have something you have to go fix.
It really hurts my heart when I hear, “But the vet said that he was fine.” And three months later, the horse isn't fine.
My program teaches you everything about the head, and the rest of the body.
The home study comes with a free distance reading on one of your horses so you can get started. And then you learn how to keep your horses going because my goal is your horse should be healthy sound and ridable through their 30s not be done when they're 20.
Foals as early as six months of age need this bodywork. So if you start this program sooner, you're going to have your best equine friend longer.
With Distance Readings, you can gauge how well you are doing. When you are done you get a FREE recheck to help you feel good about what you are doing.
It’s really an affirmation that you did it right. And you can really get that feeling instead of just buying a video that shows you how to do something….and you hope you did it right. You're not sure. So you didn't have the confidence. So you didn't go do it again.
I can look at a horse tell you everything that's wrong, how to fix it, and let you know that you did a really good job.
Is your older horse showing signs of stiffness, arthritis, or even tripping more?
With some weekly preventative care, you can add years to your horse's joy and ease of movement.
The reason that they're getting arthritic ahead of time is because the joints haven't been loading correctly so let's look at that AND simple easy things you can do for them. Anytime you have joints and bones not loading correctly, it creates heat and the body sends calcium to heat. So that's how your osteoarthritis grows, which is like a coral reef. It's porous. It's sharp, it can pinch on nerves. Also, this includes issues like Sidebone, Ringbone, arthritic knees, and hocks.
No matter the age of your horse, you can start at just 5 years of age, if you follow some of these simple things this does not have to be the outcome! You can do some things to help your horse's body move with joy and ease!
Doing my daily yoga would really help, but the yoga is to show you that there is a deeper glitch somewhere.
Note: If you board your horse, and your body is not able to do the yoga, then find a teenager needing financial support for her horse or her riding lessons and pay her $20 or so to do the yoga on your horse 3-4 days a week.
This helps the whole community and helps teach the younger riders better horse care.I can help you figure out where the glitch is with a distance reading. Along with my videos, you can re-align the horse's body and bring it back to balance. That is going to give your horse another 5-10 useful years.
When people say, “My horse can't do this anymore,“ I will tell them that his body is not able to move that way right now, but we can change it!
The worst thing you can do is take a prized show horse and just throw him out to pasture. He’s used to being groomed, bathed, and fly sprayed. Then all of a sudden, he’s alone, not getting love, and he’s getting tick bites and flies. They really just feel like they’ve been thrown away.
It doesn't have to be that way. The younger the horse is when you start doing the bodywork, the longer they will move with joy and ease. You can start as early as just 6 months of age as most foals are already out of alignment by then and that starts the high-low hoof syndrome.|
In this podcast, I also share tips on helpful feeding advice for older horses so they actually absorb the nutrients better.
Colic is a major concern for any horse owner. Usually, it is a few HOURS before the vet can get to you, so what can you do to help your horse while waiting?
Recently, I worked on some horses that were distressed with colic symptoms while I was at their farm. The first gelding, we got out of the colic by the time the vet arrived 2 hours later. In this picture above we are combining my horse yoga moves, the butt tuck, and belly lift, which can move the blockage around to let the gas pass. (Watch this)
In my horse emergency kit, I have DoTERRA DigestZen. It's an essential oil, it tastes like black licorice. I let them smell it and then I put the bottle in their mouth to let it come out. I then put it on my hand and I rub it all over their belly, especially on the belly button area. It's amazing for helping to relieve the pain from blockage causing bloating and gas.
As we walked the horse around, we did the Horse Yoga every 5-10 min and gave more of the DigestZen.
By the way, DigestZen also works great for people that have gas and bloating!!
When colic strikes, the horse wants to drop and roll because its stomach is bloated and hurting so much. There's some kind of blockage going in on in there. Unfortunately, if they drop and roll, when they have that huge gas bloat, they can twist their intestine. Colic surgeries can cost $5,000 to $8,000 and that's IF you can get the horse into the vet hospital. Many times people can't!
So I always say to have the DigestZen on hand, and Epsom salt as well. Have you read the side of the box where it says to drink Epsom salt in warm water for constipation?
I have a list of what you should have ready for any emergency in my Horse 102 book. When you’re in panic mode you might not be thinking clearly, it helps to have the list in front of you.