Equestrian Clinics

As show and rodeo season starts in full swing, many horse owners dutifully prepare their horses for traveling by wrapping legs with protective covering, checking that the trailer flooring is sound, and making sure their horses are securely tied--all with thoughts of protecting the health and welfare of their valuable cargo. However, few give much thought to a very important consideration--what can be done to protect their horse's lungs?

The situation starts out innocently enough. While you are standing next to your horse, he steps in a bit closer to you than you find comfortable. Automatically, you take a step back. What pivotal event just occurred?

Who's Directing?

By moving into your personal space, the horse put pressure on you. Had you responded with enough pressure in return to cause him to move back instead, your position of being the one doing the directing would have been maintained.

For hygiene reasons each horse should have its own blanket. Sharing blankets can facilitate the spread of skin problems such as girth itch, ringworm, and other fungal infections. Even if no horses in the stable have known skin problems, fungal spores can cling to the blankets and be spread to other horses.

If the blankets are used often during the winter they should be washed at least twice, using cold water and a disinfectant soap. Rinse the blankets well to make sure that no soap residue remains otherwise it might irritate the horse's skin.

Horse Riding Posture

Every movement we perform is an change in position. Posture requires micro muscle movements continuously. When riding a horse we want to appear still, but in reality we are moving all the time. The riding posture is much more work than riders actually acknowledge. In our daily lives we sit, we stand,we move around, but this is on a stationary surface. When horse riding the rider is aboard a moving animal, not always predictable either. The posture adjustments are happening all the time. This is so much harder than we think.