Category Archives: exercise

To saddle or not to saddle?

Recently there has been a lot of attention in the horse press given to whether it’s best to ride a horse with a saddle or not, or even whether to ride horses. This query also extends to whether we should all ride our horses in a neck rein or bitless bridle, are all bits cruel, etc.?

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Maintaining a performance horse naturally

These days we are inundated with information on how to manage our performance horse, geriatric horse, and what ever, usually from the companies that sell supplements. If there is a problem with your horse, there is probably a supplement designed for it.

Sharif paying attention to work done on his neck.  [Catherine Sobredo Photography]
Sharif paying attention to work done on his neck.
[Catherine Sobredo Photography]
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Bodywork alternatives for horses – OrthoHorse Tutorial news

Last weekend I conducted a three-hour tutorial on equine bodywork on Friday before the Spirit Horse Liberty Foundation Clinic in Jones, Oklahoma. Visiting and ranch horses were evaluated and students learned some skills in how to do bodywork on their own horses, with work on the hindquarters, shoulders and legs that translated to the spine. This work addresses the physical problems horses suffer. Among the students were an equine chiropractor, horse trainer and nurse who were all amazed as I have often been at the powerful effect of Equine Ortho-Bionomy.

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How do I build trust with my horse? – Liberty Foundations Clinic at Spirit Horse Ranch

“Both equines and humans learned to overcome fear and step into trust and love. Hope you enjoy the picture of you and beautiful Starwyn.” – Lisa Malone
“Every time I close my eyes even for a moment I see those beautiful horses faces.” – Lucy Taylor

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Continue reading How do I build trust with my horse? – Liberty Foundations Clinic at Spirit Horse Ranch

When should I stop riding my older horse?

When should I stop riding my older horse? This question comes up periodically, because at some point in every horse’s life, they get too old to be ridden. That’s the truth of the matter. They simply don’t enjoy it any more, and even if they do, they are physically unable to continue to carry a rider safely.

Riding my mare Opal one blustery day when she had a lot of energy. She was retired early because of melanomas. Photo taken Winter, 1998.

Riding my mare Opal one blustery day when she had a lot of energy. She was retired early because of melanomas. Photo taken Winter, 1998.

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From your horse to you: special gifts of connection

Recently a trainer came to me and asked to observe a class because she wanted to see what was different about it than the liberty work she practices. It made me think about the way I do things and how effective it is, and I get used to the results because they are there and tangible. But someone coming in may think, well, so what is so different about what she does?

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You Gotta Love Horse People!

Recently I had a client in my office who had a swollen ankle. She has had a swollen ankle before so I mentioned to her: rest, ice, compression, and elevation of the leg for self-care.

Self-care is a big part of my practice.  I said, “okay, if your horse’s fetlock looked like this, what would you be doing?”

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Afraid of your horse?

Are you afraid of your horse? Being afraid of your horse is nothing to be ashamed about. Many horses are scary, or people have had scary things happen with horses. Sometimes people come to liberty training because they are afraid to ride, or have a horse that is unridable or unmanageable. It’s also good to have a healthy fear or caution when working around horses.Macho_screenshot Continue reading Afraid of your horse?

Degrees of working connection in equine liberty training

When people say they have a good “bond” with their horse, it can mean a lot of different things. I have talked in the past about the difference between an emotional bond and a working bond. What we work on developing in liberty training is the working bond. But the degrees of bond or connection people have with their horses when they come to liberty work can be varied. Here are some possibilities, including some not-so-good bonds:

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Continue reading Degrees of working connection in equine liberty training

Why does it feel better to ride than to walk?

At the recent Society of Ortho-Bionomy Conference in Denver, a colleague of mine who was also a rider, asked me, “Why do my equestrian clients say they are more comfortable in the saddle than out of it?”

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